MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES. 423 



WEATHER PLAXT. 



Several scientific societies of Vienna have been investigating this 

 wonderful plant. It is claimed that its weather-foretelling properties 

 are thoroughly verified. This is a new plant, and it is claimed will 

 prove very valuable. The Austrian marine war department is to give 

 it a trial on shipboard. 



KELSEY'S JAPAX PLUM. . 



One of the largest and best of the new plums brought to the 

 United States from Japan in recent years is the one named after Mr. 

 Kelsey, the California fruit-grower, who was the first, or one of the 

 first, to have it in bearing in this country. It is a fine large plum, of a 

 rather peculiar shape and of very good quality. 



Unfortunately it has not proved hardy in a considerable portion 

 of the Xorth, trials of it having resulted in the loss of the trees after 

 one or two years' growth, by the occurrence of a rather more than 

 usually severe winter. 



We suggest a trial of it in a limited way, in sheltered situations in 

 Central and Southern Pennsylvania, Ohio, etc. The east end of a 

 dwelling house would be a good place. A tree in such a situation, 

 planted four or five years ago, and now nearly large enough to bear, 

 has been doing well. The warmth of the house, in addition to its effect 

 as a windbreak, serves as a protection against the severe storms, which 

 nearly always come from the points to which the tree is but slightly or 

 not at all exposed. 



THE ORIGIN OF CHOICE FRUITS. 



Since grafting or budding merely multiplies the particular variety, 

 whatever it may be, without making any essential change in it, it has 

 been asked how choice fruits originate. 



There are two ways, though these two are but one under two dif- 

 ferent conditions. 



1. By accident, as it may be termed: seeds are dropped in some 

 fortuitous way — by birds often — in favorable localities, and trees, "after 

 their kind," spring up and grow. 



2. Persons plant seeds on purpose, choosing those from which 

 they think the best results may be expected; sometimes taking pains 



