Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-03-12
The Last OF Winter.


1t is always safe for the tillers Of the
soil, be they agriculturalists or horticultu.
ralists, to count upon an carly spring, and
have everything ready to begin work. If
winter lasts longer than usual, so much
time has been gained. If spring comes in
early, everything is in shape, and the gain
comes later in the season. The harness
room and tool room ought not, by the first
Of March, to contain single article ex-
cept such as are disc rded for good, which
is not in readiness for instant use. Seeds,
trees, and all necessary supplies, if not al
ready ordered should be sent for ct once,
The country has been 30 generally covered
with deep snow that work can probably
begin quite early in the season, as the snow
will have prevented the frost from penetrat-
ng the soil to great depth. Trees which
have been injured by storms, or by any of
the mishaps Of winter, should have their
fractures smoothed Of, and the surface GOV
cred with shellac varnish or melted graft
ing wax, TO prevent moisture and conso-
quont decay. If nursery trees arrive in
frozen condition, put them whore they
will thaw gradually. If they are dry and
shriveled, bury them entirely in the earth
for week or so. Scrape the dead bark
from orchard trees. Cut scions aud pack
them in sand or sawdust until they are
wanted for setting out. As soon as the
canker moths become aware that the ground
is thawing at midday, they will begin to
make arrangements for Matching out the
usual brood Of june catipiars. There are
numerous devices for preventing the ascent
Of those moths to their Matching ground on
the trees, Perhaps the best and simplest
way is slightly to smooth the rough bark
| in a circle, at a convenient height from the
ground, and smear this with printers ink,
or the refuse thereof, which answers every
purpose. The least touch of this ink is
sure death to the moth 1t has heretofore
been customary to tie coarse paper around
the trunk and put the ink upon it but a
correspondent of the AgricuiiUraiiS says
that the ink does not harm when applied
directly to the tree, and there is a great
saving in time and expense by emitting the
paper The ink must be put on about once
in ten days, during the fall and spring, and
whenever long thaw seems likely to oc.
cur in winter Pruning is in order when
ever the trees or vines are not frozen, al
though June is probably, upon the whole,
the best time so far as the trees are con-
cerned. Christian Union.
HAVE SCRAP Book Every farmer
should keep book in which to paste
agricultural scraps Every one, in reading
a paper, will see a number Of things which
he will wish to remember. lie will per-
haps see suggestions, the value Of which he
will desire to test, or hints which be viii
want to be governed by in future opera
tons And yet, after reading the paper he
will throw it down and will probably never
see it again. In such a case all the valu
able articles will be lost TO prevent suct
a loss, every reader should clip from The
papers such articles as he desires to pre-
serve and remember, and paste them in I
scrap book Such book, at the end Of {
year or two, will be very interesting an'
valuable.
II all the world were blind, said an lrisl
clergyman, what melancholy sight i
would be.