The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-07-24
AGRICULTURAL.
From Do,cning's Hortieulturlst.
PRACTICAL HINTS TO AMATEURS.
BIZ AN OLD DIGGER.

Ii you have crop in your kitchen garden which
looks sickly, water II once or twice with guano
water, Ia handful of guano to pailful of water
SURFING the soil with the hoe before applying the
water.
This is the season Of the year to give shape to
your shrubs or plants. A Iue shortening back
now, on oyergrown shoots, will make the dormant
buds push out new shoots on parts of shrub or
tree which deficient in foliage, to bring II
INTO good shape before the season of growth past.
For small plants, that you wish TO make bushy
and thick there is nothing like punching of the ends
of the leading shoots while they young. Ii
gives you thick and compact heads Of leaves, in
stead of few and slender shoots.
Don't be discouraged at the inroad Of an insect,
that threatens TO destroy your favorIte trees or
plants Set about studying It's natural history, and
depend upon it, If you only get correct nouon of
its habits you can soon exIermlnate ii by little
energy and perseverance. Tobacco water, as re-
commended by the editor, in the last number, will
kill any insect, # It is judlcIousy applied, and per-
sevenngly repeated, however much they may seem
to DEFY II at first. Always it in the morning,
or Just al evening for 1t is throwing away your
ammunition FIRE into enemy's quarters in mid
day; when they are wide awake and ready TO
dodge the FIRE.
Ii you want to propagate everbloomng roses by
cuttings, your best Tune Is now, Just the young
wood begins 10 harden, after the first flowers
or wall with sash to cover IL, will enable you to
raise hundreds Of roses with very little attention.
Make the soil IN the frame inches deep, of rich
mould, mixed with one-half fine sand In this
plant the cuttings, with single leaf left the top
Of each. Water them every evening, leaving the
sash of all night, and replacing it early in the
morning. In case you want them 10 plant out in
the borders, you may LET the cuttings grow in the
frame where they strike all summer-covering the
,utfh aho s1y Of in he
and planting out the you plants early the next
spring but # you want them for pot culture then,
Of course, plant the cuttings in pots, instead of
the soil Of the frame; and IN FIVE or six weeks
they will have formed new roots, so that you may
re-pot them-one in each small pot
To have rsspoeries very large and fine you
must make new plantation every fourth year.
The soil should be trenched twenty inches deep,
and a quantity OF coal ashes and stable manure
turned well underneath. The raspberry likes a
cool, deep soil; and top dressing Of guano every
spring adds greatly TO the size OF the fruit.
| Look over your cherry trees, and see that none
Of them suffer from being hde-bound Ii they look
unnsturally small IN any part Of the trunk, and
swollen in other parts, you may be sure this is the
case and If you do not relieve it., by Sitting the
outer bark with your knife, the tree will soon de-
cline. Old cherry trees are very much improved
IN health and productIveness by shortening in the
long branches at this Of the year, thus fore
ing them to make some thrifty new shoots.
! Plum trees like a moist soil. have found that
covering the ground four inches deep with old spent
an-bark is good way Of preserving the moisture,
and keeping the tree IN health | scatter fresh lime
thckly over the surface Of the tan every year, as
soon as the green fruit begins to fall This kills
I every curcuo that attempts to enter the ground.
\ The tan prevents the weeds from growing, keeps
the roots cool, and insures me good crops OF pums.
spread il far as the roots extend and il wants
renewing or adding to- IN three or four years.
Don't indulge the folly Of killing up all the plants
I you raise in your kitchen garden. If you study
nature, you will that, plants grow older the
roots at the base Of the stem always incline TO raise
out Of the earth; from which il "a clear that they
prefer not TO be wholly buried up in il. Besides,
unless il is plant that disllkes moisture, you lose
half the benefit Of the summer showers by pulling
up hill over the roots to turn off the rain. 1t is
much better to loosen the ground thoroughly, and
keep it nearly level.
Liquid manure is Of great advantage TO crops in
growing state but il has double the usual effect
II applied in damp and cloudy weather.
In raising hedges the great point Is TO get breadth
at the bottom. Il is easy enough 70 get hedge
high enough; but il you let It up without cut
ting IL back, so as to make broad and thick base,
you can never make that base broad and thick after