NEW CREATION IN FRUITS. 469 



the case for South Dakota, since the white pine is not adapted 

 to the open prairie. 



In General: Some claim that we must stick to native 

 plants only. I have no national feeling about these things at all. 

 I take a good plant wherever I can find it, whether it is Russia or 

 India or China or Japan, or out here in our own woods or in the 

 sand hills of the Bad Lands of the far West. The main thing is 

 to get it arid then bring this material together and apply the 

 laws of plant-breeding. It is up to you to do that and then watch 

 for the result. The idea that we must use only native plants is 

 a mistaken notion. It is not a political question, it is a plant 

 question. Get the plant material of the whole world together 

 and from that material evolve the fruit we want. I want to say 

 that Siberian material, in many respects, is the most promising 

 material we can get. The absolute hardiness is there, and if it is 

 from the right part of Siberia the climatic conditions are very 

 much the same as ours. 



I call your attention to the fact that most of this fruit-breed- 

 ing is done by my orchard house method, which I have been 

 developing during the past twenty years arid which has since 

 been followed by others. The orchard house method for raising 

 the fruit under glass is really a movable orchard. The trees are 

 grown in tubs and pails and may be stored in cellar over winter 

 and later out doors. During the blossoming period the trees are 

 in the greenhouse. 



In conclusion, some of the minor fruits I have passed over 

 at the present time. In all our work we need now to strike out 

 on new lines. Every amateur who has a little land and a love 

 for the work can aid greatly. Some of the best varieties we have 

 in fruits, vegetables and flowers have come through the efforts 

 of amateurs. By the law of chance the only hope for advance 

 along many lines comes from immense numbers of seedlings. 

 We must all help in this work. (Applause.) 



Cucumber Beetles. — The cucumber beetle causes serious damage to 

 cucumbers, melons, squashes and other cucurbits. The most of the injury is 

 accomplished just as the plants are breaking through the ground and, unless 

 remedies are applied, entire plantings may be destroyed in a few hours. The 

 beetle winters over in rubbish and all such should be gathered and burned 

 on fields known to be infected, so as to destroy the insect in its hibernating 

 quarters. Prevention is easier than a cure; hence, early plantings, starting 

 plants under glass, covering hills with wire cloth or like devices, until plants 

 are large enough to be beyond the danger point. Spraying with Bordeaux 

 mixture is a valuable repellent and adding arsenate of lead will destroy 

 many beetles. Lime, sulphur and tobacco dust also act as repellents. 

 Severe injury may be outgrown by forcing the growth by liberal use of 

 manure and fertilizers. — S. N. Green, "Market Growers' Journal." 



