, 1861-09-27

OF tAe piapta' growth; hence, It's development
Hfeg1iar-one Of the most important points
IN ~ Kinds OF culture the plaut is Hot excit-
Cd into lu1ursRnt growth of branches aud
foliage when young, - frequently occurs
when the sol Is rendered rich with nitrogen
ons mixtures which retards maturahon OF the
wood, induces disesse, and is unfavorable to
TIC production Of flowers and fruit
~ e p preparing this sol for pot6pg It should
noL De broken up too finely, and by using such
correcttvea as sand, charcoal, etc, 1t can be
regulated to suit any description of plant.
fis1t8 that are to remain for years without
removal, should be pottea In soil well sup
piled With these eorTectives, 60 that adhesion
come decayed may to some extent be preVen-
ted. Weak growing plants will also require
more than those that are robust.
The preparation Of the pots as regards
drainage is ofmEch importance, aud there is
tome diversity Of opinion IS to the amount Of
assert that it is worae thnf useless to place IN
inch or two Of drainage in the pots, as it al
lows the water to pass OF too rapidly, and en-.
tails unnecessary labor in keeping suf6clen-
q Ct moisture In the soil Al first view this
Reasoning appears plausible It Is, .neverthe-
Eo;l, Will contain more uniform and lasting
supply Of moisture, than when these condl
tions are reversed, because air Is thus enabled
to penetrate and hold water in suspension.
IL Is an erroneous eupposition, peshsps too
PREVALENT, that draining in reality renders q
Eoil dry, 60 far as complete abstraction Of
moisture ls understood Drains only carry
AWAY the water that is not retained by ab-
6orption, which other wise would prove isju-
rious. When pots are imperfectly drained,
the pot, and when water is afterwards appleait
1uEs down between the soil and pot without
penetrating to the roots Of the plant. On the
other band, when water is applied on the sur
fnce Of properly drained soil, it Immediately
percolates freely throughout the mass, and
Then it has absorbed all it will retain. the
surplus Passes away by the drainage. Both
science and practice confirm the fact, that
good drainage is the foundation for good cul-
tivation.
The material most generally used for drain-
age is technically termed crooks, being pieces
OF broken pots that are otherwise useless.
Those who are eo fortunate IS to hare no bro.
ken or cracked pots will find q good gub5ti-
tute in oyster ehe}ls and broken charcoal,
bones, stones, brickR, &c The oyster shell il
laid ogeF the bottom, and all the broken ma
tsrial laid over it as desired; a small piece of
perforated zinc laid over the bottom hole, is
good preventative against the ipgresz Of
WORMS which are sometimes troublesome
when the plants are set out of doors. The
amount Of dIaluage necessary viii Of course
vary with the size Of the pot, and it will alao
be Influenced BY the kind Of the plant. Al
average depth Of one and half inches to q
sIx inch pot, will be sufficient for permanent
plants.
Previous to removing plant from one pot
to smother the soil should be allowed to be-
ing Of roots and handling Of the plant.
When the plant is turned out OF the pot, and
the roots appear thickly matted and interwo-
ven, the old drainage should be carefully re-
moved, and the roofs gently disintegrated, 50
that they may be spread into tue fresh soil; !;
fhiE treatment RI; nu1ar1v
to Azaleas, Camelias, and similar plants, that
may not have been very recently disturbed.
Young plants of soft free growth, as Fuchsias,
Gcraniums, &C., should be repotted as soon
as the roots reach the sides Of the pots, or at
Least before they become numerous and
| sudden check in its growth. Many plants are
kspt comparatively dormant in winter, and
| the old wood cut down in spring to encourage
q new growth Of such are Roses, Fuchsias,
t Geraniume, dc. They require to be repotted
a. soon as growth commences, and in doing so
! the old ball Of soil around the roots should
! be completely broken up and few Of the
| strongest roots ptuned back to admit Of being
placed in the Eane OR in o smaller pot; By this
means plant may receive fresh soil periodi.
cally, without using pots disproportionately
Another point worthy Of attention is to use
the soil for pottirg rather dry, and press it
firmly in The Pot, more particularly if placing
| fresh soil Ground an old ball OF earth, which,
unless very lightly packed, will allow pas
| eage for water, leaving the roots dry. If moth
irg harder than the fingers is used, thera viii
bc little Danger Of pressing the soil too firmly
! il aii has been In proper condition. After 8
plant has been repotted it shonld receive Q
| good watering at once, and be p!aced in 9
moist atmosphere for few days afterwards
unt1 growth is again established
DWARF APPLES.
