32G STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



regularly as to time. Old balsam seed, other things being equal, has the rep- 

 utation of yielding a larger proportion of double flowered plants than ue\v r 

 because its vital force decreases with age. — Practical Farmer'. 



SEED BEARING EXHAUSTIVE. 



Every tree however hardy, will be hurt by heavy bearing. It is a strain up- 

 on the powers of the tree, lessening its vitality, requiring a year or more to 

 recruit, and shortening the period of its life. The fruit fails, and largely, to 

 come up to its usual standard, to say nothing of its highest condition under the 

 best management. All this results from neglect of thinning out, an operation 

 much less difficult than is supposed. Remove down to a moderate amount of 

 fruit, which in a heavily laden tree is fully half the crop ; often more should 

 be taken. This relieves the tree, and enables it to concentrate on the rest of 

 the fruit, greatly increasing the size and quality, which in market tells most. 

 By lessening the number of specimens, the number of seeds is reduced; and it 

 is this particularly that favors the tree, as the seeds draw sharply upon the 

 tree's vitality. It has also the effect of favoring bearing the next year. We 

 thus see how much can be done by this one operation. If all orchards were 

 thus treated, there would be a revolution in fruit growing. — Colman's Rural 

 World. 



PRESERVING SPECIMENS OF PLANTS AND FRUITS. 



We are often at a loss how to preserve specimens of fruits and other agricul- 

 tural products. We have tried to keep an unusually handsome bunch of grapes 

 or a "prize" apple, but have found that it shriveled up, changed color, or 

 was otherwise spoiled. 



Dr. Nessler, of the Experimental Station at Karlsruhe, has been very 

 successful with a solution containing a little acid — sulphite of lime in 20 per 

 cent spirits of wine. Alcohol alone has long been employed as an antiseptic, 

 but when strong enough to prevent decay, it will usually affect the color or 

 otherwise alter the appearance of the specimen. The fruit or plant should 

 first be moistened with the alcohol aud one to ten drops of an eight-per-cent 

 solution of the sulphite added. The specimen is then covered with the alcohol. 

 In preserving leaves and other substances liable to change color, not more than 

 one or two drops of sulphite to every four ounces of the alcohol should be used. 

 For roots, tubers, etc., which are liable to turn brown or grow dark-colored, 

 three or four times the above quantity may be employed. 



With this preparation specimens of white and green grapes, of green leaves, 

 and of roots have been kept for years in a light room without any visible 

 alteration. This liquid will also prevent wines from turning brown and check 

 fermentation. It can also be employed to preserve insects, fish, or small 

 animals. — Rural Neiu Yorker. 



WONDERS OF GRAFTING. 



Hiram Stidolph tells the Rural World how he grafted a tomato vine on a 

 potato, as follows : 

 I have this summer grafted a tomato vine on a potato vine. It is now grow- 



