THE CULTIVATOR. 
163 
has led to another opinion, that fire blight is caused by a 
too rapid growth producing a superabundant flow of sap 
in the branches, and consequent surfeit. In proof of this, 
the fact is adduced that the most rapid growing trees are 
most subject to this kind of blight. But as such a cause 
would be an anomaly in vegetable physiology, it is far 
more probable that it is produced by injury from the cold 
of winter, which would of course chiefly affect the largest 
and most succulent growth.* But whatever may be the 
cause, nearly all agree in the remedy. Professor Peck, 
who first described the insect, which he considered as the 
■only cause, directed that the affected branches be immedi¬ 
ately cut off at some distance below, and burnt, to destroy 
the insect. John Lowell states, that by steadily pursuing 
the system of cutting off the limbs many inches below the 
apparent injury, and burning them, the insects have been 
extirpated from his estate. This remedy has succeeded 
perfectly in other instances. It has succeeded also where 
the disease was evidently not caused by an insect. But 
it must be immediately applied. All half-way efforts 
will be useless. J. J- T. 
CULTURE OF THE STRAWBERRY. 
The production of this delicious and healthy fruit is so 
easy, and where grown for sale, so profitable, that it is 
surprising it is not found in every farmer’s garden, where 
a small space devoted to it would ensure a supply of fruit 
for a long time. Any soil suitable for other vegetables, 
will produce strawberries, but the best soil is a deep fri¬ 
able loam. The best time for transplanting is in the au¬ 
tumn after the vines have ceased bearing, but they will 
succeed if planted early in the spring. Dr. Bayne, in 
that excellent Journal, “ Hovey’s Magazine of Horticul¬ 
ture,” gives the following directions for the culture of 
this fruit, which can scarcely fail of success; though we 
may add, that if the soil is suitable, and the plants are 
kept clear of weeds, and the runners stopped, there will 
usually be little doubt about the bearing, whatever may 
be the mode or distance of planting.” 
“ For the reception of the plants select a loamy or san¬ 
dy soil; spade in a thick layer of strong unfermented ma¬ 
nure, and thoroughly pulverize the earth; mark off’the 
ground in rows three feet asunder, then select the strong¬ 
est plants, and set them 12 inches from plant to plant in 
the rows. Permit the runners to take possession of eve¬ 
ry alternate space; observing to eradicate weeds and grass 
throughout the season. The runners from the other space 
must be carefully destroyed throughout this time. By 
this arrangement of the plants, you will have your patch 
in beds three feet wide, leaving a vacant space or alley 
three feet wide for the gatherers to walk in. After the 
fruit season is over, the alleys or spaces unoccupied by 
the plants, may now be thoroughly worked for the re¬ 
ception of bearing plants for the next year. The plants 
of the previous year must be spaded under, taking care to 
leave sufficient plants in the original rows, for the pro¬ 
duction of bearing vines for the next crop. By this sim¬ 
ple mode of reversing the beds, a patch upon the same 
ground may be continued productive for many years.” 
In speaking of the finest and most productive varieties, 
Dr. Bayne adds:— c< I would recommend Hovey's Seed¬ 
ling, Female Hudson Bay, Large Lima, Bishop’s Orange, 
Bayne’s Prolific, as being splendid varieties, and abun¬ 
dantly prolific. I believe every flower on the above va¬ 
rieties, are female, and if planted separately, will fail to 
yield abundantly; but if planted in proximity with the 
Melon, or Southborough Seedling, every flower will be 
impregnated, and will produce enormous crops.” 
On the sexual difference of the flowers of the strawber¬ 
ry, first brought into notice by Mr. Long worth of Ohio, 
and received with much favor, as accounting for the fer¬ 
tile and sterile beds of this plant; the conductor of the 
Magazine dissents from the believers in such sexual dif¬ 
ference, and in some comments on the paper of Dr. Bayne, 
states his opinions at large. We leave room for only the 
following extracts; and the remark, that in planting 
* The opinion that it is caused by the fruit rotting on the 
branches is sufficiently disproved by the fact that trees which 
have nevej borne are liable to it. For an instance of this, see 
t?eaesee Farmer, vol. 3, p. 273, 
strawberry beds, the intermixture of what arc called 
male and female flowers, can do no no hurt, anil will en¬ 
sure fertility. 
