191S. 
“THE DRONE TREE.” 
Improvement Through Bud Selection. 
Part II. 
Few people can realize the amount of work re¬ 
quired to conduct what we may call a “Babcock test” 
in an orchard in order to pick out the drones. Mr. 
Shamel gives in much detail his methods for carrying 
on the work. Plots of 25 to 100 trees are carefully 
selected where the conditions arc favorable. Reliable 
data is wanted which will show the natural power of 
the tree not influenced by fertilizers or special culture. 
Thus they try to obtain plots where the soil is very 
uniform, and where little or no fertilizer has been 
used. They want trees which have been pruned very 
little, except the removal of dead wood; healthy trees 
with no attack of insects or disease. Then they try 
to avoid localities where through one cause or another 
some trees might have a special advantage, and they 
avoid danger from frost. The selecting of these trees 
is done at about the same time each season, the object 
being to give trees natural opportunity, as extra feed¬ 
ing or extra culture might make a difference in the 
quantity and quality of the crop. 
This work is being done in most of the leading 
Citrus growing sections of California. The conditions 
in California are ideal for carrying on effective co¬ 
operative work. Growers have learned how to co¬ 
operate in other ways, and thus there is an absence of 
prejudice or antagonism against new ideas or methods. 
In fact, California growers realize that they must 
take advantage of every new scientific development in 
growing, handling and distributing crops. Thus they 
see quickly that if it is possible through such a “Bab¬ 
cock test ’ to select the drones and lay the foundation 
for better trees in the future it will pay them well 
to carry on the work. The only foundation for work 
of this sort is what is called a performance record. 
By this is meant the actual record of the weight and 
number of fruit from each separate tree, the quality 
of that fruit and the way it grades. If this perform¬ 
ance record can be kept up for a number of years it 
is easy to see that the drones may be separated from 
the workers on just the same principle employed in 
sorting the robbers out of a dairy herd. After the 
trees have been selected for study they are marked 
for identification. At least a month before any trees 
in the grove are to be picked cloth streamers are tied 
on several sides of each tree so that they may be 
seen readily. The trees are also numbered. This is 
done by painting on the trunk with a mixture of white 
lead and pure linseed oil. The trunk is first washed 
clean of dirt, and then the numbers painted on with 
a small brush. There are generally two sets of num¬ 
bers, the row number and the number of the tree in 
the row; the row number being put above and the 
other number below. In this way every tree in the 
move is identified, and a record can be kept showing 
its behavior. In many large California groves which 
contain thousands of trees every single tree is num¬ 
bered in this way, and thorough records are kept. 
1 he trees are watched carefully through the season, 
TTT ED RURAL NEW-YORKER 
and at picking time all the fruit is removed at one 
picking. It is then properly sized, using the sizer 
shown in the picture, Fig. 148, which represents a 
scene in a California orchard where this “Babcock 
test” is being carried on. The fruit is sized, weighed 
on the scales, and a thorough record kept, so that by 
the end of the season the exact performance is known. 
In this way comparisons may be made, the unproduc¬ 
tive trees cut out, and the high-class- trees used for 
the production of buds in propagating. Some singular 
things have been found in these orchards in addition 
to the grade condition shown in yield of fruit. With¬ 
out question this work will prove of immense advan¬ 
tage to the California fruit growers. We shall see 
when we come to the figures how greatly these trees 
differ, and we shall also see in the next article that 
many trees differ not only in the weight of fruit they 
produce, but in the fact that they frequently produce 
two or more different types of fruit>in fact, it seems 
evident that the great number of drones in many of 
these orchards is due to the fact that buds were taken 
from trees which gave several different kinds of fruit. 
Next week we shall try to tell something of the type 
differences which have been found by this process. 
A CEMENT SEED ROOM. 
