1374 
been obtained in a season. Grain crops have shown 
-() ]»or cent increase from .sulphur fertilization. An 
application of 80 pounds flowers of sulphur or 200 
pounds calcium sulphate has been found sullicient. 
U'lie former benefits crops for at least three years, 
while the latter form acts more pi’omptly. In 
Southern Oregon increases as high as 500 per cent 
have been secmred by Dr. Reimer. The other fer¬ 
tilizer elements have been eliminated as not giving 
.substantial increases in yields on crops like Alfalfa; 
whereas all the fertilizers containing sulphur have 
given increases. No injurious effect has been noted 
from heavy applications of .suli)hur in that section. 
INCItK.VSES IN YIELD.—Use of .sulphur on dif¬ 
ferent soils and at different rates in various sections 
of Oi’egon strongly indicates that sulphur 'is of value 
to many soils of the State that lack sufficient of that 
es.sential element to permit continued farming and 
increa.sed yields. Sulphur may be expected to be 
profitably used on Alfalfa in the arid and semi-arid 
sections of Oregon. Sulphur trials by the writer 
during the past five years have doubled Alfalfa 
yields in Goose Lake Valley, increased the yield by 
one and one-fourth tons an acre in Deschutes Valley, 
and by two tons an acre in trials in Klamath Uasin. 
Other trials have given very substantial increases 
in yield in Baker and Grand Itonde Valleys. In 
(.’olumbia Ba.siu less benefit has been derived from 
sulphur trials. This may lie due to the low organic 
content of the .sandy soils near the Columbia. It is 
e.stimated that f!<)0,(X)0 pounds of calcium, sulphate 
has been used in liogue River Valley during the past 
year on Alfalfa and 18.5,000 pounds of elemental .sul¬ 
phur has been oi’dered through the county agricul¬ 
turist for inse on Alfalfa land in Deschutes district 
the coming .season. It is estimated that .sulphur 
has been aj)plied to 7,000 acres of Alfalfa in Oregon 
this season with increased yield of a ton an acre 
on the average. This inci’ease of 7,000 tons of hay 
is worth .$20 a ton at present jjrices or a gross value 
of .$140,000. 
EFFECT ON BACTERIAL ACTIVITY.—Sulphur 
is believed greatly to benetit bacterial activity in the 
.soil and is probably a limiting element for certain 
soils and ci-ojis. Sulphur may aggravate acidity in 
the humid sections, and may act as a stimulant in 
releasing phosphorus and ijatash to some extent. Its 
use is certainly pi’ofitable, and seems advisable on 
Alfalfa in the arid and semi-arid sections of Oregon, 
at least dining the jiresent emergency. Its continued 
use Avould undoubtedly be most safely pi*acticed in 
connection Avith the feeding of the hay on the farm 
and return the manure produced to the land. The 
sulphur used here comes from .lapan or from smel¬ 
ters. while the calcium sulphate comes from deposits 
In arid sections. The co.st of the treatment runs 
from $2 to $.3 an acre. The benefits are extended 
over at least three years’ time, so that one dollar’s 
worth of sulphur should make a ton more hay. An 
average of six trials by County Agriculturist Spillman 
of Union County showed calcium sulphate applied 
at the rate of 200 pounds gave an average net profit 
of .$18.10 an acre. Near Klamath and Redmond a 
two-ton gain was secured at a cost of about $3, and 
since the sulphur lasts three years or more this $40 
increase in crop was secured at a cost of not over 
$1 per ton. w. l. powers. 
Oregon Experiment Station. 
Variations in Washington Navel Orange 
OR nearly 10 yeai’s A. I). Shamel has been study¬ 
ing the bud variations in the Washington Navel 
orange in California. Mr. Shamel became convinced 
that this variety (it.self originally a hud variation 
from a definite vailety) had developed several def¬ 
inite strains or variations. Some Avere superior, 
others Avorthless, and if these definite characters— 
good or inferior—could be transferred through the 
bud, as is the ca.se Avith regular varieties, the orange 
growing business might be put on much the same 
footing as that of breeding purebred cattle. A care¬ 
ful study soon developed the fact that there Avere 
Avoi'kers and “drone.s” in every orchard, and that 
both had the power of producing their kinds through 
the bud. 
