Vol. LXII. ]NJo. 2776. 
NEW YORK, APRIL 11, 1903. 
II PER YEAR. 
AN IOWA PLANT BREEDER. 
THE WORK OF NEWTOX K. FEtlKE. 
Some of His Creations. 
MIDDLE WEST PROBLEMS.—The horticultural 
problems of the Mississippi Valley are such that they 
have necessitated the development of a new pomology. 
Eastern varieties were brought in by the early settlers 
and planted extensively. They flourished for a season, 
but when a “test Winter’’ came they were killed out. 
The disheartened horticulturist either gave up in dis¬ 
gust or resolutely determined to try again, and history 
repeated itself. After continued failures the horticul¬ 
turists realized that they had conditions that were 
peculiarly their own. The severe cold of the 
Winters, the drying winds of Summer, and the un¬ 
certain rainfall produced a climate that the old varie¬ 
ties of the East would not endure. 
THE SOLUTION.—Two solutions of the problem 
were offered, the introduction of fruits from foreign 
countries that had similar climatic conditions, and the 
building up of varieties at home that were adapted to 
the conditions. The first method resulted in the in¬ 
troduction of the Russian fruits, with varying degrees 
of success. Some valuable acquisitions have been 
made, and much that is worthless. The second method 
has been the breeding of varieties adapted to the con¬ 
ditions. The pioneers in this work have already 
achieved wonderful results. Peter M. Gideon, of 
Minnesota, produced the Wealthy apple; C. G. Patton, 
of Iowa, the Patton’s Greening, and H. A. Terry has 
developed the native plum and has produced a dozen 
or more of the more valuable varieties. But foremost 
among them all stands the late Newton K. Fluke, of 
Davenport, Iowa. Mr Fluke’s life was intimately as¬ 
sociated with the development of Iowa horticulture, 
and his work was known and appreciated throughout 
the State. He was a plant breeder with a keen ap¬ 
preciation and love for his plants, and when he died 
he was at work making cuttings of his favorite grape. 
There could not have been a more fitting close to his 
life. Clad in his working clothes out on his experi¬ 
mental farm, with a bunch of grape cuttings in his 
hand, he passed away one afternoon of 
last October. Though a man only 54 
years of age, and never of robust health, 
he has accomplished results that will be 
a living memorial to him for generations 
to come. He was one of the pillars of 
the State Horticultural Society, and at 
the time of his death was its Vice-Presi¬ 
dent, and for years had been in charge 
of one of its best experiment stations^ 
since its establishment. 
HIS CREATIONS.—His work, that will 
probably live the longest, has been in 
the development of the native crabs by 
hybridizing These are known as 
Fluke’s Hybrids, and have been grown 
under number. His No. 75, 78 and 110 
ftre three of the most promising. A 
large number of the others have not 
fruited. He believed in the domestica¬ 
tion of our native fruit, and has come 
nearer domesticating the native apple 
than anyone else. His largest hybrids 
are above medium size and have lost 
most of their acridity. They furnish a 
splendid foundation for further crosses, 
and his work will be followed up by the 
State Horticultural Society. Fig. 98 is a repro¬ 
duction of a grape which he produced by crossing the 
Woodruff Red on the Moore’s Diamond, and which 
bore for the first time last Fall. He was making cut¬ 
tings of this grape when he died of heart disease. It 
was exhibited last Fall at the Plant Breeders’ Confer¬ 
ence, and attracted much attention and favorable com¬ 
ment. If it fulfills its promise it will undoubtedly 
prove a valuable acquisition. As yet it has not been 
named, but it seems that no more fitting name could 
be bestowed upon it than Fluke. 
His work was not confined entirely to orchard fruits. 
FLUKE HYBRID GRAPE. Fig. 98. 
but he worked on the small fruits and nuts as well. 
He produced a dewberry that has been disseminated 
to some extent, and has proven valuable. In nuts he 
has developed a pecan that promises to be an improve- 
IIYBRII) CRAB APPLES. Fro. 99. 
ment and of considerable value. The work of such 
men as Mr. Fluke means more to the horticulture of 
the State than we now realize. He worked un¬ 
selfishly and laid the foundations on which his fol¬ 
lowers must build. He did not live to reap much of 
the harvest from his labors. He was a pioneer in 
prairie horticulture, and had to break the new fields, 
and though others will reap from the seed that he has 
sown, yet all credit and honor should be given to him 
whose untiring labor has made success possible. 
Iowa Experiment Station. h. c. price. 
AN ACRE OF STRAWBERRIES. 
The Income If Will Return. 
On page 141 we gave various estimates of the cost of 
carrying an acre of strawberries from planting to pick¬ 
ing. We have now been asked what those acres may be 
expected to yield. We expect to give figures from the 
growers who gave the estimates of expenses. The first, 
by Thos. R. Hunt, follows: 
I have never kept any separate record of produc¬ 
tion of one acre of strawberries, and can only give 
you the results of the entire crop, with my opinion 
as to the productiveness of one-year-old plants. On 
page 141 I stated the work to be done and the cost in 
carrying an acre from planting in Spring until 
mulching Ume in Winter. When the plants begin 
to grow the mulch on them must be loosened up, 
and the heavier part pulled over into the spaces be¬ 
tween the rows, where it serves to conserve moisture 
and to keep the berries clean. If the beds are weedy 
thy must be gone over, and the weeds removed by 
hand and carried off the ground if seedy like chick- 
weed. If the ground is free from’ chickweed and 
other foul weeds the expense of this extra weeding 
could probably be paid out of the amount mentioned 
previously as the expense of the first year. If 
chickweed is present the expense will be consider¬ 
ably greater, as this is a very hard weed to fight. 
As to the size of the crop and the amount that can 
be netted from it I do not know of any crop so 
liable to vary, and to vary so widely as the straw¬ 
berry. Last year we marketed in round numbers 
11,000 quarts from a little less than two acres, and 
they netted, after paying all expenses, including 
picking, selling, commissions, etc., $1,000 at least. 
Probably 8,000 quarts of these berries were first 
grade and brought the highest prices, the remainder 
were seconds, but still superior in quality and higher 
in price than the general run of berries. 
The prices ran from 25 cents to 10 cents 
per quart, few being sold at either of 
the extremes (only one crate at 10), and 
the large majority at from 12 to 10 
cents. It should be stated that two- 
thirds of these berries came from one- 
half the land planted, as every acre has 
its bad spots, which do not produce their 
share of fruit, and so pull down the 
general average. The bad spots in my 
patches were due to some rows of Bu- 
bach and Bmndywine, which did not do 
well, and to one or two very dry places, 
and to a few rows of Nick Ohmer which 
had been allowed to run for the purpose 
of raising plants. I believe that an acre 
of strawberries one year old, if each 
part did as well as the best, should pro¬ 
duce at least $700 gi’oss receipts. 
As to varieties, everyone must find out 
by experiment or by the experience of 
others what kinds are best adapted to 
his own soil, and should also con¬ 
sider what he wants to raise, whether 
simply a large crop of any kind of 
berries, to be grown as cheaply as 
possible and sold in the general market at a low 
price, or a crop of first-grade fruit, to bring the 
highest figure in a critical market. There are va¬ 
rieties of berries adapted to both these plans. I 
have grown all the popular varieties of the straw¬ 
berry from the time of the introduction of the Wil- 
