Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-11-29
E FARMERS DEPARTMENT.
HORTICULTURAL HINTS.

mon crop OF me trait, or great growth OF
w37d. and if never before. they now sho'd
be treated as children Of civilization, and
sensitive objects.
Prepare Fruit Trees for the Winter
Earth banking. to the limbs is an excellent
mode Of protection, especially for low trees
and dwarfs, If in grass land invert the
soil. Form nice conical mound which
viii shed water; will also prevent mice
eating, bark bursting. and with little
straw mulch around the base will prevent
root killing of the Ounce and many other
tender rooted plants One penny each
will pay the cost of well doing the whole.
Plow the Orchard especially late; Sc
cure good drainage of surface water and
melting SHOWS. This is the best time in
the whole year to subsoil and under drain
also this and next month to secure muck,
turf, or leaves, for composing next year.
Composted manure is invaluable to the
gardener aud nurseryman.
Attend early to the pruning of large
limbs--if it must be done. There is but
one other season for heavy pruning which
is Immediately after the tree comes into
loafia the spring.
The Nursery, if it has been well treated
during the season, is now beautiful sight
and all excellent time it IS to select trees
and Plants for the Spring setting, as every
tree now shows what it is; also an excel
lent time to transport trees, if careful to
preserve from frost. All young seedlings
aud tender trees. especially young hedge
plants, should be well covered for winter,
or taken up and holed in
Grapes should now receive their annu-
al pruning. Vineyard stake and trellis
vines should be cut very short, cutting off
generally nine-tenths of the young wood
after the prevailing mode of pruning. -
But in the renewal system the whole
wood is cut back nearly to the ground
every other year, and the alternate
year a good amount Of strong bear
ing wood is lett for the next crop. The
younger the viue the more this cutting
back. Throw the pruned vine upon the
ground and cover with earth, if a tender
sort, or if generally hardy, cover with
brush, straw, or litter, for the winter. See
that no drip or slop from the house falls
on the plant during the winter.
Rasp berries, Blackberries, and like
hardy plants, should be laid down and
covered lightly with earth early this month,
then as winter closes in, with a straw
mulch, or any other similar material.
Strawberry beds should be lightly COW
cred with mulch. Cut straw light manure,
saw dust, tan or muck, are desirable, as
they would not require removing in the
spring and would repay ten fold in the
next crop.
Pie Plant and Asparagus designed for
early use should be covered early and
heavily with straw or coarse manure.
Seeds of many plants can be sowed with
advantage now, with an eye to early use
in spring and to ensure their growth, such
es onions, parsnips, salads, and the seeds
of apple, pear, peach, plum, walnut, &c
all of which should be covered with some
sort Of mulch during winter. Many choice
bulbs for early bloom can still be planted,
but should be well mulched with coarse
manure or straw to prOlong their growth
and preserve them.
Choice roses, especially perpetuals and
moss, should be strawed or sacked early,
and we'll banked, either before or after.
It will pay as well to attend to all these
little matters of preparation for winter, as
the house and shed banking and corking
for comfort of animals and preservation of
the winter store of vegetables.
What we Raised on an Acre of Ground
Let those who think there is no profit
in, and spurn the comforts of a garden,
look at this heap of sass raised, this sea-
son, from one acre of ground, on Astor
Heights the entire labor performed by
one man. who besides has had the care of
two horses, three COWS, and done the
chores for two families devoutly kept all
the Saint days, and amt dead yet, nor tir-
ed of his place. We--that is, the boy and
the wife and us-have harvested, this sea-
zen, of fruits, at least 40 bushels of APP
pies, 3 bushels of plums, bushel of cher
ries, one half bushel pears, one half bush
81 grapes, some peaches.
All the strawberries, raspbsrries, goose
berries and ourrants used by the two fam
lies; besides ungathered quantities of crab
apples, Siberian and native.
Of vegetables: at least 100 bushels of
potatoes. Of celery, lettuce. asparagus,
water crosses, caulifower, cabbage, onions
turnips, melons, eucumbers, carrots, beets,
parsnips, &c., sufficient for the current
supply and winters stock of the two fam