Part 17

The new method, it is believed, makes possible the concentrating of cider in such a way that it will keep better than raw cider, and also be so reduced in bulk that it can be shipped profitably long distances from the apple growing regions. The old attempts to concentrate cider by boiling have been failures because heat destroys the delicate flavor of cider. Under the new method nothing is taken from the cider but the water, and the resultant product is a thick liquid which contains all the apple-juice products and which can be restored to excellent sweet cider by the simple addition of four parts of water. The shippers and consumers, therefore, avoid paying freight on the water in ordinary cider. In addition, the product, when properly barreled, because of its higher amount of sugar, keeps better than raw cider, which quickly turns to vinegar.

The process, as described by the department's specialists, consists of freezing ordinary cider solid. The cider ice is then crushed and put into centrifugal machines such as are used in making cane sugar. When the cider ice is whirled rapidly the concentrated juice is thrown off and collected. The water remains in the machine as ice.

At ordinary household refrigerator temperatures this syrup-like cider will keep perfectly for a month or six weeks, and if kept at low temperatures in cold storage will keep for prolonged periods. At ordinary house temperatures it, of course, will keep a shorter time.

To make the concentrated syrup, the cider mill must add to its equipment an ice-making machine and centrifugal machinery, so that the process is not practicable on a small scale. The specialists are hopeful, however, that the commercial test soon to be inaugurated in Oregon will show that it will be possible for apple growers to concentrate their excess cider and ship it profitably to the far South or to other non-producing regions. The specialists also believe that it will enable apple producers to prolong the market for cider.--U.S. Dept. of Agri., Oct., 1914.

How Mr. Mansfield Grows Tomatoes.

MRS. JENNIE STAGER, SAUK RAPIDS.

Somewhere around 1870 Mr. Wm. Mansfield, of Johnsons Creek, Wis., commenced to apply what Gov. Hoard, of Wisconsin, told him was "persevering intelligence," to the propagating and improving of the tomato, and he soon found out that the tomato was capable of almost unlimited improvement. He has made a specialty of the tree tomato, of which he says he has demonstrated to the world that in the Mansfield tree tomato he has produced one of the greatest wonders of the age. All who have seen them, tasted or grown them, with even a small degree of good sense, are loud in their praise for their good qualities: wonderful growth of tree, beauty of fruit, smoothness, solidity, flavor, earliness, etc.

In giving directions how to grow them he says you should remember that if your brightest child is raised among Indians he is not likely to become president. Neither will the tree tomato if thrown on a brush pile, or just stuck in a poor, dry place and left to care for itself, be ready to jump on your table, on the Fourth of July, or any other month, a ripe, delicious, two-pound tomato.

He says first get your seed of some reliable person, who can warrant it pure and all right. Then at the proper time, which in this climate would be some time in March, get some rich old earth for boxes in your house, hotbeds or greenhouse. Sow the seed, cover lightly, wet down every day and keep warm, with all the sun possible. When up ten days transplant to other boxes, six inches apart, and not less than four inches deep. Keep wet and give all the light and sun you can, and by the time it is safe to set them outside they should stand from twelve to twenty-four inches in height, with bodies half an inch thick.

_To prepare the ground._--First select a place as near water as possible, and also, if you can, let your rows run east and west. Throw out dirt two spades deep, then put in three or four inches of night soil if you can get it, if not use hen manure and wood ashes, equal parts, or some other strong manure, in the bottom of trench. Then fill up the trench with the best dirt you can get, mixed with well rotted stable manure, as no fresh manure must come near the roots or bark to rot them.

Now set out your plants without disturbing the dirt about the roots. Set eighteen inches apart in the row and have the dirt in the trenches a little lower than at the sides. Place a strong stake at each plant or a trellis and tie them to it as fast as set. Then if it does not rain use hard, soft, cold or warm water and give plenty each day. As your plants commence to grow, just above each leaf will start a shoot. Let only the top of the plant, and only one or two of the best branches grow, so as to have not over one or two of the best stems to run up. Now the buds for blossoms show themselves on the tops of the vines, and a few inches below. Just above each leaf, a shoot starts; nip off every one of these just as soon as they appear. As the lower leaves get brown and old pick them off. Train the fruit as it grows to the sun. Tie often and well. Let no useless wood grow. Give all the sun possible and water, water and then water. Then you can take the cake on tomatoes.

[Illustration: Wm. Mansfield and his big tomatoes, Casselton, N.D.]

Mr. Mansfield's record twenty-six years ago, at Johnsons Creek, Wis., was: Height of tomato tree, eleven feet. Weight of single tomato, two pounds six ounces. He says, since he has moved to North Dakota, his tomato has in no wise deteriorated.

