426 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



progeny, while plump and perfect seeds give better results than smaller ones 

 from the same fruits. The results are not quite definite as to whether the 

 influence of plant, fruit, or seed preponderates, but one cannot go astray if 

 he selects large and plump seed, from the most perfect fruits that grow on 

 the healthiest and most productive plants. This, of course, must be done 

 in IJae field before the crop is harvested. 



Tnere is probably a slight gain in the time of ripening if seeds are selected 

 from the first ripened fruits. Last year seventy-five kinds of tomatoes were 

 grown in duplicate at the College, with six hills from seed of the first fruits 

 that ripened in 1887, and the six adjoining hills from some which matured 

 three or four weeks later. The first picking was made, last year, on the 17th 

 of August and 242 fruits weighing 572 ounces were obtained from those grown 

 from the first ripe fruits of 1887, and 174 fruits weighing 450 ounces from 

 the others. 



It is an interesting fact that of the angular sorts, which naturally ripen 

 early, the yield was 178 fruits weighing 425 ounces, and 37 fruits weighing 

 107 ounces respectively, for the early and medium fruits. While of the 

 apple-shaped sorts, most of which ripen later, the seeds from the first fruits 

 of 1887 yielded 67 fruits weighing 147 ounces, and the plants grown from 

 the main crop of seeds gave 137 fruits weighing 343 ouaces; or in other 

 words, the angular sorts gave five times as much fruit at the first picking 

 from the seed of the first ripe fruits as from those which ripened later, while 

 the apple-shaped sorts gave less than one-half as many. 



Although potatoes are tubers, and not seeds, an experiment conducted at 

 the New York station, to show the value of seed saved from the most pro- 

 ductive plants, is worthy of mention at this point. In 1883 the tubers from 

 the most productive hills in each of nine varieties, and also those from the 

 least productive hills of the same kind, were gathered and placed in sacks, 

 the product of each hill by itself. The following spring the smallest and 

 largest tubers in each sack were cut to single eyes and planted, making thirty- 

 two hills for each of the nine varieties. They were harvested and the thirty- 

 six lots were carefully weighed. As might be expected, there was some 

 variation, but the following was the average for the nine varieties reckoned 

 for one hundred hills : 



Merchantable. Total. 



-,-, , , ,. ,.,, (Largest tuber 83.4 lbs. 106 lbs. 



From most productive hill, j Sn ^i lest tuber.. ..69 lbs. 88 lbs. 



-c , , -, ,. ,.,, ( Largest tuber 66 lbs. 85 lbs. 



From least productive hill, j ^^ tuber _ _ _ _ ^ ^ 69 lbg< 



No better illustration than this can be given of the value of selection, as 

 not only does the yield of the largest tuber from both the most productive 

 and the least productive hills exceed that of the smallest tubers of the same 

 hills, but the smallest tuber from the most productive hill yielded more than 

 the largest tuber in the least productive hill. 



The methods of gathering and preserving seeds vary with different 

 plants, as some seeds will not germinate after becoming dry and must be 

 sown at once, while others require a period of rest. The seeds of nearly all 

 trees should be gathered as soon as ripe, and either planted immediately or 

 placed in thin layers in sand or well drained soil to be planted the following 

 spring. On the other hand, seeds of most of our vegetables and grains 