“ That there may be fertile and sterile beds is not de¬ 
nied; but the cause of their sterile character is to be 
sought, not in a naturally defective organization of the 
blossom, but rather in the mode of cultivation applied to 
the plants. It is well known that all flowers have a ten¬ 
dency to become double, and when this takes place, it is 
also known that the stamens are transformed into pe¬ 
tals. Now somewhat such a change undoubtedly takes 
place in the strawberry, when under a high state of cul¬ 
tivation, or forced by too much nourishment to extend its 
runners too far. Repletion is fatal to the perfection of 
the blossom, though it may produce apparently a vigor¬ 
ous growth. * * * * Such has been the manage¬ 
ment of many beds of our seedling. We know of repeat¬ 
ed instances where the beds of last year , owing to their 
entire unproductiveness, were given up as unworthy of 
any care, which the past season, produced immense crops, 
though overrun with weeds, and this, too, without being 
in the vicinity of any other kind. Many such experi¬ 
ments have proved conclusively, that cultivation alone 
-creates fertile or sterile plants.” 
We think Mr. Hovey has stated the case rather too 
strongly. Cultivation no doubt does much, but we can¬ 
not think does every thing. We have had in a small 
meadow devoted to fruit, and which until last year has 
not been plowed fora long time, two patches of the com¬ 
mon field strawberry, both of which blossomed freely 
every year, but while one of them always bore freely, the 
other never produced a solitary berry. In this case there 
was no mixture of the flowers, and all were sterile; 
while the patch of mixed blossoms was productive. The 
cultivation with both patches was precisely the same; 
and therefore this result must be attributed to some other 
cause. 
RYE INJURIOUS TO ORCHARDS. 
Messrs. Editors —In 1839, I plowed in a twenty acre 
field of rye for manure, when it was about developing 
the tassel, with good success. I would not have it un¬ 
derstood that the grain was sowed for that purpose, as 
there are many substances less expensive, that might be 
used to greater advantage, but to save a young orchard, 
growing in the same lot, from destruction. During my 
absence, my man through mistake, sowed rye instead of 
wheat; and on my return, I was obliged to turn it under, 
having once injured an orchard so materially by crop¬ 
ping it one year with rye, that it did not bear fruit in 5 
years after, and still feels the effect of the injury. 
Pelham, Ulster Co., Feb. 19, 1844. R. L. Pell. 
APPLES. 
Messrs. Editors —The object of this communication 
is to suggest some reasons why this species of fruit 
should receive increased attention from our farming po¬ 
pulation. More care needs to be bestowed upon the rai¬ 
sing of the choice kinds of apples. The demand for these 
is generally far beyond the supply. They are needed 
both for consumption at home, and shipment abroad. 
Choice apples, hand picked and properly barreled, meet 
a ready sale, and at fair prices, whether needed for do¬ 
mestic use or for exportation to Europe. The greatest 
facilities for such exportations are now afforded by steam 
ships, packets, and other carriers of freight, and it is well 
known that in European countries, particularly England, 
American apples are more thought of, and command 
higher prices than (hose of transatlantic growth, and pri¬ 
ces which do not fail to yield to the shipper, due returns 
of profit. Hence it is easy to see that the choice article 
need only to be transported in good order and condition 
to our commercial emporiums, to attract immediate at 
tention and command a ready sale. And indeed, it need 
only be known, that farmers have on hand these choice 
kinds of apples, fit either for family use or for shipment 
to foreign ports, and applicants will soon make their ap 
pearance, and the full value be obtained for the article 
But while good apples are thus readily disposed of at fail 
prices, anil are therefore claiming increased attention 
