Durango semi-weekly herald., 1901-04-11

ing. This fruit has been married to
some large oranges of the Florida va
riety. The first resulting genera
tion of descendants will be due this
season. The intention is to com
bine the interior quality and sweet
ness of the Florida family with the
thick. protecting skin OF the Phila-
delphia species. 1t is hoped to thus
obtain in few years an offspring
which will grow as far north as
Charleston. $. G., all along the gulf
coast and along the Pacific in north
ern California. 1t was prophesied to
me that oranges as large and as juicy
and sweet IS the California variety
will some day be growing In our cen
tral Atlantic states. A number OF
crosses are likewise being made be-
tween oranges and grape fruit, to OBJ
tain a large juicy offspring which will
combine the sweetness and flavor of
the former with the size and medici-
nal virtues of the latter.
breeding pineapple plants without
stickers is another feat worthy of men
ton. Pickers OF pineapples have
long found their vocation one of diff
ficulty not to say pain. because of
the sharp teeth lining the edges of
the outspreading leaves. Somewhere
in the world had been discovered
plant which, although bearing poor
pineapples, has smooth leaves with
out saw-edges. This has been mar
ried with the more abundant but less
convenient species. The offspring.
exhibited to me the other day, has the
smooth leaves OF the one and is ex
pected to produce the superior fruit
OF the other.
A doubling of the starch content of
potatoes is expected to result from an
elaborate series of experiments ar
ranged for. The growing of pota
toes especially for the starch indus
try will soon be as successful here as
in Germany. German potatoes bred
Tor this enterprise are sold at prices
proportionate to the amount of starch
which they contain. Plants known
to have produced the greatest percent
ages of starch are to be selected for |
the parents of the new stock to be
bred. Onep aren't will probably be
Vic ottsi III potito uh lbtf
mum bonum." which yields ~ per |
cent OF starch. Combining it with an
otheras rich, Or even richer, in starch, |
it is expected that The offspring will
yield 26 per cent,
The growing of brown cotton. such |
as need not be sent to the dyer before |
being made into brown cloth, is ma
other industry to result from these |
experiments. From Peru the exper-
imenters have obtained seeds OF what |
may be termed the black sheep OF |
the cotton family. The fluff Ia OF |
very dark brown. The plant can
not be grown now in our cool eli |
mate, but after its intermarriage with |
several species OF Our white cotton |
1t is expected that the offspring, com |
Dining the color of the Peruvian fam. |
lily with the hardness OF the Ameri- |
can. will baeeme commercial sue
cess. on the coasts Of sauth Caro- |
lima and Georgia Is raised what is |
known as sea island cotton This |
is so iinc that it can be successfully |
used for silk adulteration. II Is be- |
ing crossed with the upland cotton.
The resulting species. exhibited to me |
yesterday, is a cotton longer and per-
haps more silky than the coarse cot. |
ton but retainipg the strength ami |
tirmness of the upland fattGn, Al |
Egyptian father and an upland mo.hei |
er than either parent in size.