340 State Horiicultiirai Society. 



fungus pests or blig-ht, ought to hold their foHage late in the fall, and 

 the later they hold it the better it is for the tree every time. — Rural New 

 Yorker. 



HORTICULTURAL T.VLK. 

 (By Edwin H. Riehl, North Alton. 111.) 



Plant Several Varieties. — There are several points in favor of plant- 

 ing more than one variety of the dififerent fruits, but one important ad- 

 vantage of having several varieties planted together is that of being 

 sure of having good pollination. In nearly all of the fruits we cultivate 

 there are some varieties that are more 'or less self-sterile. Take it with 

 strawberries, for instance = I have found in my experience, even, those 

 varieties that are strongly staminate, give better results when several 

 are planted in a field or bed together than when one is planted by itself ; 

 which shows that the mingling of pollen is strengthening, and insures 

 a better setting of fruit. I find, by -the way, as a rule, that pistillate 

 varieties of strawberries, when well poUenized yield more than staminate 

 varieties, which is, of course, due to the fact that plants of the former 

 are not taxed by the production of pollen. I therefore can not side with 

 those who rate pistillate varieties as second choice. For example, here 

 is a list of some of my favorites: Sample, Marie, Hunn, Haverland. 

 Bubach, Winchell's Beauty, Kittie Rice and Warfield. all pistillate. Plums 

 always do better when several varieties are planted together, and to be 

 on the safe side, I think we should do a little mixing of all the different 

 fruits with this point of perfect pollination in view. It is also especially 

 important in grapes. By planting several well-selected varieties we also 

 have the advantage of a succession in ripening. 



Manure for Fruit. — In no other branch of farm industry is manure 

 more valuable than in fruit growing, and best results, I find, are obtained 

 when manure goes direct from the stable to the orchard or fruit garden. 

 As suggested in previous issues, I find it a very good practice to put a 

 liberal quantity around young trees. It gives them a boost, making them 

 vigorous and healthy from the start, and before you know it you have 

 trees large enough to bear considerable fruit. For small fruits and 

 vineyards, it is advisable to manure the ground heavily a year or two 

 previous to planting, if possible, but in all cases take the manure from 

 stable to field, and thereby get the good of all there is in it. As a rule, 

 naanure should be spread, when taken to the field and not thrown oft' in 

 heaps to be scattered at some future time, as some people do. If, how- 

 ever, the ground should be covered with a heavv coat of snow when 