/ 4 late number Of the Country Gentleman has
tie following: It is possible that the dwar
| dwarf pear. It is not liable to the accidents
Of the latter: AL sorts e,f apples grow freeI,
on the dwarf stock, ell is not necessary tt
tdke that particular c2Ec II selection, founded
Of. many years of experience although SOM
Hcrts Of the apple form handsomer and bette
shaped heads when treated as dwarfs tina,
Others. The symmetrical growers should b
Selected, because they make the process o
pruning simpler, aud more easily give the de
sired shape.
Common standard apple trees occupy tot
much room for gardens and small placee. A
the commonly recommended distance, 33 feet
only 40 can stand on an acre; and placed a
the nearest distance admissible, Is feet, an acr
is required fcr 60 trees Aquarter-acrs villag
! garden can therefore have only 10 trees at th
toImer md IT at the latter named distance
Il apple trees occupy the whole ground. Bn
dwarf apples may stand about four time
nearer, giving sixteen times as many trees O
tic quarter acre. II therefore e-haE Of th
quarter acre garden is occupied with dwal
apples, Is trees may be planted at 8 feet apar
$50 at feet apart, the space for the smaller {
| Paradise dwarf.
The best varieties for dwarf stocks, as
general rule, are those which naturally form
round CT oval head. Such will need but litt
pruning. Among these are the Red Astrachal
/ Dill
mouth Pippin, Summer Rose, Benoni, On
Sweet Bough. There are others that inclin
to grow upright, and need some pruning
prevent their running upwards, and to fndut
Spreading; among these are the Northel
g Spy, Twenty Ounce, Lady Apple. Wagone
! Eally Strawberry, and Bailey Street, Ill
+ which make handsome dwariB. There al
: again others, although not SO handson
Q growers, yet the ornamental appearance Of tt
+ fruit render then desirable dWarfs, Is the Fan
euse, Red Canada, Carolina Red June, Munsc
$ Sweet, dc. There are still others which gro
to make handsome trees Of them, such as F.
e P1ppin, Canada Reinette, and Tompku
!, County King. Dwarf apples should be most
E confined to summer and autumn varieties,
Q order to furnish fresh supply for the table
e the most desirable sorts: Winter apples m;
trees, or purchased in market By the barrel
i Dwarts are especially desirable for tho
e who plant new places, ard consequently d
r sire an early retu1n- The Paradise stock "
il | give crops the third year; and the Douta
If the fourth, in abundance. A fine young c,
e lection Of dWa1fs, now four years planted, al
d growing their fifth summer, bear much belt
r tliis un1av vorab1e Season, than Old orchard
: Some of the trees are loaded. 4 Hawthor
; | den is so full that the branches, densely s
With orpies, lie on the ground with tht
le leads If fruit, now the second year Of su
9, pIofuee bearing. The Doucain trees are abo
e : feet high, and the Paradise to 6 feet. r
.e soil is fertile, and always well cultivated.
le MISCELLANEOUS.
e Fdn 81 Dratns-At 3 Legislative aS1icultul
St meeting, held in the State House Al Bostu
n the subject Of undertaking being under
cpEsion, Mr. 6heed, an agricu1tural engine
a, esid he had drained a lot In Milton where the
ot waB only two inches Of fall to quarter o1
le nile, and the drain worked we'll If there
e. fall Of three inches to the hundred feet
" land, to tile drain with two inches diamet
n" GTainE forty feet apart, four feet deep, Wo1
Ia tnke of all the water, and he would guar
It. tee 1t would work satisfactorily. All 81
resting en- tenacious sub.soil could be
IN vantageons1y drained Eight inches 1all in
IS, mile might be found sufficient in drains &C
[a, stantiy conveying limited quantity Of wat
a but for general purposes of undergrou
ne draining, such fall could not be depend
- en-. Three inches to the hundred feet Wo1
au be found quite sufficient, but drains forty f
g apart and tour feet deep, in vet, stiff 81
18 Nunld In very few cases be found near enou
to effect perfect Or uniform drainage Hc
lai ever, in country where capital for such p
os poses is but ecanty, the best way Is to pll
to the drains at first wide apart, and if sub
~ Quently found inadequate Others can re