THE RUSHIKE FRUIT FARM, IONIA, MICH. 
3 
i^o |one can estimate the loss to fruit growers 
from this cause. The tact is we have gone 
wild over the introduction of new seedlings. 
They come upon us with such a flourish of 
printers' ink and lithographic art that we are 
utterly bewildered. Our fruit lists are alto- 
gether too long. There is no earthly reason 
for continuing one-quarter of the varieties we 
now have. 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, ever bearing in mind that the value of 
pedigree in plants, as in animals, is in the long 
■continuance of its most valuable character- 
istics, that the tendency to variation and 
reversion may be as nearly destroyed as possi- 
ble. I do not mean to say we should discon- 
tinue all efforts in the direction of producing 
new varieties, but the proper testing of them 
is altogether too expensive. It should be 
relegated to the government experiment sta- 
tions and those who can afford to do it. 
But to the practical part. How shall we 
make these selections? 
My method has been to study the variety 
until I had a true ideal of the type to work 
from; study the berries in the boxes, on the 
■vines, the foliage and its habits. Fix it firmly 
in the mind, then go into the fruiting field to 
look for this ideal plant. Discard all plants 
showing any attacks of fungi or disease. It 
"the variety is delicient in foliage, fruit too soft 
■or has not the desired form, select with a view 
•of correcting these deficiencies. In the case of 
strawberries, as soon as the berry is sufficiently 
■developed to reveal its true character, remove 
the fruit that the plant may not be weakened, 
stimulate it gently with liquid manure, and 
pot every runner and remove them to a bed 
specially prepared for the purpose. Next year 
use only ijlants from this special bed, and select 
from the fruiting field as before. Never take 
a single plant to the field not perfect in all 
respects, nor use the tip plants from between 
the rows. They are nearly always weakened. 
Keep the propagating bed carefully mulched 
during the winter. You will be surprised at 
the uniformity of fruit, its color and size, as 
well as the prices you will command. In the 
<3a8e of varieties propagated by root cuttings, 
when you have found your ideal of fruit and 
I bush mark it, do not allow it to overbear and 
at the proper season take up the roots carefully, 
cutting in proper lengths, put them through a 
callousing process and plant in nursery rows 
Never use a sucker. They are often sent up 
as a result of disease or injury. If the variety 
be propagated by tips, be especially careful 
that nothing gets into the ground save those 
perfect in all respects. 
Thus we are able to augment the good 
qualities by securing all variations in the 
desired direction and discard defects every 
year as they appear until we have the highest 
perfection. I have succeeded by this method 
in making very marked changes in foliage and 
firmness and greatly increased productiveness. 
Much patience and long experience will be 
required, but the compensation will be ample. 
By pursuing this course we shall be able in a 
very great degree to solve the problem of dis- 
eases. Weak and sickly plants are always the 
first to succumb to attacks of vermin and 
fungi. We can produce such a healthy growth 
that insects are powerless to injure and fungi 
held in abeyance. It we add to this the burn- 
ing over of strawberry beds every year or 
plowing them under after one picking, the pests 
which ruin so many plantations will disappear. 
Cultivate thoroughly, fertilize thoroughly, 
study the business thoroughly and you will be 
thoroughly successful. 
TH<>K<)1'<1HBKKI>S. 
As early as the yeai- 1780 the French govern- 
ment began a regular and systematic effort to 
improve the horses of the country, with a view 
of increasing the efficiency of the cavalry serv- 
ice; and this fostering care has continued to 
the present time. 
The work was placed m the hands of a com- 
