i89o 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
335 
corn that we had. Clean culture is essential to satisfac¬ 
tory results in corn growing. After the corn is fully 
matured—almost ripe I might say—it is cut and set up in 
shocks containing 85 hills each. The husking is done by 
hand, and the corn is placed in long piles of 80 or 40 
bushels and allowed to become thoroughly dry before 
it is drawn to the cribs, in order to prevent mold¬ 
ing. Our cribs are constructed on the barn prin¬ 
ciple, with doors in the end, a floor in the center, 
and crihs on either side with slat siding to admit the air. 
Their capacity is from 1,000 to 2,000 bushels each. After 
the stalks have become well seasoned we draw them into 
the barns and try to get them under cover before the 
autumnal rains have destroyed their food value. Well- 
cured corn stover is one of the best of the cheap foods for 
cattle and, in my opinion, far superior to silage. It is not 
as valuable as clover, yet our cattle fed on stalks and corn- 
and cob meal have done remarkably well. A wealthy 
young man in our vicinity, educated in a German college, 
came home a few years ago, after completing his course, 
and built a silo on the most approved German plan—I pre¬ 
sume one of the best, if not the best ever built in the State. 
He filled it with corn in the proper manner, put in a hun¬ 
dred cows, fed them this perfect silage and a heavy grain 
ration, and the cows failed week by week until at last, to 
prevent them from starving to death, he had to begin feed¬ 
ing hay and quitthe silage entirely; since then that silo has 
stood empty. This experience confirms my belief that 
well matured corn stover is an excellent food, while silage 
is not. The varieties that have yielded the best with us 
are the old-fashioned eight-rowed yellow corn, and an 
eight-rowed white variety known as “Moor’s New Improved 
White Dent.” I think the latter is across between the 
white corn of the East and the Wisconsin horse-tooth. It 
has a fine, small cob, and matures in from 90 to 100 days in 
our latitude, producing long, well-filled ears and a tall, 
heavy growth of succulent stalks. We had seven acres of 
it last year in a 35-acre field that yielded 150 bushels of 
sound corn per acre and the yellow corn in the balance of 
the field, with the same culture, yielded only 100 bushels 
per acre. The white corn has not quite so high a feeding 
value as the yellow, but as it produces far more grain and 
stalks, it is, without doubt, more profitable for us to raise. 
In favorable seasons the cost of raising an acre of corn is 
more than covered by the value of the stover, leaving us a 
hundred bushels of ear corn for our profit. 
Dima, N. Y. EDWARD F. DIBBLE. 
CROSS-FERTILIZATION OF GRAPES. 
Last fall G. R.W., a correspondent in Kentucky, started 
a discussion about the ability of bees to fertilize grape 
blossoms, giving his ideas of the process of cross-fertiliza¬ 
tion, and suggesting the following questions. The replies 
from leading pomologists are given below: 
i. 1 Is it possible for bees to fertilize a grape blossom?" 
a. “ Has any one seen bees so at work as to warrant the belief 
that they were fertilizing the grape flowers ? ” 
Mr. Munson Explains 
To the first question I would answer “Yes,” provided 
bees do really visit grape blooms, which I think is not the 
case. The second I answer as does G R. W. Though I 
have made a diligent study of the fertilization of grape 
blossoms by insects, I have never found any insect but the 
larva) of one minute beetle visiting grape flowers. These 
larvm appeared to crawl up the vine to the bloom and to 
pass around the bases of the pistils, collecting the nectar, I 
supposed. They may also have eaten the pollen to some 
extent. When disturbed they would spring off with a 
bound, by a quick bend of the body, as do spring-beetles, 
or rather the minute insects often seen on the fruit of mul¬ 
berries and blackberries. I cannot see how such insects 
could cross-fertilize vines at a distance from each other; 
still that vines at considerable distance apart do fertilize 
each other there is no doubt. As to the assertion of G. R. 
