740 



GI.EANTNGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Trinidad varieties are free from this acridity, even 

 in the raw state; but because of the possibility of 

 tubers of an acrid variety being mixed with these it 

 is best never to taste them uncoolied. In cases of 

 the accidental tasting of acrid tubers or leaves, 

 lemon juice in a little water is found to alleviate the 

 ill effects. 



If dasheens are handled in water in scraping or 

 parins them for cooking, a level teaspoonful of sal 

 soda should be added to each quart of water. The 

 outer part of the tubers contains an irritant that 

 causes the hands to sting in somewhat the same way 

 as the mouth and throat from the eating of raw, 

 acrid leaves or tubers. The hands are aflfected in 

 this way even in the case of tubers that are not 

 acrid to the taste. If water is not used while scrap- 

 ing them, it is best to wash the hands afterward in 

 soda water of the strength mentioned. 



The fat of milk or meat seems to assist in destroy- 

 ing the acridity. 



Hunters are well aware of a similar 

 property belonging to the Indian turnip, 

 alluded to in the above letter. Please notice 

 their endorsement of what I have told you, 

 that the dasheen, every particle of it, at 

 evei-y stage of its growth, is valuable for 

 human food ; and not only that, it is a de- 

 licious article of diet. 



One word more about the tubers to be 

 given our subscribers. They are to be sent 

 only to those who apply, and who have 

 their subscription paid up for one year or 

 more from the time of applying. Send in 

 your applications when you choose. We 

 expect to mail them from our Florida home 

 somewhere about the first of January. As 

 they are injured by freezing, perhaps the 

 friends in the extreme North had better not 

 order them sent until it is time to plant, say 

 March or April. 



THE AMADUMBE DASHEEN OF SOUTH AFRICA ; 



SEE PAGE 698. 

 Mr. Root: — Your recent letter was received on 

 the 13th, and the package the 14th. On the 15th I 

 planted them. I took the responsibility of planting 

 on Mr. Ault's land, as his dasheen show so much 

 better than mine or yours. It is very evident that 

 the dasheen needs much moisture as well as an 

 abundance of fertilizer, both organic and chemical, 

 for best results. We had some for dinner yester- 

 day (small ones) that I fingered out from your 

 first planting in January. I am afraid you are going 

 to be disappointed in the yield. Your land is entire- 

 ly too dry. Ault's land had water standing in the 

 ditches each side of the rows all summer. 



As to the edible qualities, we think we would 

 rather have a good Irish potato. , 



Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Harrlson. 

 Bradentown, Fla., Sept. 16. 



The above eoiToborates what we have 

 said before, that the dasheen, in order to 

 g-row to perfection, should have wet ground, 

 or ground where the roots can get down 

 into running or standing water; and the 

 fact that ours down in Fliorida did not 

 have tliis wet ground is, may be, why friend 

 Harrison thinks he prefei-s a good Irish 

 potato. We have now cooked quite a few 

 here in Medina; but so far Ihey are hardly 



mature enough to make a nice baked dash- 

 een; but the outside tubers cut up and 

 made into a stew like mushrooms is certain- 

 ly a splendid substitute for a mushroom. 

 And please consider that mushrooms sell 

 for from 40 cts. to $1.00 per lb., while the 

 dasheen may be grown for 40 cts. a peck 

 without any trouble. When Mi*s. Root sug- 

 gested that I might be giving it too much 

 praise, Huber replied, after I carried over 

 to him a little dish for breakfast, " Father, 

 you can't give it too much praise." The 

 other children, however, were not quite so 

 extravagant. Now excuse me for the fol- 

 lowing summing-up as I see it: The dasheen 

 can be groAvn anywhere, and everj' bit of 

 the plant is edible — ^he tubers under 

 ground, the tender shoots above ground, for 

 a stew, and the great green leaves (if they 

 are not too old) for greens. It may not 

 fully mature here in the North. That is 

 not quite settled ; but it will certainly grow 

 these luscious small tubers with their tender 

 shoots as a substitute for asparagus. 



THE HYBRID TOMATO SEED, ETC. 



Mr. Root : — I should like to make a ftw addi- 

 tions to your article on tomato hybrids in the Sept. 

 1st Gleanings. First, the New York Experiment 

 Station is at Geneva, not Oneida. 



In cross-fertilizing the tomato, not only does the 

 pollen have to be carried from one blossom to the 

 other as you have described, but the anthers of the 

 blossom have to be removed before they commence to 

 shed their pollen, as the tomato blossom is a self- 

 fertilizing flower, and cross-fertilizing does not take 

 place readily. 



Now as to the varieties. I used the Earliana in 

 quite a number of crosses, and it was quite good ; 

 but it made a too soft tomato. But the best results 

 I obtained were by a dwarf tomato. This seems to 

 give a stronger and more vigorous plant, as was 

 found by the New York Experiment Station. The 

 dwarf that I used was one that I originated, and not 

 only makes a vigorous tomato, but one that has a 

 solidity found only in the late kinds. In canning I 

 find my hybrids of this cross were far superior to 

 the Earliana crosses. It is only in canning or ship- 

 ping that this quality becomes noticeable. Down in 

 Marietta, O., where over 500 acres are grovrn on 

 stakes, early, and shipped to such places as Cleve- 

 land and Chicago, they never use Earliana, but 

 mostly Beauty. 



This matter of first-generation plants is an inter- 

 esting one. Corn is another crop that seems greatly 

 benefited by crossing. Prof. East, in an article in 

 the Gouniry Gentleman, last October, made the state- 

 ment that from 20 to 150 per cent of gain had been 

 made in many cases. It seems strange that some en- 

 terprising seedsman does not produce such seed for 

 sale; but Henry Field, cf Iowa, is the only one 

 whom I know of who has offered it yet. 



It may seem a high price to pay $5.00 per ounce 

 for tomato seed; but when we know that an ounce 

 of seed will make enough plants for two to four 

 acres, the increase of yield will pay many times over 

 for the cost of the seed. 



I wish somebody would offer crossbred corn for 

 sale. I am going to do what I can in tomatoes, and 

 it looks as if the readers of Gleanings would use 

 up my supply of seed, as they seem to be an unusu- 

 ally up-to-date lot of people. 



Medina, O., Sept. 18. E. C. Green. 



