Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1887 — Unseasonable Flowers and Fruit. [ARTICLE]

Unseasonable Flowers and Fruit.

A check in the growth of trees, caused by disease, injury in transplanting, insect enemies, or unfavorable weather, will often give rise to flowers being produced out of season. And, again, a more than ordinarily vigorous growth will produce a second crop of flowers. Many plants form their flower buds early in the season, and the growth of the tree may be checked by drouth or other cause. Then later on, a more favorable turn of weather will force a second growth, and occasionally force open the flower buds that were formed earlier. It is quite possible, too, that a second series of flower buds may be formed that will open later in the season than those formed earlier. This will, if true, explain many examples apparently not to be explained in other ways. The small spring-flower-ing plants, like the strawberry, violet and hepatica, form the buds for the coming season in the summer and fall, and a few fine days will force them into bloom before their season. Then, again, the growth of such plants may be retarded, or a plant that started from seed late in the season will not fully perfect flower buds until spring. Such plants will bloom later in the season than usual. There are many things in nature not yet understood, and every gardener can do his share toward making them plainer by observing any unusual action in the plants under his charge and seeking an explanation. Too often these variations are looked upon as going outside the field of horticulture and into that of the botanist. There should be no distinction between the two, both are working in the same field, and when both work together more systematically, more valuable results will be obtained.— Vick’s Magazine.