Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 224, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 September 1915 — CULTIVATING AMERICAN PLUMS [ARTICLE]

CULTIVATING AMERICAN PLUMS

New Bulletin Btatee Horticulturists “ Have Developed a Fruit of Value Long Overlooked. The wild North American plum has given rise to morp cultivated varieties than any other of the native fruits except the grape. These varieties have mainly originated in the Mississippi Valley, lowa alone having furnished 176, Minnesota 74 and South Dakota 44. Ip Texas 97 varieties have originated. In these western and southern regions where several of the species appear to have reached greatest, perfection in the wild condition the greatest development in the future, under cultivation may probably also be expected to take place, according to a new bulletin of the .U. S. Department of Agriculture (No. 172) entitled “The Varieties of Plums Derived from Native American Species.” The new publication Is a professional paper which should In of especial interest to the growers of fruit, particularly those engaged in plum breeding. It gives a list of native varieties and hybrids showing the origin of each va riety and the species to which It belongs, which should be of considerable value to the nurseryman and orchard--Ist. It also gives credit to the various state experiment stations and private Individuals who have furnished material used in investigating the origin and relationships of the varieties under consideration.

With few fruits has there been an equal opportunity to report step by step the advance which has been made since the original of the fleet named variety was planted and cultivated in a garden. The 1 new bulletin, therefore, places on record a new achievement of American horticulturists who have developed a fruit the value of which was long overlooked. Interested horticulturists may receive the bulletin If they will apply to the Editor and Chief, Division of Publication, U. 8. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

Birds Destroy Insects and Weed Beeds How birds which destroy harmful Insects and weed seeds may be useful to the farmer is described in a new Farmers’ Bulletin (No. 639) of the department entitled, “Some Common Birds Useful to the Farmer." The new publication has 27 pages and 23 Illustrations (not colored), of the birds described. \

Whether a bird is beneficial or injurious depends almost entirely on what it eats, says the Introduction to the new bulletin. In the case of species which are very abundant, or which fepd to some extent on the crops <£ the farmer, the question of their ■rerage diet becomes one of supreme Importance, and only by stomach examination «»i it be satisfactorily solved. Field observations are at best but fragmentary and Inconclusive and lead to no results. Birds are often accused of eating this or that product of cultivation, when an examination of the stomach shows the accusation to be unfounded. Accordingly, the Biological Burvey has conducted for sdme years past a systematic investigation of the food of those species which are most common about the Bum and garden. Within certain limits birds eat the kind of food that is most accessible, •specially when their natural food is scarce or wanting. Thus they sometimes injure the crops of the fanner who has unintentionally destroyed their natural food in his Improvement of swamp or pasture. Most of the damage done by birds and complained of by farmers and fruit growers arises from this very cause. The berry-bear-ing shrubs and seed-bearing weeds have been cleared away, and the birds have no recourse but to attack the cultivated grain or fruit which have replaced their natural food supply. The great majority of land birds subsist upon Insects daring the period of nesting and moulting, and also feed their young upon them during the first few weeks. Many species live almost entirely upon insects, taking vegetable food only when other subsistence falls. It is thus evident that in the course of a year birds destroy an incalculable number of bisects, and It Is difficult to overestimate the value of their services In restraining the great tide of insect life. -

In winter, in the northern part of the county, insects beoome scarce or entirely disappear. Many species of birds, however, remain during the cold season and are able to maintain life by eating vegetable food, as the seeds of weeds. Here again Is another useful function of birds in destroying these weed seeds and thereby lessening the growth of the next year. The new publication discusses the lood habits of more than 60 birds in eastern forms which are represented la the West by slightly different species or subspecies, bat unless the food habits differ they are not separately described. Among the popular birds included are the robin, bluebird, wren, brown thrasher, catbird, bobolink, oriole, crow, cuckoo and the American sparrow.

Nothing bat the best qutalßy of poultry should be shipped to market. Only those who ever visited the large markets know of the enormous amount of inferior poultry that is sold, and which largely affects the prices; yet there is always a demand for that which is good, and at a price above the regular Quotations. Assorting the carcasses before shipping also leads to better prices. Old roosters, which seldom sell at more than half price, should not be la the same boxes or barrels with better stock, and to ship poultry alike and to have rooeten In the coops with fat bens, is simply to lower Bie price of the hens, as toe buyer will estimate the value by the presence of gtOCk.