THE SECRETARY'S TORTFOLIO. 429 



•we can gradually improve on the original type; but if wc save seeds at random 

 the fruit will deteriorate, no matter how generous tiie cultivation may be. 

 Every one who has had any practical experience with root crops is well aware 

 of the importance of beginning properly by selecting roots for seed that are in 

 each instance up to the standard of excellence, and that a disregard of this 

 precaution will result, in a few years, in roots of every conceivable shape and 

 texture. But in laying so much stress upon selection, we must not neglect the 

 other important requisite — good culture. Seeds grown on thin, poor soil will 

 show in the next generation of plants a marked falling off in quality. — iV. Y. 

 Tribune. 



BEANS— TIME OP RIPENING. 



It often happens that those about to plant string beans would be glad to 

 know just how long it will be before the crop is ready to gather. In our own 

 garden, from records kept for three years past, we find that the first crop, 

 which was put in about the 12tli of May, on each occasion was ready to use in 

 exactly fifty-seven days. The second crop, put in about the 4th of June, 

 took from forty-eight to fifty-six days before being ready. The third one was 

 started near the 2d of July, and it was ready in forty-eight days. It will 

 be seen that for the first crop the seasons made no difference, as each year fifty- 

 seven days were required. The second crop varied in time a little, doing the 

 best last year, when the hot summer fetched it in forty-eight days. The 

 third crop takes about the same time, and so probably would the fourth. 

 Attention to these facts will enable any one to bring their beans along in suc- 

 cession without any difficulty. For instance, the first crop, sown May 12, will 

 be ready July 8. Allowing two weeks, as the time the beans will remain 

 fit to use, the second crop should be ready July 22, and to accomplish this must 

 be sown June 2, to give it fifty days. This crop will be ended August 5, and 

 the succeeding one should be put in June 17. Unless the summer be very dry, 

 the different crops will remain fit to use for three weeks, and the sowings need 

 not follow each otiier so closely. — Philadelphia Press. 



PREPARED SEED. 



Just now we find in our agricultural papers advertisements in which someone 

 offers to sell prepared seed which will germinate in half the time, j^i'oduce 

 twice the crop, with half the labor necessary for the natural seed. For many 

 years gardeners have known that soaking some seeds in medicated water (notably 

 chlorine and camphor water) has sometimes a remarkable stimulative effect, 

 particularly if the seed is old ; but this is simply a stimulant and nothing more ; 

 and hence, if we use it, the seed must be surrounded by the most favorable 

 circumstances of soil and temperature, so that with this unnatural energy it 

 can immediately and readily obtain a liberal supply of food, or in the reaction 

 Ave ehall be worse off than if we had not need it. Even in the greenhouse the 



