256 



LIGHT FROM THE SOCIETIES. 



The clamor is heard from one end of the country to 

 the other for something that will equal the old Wilson 

 strawberry of thirty years ago. Where it has been kept 

 pure by careful selection it, has even now no equal among 

 the perfect-flowering sorts. I have nothing on my farm 

 that will approach it, and I have tried pretty much every- 

 thing offered. Wherever the Wilson has failed you will 

 find on careful investigation that no effort has been made 

 to preserve its purity. Dealers prefer it, and many of 

 my best customers will have nothing else. The Crescent 

 is more vigorous and more productive, but like the Wil- 

 son, and for the same reason, has been given a back 

 seat by many growers. As a cash-bag filler, these two 

 are yet the champions if kept pure by proper selection. 



A pedigree plant may be said to be one which possesses 

 the best points of its variety in the greatest perfection, 

 with the ability to transmit these characteristics to its 

 offspring. The want of fixedness of the desirable features 

 in our new varieties is the cause of failure when they 

 pass out of the hands of the originators. Their changed 

 conditions and different methods of cultivation render 

 the bud-variation so great that for want of proper selec- 

 tion and exclusion of inferior plants their value is lost. 

 No one can estimate the loss to fruit-growers from this 

 cause. The truth is, we have gone wild over the intro- 

 duction of new seedlings. Our fruit-lists are altogether 

 too long. There is no earthly reason for continuing one- 

 quarter of the varieties we now hive. We have not 

 made the substantial improvements we should have made 



if we had devoted more time to the accumulation of the 

 good qualities of the old standard sorts by propagating 

 from those that produce the prize-takers. How shall 

 we make these selections ? My method has been first to 

 study the variety until I had a true ideal of the type to 

 work from. Study the plant, its habit and foliage, its 

 fruit both on the vine and in the boxes. Fix these 

 firmly in the mind, then go into the fruiting field to look 

 for this ideal plant. Having found it, examine every 

 leaf to see if its foliage is perfect and free from all disease. 

 If the variety is.deficient in foliage, its fruit too soft, or 

 not of the desired form or color, select with a view to 

 correct these deficiencies. 



In case of a strawberry-plant, remove the fruit as soon 

 as sufficiently developed to reveal its true character, that 

 the plant may not be weakened. Stimulate it gently 

 with liquid manure, and pot the runners and remove 

 them to a bed specially prepared for the purpose. Next 

 year use only plants taken from this propagating bed, 

 and select again year after year. Never take a single 

 plant to the field not perfect in all respects, nor use the 

 tip-plants from between the rows. Keep the propagat- 

 ing-bed carefully mulched during the winter. You will 

 be surprised at the uniformity of fruit in color and size, 

 as well as the prices you will command. Patience and 

 experience will be required ; 'but the compensation in 

 quality of fruit and consequent pecuniary gains will be 

 &m-p\e.— Extract f rom faper read by R. M. Kellogg, 

 before the Michigaii Slate Horticultural Society. 



.0 time most meet for musing, 



'Long wood-paths dark and dim, 

 IVhcn the silent, dreamy twilight 



Comes softly stealing in ! 



When the hees have hushed their humming. 



And butterflies gone to rest, 

 And the robin, with drowsy warble. 



Calls Good-night," from his nest. 



EVEN-TIME 



When the dove's low cry grows fainter. 



As she mourns herself io sleep; 

 And the owl, with plaintive hooting, 

 Lone watch begins to keep. 



Meet, indeed, such time, for musing 

 In the grand old shadowy wood; 



Sweet time to wander lonely 

 In meditative mood. 



M. LOUISE BURNITE. 



