. 13GG.> 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
ISO 
Cedar Apples. — {Podisoma macroptis.) 
— • — 
Those Tvho have been much acquainted with 
the Red Cedar (Junipenis Viiyiniiimi), must 
have noticed tlie peculiar excrescences which 
are often seen upon tlic small twigs, and which 
are known by the popular name of " Cedar Ap- 
ples." They are of an irregularly rounded shape, 
at first very small, but increasing in size until 
they roach that of an inch or two iu diameter. 
They are often found completely 
encircling a small twig. E.xter- 
nally they are covered by a 
brownish purple rind, or skin, 
■which has its surfoce thickly cov- 
ered with circular or obscurely 
angled markings, with an ele- 
vated or embossed center. Upon 
cutting the mass, it is found to 
have about the consistence of a 
green apple, is whitish within, 
and a careful inspection with a 
good magnifier will show here 
and there some exceedingly min- 
ute white fibres traversing its 
substance. These cedar apples 
are by most persons thought to 
be of the same nature as " Oak 
Apples," and other galls, and to 
be caused by the presence of an 
insect. All excrescences upon 
plants are not the work of in- 
sects, and this, and the black 
knot upon plum and other trees, 
are instances in which parasitic 
plants are the cause of the ab- 
normal growth. If, during a 
warm and long continued spring 
rain, one visits the trees where 
cedar apples are plenty, he will 
be surprised at the change that 
has been wrought. The apples 
will appear more than twice as 
large as before, and of so beauti- 
ful a color that they might well be called 
" Cedar Oranges." A closer inspection will 
show what has caused this change. Each one 
of the little elevations of the surface, before 
mentioned, will be found to have burst, and 
from the opening protrudes a thick orange col- 
ored string, an inch or more long, translucent, 
and quite gelatinous in consistence. A brilliant 
orange colored dust will often be noticed upon 
the surfiice of the strings and also sprinkled 
around on the neighboring leaves, branches, etc. 
A few hours of hot sun, and the strings with- 
er, become brown and inconspicuous, and final- 
ly drop off. They may be made to develop 
artificially by placing the apples in a moist at- 
mosphere. The one from \Yhich the engraving 
was made, was brought out by suspending it in 
a large bottle over water, and setting it iu the 
sun. The one figured does not show the twig 
passing through the apple, as it commonly does, 
nor does it show the threads in their most 
swollen state ; with abundant moisture they be- 
come so large as to completely hide the 
central portion or " apple." The microscope 
shows the threads to be the sporidia, or seed 
vessels, (fig. A.) of a fungus — Podisoma macro- 
pus — united into a mass by means of a gela- 
tinous substance. And the dust above spok- 
en of is the exceedingly minute spores, or 
bodies answering, like seeds, to reproduce the 
fungus. The fungus, or plant itself, lives within 
the apple iu the form of the minute fibres which 
ramify through its substance, forming what bota- 
nists call a.myceUum,!miX which corresponds ex- 
actly to the spawn iu the mushroom bod, while the 
showy orange colorAl threads auswor in nature 
to the mushrooms themselves. Tlie presence 
of this parasitic plant growing within the tis- 
sues of the cedar twig, causes it to take on an 
unusual growth, and makes the swelling or ap- 
ple, iu a similar manner that the presence of a 
foreign hoAy of another kind, the egg of an in- 
sect, causes the growth of a gall. We have sel- 
dom kuowu these to be so abundant as to ap- 
CEDAR ATPLE. 
pareutly injure the tree, and they are quite or- 
namental during the damp weather of spring. 
If they are too numerous, cut off and burn them. 
Observers differ as to the duration of the fungus ; 
we are inclined to think that those who say that 
it lives several years are right. The Black-knot 
is very similar in its nature and manner of growth 
to the cedar apple, except that the fruiting 
portions are minute, black and inconspicuous. 
Strawberries— Notes ou Varieties. 