W. that “the way the blossoms open forbids accidental fer¬ 
tilization, for as soon as the caps burst off the pollen falls 
on the pistils and the grape is fertilized : I do not believe 
there is one chance in a thousand for a grape to cross with 
another without the help of man.” I know G. R. W. is iu 
error in this matter. Belief may be a very satisfactory 
thing sometimes, but it doesn’t count against fact. I grew 
from 'seed of the Elvira Grape, grown in my vineyard 
among many varying seedlings, three distinctly marked 
hybrids with the Mustang Grape (V. candicans), native 
hereabouts, when, to my certain knowledge, not a vine of 
V. candicans stood nearer to the vineyard than half a mile. 
I also had several hybrids upon Lindley (Rogers’s No. 9) 
with V. cordifolia (Frost Grape), when none of the latter 
grew nearer than several hundred yards from the vine 
bearing the seed. I also got hybrids of V. viuifera with 
several different varieties iu my vineyard. There were no 
V. vinifera vines nearer than half a mile, and at that dis¬ 
tance, just to the southeast of my vineyard, was quite a 
vineyard of the varieties of this species. The prevailing 
breezes in spring here are from the south-southeast and 
southwest. 
All the species with which I had so many accidental hy¬ 
brids grew to the south and south-east of my vineyard, 
and I was unable to account for the transportation of the 
pollen by any other means than the wind. 1 have found 
thousands ot wild hybrid grapes between different species. 
These hybrids were always found iu the regions where the 
species entering into the hybrid grew not far distant from 
i ach other. I ask no one to take my mere assertion with 
regard to what I say here—I have the vines to prove the 
truth of my statement. I have fruited the accidental hy¬ 
brids between Elvira and V. candicans; between Lindley 
and V. cordifolia; between V. cordifolia and V. Liucecumii 
(found wild); between V. labrusca and V. riparia (wild), 
between V. labrusca and V. cordifolia (wild), etc., etc., 
and have grown many seedlings from such hybrids, which 
“sported ” variously toward either parent. G. R. W.’s as¬ 
sertion that : “ there is but one way to fertilize the grape, 
and that is to collect the pollen of one vine and watch one’s 
chance to place it in the blossoms of the other vine as they 
open,” Is therefore not correct. 
Some years ago, I was ridiculed by some of our most 
careful experimenters when I advised vineyardists to grow 
on the same post two vines which bloomed at the same time, 
and when just beginning to flower, to cover them closely 
with muslin, and at about 10 o’clock each day while bloom 
ing, to insert the hand, with a fan, at the bottom of the mus¬ 
lin inclosure, and gently agitate the air within the tent, so 
as to distribute the pollen,—this operation to be repeated 
every day till blooming time was over, when the muslin 
could be removed, and the seeds of the vines planted. If 
this be done and each vine is of a pure and distinct species, 
most of the seedlings of each will be hybrids with the 
other vine; that is, this will be the case if each vine has 
hermaphrodite flowers, such as those of the Concord and 
Muscat of Alexandria; but, if one vine has hermaphrodite 
flowers like those of the Concord, and the other pistillate 
flowers like those of Lindley or Brighton, then on almost 
any fertile or bearing vine of the wi’d species, the her¬ 
maphrodite vine will produce seedlings of pure blood like 
itself almost entirely, in 3ome cases absolutely so; while 
the seedlings of the vines with pistillate flowers or with 
short, recurved stamens, will be almost universally crosses 
or hybrids with the vines with erect long stamens. But, 
if a pistillate vine with flowers like a be planted with a 
male or staminate vine with flowers like b of different 
species flowering at the same time, then the pistillate vine 
will bear well and probably all the seedlings will be hy¬ 
brids ; while the male vine will bear under no circum¬ 
stances. Nearly one-half of all wild vines are purely male. 
There is, however, every shade of difference between 
purely pistillate and hermaphrodite vines. It has been 
shown by Dr. Halstead that pollen of the pistillate vine of 
Y. riparia, wild in Iowa, is sterile. It will not germinate 
even in the stigmatic fluid, hence it is incapable of fertiliz¬ 
ing ovules. The above principles I have demonstrated more 
or less fully in my own work. I have gone so far as 
to take a fine pistillate vine of V. Solonis, growing apart 
some distance, and blooming where no others were 
blooming so near, or so related that pollen could be carried 
to it by the wind, and have picked clusters in full flower 
GRAPE FLOWERS. 
