THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



379 



(Concluded from page 376.) 



that State. From other localities we read of the agita- 

 tion for securing immigrants from various foreign coun- 

 tries. 



I repeat the question with which I started out. 

 Where did you come from ? Are you a native American 

 or a naturalized American? It is immaterial, I assure 

 you, so far as my personal interests are concerned ;but if 

 you, reader, came from the Eastern States, since you 

 are now acquainted with the great opportunities in the 

 West, since you are an enthusiast on the Western coun- 

 try, why not acquaint your cousins and neighbors back 

 at the old home, of the opportunities in the West? 



Doubtless there will still be no dissenter to these 

 suggestions. There will, however, be many questioners 

 asking me if I have discovered some new plan for stimu- 

 lating the tide of emigration toward "the land of the set- 

 ting sun." No, I have not. It is an old plan that I 

 have. It is simply systematic publicity to be secured in 

 the Middle, Eastern and Western States, and I would 

 like to receive personal replies to this article, with sug- 

 gestions for the accomplishment of this publicity or in- 

 dicating a willingness to undertake it, and I will en- 

 deavor to return a suggestion to each commercial body 

 or enterprising citizen who addresses me personally as 

 above suggested. Write F. J. WRIGHT, 



Care IRRIGATION AGE. 



"PEDIGREE STRAWBERRY" PLANTS 



There has been considerable interest aroused in recent years in 

 so-called pedigree strawberry plants. The claim was made that in a 

 plantation of any one variety could be found plants superior in pro- 

 ductiveness and other desirable qualities to the rest of the plants in 

 the plantation. This claim, then, means that bud-variation occurs in 



ine plantation. i nis Claim, men, means mat uuu-variauuu occurs in 

 the strawberry and that we should depend upon getting new varieties 

 in this manner as well as by raising them from seed. Careful experi 



superiority over tne same varieties irom otner sources WHICH iiau uccii 

 taken from a bed set the year before and conse_quently had not exe- 

 hausted themselves by bearing. However, the possibility of bud-variation 

 is not denied. It is certainly true that for starting a new plantation 

 preference should be given to plants taken from a bed set the year pre- 

 viously, and not from an old' bed that has become exhausted or lowered 

 in vitality by being unduly crowded or exhau'sted from repeated heavy 

 crops'of fruit. The best nurserymen now observe this rule of sending 

 out plants from new beds and have found that raising plants is a 

 work separate from that of raising fruit. A veteran fruit-grower in 

 Wisconsin grew the old Wilson strawberry for forty years and kept the 

 stock vigorous and productive long after other growers had discarded the 

 variety because it had "run out" with them by being allowed to run 

 wild in old beds, where thev had to contend against weeds. To this 

 extent, then, we may say there is something in pedigree strawberries. 

 And no one should be discouraged from selecting some vigorous and 

 desirable plant in his plantation and raising more plants from it. The 

 possibility of bud-variation in the strawberry is not denied, but that it 

 rarely occurs should not be fofgotten. 



HISTORICAL NOTES ON WILD AMERICAN STRAW- 

 BERRIES. 



Wild strawberries are among the most abundant of American fruits. 



""Evolution of Our Native Fruits," page 426, L. H. Bailey, 

 wrote: "Tnere is, likewise, growing all manner of Hearbes for meate 

 and medicin, and that not onely in planted Gardens, but in the woods, 

 without either the art or helpe of man. * * H There is, likewise, 

 Strawberries in abundance, verie large ones, some being two inches 

 about; one may gather halfe a bushell in a forenoone." In 1643 Roger 

 Williams wrote: "This berry (strawberry) is the wonder of all the 

 fruits growing naturally in those parts; it is of itself excellent/ so tnat 

 one of the chieftest doctors of England was wont to say that God 

 could have made, but never did, a better berry. ' ' In some 



parts, where the natives have planted, I have many times seen as many 

 as would fill a good ship within a few miles' compasse. The Indians 

 bruise them in a mortar and mixed them with meale and make straw- 

 berry bread." It appears that strawberry bread was commonly used 

 by the Indians, showing the former abundance of the wild strawberry in 



New England. Professor Bailey adds that "The' advent of the Chilian straw- 

 berry in European and American gardens, and its phenomenally rapid 

 amelioration, obscured the native species, however, and the latter are 

 now practically out of cultivation. Now and then some evidence of 

 native blood can be seen in an early variety, but the influence of our 

 field strawberry in the improvement of the garden varieties has evi- 

 dently been very small. 



(Concluded from page 365.) 



the advantages of irrigated agriculture that I would not 

 feel certain that in no other part of the United States 

 attempt to cultivate land outside of the arid region. I 

 can the staple products of the soil be so cheaply grown. 

 In no other part of the country is the jpil so rich, the 

 climate so agreeable and so well adapted to the outdoor 

 occupations of men. It is because of this abiding faith 

 that I so earnestly desire the success of all irrigation 

 enterprises. The strong features of these need no words 

 of praise from me; it is the weak features which cause 

 us to fear, and since a chain is no stronger than its 

 weakest link, I urge upon you as the representatives of 

 the people of the West to come to the rescue and change 

 a possible defeat into a glorious victory. 



In all the great battles of the history of the world 

 the wise general has reserved a part of his force to use 

 at critical periods in support of the weakest positions. 

 In this great battle against aridity which is now being 

 waged the weakest position is to be found on the firing 

 line amid the thickest of the fight, among that great 

 army of toilers who are striving to conquer with water 

 the Great American Desert. 



TO OPPORTUNITY. 



So, then, hast thou: knocked once upon my door, 

 And, having passed by, will return no more? 

 Or will yet come, still unannounced, that call, 

 Which if unheard means a farewell to all 

 My future greatness? What a stake is there! 

 How will I know, how make myself aware, 

 . Lest I accept some lesser destiny, 

 Or I refuse, not recognizing Thee, 

 My hopes too great, Real Opportunity? 



Nay, Opportunity, I challenge Thee! 



I am not bound and will not bide, nor flee, 



Neither Thy knock, nor afteV Thee if lost; 



For I believe thy claim is false and most 



Preposterous. It teaches men 



To wait for thou to thrust success on them. 



, 



As though expecting soon to stride among 

 Their present captors, till hope slowly dies, 

 Since each new day does merely disappoint, 

 And sullen then they live so they who wait 

 For opportunity to them anoint, 

 Or think success a sudden gift of Fate. 



Not once, but many times knocks at thy door 



The Mnfateful hand repeats o'er and o'er. 



'Tis nothing strange, train not a watchful ear, 



Thinking if lost thou ne'er again wilt hear, 



It is an answer, coming constantly 



To thy good plan, to thy diplomacy 



Of yesterday. Plan on, my friend, and let 



Thy great ambition build thine own success, 



With hope and pluck and courteous, good address, 



Ne'er giving up, nor thy good cheer abet, 



And be not cheated by the thought that Fate 



Smiles not on thee, that Opportunity 



Has passed thy door; nay, rather take 



A great, exultant joy that Destiny 



Lies in thy hand and mine, will what we may, 



That little's lost, if not all won, today. 



F. J. W. 



Write to-day 



Motsinger Auto Sparker 



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MOTSINGER DEVICE M'F'G. CO., 

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