Many farmers store seed corn in the attic or hang 
it in the kitchen. Some farmers go to the crib and 
pick it out when planting time comes round. Others 
have a granary where seed of all kinds is stored. A 
satisfactory seed room may be cheaply built and prove 
a real addition to any farm. It may be large or small, 
as conditions demand. If a cement floor is laid it 
can be made absolutely rat and mouse proof if those 
who come and go will remember to shut the doors 
behind them. The accompanying picture, Fig. 147, 
shows a cement room which has floor, sides and roof 
of cement. A frame was constructed in much the 
same way any frame would be put up; after the lath 
was put on an inch mesh of woven wire was tacked 
over the lath, and this was cemented with concrete 
and a smooth surface put on as a finish. The front 
of the building was marked out in blocks, and it was 
a mistake not to have marked the side wall also, as 
it would not have added to the cost, and would have 
helped the looks of the building. The roof was first 
made of rough lumber, not very heavy; over this the 
wire mesh was stretched and a thin coating of cement 
spread on this. For a time it was highly satisfactory, 
but sagging of the lumber caused cracks, and later a 
tar roof was put over the cement one. To make a 
cement roof it must be of thoroughly seasoned boards 
under the cement. The room has been in use for 
many years, and has saved much time and annoyance. 
The inside is finished in matched boards on the sides, 
and the rafters overhead make substantial places for 
nails and hooks from which to hang seed corn, or 
anything to be stored. Around the sides of the room 
sets of shelves with rows of boxes, about three pecks 
capacity, make storage space for all kinds of seed 
and insecticides; in fact, anything that is apt to be 
needed for garden or farm work. These boxes are 
469 
labeled, and it is an easy thing to find what is wanted: 
A table is hinged to the wall on one side of the 
room near the window, and this can be dropped and 
the support attached pulled out so as to make a 
convenient work table at any time. 
The farm scales are in this room, and one corner is 
given to garden tools. Undoubtedly hours of time 
have been saved by this room, and dollars’ worth of 
seeds. To be sure, it has a faculty of getting dirty, 
and during the planting season a broom must be 
used frequently, or the floor looks like a miniature 
potato patch, but it is easily swept, and does not add 
a great deal to the work of the housekeeper. In Win¬ 
ter mill stuff is often stored in the center of the room, 
and can be kept from rats and mice and possible pil¬ 
ferers. 
Cement walks' lead to the kitchen, and here again 
the value of cement is emphasized. The concrete is 
made by mixing finely broken stone or good gravel 
with cement, using from eight to 10 parts of stone or 
gravel to one of cement. This mixture should be 
shoveled over dry at least four times. In mixing the 
concrete two workers are needed. As each shovel of 
the mixture is thrown a man with a rake makes two 
passes to each shovelful thrown. The fifth time it is 
shoveled over, the second man should thoroughly 
sprinkle each shovelful, using a rose watering pot or 
spray pump, the idea being to thoroughly dampen it, 
but not make it dripping wet. Turn it twice after 
wetting, then it is ready to apply. Stake down edge 
pieces to the floor or walk that is to be laid, and put 
the cement in in sections as wide as can be easily 
reached across to trowel off and finish. The concrete 
should be tamped in two inches at a time until filled 
to within one inch of the top. For outdoor work the 
concrete should be from eight to 10 inches deep, while 
for floors four to five inches is sufficient, or adapt 
the floor to the possible weight that will be put upon 
it. For a storeroom floor half an inch of cement 
topping is enough. As soon as the section is filled 
with concrete the liquid stone is applied. This is made 
by mixing two parts qf sharp, clean sand with one 
part of cement. This should be made into a thick 
liquid by the use of water. This makes a smooth 
finish, and for outdoor walks it is well to leave the 
surface rough, but floors may be thoroughly smoothed 
down. The floor or walk should be protected while 
drying, and a better result will be obtained if it dries 
out slowly. If the weather is dry and hot it is well to 
sprinkle it once or twice a day for a week. It will 
harden in about ten days so no damage will result 
in using it. 
Some farmers build cement houses for butchering 
and tool houses, and find them satisfactory. A room 
of the kind described will add much to the comfort 
of the farm and keep seed safely as well as the many 
things continually used on the farm. 
FLORENCE CARPENTER BROWN. 
That’s a good old fashioned one from the Vermont man 
who prefers an ox team paid for to an auto with a mort¬ 
gage. 
SIZING THE FRUIT IN A CALIFORNIA ORCHARD. Fig. 148. 