The Washington NaA'el orange is responsible for 
the immense business in citrus fruits Avhich has 
lieeii developed in California. It originated at 
Bahia, Brazil, and Avas a hud variation from a 
I’ortuguese variety, I.aranja Selecta. This produces 
oranges with seeds. The navel variation from this 
Selecta Avas first propagated in 1S20, and its superior 
quality was soon recognized. In 1868 William Saun¬ 
ders, U. S. Horticulturist, learned of this variety and 
imported several trees for trial in this countiT- 
Buds from these trees were propagated and distrib¬ 
uted to growers in California and Florida. Two of 
Iht RURAL NEW-YORKER 
these trees were receiA-ed by Mrs. L. C. Tibbets at 
Riverside, Cal., in 1875, and from these trees many 
or most of the Wa.shington trees noAV in California 
have come. The California people recognize the debt 
they owe to these old trees. One of them was tran.s- 
I'lanted in 1903 and still stands in Riverside, a pic¬ 
ture of it being shown at Fig. 649. This tree Avas 
planted in its new position by ex-I’resident Roosevelt. 
This variety laid the foundation of the citrus in¬ 
dustry in Califoniia much as the .Tersey or Guernsey 
cattle have made the Channel Islands famous and 
prosperous. In the case of the orange as well as 
with the cattle, it AA'as necessary to establish a stand¬ 
ard, reject all specimens that were off type, and use 
only the true tyjie for breeding. Mr. .Shamel has 
found 13 distinct types of this one variety, all ap- 
liarently due to bud A’ariation. Some are A’ery su¬ 
perior, Avhile others are inferior or worthless. Some 
j'l-oduce abundantly and regularly, Avhile others are 
shy bearers of misshapen or poor quality fruit. In 
i.ne case trees of hi.gh production gave an average 
of about 4% boxes per tree, while trees of Ioav pro¬ 
duction averaged about three-quarters of a box. At 
average figures this would mean .$630.05 per acre for 
the superior trees and $100.04 for the inferior. 
It Avas found that most orchards contained trees 
of several different types. It was generally sup- 
lio.sed that these differences were due to soil or loca¬ 
tion, health of the tree, or to some cause outside of 
the inherent quality of the tree itself. Mr. Shamel 
started out to settle this point. If the difference 
AA'as due to soil condition, culture or pruning, a 
A Veteran 'Navel Orange at Riverside, Cal. Fig. 6J/9 
careful study would show just how to handle an en¬ 
tire orchard so as to have all the trees equally pro¬ 
ductive. If, on the other hand, it was shoAvn that 
these differences Avere due to bud variations, and 
that the good or bad (pialitles of the trees Avere 
transferred through the bud, it Avould be possible to 
produce an orchard of uniform type. 
Bulletin No. 025 from the Department of Agricul¬ 
ture at Washington gives the results of this Avork. 
It is hard for us to realize the thorough and patient 
detail Avork needed to carry out such an experiment. 
As we all knoAv, superior families of dairy cattle are 
marked out or determined by testing lai‘ge numbers 
of COAVS for milk and butter production. When the 
female descendants of certain animals give a uni¬ 
formly high test, AA’e conclude that the family pos¬ 
sesses the poAver to transmit this dairy quality. The 
record is based on knoAvn production. On the same 
theory Mr. Shamel devised a plan for making indi¬ 
vidual records of thousands of citrus trees. Entire 
oichards Avere marked, Avith the trees numbered so 
as to he known on a map. Recoi’ds were made of the 
growth and appearance of each tree, Avhile the fruit 
Avas iiicked, graded and Aveighed separately. This 
has been kept up for yeai's. and the bulletin gives an 
array of figures that is little less than marvelous. 
The various types of the Washington Navel Avere 
separated, and the finer specimens of each selected 
for breeding. This Avas done by using buds from 
those trees of known superiority for top-Avorking 
other trees, or for u.se on nursery stock. Then these 
budded trees were carefully watched, and records 
made of their groAvth and yield. At the same time, 
as a check to determine results, buds Avere taken 
fj’om Inferior trees and used for top-Avorking or to 
produce ueAv trees. The object of this was to see if 
both good and bad qualities can be surely trans¬ 
ferred through the bud. 