& C, 
Fig. lOO. 
<b) From “male vine," (a) Female, or fertile, (c) Hermaphrodite. Both 
pollen bearing but not pollen- pollen-bearing and 
only. bearing. self-fertilizing. 
from a male vine of specific blood entirely different, and 
have simply gently shaken such male clusters through the 
open, unprotected vines of V. Solonis, which set fruit well, 
and the seeds produced in great numbers gave hybrids in 
every instance with the vine whose clusters I had collected. 
I have these vines in my experiment vineyard to-day. A 
number of them have fruited. In some seasons no pollen- 
bearing flowers have been shaken in the pistillate vine So- 
louis, and in such seasons it has never borne a grape. Yet 
such wholesale methods of hybridizing are not to be 
recommended to persons unacquainted with the laws of 
growth and fecundation of the vine. As I have abundance 
of material proof of my position, we can now see where the 
laugh comes in with regard to those who once took me to 
task for my. methods. 
Is it not about time that some of our scientists were 
demonstrating to the world the laws of fertilization, 
hybridization, etc., among the different species and genera 
of vegetables and fruits ? It would also be more progres¬ 
sive to demonstrate rather than theorize about the actual 
effects of cross-fertilization upon the appearance of fruits, 
such as apples, oranges, grapes, strawberries, etc. 
1. Vines with flowers like a bear well only when near 
vines with flowers like c, or bttter, like b. 
2. Vines with flowers like c bear well a'one, but proba¬ 
bly still better if vines with flowers like b are near. 
3. Vines with flowers like b never bear under any cir 
cumstances. 
There are some other curious things about grape fer¬ 
tilization I may mention at some future time. 
Denison, Texas. t. y. munson. 
It May be Possible. 
My observation of the peculiarities of the process of grape 
bloom, and the possibilities of cross-fertilization, have not 
been of a critical character; hence I am not justified iu 
expressing a positive opinion upon the question at issue. 
The fact that we never find the separate berries in a cluster 
of grapes varying in color, form, flavor or texture, may be 
fairly assumed as proof that, in case of the grape, there is 
never any effect from cross-fertilization upon the berry of 
the current year. On the other hand, the well-nigh uni 
versal variation of seedlings from the maternal type, sug¬ 
gests the probability that cross-fertilization may be the 
rule rather than the exception. This must necessarily be 
assumed if we are to accept the conclusion that “ Nature 
abhors self-fertilization,” and also that other conclusion, 
often confidently put forth, that, under conditions abso¬ 
lutely precluding all cross-fertilization, every seedling will 
infallibly be an absolute reproduction of its parent. I 
doubt, however, if either of the foregoing propositions 
can be said ever to have been proven : while the known 
peculiarity of the grape blossom affords much ground for 
the doubt expressed by Mr. W—. It is my decided convic¬ 
tion that I have frequently observed bees as well as other 
insects visiting grape clusters, when in bloom ; although 
it m&y not necessarily follow that the doing so was for the 
purpose, or with the result of cross fertilization or hybrid¬ 
ization. Admitting the correctness of the inquirer’s state¬ 
ment of the process of pollenization, as given in the Rural 
last fall; unless this process shall be absolutely coinci¬ 
dent with the removal of the cap, there is no apparent 
reason why, by means of insects or the wind, there may 
not be a more or less frequent transfer and pollenization 
between neighboring blossoms, both chancing to be in the 
proper condition at the same time. T. T. LYON. 
South Haven, Michigan 
Bees and other Natural Causes. 
There is no reason for doubting that where vines were 
so planted that their branches interlocked, if they were 
varieties that came into bloom at the same time, they 
would be cross-fertilized by bees flying from one to the 
other in their search for pollen; and even in the absence of 
bees, the action of the wind would be sufficient to produce 
the same result, though probably to a less extent. I have 
experimented in cross-fertilizing grapes for 30 years past ; 
but have always done it artificially, that I might be sure 
as to the cause of the effects produced, and I have used 
only the seeds from the berries so operated upon. But Mr. 
