The Marble times and Crystal silver lance., 1901-08-23


yield of a little tree which
in the grounds of the Depart
of Agriculture at Washington.
are about fifty of these bags,
with the neck firmly, as close in
on discloses, about one of the
hal twigs. The effect is rather
bque. The tree is the particular
Z of Prof. Herbert J. Webber,
with his assistant, is responsible
bagging. 1t is species of or
tree, the variety having been
hit to the United States from
about ten years ago with the idea
Ing it for hedges. 1t is evergreen,
about thirty feet high, and has
thorns. The fruit is small and
and quite unfit for food. But
bet that it fourishes as far north
aryland, Kentucky, Indiana and
buri gives it great value to the
kists who are experimenting with
Nv to securing more hardy breed
ange. And this is the explanation
8e crop of paper bags. The bios
of the tree have just been crossed
the st. Michaels and Sanguina
kes, which are the standard vari-
of sweet Florida fruit. Prof. Web
trying to secure a hybrid which
retain the edible qualities of the
Florida orange, and at the same
preserve the hardness of the Chi
mother tree. One plant with these
lcteristics would be worth more
bonanza gold mine. 1t would
as the parent stock for thousands
ants which would be grown
hghout the Gulf states, revolution
the agricultural industries there.
yielding millions to the growers.
riments with this end in view be-
several years ago. At the present
the department. has about 300 hy-
seedlings. 1t is expected that some
ese will bear their first fruit this
though the majority of them will
ppear much before next year. The
hybrid seedlings which Prof. Web
las secured represent deal Of pa
labor. To cross varieties which
losely related is comparatively
lie matter; but the Chinese orange
The Florida variety have been long
lated, and have grown in
different environments, that they
almost forgotten that they be-
to the same genus, and they do
lake kindly to each other. Conse-
lily not more than one blossom
pf hundred fertilized with the
Ign pollen bears fruit; and then
more than seven out of fifteen
in that fruit will germinate and
uce plant. The paper bags are
to protect the flower which has
fertilized with the. pollen of the
orange. The first step in the op-
on of cross-fertilization is the re-
II Of the pollen-bearing stamen
the blossom. This is done with
scissors and pincers. The petals
also removed leaving the stigma
bed. This is all done before the
Ioms are fully opened; for by that
there is danger that bees or other
Fts might have carried the pollen
some open blossom and deposited
the stigma. When the stamen has
completely removed pollen IS
ered from the blossoms of the
in the government greenhouses
shaken lightly upon the prepared
Fr. Then the bag is tied tightly in
to make sure that no pollen from
bame tree becomes mingled with
already used. After the fruit has
dme to begin forming the bags are
we'd and the twig is marked with
giving the name of the other pa
As soon as the seedlings bud they
ent to different parts of the coun-
be grated on plants which have
|dy been started. Thus 1t is soon
vered whether the plant is suffi-
Ny hardy, and the only remaining
ion is as to the quality of the
-New York Sun.