At the close of the season of strawberries, it 
will be expected that we follow our usual 
custom and give some notes on varieties. The 
task is not an easy one, and to give an opinion 
about strawberries becomes yearly more and 
more difficult. Varieties of this fruit are so 
easily multiplied that some cultivators number 
their seedlings by thousands. Among these 
numerous seedlings a great many will be appa- 
rently too good to throw away, and yet no bet- 
ter than those we already have, but the partiali- 
ty of the raiser will induce him to see superior 
qualities iu them, and they will be put upon 
sale, to increase our list of kinds, and possibly 
replenish the pockets of the grower. There 
are many who consider size a prime requisite 
in a strawberry. AVe think it one of the least 
importance, beyond a certain limit, and the 
chief advantage in large size, is facility in pick- 
ing. "We do not object to size, but hold that 
quality and pi'oductiveness are far more impor- 
tant. The amateur and market grower look 
for quite different characters; with the market 
man flavor is nothing. If a berry produces 
well, carries safely, and is show}-, he knows that 
it will sell, be it as sour as crabs, or flat and in- 
sipid. The amateur puts quality before every- 
thing else, and rejects those fruits that upon the 
palate break the promise they have made to the 
eye. For the marliet garden it is best to have 
the crop ripen up rapidly, so that it can be talten 
in a few pickings, while in the family garden 
it is desirable to have a variety 
continue long in bearing and give 
a moderate supply through as 
long a time as possible. We 
mention these points in order 
that our readers may understand 
one reason wliy different people 
give sucli discrepant accounts of 
the same fruit. In many of the 
larger kinds of strawberries we 
find imperfect fruit. Often the 
apes, or that part farthest from 
the stem, is not filled out, and is 
yery seedy. Though the flowers 
are perfect, the pistils seem out of 
proportion to the stamens, and 
there does not appear to be suf- 
ficient pollen produced to fer- 
tilize the central pistils, and we 
have on this account an imper- 
fect development of the fruit. 
This difficulty is obviated by tak- 
ing care to set the sorts in whicli 
it occurs in the vicinity of those 
kinds that produce an abund- 
ance of well developed stamens. 
■ For the engravings given on 
the opposite page, we have en- 
deavored to select specimens of 
medium size, and not above what 
maybe expected iu ordinary field 
culture. It would be easy to 
represent much larger berries of 
each variety, but our wish is to 
give the characteristic shape and average size. 
The following notes on varieties are given in 
the order in which we find them in our mem- 
orandum book. A number of old sorts are in- 
cluded, for in our desire to keep pace with nov- 
elties, we do not wish to overlook the merits of 
the older kinds. In speaking of some of the 
newer kinds, we are not, perhaps, as enthusias- 
tic as those who are interested in them maj' de- 
sire. We speak of the fruits as they seem to us. 
Those who are engaged in introducing new va- 
rieties usually take care that the public sliall 
know their views of them through the medium 
of their own catalogues and advertisements. 
New Jersey Scarlet. — H. A medium sized co- 
nical fruit, of a lively scarlet color. Very early, 
and as a market fruit, is much prized on the light 
soils of Burlington Co., where it originated. 
The fruiting period was nearly over when we 
saw it, but we are convinced that it is a very 
early and productive market variety. 
French's Seedling. — U. An oval berry, often of 
large size, light scarlet, very productive and of 
fair quality. Good for a near market, but too 
soft for distant transportation. One of the 
standard varieties in Southern New Jerse}-. 
Ward's Favorite. — P. Small to medium, globu- 
lar or depressed ; seeds very numerous, sunken ; 
rich crimson, and when fully ripe, very dark; 
flesh firm, solid, colored throughout, not very 
juicy ; sweet and high flavored. An old variety 
introduced by Doct. I. M. Ward, of Newark, 
N. J., and has the reputation of being a poor 
bearer, but with good culture it yields very fairly 