Annual Report, 1915, Central Trial Station.

PROFS. LE ROY CADY AND R. WELLINGTON, UNIVERSITY FARM.

Since the coming of Prof. Wellington to the Station to take up the pomological and vegetable divisions the work of this Station, has been divided, Prof. Wellington taking the fruit and vegetable experimental work, while Prof. Cady continues the work in ornamentals, and on that basis the reports will be made this year.

_Ornamentals._--The campus of University Farm has been very much enlarged this year by the building of the Gymnasium, and consequent parking about it, and the grading of an athletic field. This will call for considerable planting work next spring.

The season has been exceptionally good for the growth of all ornamental stock. All came through last winter in good shape. A late frost killed many of the early flowering plants, and this prevented the forming of fruit on such plants as barberry and wahoo. About 400 seedling paeonies flowered again this year. Some of these are promising. An excellent block of aquilegia was flowered. A trial ground of some hundred or more annuals was maintained and proved very interesting. It is hoped that many more annual novelties may be tried out this year. The perennial garden established last year was added to and furnished something of interest the whole season. It will be the aim of the Division to have in this garden all the annuals and perennials of value in this section. Some new shrubs were added by purchase and through the Bureau of Plant Industry. The hedges have proved an interesting exhibit again this year, and it is planned to add a number of new ones to the group next season. About seventy-five varieties of chrysanthemums were flowered this autumn and were much enjoyed by our visitors.

_Fruit._--This year has been a very poor fruit year owing to the freeze on May 18, when the thermometer dropped to 26 degrees Fahrenheit. At that time a very promising crop of apples was frozen on the trees. Currants and gooseberries were also frozen on the bushes, and the young shoots were frozen on the grape vines. Later the grape vines sent out secondary shoots which bore a small crop of late maturing fruit. Regardless of the heavy freeze an apple was found here and there throughout the orchard, although no one variety seemed to be particularly favored. On one-year-old Compass and Dyehouse cherry trees a few fruits were borne, and a similar amount of fruit was produced on one-year-old Sapa and Skuya plums. The old plum seedling orchard, which is located to the south of the college buildings and is partially protected by a wooded hill to the north, gave about five per cent of a crop. The one-year-old raspberries and blackberries bore a small crop, and the new strawberry bed, containing over 150 varieties, yielded a good crop. Records were made on the blossoming dates of practically all the varieties grown at the Station, and complete descriptions were made of all the strawberry flowers, fruits and plants.

[Illustration: Class in propagation at work at Minnesota State Agricultural College.]

Plants were taken from the strawberry bed and used for setting out a new bed, which is located on level and uniform ground. By another year sufficient data should be at hand to report on the performance of the varieties tested.

The aphids were very numerous and unfortunately caused the defoliation of all the currants with the exception of the blacks. A new sidewalk through the currant patch necessitated the transplanting of about one-half of the varieties, and so the prospect for a good currant crop next season is poor. The mildew attacked the Poorman gooseberry very severely but did practically no damage to the native varieties, as the Carrie and Houghton. Blight was a negligible factor, and what little appeared was removed as soon as noted. This year's rest, especially as it has been coupled with a good growing season, should be very favorable for an abundant crop in 1916.

In summing up the varieties at the Trial Station, it is of interest to note that the following number are under observation: 235 apple, 1 apricot, 15 cherry, 3 peach, 6 pear, 70 plum, 23 blackberry, 3 dewberry, 14 red currant, 3 black currant, 2 white currant, 13 gooseberry, 26 grape, 4 black raspberry, 22 red raspberry, 1 purple raspberry and 157 strawberry.

_Vegetables._--The vegetable work has been concentrated on the bean, cucumber, lettuce, pea, onion, potato and tomato. The chief work with the bean and pea has been to isolate desirable canning types from the present varieties. Selection has also been carried on with the lettuce, with the object of securing a head type which matures uniformly. Onion bulbs of various types have self-fertilized, and desirable fixed strains will be separated if possible. Incidentally, the inheritance of various types and colors of the onion is under observation. In the tomato the influence of crossing on yield and earliness has been studied. Increases nearly as high as five tons have been obtained, and the prospects are very bright for securing valuable combinations for gardeners who use greenhouses and high-priced land. Results of this work will probably soon be published in a station bulletin.

[Illustration: Chrysanthemums in flower in University Farm greenhouses.]

A better type of greenhouse cucumber is being sought by combining the European and White Spine varieties. From past experience the author knows that a uniform type that is well adapted to market purposes can be obtained, and the only question will be its productiveness. Unfortunately hybridizing was not performed early enough in the season, and disease prevented the making of crosses. This coming season the work will be repeated.

