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About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (June 18, 1914)
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION" Work of Luther Burbank Is Explained Hints to Gardener and Orchardist Are Given From Career of Wizard of Plant Life. WeTeach You To Play Any Instrument.Eastly Quickly IX THIS, the early spring days, when the men and women whose diver sion involves work in the garden and in the orchard, it might be well to take a lesson from the resultful methods of the greatest of all horticulturists, Luther Burbank. While the world knows much of his achievements in the creation of new forms of plant life, only a very small number of those familiar with his work really know how he gets the phenomenal results that have made himthe genius that he is. Luther Burbank has several funda mental methods of procedure perhaps the most important being the hybridis ing of more or less closely related species and varieties of plants. Early in his career he discovered that he could produce new varieties, and in some 'cases new species, by cross-fertilizing different species of plants. As testi monials to his success in this field, we have his well known plumcot, a cross between the plum and the apricot, crosses between the apple and tho pear, apple and quince, quince and pear, peach and lemon, orange and lemon. By crossing different varieties within the species, he has produced hundreds of new varieties of plums, prunes, peaches, apples, pears, cherries and quince. His stoneless plum and prune and his gi gantic cherries are notable instances of his creations by crossing different varieties of the same species Judgment Is Keen. As a supplement to the process of hybridization comes his keen judgment fin the selection of varying individuals of the same specie or -variety. By tak ing a cherry that tore fruit early is the season, he developed his present , early appearing cherry. By selection he evolved the Burbank sugar prune with a S3 per cent sugar content. I Burbank 's method precludes guess work. He always knows exactly what he is striving for and only uses such examples as contain in the embryo the ultimate qualities desired. If ho desires to make the cherry larger, wider, redder and juicier he i-educes the size of the plant and shortens the stem to make tho tree a hardy and a prolific bearer. He blends the right heredities and after securing plants that show a given combination in a superlative degree, he then proceeds to produce a great quan tity of seedlings. All Seeds Are Saved. Here, perhaps, lies the secret of his success, for by this he accomplishes, within a comparatively short time, what would otherwise take years to do. After his attention is attracted to a plant, Burbank saves all of the seeds and sows them iu soil placed in green house boxes about 18 inches square and four and one-half inches deep. The soil itself is prepared by mixing 50 parts of pure sand," forty parts of loam containing leaf mold, eight parts powdered moss or peat and two parts bone fertilizer. iThreoii is moistened by dropping boxes into a tub of water. The seeds are sewn on the surface and covered light ly with a thia layer of soil and pow dered mess, Toe .seedlings are transplanted into a field and then subjected to a rigid in spection out of many thousand seed lings Bnrbank may select less than a dozen for further experiment. In his selection ho lays particular stress on tho sturdiness of the stock, the branches, round fat buds, large thick leaves, richvcolor, vigor and tendency to upright growth. How. He Saves Time. In order to bridgo time and to breathe into the complex hybrid, and various trees of the different species, he gets a seedling from its own root and grafts it as a scion on the branch of a mature tree. He grafts his seed ling, as a rule, on a twig nearest tho end of a branch. The scions thus placed usually bear fruit in tho second year, whereas, if they had ee left to grew on their own roots, fire or jhx years of growth would be necessary to secure a bearing. Because f tins method experiments are carried on through, five or six generations in the time that wonld originally be re quired for two generations. At the Burbank proving grounds at Sebastopol, will be found many trees with a score or more of graftings on each and every one of them. All of Burbank 's work has a perma nent quality in it, and the methods that ho employs, might be used by anyone who has more than a mere cursory in terest in plant development. Neicr work a team of colta together until thei ore thoroughly broken, as they will worry each other. Getting More Money From Egg Crop I AD- EGGS causo