Nebraska advertiser., 1856-07-26
uhen mouldered into earth, the water

] NAAkA
would soak away along the seam.
Early in summer, after the trees are
planted, let the ground be well dug
round with the spade, commencing
shallow near the trees, but deepening
as soon as there is no danger of dis
turbing the roots. One spading is
worth several hoeings, though the
broad hoe may be proftably employed
once a month after the spade has
thoroughly loosened the soil. Trees
managed in this way, viii grow much
faster than if the ground were just
scratched over to the depth Of an inch
or SO; and many of ours have grown
as luxuriously through the late exces-
rive drought, as if they were in want
3 of nothing.
The pruning of young trees to pre-
vent their splitting dorm, is a very i'm
portant operation. Many r greatly
injured and sometimes ruined, for want
of this precaution. Where the limbs
diverge considerably, nature has pro-
vided a kind of network of the firm
est wood to connect them together;
but where two leading branches take
nearly the same direction, they soon
begin to press against each other; and
the bark interposing, the wood is pre-
vented from uniting. The conse-
quence generally is, that when loaded
with fruit, they r broken down by
: the wind. Now it is far better to cut
off the limb in time. No material loss
is sustained, as all the nutriment flows
into the other branches, and increases
their vigOr.
The advantage of pruneing apple
, trees, is generally known; and unless
, many of the limbs are cut out, some
: of the finest varieties become compare
. lively diminutive and insipid. The
sam care however, is rarely extended
to other fruit trees. When the twigs
become stunted and messy, sometimes
they are trimmed by the tempest, OF
broken down by an untimely fall Of
snow; and thenth the benefits of pruning
l are manifest, even when done in that
: rough style. 1t is better however, to
| depend on art than accident. AS a
: general rule, the best favored fruit Of
! the kind grows on the most vigorous
branches well exposed to the sun and
air; and with this idea constantly be.
fore US, we shall hardly do amiss wher
: we applythe axe, the saw, or the chisel;
though we may specify that cross
! branches should be Topped, and thrifty
J shoots that have room to spread, should
! be saved.
/ The tree MOSES areparasitic plants
q and should be expelled from the frui
= garden. Lye is often used for thi,
j purpose on the apple tree; but We
: think it is no better than lime white
{ wash, which purifes the bark, ant
; leaves it in a fine healthy condition.
= Once a year is quite sufficient.
Z Under deep SHOWS, or snow-drifti
thatsettle around the trees, the meadoa
: mouse often gnaws the bark to thei
I great injury or destruction. This
{ animal however always gOrks Undei
I cOUer; and therefore the damage may
{ be generally prevented by piling mel
{ low earth round the stems, a foot high
late in autumn. The snow as it falls
is'generaIly swept away from the pile
! by the wind; and even if the mouse
! should persist in climbing up on the
y earth-which we have not known hin
y to do-he would soon come out int
Z the open air, exceptwhen the snow was
very deep.
y Another method which has never
4 failed with US, though requiring atten.
tion-is to tread the snOV firmly dom
round the stems; and this should be
carefully done every time that a deer
= snow falls, or whenever drift is form.
ing round the trees. The mouse, as
- he roots along, always turns away from
the hardened snow.
Trees completely gi:rdled by the mice
however, may be saved by setting gratis
) earlyin the spring to restore the com.
munication between the two detached
L portions of the tree--in other words
: by grating them together. Part of
y small branch should be i1oldid, botl
u above and below; andif skilfully.dont
. and carefully coated over with g~rafting
-e mud or wax, it will be very likely t.
grow, exception the peach or n~ectarine
= We have succeeded in this way OF
a.pear tree; but three or four shouldb,
" set round the tree.
Cultivated cherries belong to severa
e species, which have spread into man.
y varieties, and probably hybrids. Tn
Is c~aterpiller sometimes feeds on tn
a leaves; and the curculio puncture
e some of the fruit which in consequence
q becomes SOormg; butno fruit tree yield
a more certain crop, bearing ever
II year without intermission unless tn
e blossoms or young fruit be damagedb,
ID frost. Some kinds however, as tn
moreHO, have been nearly destroyed il
y some parts of the country by the "blaci
guns."' This -excrescence is. caused b
III an insect which should be carefull'
sought for, late in the spring or earl
In the summer; and as soon as tn
no / " '