December 14, lOlS 
Tiie details of these experiments are given in the 
bulleiin, and are Avell Avorth studying by fruit grow¬ 
ers. The fact developed by Mr. Shamel is that both 
the good and had qualities of this orange are .surely 
carried by the bud. The records show that the.se 
strains or bud variations of the Wa.shington NaA’el 
are fixed, and that when buds are taken from pro¬ 
ductive trees and xised for top-Avorking or for nursery 
stock the resulting trees when well cared for shoAV 
the superior qualities of their parents. The long 
and elaborate records carried on for nearly 10 years 
show that the inherent character of the tree is carr- 
ried in the bud. The result of this work In Califor¬ 
nia is noAV becoming evident. By means of top-Avork- 
ing drone trees, orchards are being made uniformly 
productive, and nurserymen are using buds from cer¬ 
tified trees for propagating. The great associations 
of fruit growers in California recognize the value of 
this work, and conclude that the claims for .superior¬ 
ity of pedigreed or recorded stock have been fully 
demonstrated. 
Of cour.se. these statements refer to this particular 
variety of the orange. It may prove that this par¬ 
ticular vai’iety is more likely than others to show 
A-ariation. Perhaps the orange as a fruit is more 
likely to sIioaa’' this tendency than the apple, pear or 
peach. At any rate, it is evident that by making 
ii.se of selected buds a valuable strain may he con¬ 
tinued or improA'ed. It is a fair inference that much 
the same thing could be done with apple or peach' 
It is true that many of our fruit experts argue 
a.ga'iust any such plan, but until the theory has been 
disproA’ed by elaborate experiments like those of Mr. 
Shamel’s. aa’o shall consider .such a thing quite pos¬ 
sible. There are at least half a dozen quite distinct 
strains of the Baldwin apjile. and even more of Ben 
Davis and other A’arieties. The Collamer apple is 
classed by Beach in “The Apples of New York” as 
distinct, yet it is a bud sport of T\A-enty Ounce. The 
Hitchings appear to he another bud sport of the 
same A-ariety. and Ave have on the farm another quite 
distinct strain of Tiventy Ounce. The buds of these 
strains or types came true Avhen Avorked on other 
varieties. At any rate, the value of this Avork with 
the orange has been demonstrated, and Ave think 
similar Avork should he done Avith the apple. 
Beef for Home Use and Local Market 
How to Cut and Cure It 
Part II, 
KEEPING MEAT. —.Since certain parts of the ani¬ 
mal carcass are more A'aluable'in the fresh state than 
when iireserved, it may be Avell to consider the vari¬ 
ous methods of keeping fresh meat before taking up 
the methods of curing. All meat to be pre.served, 
either fresh or cured, should be thoroughly cooled 
after the animal is slaughtered, for unle.ss this is 
done the meat Avill not cure Avell, nor Avill it he pos¬ 
sible to keep it in a fresh state for any length of 
lime. In cold Aveather meat may be kept by hanging 
it in a dark, cool place Avhere dogs, cats and rodents 
cannot roach it. If a temiierature beloAV 40° F. is 
maintained, meat may he kept for Aveeks; hut Avith 
the temperature alternating hetAveen Ioav and high, it 
Avill not keep Avell. Meat that is frozen Avill keep 
indefinitely so long as it remains frozen. Alternate 
freezing and tlniAving Avill .spa’ll the flavor and cause 
early decomposition. It is important that the meat 
be kejAt in a place Avhere the air is dry. A dark, cool 
cellar, or an attic that is dry and free from odor.s, is 
the proper place for keeping meat on the .farm. 
SNOW PACKING. —Meat packed in snoAv may be 
kept for a considerable length of time. The meat 
.should first he frozen hard. After it is frozen, an 
earthen jar or a barrel should be provided, and a 
thick layer of snoAV should he tamped tightly in the 
bottom of this. On the suoav a layer of meat is 
packed, and covered Avith another layer of suoav. 
Care must he taken to have a thick layer of suoav 
betAveen the meat and the inner surface of the re¬ 
ceptacle. Another layer of meat is then put on, and 
another layer of suoav, and so on until all the meat is 
packed, or the jar is almo.st full, AVhen a heavy cov¬ 
ering of SUOAV should be jmt on top and covered Avith 
a block or some other object In order to keep out rats 
and mice. The meat may be taken out as needed, 
and the snoAV should be repacked on top each time. 
Another method that is commonly useil Avith pork 
and sausage is partly to cook the meat by frying it 
on both sides, to pack it in a jar, and to pour hot 
lard over it in order to seal the Avhole and keep out 
ail’. The meat may he taken out as needed. Care 
should be taken each time to melt the lard that is 
taken off and to pour it back. 
CURING BEEF.—Beef is not so commonly cured 
as pork; but when corned it takes the place of fresh 
