PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS* CLUB. 117 



same plant. In conversation lately with a very observing and in- 

 telligent English farmer and gardner, he stated that, from a long series of 

 observations made by his father and himself, and also by other large gar- 

 deners, that a different conclusion had been arrived at; that the sex was 

 not in the flower, but in the plant; that the male plant produced all male 

 flowers, and the female plant all female flowers. And not only that, but 

 also that the sexual character extended even to the pujnpkiii; that each 

 pumpkin was either exclusively male or exclusively female, and the sex of 

 each could be easily determined by the shape of the blaze or scar at the 

 blossom end. Acting upon this theory, he had selected his seed pumpkins 

 with a careful regard to their sexual character, taking but a small portion 

 of seeds from the male pumpkin to mix with a much larger proportion of 

 seeds from the female, for planting in his fields; the result of which is that 

 he has much larger and better crops of pumpkins than his neighbors. If 

 this theory is correct it is one of importance, as the planting of the seeds of 

 but one sex in a field or garden will make the fructification dependent upon 

 accidental foreign supplies of seminal opposites by the chance agencies of 

 the winds, or of bees, or small birds." 



Mr. Carpenter said that an acquaintance upon Staten Island is a full 

 believer in this theory of sexes in the squash family, but he had been una- 

 ble to discover its truth; but he had discovered that the soil of one farm 

 will produce a good crop of pumpkins, while that of an adjoining farm will 

 not. He gets corn, pumpkins and turnips from the same plat, each a good 

 crop. 



Mr. John G. Bergen. — I grow from 5,000 to 10,000 squashes a year, for 

 the city market, and I have not yet learned that theie are any barren vines. 

 I believe the theor}' advanced a humbug. 



Another member said he was told about this theory by a Scotch farmer, 

 and he tried the seed from pumpkins of what were pointed out as male and 

 female, and both produced fruit; but he must say that the vines from the 

 seed of the female sort were the most prolific. 



We advise farmers to make experiments in this matter, until they prove 

 whether this family of plants are or are not monoecius. 



Disease of Raspberry Bushes. 



J. De Witt writes from Nunda, Livingston county, New York: 

 "To ask information on one or two points of interest to me, and some 

 others. I have black raspberry bushes which have formerly borne very 

 nice fruit, but gradually from year to year one bush after another in the 

 row grows sickly, and ceases bearing in part, or wholly, and instead of 

 sending up three or four strong shoots as a healthy bush will, there are 

 sometimes a dozen or more, which look very tender, the leaves are smaller 

 and lighter colored, and about the last of May there comes on them a sort 

 of mold, which gradually becomes a bright orange color, like the specimens 

 inclosed. If some one, through the Tribune, can give me the cause and 

 cure I shall be much obliged." 



The Black Knots. 



Dr. Peter L. Hoyt, of Wentworth, N. H., discusses this question as fo 

 lows : 



