244 On the Production of 



be watered in dry weather throughout the summer, and upon the 

 approach of autumn top dress them with an inch or two of old 

 well decomposed manure; the Keen's seedling and other Eng- 

 lish varieties, upon the approach of frost, will need a covering 

 of leaves or straw, to protect them from injury. This is all 

 that need be done. 



When the spring opens, the plants should be looked over and 

 divested of all dry or decayed leaves ; the soil, if quite rich, 

 need be oniy hoed, to destroy the weeds and loosen the surface, 

 that the rain can penetrate easier; if not, however, of a rich na- 

 ture, let another top dressing be added. It is after this that the 

 plants will require much attention at the hands of the cultivator; 

 if any runners make their appearance before the trusses of fruit, 

 they should be cut away carefully; when the flower buds appear, 

 cut away all the trusses, but one to each root; and as soon as 

 the buds are ready to expand, let them be taken off one by one, 

 leaving only the first fruit, (the one at the base of the truss of 

 flowers;) the whole strength of the root will then nourish the fruit 

 that is left, and it will acquire a good size; if the weather should 

 prove to be dry, give good waterings occasionally, and if with 

 liquid manure, so much the belter. No other care is requisite 

 but to keep the runners cut away until the fruit is gathered for 

 seed. 



But we come to the impregnation of the flowers. As soon 

 as the first bud expands, which is generally the one at the base 

 of the truss, with a very small, sharp pointed, scissors, cut away 

 the anthers which are situated at, and around, the base of the em- 

 bryo fruit; as soon as this is done tie a piece of gauze over the 

 whole, in order to keep the bees and the wind from carrying the 

 farina of other flowers to the stigma; the day after this opera- 

 tion is performed select ihe stamens from the variety or varieties 

 with which it is intended to fertilize the stigma, always taking 

 them from a healthy and vigorous plant ^ and a ivell formed fruit: 

 take the gauze from the flower to be impregnated, and, with a 

 camel's hair pencil, apply the pollen to the stigma, being very 

 careful to touch every part, or an ill formed fruit might be the 

 result; tie the gauze over again immediately, and all is finished. 

 The cultivator should bear in mind that the embryo fruit should 

 be well formed and not depressed, coxcomb-shaped, or unhand- 

 somely formed in any way ; otherwise the progeny might exhibit 

 the same defect. Be careful to preserve a memorandum of the 

 variety or varieties with which every plant is impregnated. 



All the fruits for seed should be managed in the same man- 

 ner; and when they are picked wash out the seed immediately, 

 and put it in papers, with the remarks and names attached. It 

 may remain in the seed room until February, or it may be sown 

 in a frame, in the open garden, in August, which method some 