farmers a loss of between three and fow million ,- - dollars annually. Gorraaieut .ex4 perts estimate that 5 per cent of the eggs marketed have developing chick ens and that 3 per cent are "rots" due to the embryo decaying. All these losses could be avoided by keeping roosters out of the flocks, thus hav ing only infertile eggs produced. If farmers would follow this plan, they could save one and three-fourths mil lions of dollars annually. Infertile eggs produced by flocks in which there is no male bird are the only kind that can reach the consumer in good condition during the hot sum mer months. The only object in having -a male bird in the flock is to get fertilelgt Vkt fire-fighting forces of the serv- 'eggs for batching purposes, Now that the batching season is over, colleges of agriculture urge all farmers to sell off -all the roosters or shut them away from the hens. Last year in July and August nearly "one-half the eggs leaving the farms were unfit for food. The farmer, as a result, received a low price. Prevent that loss this year by getting rid of the rooster. Now is the time to act to prevent future losses, ! The Note. "Oh, by the way, dear," said the merchant as he was preparing to leave the house in the morning, "if I find I can't be home to dinner I will send a "note by messenger." "Don 't trouble," said fci wife, sweet- ly, "L have already tound it on the Forest Fire Season Gets Early Start FfSST REPORTS of forest fires - -e -begun to com in to Wash- " inffrtm from the national forests and they indicate to the federal offi cers an early start of the fire season, with unfavorable weatLer conditions from the very beginning. In the North west there was less snow on the mountain-, at the end of the winter than for many years past. Railroad rights of way which were last year deep in snow are reported clear now and dry enough to burn readily. From the Canadian border to Mexico the reports are similar, and there have already been extensiv) fires in Cali fornia and Arizona. The chief forester reports, however, ice are orgaaiced better than ever be fare, ftMtcutarly in respect to the fire ietttitita eyatem of lookout stations. By means ef toeae stations fires are report- el quickly and accurately, so that the control forces may be on the ground at the earliest possible moment. In those states whjre the gravest danger threatens, special efforts are be ing made by the government foresters and by co-operative fire protection as sociations organized among timberland owners, to secure caro with fire on the part of cfmpcrs, prospectors, loggers and by railroads. The Northwestern Porestcry and Conservation Association, vith headquarters at Portland, Oregon, is one of the leaders in. this campaign. tiul rear ike fin Ism on the Canadian UaVr-werrti raa the anallest ever knows, Mb iieiWiBth sl to ira cent of tie area YOU STUDY AT HOME Mistakes are impossible the young est child can learn Prices are low. Let us put the joy of music in your home. Write today now to American School of Music Fifth Floor Commonwealth Bldg. Portland, Oregon. A Perfect Tiw Beattr Fraiiked Fret STAFF flora McCurdr Director P. E. McCo.-dy Frti Emmerich; Slgnor A. Vicettl; Mont. Bails. .Manager ' Hotel Butler Seattle, Wash. Under new management entire change in all departments all rooms redecorated and refurnished. Particular attention is now being paid to prompt, efficient and courteou service. DATJLY RATES $2.00 Up With Private Bath $1.00 Up Without Private Bath Hotel Butler Cafe -THE FINEST IN SEATTLE Service the Best Cuisine Unexcelled ROBERT J. ROBINSON Manager I AU RIOHTS RESERVED I v ViJ.vi A) ' a I The moat practical, health fnl, playtime farmeati over invented for cfaiUmi 1 to 8 years of age. Made In one piece 1 drop back. Easily slipped on or off. Easily washed. No tight elastic bands to atop circulation. Made In blue denim, and blue and white hickory stripes for all the year round. Also lighter weight material for summer wear. AU girncnt trimmed with fast red or blue galatea. Made in Dutch neck with elbow sleeves and high neck and long sleeves 75c the suit tf VOltr dfalcr Plnnnt mnnlv vnn we will send them, charges prepaid on receipt of price, 75c each. A New CDrr If Ther rnrr ... Rip Suit Utah By lL)W Strtuaa & Co, San Ftmcmco B-'ENKE-WALKEB pnpili In Bookkeeping, Stenography, Type writing, Penmanship, Telegraphy receive that thorough, pratcical, trustworthy training which alone can produce efficient help. Whea you realize this youH know why the merchants come to us for competent assutants. Ve will place yon when com petent. Write for Catalogue, BUSINESS COLLEGE L &t Walker, Pres. Portland, Ors. blotting pad." Itoiac vnraet rer
