378 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
Horticulturists are endeavoring at the same time to rid fruit 
plants of thorns. Some oranges and lemons are very thorny—for 
example, the high-priced King orange, which is the best of the man- 
darins. Itisrarely seen inthis market. The first trees were brought 
to the United States from Cochin China. In Florida its thorniness 
has been diminished by selecting buds from branches with the few- 
est thorns. Thorns are objectionable because they puncture the 
oranges and lemons when the branches are blown about by the 
wind. 
Efforts are being made to get rid of the thorns on raspberry and 
blackberry plants, simply for convenience in picking the fruit. The 
thorns are intended by nature to protect the plants from animals. 
Cultivators select those plants which by chance happen to be thorn- 
less or comparatively so. 
GROWING EVERGREENS FROM SEED. 
CHARLES. F. GARDNER, OSAGE, IOWA. 
Good seed must be procured of the previous season’s crop, avoid- 
ing seed that is old. Make examination and see that the germs are 
plump and sound. The seeds of the pines, spruces and firs can be 
tested in the winter in the same way you would test wheat, oats or 
barley to find the number of grains that will freely germinate in a 
given number of seeds. Seeds of the evergreens mentioned should 
be kept in a cool, dry room until the time to plant arrives. Soak in 
warm water from twenty-four to thirty-six hours before planting. 
Seeds of the arbor vite should be stratified as soon as picked from 
the tree, as drying destroys their vitality; red cedar and all juniper 
seed should be stratified as soon as gathered, and remain in the 
stratified state one year before planting. 
The ground selected to plant evergreen seed should be first-class 
soil for corn, as free as possible from weeds or grass. The best way 
to secure this condition is to sow acrop of potatoes, with such cul- 
ture as will absolutely destroy everything of the weed kind. Plow 
and pulverize well in early autumn, then, in about a week afterwards, 
throw the ground up in rough beds running east and west. This is 
done with horses and plow in such manner that the beds when fin- 
ished will be four feet wide and from four to six inches above the 
general level. The alleys between the beds should be two feet in 
width. 
Set good strong posts eight feet apart each way over the entire 
ground to be planted. Set them from two and one-half to three 
feet in the ground and seven feet high from the ground up. 
Brace the outside row of posts all around. Thenrun heavy galvan- 
ized wire on the top of each row of posts, north and south, and east 
and west; fasten securely with a staple on top of each post where 
the wires cross. Cover the whole top with common wire lath fenc- 
ing, made with one twist of wire less than common between the lath 
to bring them close together. Enclose the sides in the same way, 
fastening everything securely with staples to the posts. Instead of 
