The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-10-30
When to Plant.

Perhaps had better begin by telling my
readers when not to Dlant-viZ.: when there
is little or no rOOtactiOn, as in mid.winter
secondly, when evaporation is excessive, as
at midsummer, unless means can be found
to check evaporation till such time as the
wounded roots are healed sufficiently to alb
sOrb an ample supply of moisture. If were
obliged to choose between these two extremes
| should certainly for most plants prefer OPP
Grating AT midsummer; for then, if the work
is carefully and quickly done on day when
the atmosphere Is not deficient of moisture,
roOtactlOn recommenCes In a few hours, |
think might say minutes, and our suspense
is very short indeed for then ii blank should
occur we can for certain fill it up in October.
Those who have not been obliged by circum-
stances to try midsummer planting would be
astonished to see the amount of torture II
healthy plant will bear at that time. When
making new walks, etc, IN ornamental
grounds, have had good sized trees out of
the ground two or three weeks during June
or July with merely bit of grass wrapped
round their roots, and they suffered very lit
tie from 1t; of course they had good balls
and they were we'll planted. Ii there are
young, immature grow tbs they should be cut
back when this can be done without disfigure
ment. Another plan is To check evaporation
by Swinging whiting and wafer, or even dir
ty water over the foliage. Whiting is best
as it reflects the suns rays.
have no faith whatever in Swinging out.
door plants with clear water IN hot weather,
unless it is for the purpose of knocking OFT
insects, and these can be kept off easier, bet
ter, and with less injury to the trees in other
ways. My own way is to syringe all subject
to insect attacks with sottsoap water, about
two ounces 10 the gallon, once or twice dur
ing the growing season. Let those who wish
to be fashionable use the patent compounds
| am content to be old fashioned and use soft
soap which is unpalatable 10 every insect
with which a gardener is tOrmented, lnclud-
ing mealy-bug. have had several battles
with this detested enemy, but so far, thanks
to sOtt.soap and my OwD clear eyesight Il
would not trust any other pair of eyes be-
sides my OWN, l have been able to kill the
animal without materially injuring the vege-
table life. Sott-soap will also kill mildew on
peach trees much more speedily than sulphur
will. The mildew on roses is harder to Kill,
but even ii will succumb to t0lerably strong
dose. 1t should be applied in the evening
after the sun is off the plants.
But my text is when to plant, and have
not yet said anything about it, Well, the
time to plant is as soon as the leafgrowth is
fairly matured in autumn, and before the
roots have ceased TO grow, while the ground
Il
properly worked.
Last September planted over half mile
Of ornamental boxedging; it took less than
q third Of the time it would take to do 1t in the
winter or early spring, because the weather
was good, the day not too short and The SOIL
worked beautifully. My man said Nara
good to plant I'm now, measter, the vrOst ali
have ii OUT" but, however, with little fore
ibe persuasion, it was planted; and the sur
face of the ground close to tie box was kept
loOsened instead of remaining firm as it was
made up; consequently the frost, of which
we had rather more than a sufficiency, did it
no injury, and when examined In the spring
1t had roots two inches long, and the top
commenced growing as early as that which
had not been shifted
Many people are afraid to move fruit trees
before the leaves have fallen this Is quite Il
mistake. 1t is best for the growth to be mo.
tured, but immature growth can always be
cut off, and if the leaves are so numerous as
10 cause excessive evaporation, and conse-
Qucnt shriveling of the bark, is good plan
TO ,hin with the scissors, but not too much,
for the more leaves plant will bear without
shriyelng the quicker will rootacton com
mence.
1t does not ln1ure tree tenth part as
much to move 1t before its leaves are fallen
as it does to move it in the spring when its
buds are beginning imperceptibly to swell and
its circulation, owing to the absence OF Wig
orous rootaction, is Sluggish moved many
fruit trees last october, including pears OF q
good size on the pear stock, and they can
hardly be distinguished now. Such Is never
the case with spring,planted trees in the first
season, and very often they do not recover at
all.
Another reason for amateurs planting early
is that the nurserymen cannot plant till anna
teurs have finished, ard consequently the
later we defer our planting the less likely are
we in the future to obtain healthy young trees
from the venders.-W William Taylor, IN Nec
York World