Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1867-07-05
THE FRUIT GARDEN.

Na'hei huilS DIS tuey IIpeu IeaIS cSpe-
cially lose their flavor if ripened on tho
tree. AS soon as they will detach them
selves when gently raised by the hand,
gather the crop and place on the shelves
of the frnit room to soften. The largo
nellie must be plucked even earlier, or it
will be found rotten at the core. Bartletts
and some others will ripen perfectly in the
house at any time after the fruit is nearly
grown. Peaches for Shipment if freestone,
should be plncked as soon as they begin
to feel elastic before they arc so ripe as to
retain mark from the pressure of the
fingers; cllngs, however, must be nearly or
quito ripe, or they will shrivel; for home
use they should ripen on the tree. Apples
should bc plucked before they are quite
ready to drop, and they will be found
more juicy. Preserve supply Of fresh
fruit in self scaling cans, or with Spears
Solution for winter use.
Of varieties now first fruit:ng, if seed
lngs, observe if their quantity and mode
OF bearing are such as to make them worth
resolving. If old varieties, note if they
| are true to the name as described in the
fruit books.
Continue to thin overloaded trees. Let
all irscct-punctured fruit be daily gathered
(as it falls) and cooked for stock, or admit
young shoats to the orchard to consume
it, if you would diminish the insects in
your fruit the coming season. Peach borers
arc about to leave the tree, and must bo
exterminated now or never. If not found
in their holes, look for and crush the CO.
coon Of agglutinated saw dust in tho soil,
close by the tree. Destroy the aphides,
| leaf rollers, and other insects that infest
, the vines.
Wash apple tree trunks with ashes and
water, in dry weather, 10 prevent the
borer. Salt and water is worth trying for
this purpose, in tho shape of old brine di-
luted.
Continue to summer prune, as directed
last month, removing lateral shoots and
suckers from the vine, rubbing off useless
shoots, or stopping them by pinching their
e1tremities, in order to keep growth in
proper channels; check iu like manner
the too luxuriant shoots of fruit trees, to
restore the balance and throw them into
fruit. DO not cut off large limbs when q
tree is in a growing state, unless it is over
lnxuriaut, and such sudden check
is needed to induce fruitfulness. 1t takes
tree long time to get over the shock of
a thorough summer pruning. But when
trees arc growing out of shape, moderate
pruning must be given, removing all suck.
ers, pinching or shortening in the roots,
| in order to keep the tree in pyramidal
form. The less cutting required at this
time, the better for the health of both tree
and vine. II, however, tree of proper
age fails TO fruit, more severe operation
is justified. Slit the bark longitudinally
Of all bark bound pear trees, to let the
trunk expand, and prevent stagnation of
sap and blight.
Cut down old raspberry canes that have
ceased to tear, leaving but few shoots to
each stool-three is enough for the Ameri.
CAP, and six or eight for the European va
rieties. Keep fig bushes clear Of suckers
from theis roots. Keep the runners of
your strawberries clipped, unless you
wish the plants for new beds. If allowed
to exhaust themselves in making runners,
the quantity Of fruit will be very much d.
minished next season. New beds may be
made 1t is now the proper time for bud
ding, but the operation should only be
performed when the bark Of the stock
parts freely from the wood, aud when the
buds employed are somewhat plnmp, and
the young wood is growing firm.
Cleft grating is often performed success.
fully, the last Of the month, upon tho ap.
pie. pear and plum, before the second
growth begins.
Dry largely Of peaches, unless you are
rear good market for the fresh fruit.
Apples, also, should be dried more than
sufficient for family use. Peaches will,
however, prove the most profitable fruit
for this purpose: A gopd business can be
done, in the preparationiof frnits, by pre-
serving and canning foP the large mark.
cts, by those who are willing 10 take the
necessary pains. For this purpose, the fig
would prove very profitable, as we'll as the
peach. The ig makes excellent pickles Il