The Republican journal., 1900-05-10


fertility of his land and also a good wav to
dispose OF surplus stone.
Itol. Munson's observations Friday even
Ing were On flowers and fertilization, and
were illustrated by about 20 charts showing
Inc organs OF various families of plants and
insects which have part in the fertilization
OF vegetable life. The charts show the
parts all highly magnitied and colored true
TO nature. The strawberry plant was shown
ehtlre, with root, stem, leaf, blossom and
perry, both in the staminate and pistillate
xmas. The various methods by which the
pollen Is carried from one plant to another.
such as the wind, insects, ETC., were ex-
pialhed, ana illustrations were given of the
methods OF artificial fertilization Not only
were flowers proper taken up. but the
speakers included the various grains, fruits,
root crops and grasses. Both Profs Nun
son and Gowell spoke on this subject.
frof Gowen was obliged to take the
morning train Saturday, and as Mr.. Pope.
VINO was announced to speak that day, was
unable to attend, both meetings were ad-
dressed by Prof. Munson. His forenoon OBJ
SerVatlon lesson was on fruit and he used
some of the same charts that served for the
previous evening. He explained and showed
from the charts, and from natural fruit of
various kinds, the structure of the different
kinds OF fruit, the different organs, such as
seedS, pulp, stones, etc, the change from
the blossom to the natural fruit, and many
other interesting points in fruit lore Fruit
may be dwarfed on one side by lack of
pollen on the blossom organs of that side,
as is often seen in the tomato. An organ
which originally had use in the economy
OF nature, which under changed conditions
becomes useless, is gradually left out of ma
ture. The banana was originally seedy
fruit, but successive years of cultivation
and propagation by other means has changed
1t and 1t rs now SeedleSs A familiar illus
tration of this is seen in the potato which
formerly bore seeds in the "potato balls"
The practice of propagating from the tubers
and cultivating for the largest development
of that part of the plant has worked a
gradual decrease in the seed-ball until now
one is rarely seen. Maine possesses good
opportunities for the orchardist, but they
have been neglected. The nursery is the
foundation of the orchard, and much better
results are obtained from trees started right
than by those carelessly grown. Much of
the seed used by New York nurserymen
The professor gave in some detail the
methods of the nurserymen in producing
young trees, from the planting of the seed,
the budding, grating. etc. until the tree is
ready for its permanent bed. Seedlings
two years old are ready for the orchard.
The best land is a strong, clayey loan, rich
and we'll drained. The custom of fall plant
ing in orchards is growing, but trees to be
set at that season should be well matured
Trees received from IA distant nursery
should have all their tibrous roots removed,
as these are dead, and useless. The land
should be well plowed. Trees should be
set from so to 50 feet apart, planted with
care, carefully pruned to preserve the
balance between top and root, and the earth
packed firmly about the base. The North
ern spy is d reliable stock to graft on as it
is a sure grower. long lived and of even
shape. Seedlings are not reliable on ac-
count of the variation Of size, shape, hardi-
ness, etc, Thorough cultivation of the
orchard should be practced, but hoed crops
should not be raised there. Old orchards
may be improved in various ways. The
iaud should be plowed, but not too deep
ly, the tops should be pruned little each
Year. Hogs in an orchard are good sub
stitute for plowing, Six or eight hogs to an
acre will plow, harrow and manure an
orchard in good shape, and also eat all the
defective and wormy fruit which falls.
Young trees should be protected by screens
about the trunks or the hogs will destroy
them. The trees should be kept free from
borers. and sprayed for protection against
the coddling moth, the tent caterpillar, scab
and other ills. Spraying should be with
fine mist, forcibly applied. The speaker
recommend destroying all injurious insects
whenever and wherever found, and also the
use of preventive measures. Better results
are obtained by mingling the varieties of
apples in an orchard, for instance, two or
three rows of Northern Spy or Rhode Is
land Greetings, and one row of BaldwinS,
for better fertilization. Care should be ex-
erclsed in packing-each grade honestly by
itself, and sending the defective fruit to the
evaporation.
Prof. Munson and audience partook of
picnic dinner, and after short ntermis-
sion the afternoon session was opened His
observation was on insects, of which he had
two cases of mounted specimens, one of i'll
furious and one of beneficial insects. He
told his hearers about some of the principal
species of both classes His talk for the
afternoon was on vegetable gardens in the
field and under glass" The fear expressed
by some alarmists that the country will in
time become crowded to such an extent that
food cannot be raised to support the people,
he characterized as absurd. Intensified
methods of gardening make it possible for a
small area to produce very large crops. He
described some of the hot houses he had
seen in New York State and elsewhere
where from to 90 acres of land are cult
waited under glass in one establishment
The farmer can profitably unite the pro-
ducton of crops under glass and out-of-
doors. There is money now i'm tomatoes,
lettuce, radiSheS and other early crops rails
ed under glass. Maine growers can by this
means compete in the home market with