292 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



of molasses, but its quality will depend very much upon the 

 quality of the cane. We have not got into the habit of 

 utilizing the seed, of which a fair crop produces from twenty- 

 five to thirty bushels to the acre, in this climate. 



Mr. Wetherell. How does the value of the seed com- 

 pare with oats ? 



Mr. Gold. It is said to be worth as much per pound as 

 oats as food for cattle, poultry, swine, or any other purpose. 



Question. Can the Canada thistle be exterminated ? If 

 so, how ? ^ 



Mr. A. J. Hayward. Don't let it breathe, and that will 

 kill it. It breathes through its foliage. Don't let ifc make 

 any foliage. 



Question. Mr. Hale says pistillate strawberries are the 

 most productive. Is this so? What is the experience of 

 others ? 



Mr. Gold. The so-called scientific men of the country 

 knew nothing, for a long time, about the fact that there were 

 staminate and pistillate strawberries. It is said that an old 

 market-woman in Cincinnati was wonderfully successful in 

 filling the market with very fine fruit, and she had discovered 

 that by planting staminate and pistillate plants, she could 

 raise strawberries of a quality that distanced all her com- 

 petitors. It was asserted by fruit men that there was nothing 

 in the supposed whims of this old woman. I believe it is 

 admitted now that the theory is true. 



Mr. Augur. Just a word in regard to pistillate varieties. 

 At Philadelphia, one gentleman from Minnesota said he 

 would not plant any strawberry, except those that had perfect 

 flowers, but I think many will differ from him in regard to 

 that. Pistillate strawberries are quite productive if planted 

 hy the side of a perfect flowering variety. Many of our 

 pistillate varieties are extremely desirable ; still, if a person 

 can have but one variety, he better have one of the perfect 

 flowering varieties. 