Munson, of Texas, who is a very close and accurate ob¬ 
server, and who has produced many interesting crosses 
with different varieties ann families of grapes, relies only 
upon seeds taken from vines planted in close proximity to 
each other, the crossing having been left to bees and other 
natural causes, and I think there is no doubt that many 
of his seedlings thus produced, are true crosses between 
different varieties. geo. w. Campbell. 
Delaware, O. 
Natural Crosses Not Numerous. 
I do not believe the position taken by G. R. W. can be 
supported. I have had no opportunity for careful observa¬ 
tion of the blossoms of any of the Vinifera varieties; but I 
know from actual observation that the Concord, Moore’s 
Early, Cottage and Worden may often be fertilized by bees 
or other insects, as the stigmas are usually only in part 
ready for fertilization when the caps fall off. In fact, the 
natural crosses of varieties of the grape are not as numer¬ 
ous as those of corn or melons; but we have quite conclu¬ 
sive evidence that they occur. As an instance, Mr. Bull, of 
Concord, Mass., might, in my opinion, have planted the 
pure seed of the wild sage grape for a century without 
producing a grape as good as the Concord. That it was 
fertilized by the Isabella beside it, Mr. Bull never doubted, 
neither does he doubt that the Isabella and Catawba 
were natural crosses between the native grapes of the 
South and the Vinifera sorts planted in the early days 
beside them. j. l, budd. 
Ames, Iowa. 
READ, SPOKEN AND SEEN. 
Effects of the Southern Freeze.— Opinions seem 
to vary as to the effect of the recent freeze in the South on 
prices for Northern-grown vegetables and fruits. The 
Southern crops were planted over and may now reach this 
market about the same time as the Delaware, Maryland 
and South Jersey crops. This would create a huge glut 
that would prove unsatisfactory all around. In such a 
case the only way for the Northern grower to secure a fair 
price will be to exercise greater care in packing and sort¬ 
ing. Whenever the market is glutted the finer grades 
always hold their price. 
Electricity and The Weather.— The most remark¬ 
able thing about electricity is the fact that nobody seems 
to know what it is or what effect it has on surrounding 
bodies. This uncertainty as to its effects is well illustra¬ 
ted in the following note sent by a subscriber in Massa¬ 
chusetts. It would be hard to say how many times this 
question has been asked: 
“Are not the possible effects which the constantly in¬ 
creasing use of electricity may have upon our climate of 
far more moment to farmers as a class than the number of 
car horses it may supplant ? There is no other business 
so dependent upon favorable weather as farming. If 
Franklin, with his kite, string and key,was able to attract 
electricity from the clouds, how much more powerful an 
influence must the miles of electric wires stretching from 
all parts of the world, like the threads of a giant spider’s 
web, to a few centers, like New York, Boston, etc., have in 
concentrating the electricity generated by Nature’s forces 
about these centers. Then added to this the constantly 
increasing amount produced by man’s artificial agency, 
and the fact that electricity, wind and rain frequently 
unite their forces and travel hand in hand over our land, 
leaving destruction in their wake. May we not possibly 
find in these facts a solution of the causes of the uncom¬ 
monly wet and cloudy weather accompanied by frequent 
and severe electrical storms which has prevailed for the 
past few years since electrical lighting and motive-power 
were introduced. Nearly all thickly settled portions of 
the world where electricity is most used have been deluged 
with rain, accompanied with frequent electrical distur¬ 
bances; while the remote and sparsely settled regions, such 
as the Red River Valley on this continent, the Russian 
steppes in Europe, and South Africa have suffered from 
droughts. Can not the Rural give its readers a sympos¬ 
ium upon this subject by some of the scientific men ? 
Who knows but that when this thing is more fully under¬ 
stood, the Government Weather Service may be able to 
send a good smart thunder shower to any drought-stricken 
section requesting it ?” 
R. N.-Y.—We will not be able to present a “symposium” 
on the subject until we can find somebody who claims to 
know about it. The “scientific men” we have interviewed 
say there is nothing iu the theory so far as they know. 
