THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



237 



growth of lateral branches, which alone 

 bear fruit. If this be neglected, he 

 says, one will have splendid vines, but 

 very little fruit ; but when this is 

 done seven tons to the acre is a very 

 common yield. 



THE' INFLUENCE OF POLLED. 

 The effect of |)oileii upon the fruit 

 and seeds of plants is a subject that 

 has frequently engaged the attention 

 of both practical and scientific horticul- 

 turists during the past score or two of 

 years. All admit that pollen is an 

 important factor in the production of 

 seed. Furthermore, if there is seed, 

 there must be some other organ pi-esent 

 to support it — a fruit-stalk ; an enve- 

 lope to enclose it, as in the apple, pear, 

 cherry, and similar fruits, or something 

 to rest upon as in the strawberry, rasp- 

 berry, and blackbeny. Consequently 

 we must admit that the influence of the 

 pollen does necessarily extend beyond 

 what we term the fruit or even the 

 seed. Quite recently this stibject has 

 come up anew, and interesting discus- 

 sions have followed at several meetings 

 of horticulturists as well as in the 

 columns of various agricultural aiid 

 horticultural joui-nals. We find the 

 same influence exists in melons, 

 squashes, cucumbers, and siuiilar fruits, 

 and often to such an extent that a 

 choice and high flavoured variety is 

 almost ruined by being planted near 

 an inferior one. A more striking and 

 familar example of the influence of 

 pollen is that of sweet corn fertilized 

 by the pollen of field corn. If a yellow 

 variety of field corn is planted near 

 any variety of sweet com, and both 

 come into bloom at the same time, 

 there will be yellow kernels interspersed 

 among the grains of the sweet, and the 

 flavour of these will be as distinct as 

 their color. The influence of the pollen 

 in this case, not only extends to size, 

 color, texture, and flavour, but often 



still further, for the coloring matter 

 will usually be seen in the cob. It will 

 be the same with two white varieties, 

 but the efi'ect is more readily observed 

 when one variety is either red or yel- 

 low. — A. S. 1i'ullp:r, of N. J., in 

 American Agriculturist for Septemher. 



HOW TO MAKE YOUR LAWK 

 Where lawns are made by seeding, 

 the work is commenced by turfing. 

 Wherever there is a termination in the 

 grass plat, not otherwise bounded, a 

 strip of turf about a foot wide should 

 be laid down for making a firm edge. 

 Do not remove the soil quite as deep 

 as the sod is thick, as some allowance 

 should be made for compression in beat- 

 ing. When ready to sow the seed, the 

 surface should be passed over with the 

 rake and mellowed up a little on the 

 top. It is a common error to use grass 

 seed too sparingly. Use four or more 

 bushels to the acre. Where it is known 

 that any one sort does well, it is best to 

 sow onl}'- that one kind. As a rule 

 Red Top, Bent grass, or Blue grass, are 

 geuei'ally preferred. W here it is thought 

 best not to depend on one alone, then 

 several kinds should be mixed. Some 

 always sow a little White Clover with 

 the grass seed, for the greenness it main- 

 tains in di'ouths, but wherever lawns 

 are kept watered this should not be 

 added. In sowing, the seed should be 

 divided into two portions, half to be 

 sown by passing over the land in one 

 direction, and then, after lightly raking 

 over the surface, sowing the remaining 

 half cross-wise. Rake in the seed, or 

 use a brush harrow, and after this let a 

 thorough rolling be given. 



As the grass starts up, and the weeds 

 with it, the mower must bo kept at 

 work on the new lawn. The weed seed 

 lying in the ground usually comes up 

 quickly, and will prove annoying for a 

 while, but if the grass was sown thick- 

 ly enough, and the mowing and cutt- 