The main work of the year has been on the potato, and the chief problem has been on the determination of the cause of degeneracy. Incidentally, many varieties have been tested, and the exchange of seed with the Grand Rapids, Crookston and Duluth stations has been started. If possible, the effect of varying climatic and soil conditions on the potato will be noted.

A few vegetable varieties have been tested and among them the Reading Giant, a rust-proof asparagus, has proved promising. Malcolm, the earliest Canadian sweet corn, ripened very early and will be tested further. Washington, a late sweet corn ripening between Crosby and Evergreen, made an exceptionally good showing and may prove of much value for market purposes. The Alacrity tomato was found to be similar to the Earliana and superior in no way. Bonny Best and John Baer tomatoes produced smooth, desirable fruit and are deserving of a wide test.

The much advertised "seed tape" was given a trial, and it proved satisfactory in most cases. For kitchen gardeners who are ignorant of planting distances, methods of planting and varieties, and who can afford to pay a higher price for their seed, the tape may prove of value, that is, if a high grade of seed is maintained.

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A CORRECTION.--In O. W. Moore's interesting article on "Sexuality in Plants," which appeared in the November (1915) number of The Horticulturist, two errors were present. The first is merely typographical, as Kaelreuter's name, page 411, should be spelled Kolreuter. The second, however, is misleading, as it states that the process of fertilization is called "Mendel's Law." It is true that Mendel's Law is based upon fertilization, but it concerns simply the splitting up of certain characters into definite mathematical proportions. For example, Mendel found that when he crossed a yellow and green pea the first generation produced only yellow peas. These peas when self-fertilized split up into practically three yellows to one green. By self-fertilizing the progeny of the second generation it was found that one-third of the yellows bred true for yellow, and two-thirds of the yellows broke up into yellow and green, showing that they were in a heterozygous condition, and that all the greens bred true for green. At the present time this method of segregation has been proved to hold for many easily differentiated characters in both the animal and plant kingdom, but much more experimental work will have to be done before it can be said to hold for all inheritable characters.--Prof. Richard Wellington, University Farm.

Rose Culture.

MARTIN FRYDHOLM, ALBERT LEA, MINN.

(Annual Meeting, 1916, So. Minn. Hort. Society.)

Rose culture is one of the most fascinating occupations in the line of horticulture. But when you come to talking or writing about it you scarcely know where to begin or what to say, there passes before your eye an exhibition of such an amazing fragrance and beauty of varying colors. Even now as I am writing these lines I can see with my mind's eye every rose in my garden, some in their full glory, filling the air with the sweet fragrance; others just opening; others in bud; and so on in an ever pleasing variety. I have taken special interest in roses for some ten or twelve years and have grown a good many different varieties of them with success, good, bad and indifferent. I have succeeded well with some of the hybrid perpetual roses. At the present time I have in my garden Paul Neyron, General Jacquiminot, Ulric Brunner, Black Prince, Etoile De France, Frau Karl Droschky and Marshall P. Wilder, also others of which I have lost the names. Of climbing roses I have Crimson Rambler, Thousand Beauties, Prairie Queen and Dorothy Perkins. All the above named are everbloomers, except the climbers, and all need careful winter protection.

_How to grow them._--Get two year old No. 1 plants and prepare your soil just like you would for your vegetable garden. If your soil is not particularly rich, spade in a liberal quantity of well rotted manure and mix well with soil. Set your plants and keep up clean cultivation all summer and give them plenty of water, and you will have an abundance of roses the first year. In the fall get some clean straw, bend your rose bushes over, put a fence post across on top of them to hold them down and then cover with straw to a depth of one foot. Or if you have a number of them planted in one row, make a long box about two feet wide and about twenty inches deep, fill about half full of straw, then place along side of the row of plants, bend your plants down lengthwise the row, then tip the box over them, put some straw around sides of box and on the outside put some posts or boards on to hold it down, when you will have the best protection possible. Right here I want to put in a word of warning, and that is, if you do not like to do extra work don't attempt to grow roses; in other words, if you are lazy they don't like you well enough to stay with you, for it means work and lots of it.

We have, however, one class of roses which can be grown by every one who wants them, the hybrid Rosa Rugosa roses. Of them we have such as Blanche D. Caubet, pure white of large size, a perpetual bloomer; Sir Thomas Lipton, also white, a little smaller in blossom but perfectly double; Conrad Meyer, clear silvery pink, of large size, very double and of choicest fragrance, a continuous bloomer (needs some winter protection); New Century, rosy pink, shading to almost red in the center, good size and double. One of the hardiest is Hansa, deep violet red, very large, double and an exceedingly profuse and continuous bloomer, absolutely hardy. These five varieties can be considered as everybody's roses, because of the easiness and sureness with which they can be grown, taking into consideration the elimination of winter protection. Planting, preparation of ground and cultivation are the same as for all other roses. Do not imagine for a minute that they will do well in sod or grass.

[Illustration: Martin Frydholm in his rose garden, at Albert Lea.]

Another class of roses is the Baby Ramblers. For borders and bedding roses these I think surpass all others on account of the easiness by which they may be grown. And they are a perfect mass of blossoms from June till freezing. They need winter protection, but that is not difficult on account of the low growth and small size of plant.

Above all do not forget that all roses need rich soil and lots of water. When your rose bushes are three years old you must begin to give some attention to trimming. Cut out some of the oldest wood before you lay them down in the fall, and if some of the shoots have grown very tall cut back about half, although these rank canes may give you the best roses the following season if you can protect them well enough so that they do not winter-kill. In this photograph which is shown here is one Ulric Brunner with one shoot extending two feet above my head and covered all along with the most magnificent roses I have ever had in my garden. The same thing I have done with the General Jacquiminot.

Asparagus by the Acre.

E. W. RECORD, MARKET GARDENER, BROOKLYN CENTER.

First I am careful about selecting seed of a good variety. My choice is Palmetto, because it is hardy and the best seller on our market. In starting a bed I sow my seed as early as possible in the spring in rows about eighteen inches apart, and when the plants are well up I thin out to about an inch, so the roots will not be so hard to separate when ready to transplant. My experience has been that plants two years old are more easily handled than those one or three, because the one year plants are not matured enough, while the roots of the three year old have become too matured, and when separated too many of the roots are broken off.

In preparing the ground for asparagus I plow and then harrow it and mark it off so the rows will be five feet apart. I plow a furrow from fourteen to sixteen inches deep, throwing the dirt both ways. Then with my cultivator I loosen up the bottom of the furrow. I place the plants in the furrow about eighteen inches apart, being careful to spread the roots evenly over the bottom of the furrow, putting a little dirt over them to hold them in place. With my cultivator I keep filling in the furrow, at the same time plowing out the middle to keep down the weeds.

In fertilizing a bed of asparagus my experience has been that the best way is to plow a furrow between the rows, filling it with barnyard manure, then covering this with earth. Spreading the manure broadcast makes too many of the stalks grow crooked.

I never cut my asparagus for market until the third year, and then only for a short time. By the fifth year the bed is strong enough to cut the whole season. When the season is over I cultivate often enough to keep down the weeds. I never cut the old stalks off until spring, because after the first freeze the stalks are hollow, and this would allow the frost to run down into the roots.

Annual Report, 1915, Vice-President, Second Congressional District.

JOHN BISBEE, MADELIA.

A summer remarkable in many respects has passed. Many of our people have labored hard, and the rewards of that labor have been meager and unsatisfactory. Horticulture with all the other labors on the land has been rewarded like the other cultivators of the soil in our section of the state. I sent out twenty-five of the circulars and twenty were filled out and returned.

Apple raisers report, four a good crop, the balance poor or none.

Plums: One fair, others poor or none.

Cherries: One good, all others poor.

Grapes: One good, balance poor to none.

Blackberries: One good, balance poor to none.

Other fruits all poor.

Nursery stock: One place reports one car load planted, the balance a few, all making good growth.

Strawberries: Five report good crop, balance few to poor.

Blight: Some reported but little efforts made to eradicate.

Fruit trees did not suffer much last winter (1914-5). All report plenty of moisture in ground.

Varieties of apples doing best: Wealthy, Duchess, Longfield, Salome, Spitzenberg, Northwestern Greening, Anisim, Malinda, Hibernal, Jonathan.

Spraying neglected very largely.

I am doing all of the top-working I can get done every spring.

Am setting largely the Salome. I find the tree hardy here; a moderate bearer; apples fine and handsome; a good keeper; tree does not blight and grows very thriftily. It grows on a great share of the stocks in which I have placed it.

My next best apple is the Spitzenberg. I am not placing many Wealthy scions, as I have about all I want of them.

I tried thinning the fruit on some of my heavy bearers last summer and like it much. I think the best way to do it is to cut out the fruit spurs, as that can be done in the winter.

Annual Report, 1915, Vice-President, Fifth Congressional District.

CHAS. H. RAMSDELL, MINNEAPOLIS.

The horticultural interests of the Fifth Congressional District (of which Minneapolis is the largest part) comprise three lines of activity, the raising of fruit, vegetables and flowers for home supply and profit, ornamental horticulture for pleasure and the city marketing of the produce of this and every other region, furnishing whatever is demanded by a large metropolitan market. Therefore, I will report along these lines.

[Illustration: Chas. H. Ramsdell.]