Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-03-17
NO. &C..
MiseellaileoMs.
EARLY GARDEN.WORK.

With the first few days of spring every
one feels like going to work in the gar
den, and this instructive desire to do
| something deserves to be both encouraged
| and repressed. There are many little
| things which can be done to advantage
| soon, while there are other things we are
often tempted to do that would be better
| put off. 1t is for instance no use to plant
or SOW tender things till the weather gets
settled and the earth warm, and ground.
unless sandy or very light. is best not dug
or plowed till quite dry.
The very careful person usually clears
up all garden waste in the fall when it
is made; but there are some who are
| careful but pressed for time, and others
| who are not careful who leave these things
| till more convenient time. In all these
| cases the clearing up should go on now
| at any rate.
Where manure is needed it may be put
into heaps near where it is wanted. II is
best not to spread it, as it keeps the suns
rays from the ground, which is then lai-
er in getting dry and warmed up for
working. 1t is true it is but few days
difference but these are always of advan-
tage in early spring work. Where to put
the manure will depend upon the condi-
tion OF the garden, but it may be borne
| in mind that asparagus, tomato, lettuce.
gg-plant, of all vegetables, ike an abun-
dance of this article. All pruning mat
| ters should be hurried up. In grape-vines
the practice in general way is to cut
back the weaker branches and leave the
stronger ones, cutting back only fourth
or fifth of the latter, according to its
strength. 1t is from these last years
shoots that the fruit is to come, This rule
however, has some exceptions. A weak
er shoot may be just where we want 1t
and the strong one not. Fruit is not the
object there, and the strong shoot Is sac
rificed to benefit the weak one. Much
the same rule holds good in pruning ap.
pie, pear. cherries, and such fruits, only
the shoots of last year are not shortened
back. These kind OF trees, however, do
not as a general thing need much prun-
ing, unless it be the dwarf pear, which
requires more pruning than the others.
The rule there is the condition of growth.
If the dwarf pear shows a disposition to
bear freely and grow but little, prune se-
verely, but if the growth is strong and
fruit scarce, prune not all. The current
and gooseberrv in our climate is benefited
by a little pruning. but only to throw out.
poor and exhausted-looking branches.
The current sometimes has its strong
shoots shortened, but not as q rule. Rasp-
berries and blackberries have the old wood
cut out, and also the weaker branches cut
away. Sometimes these are dug up and
| used again rs plants, but in so doing, take
| care not to in)ure the roots of the stocks
left to bear. After all is taken out that
may be thought desirable, shorten the
balance of the canes about one fourth.
Where raspberries, grapes, and other
things have been protected by laying
and covering with earth in the winter, the
exact time must be studied when to lift
them. If taken out too early they may
be caught by late snap of severe wealth
er. On the other hand if left too long in
the ground the buds will swell and very
much injury result. The best plan is to
watch them and take them up as soon as
there seems to be motion in the buds, and
not before.
Garden seeds can sometimes be for.
warded. Tomatoes, parsley, and even
| early cabbages. when but few sure
plants are needed, can be raised in small
boxes in the window, if one has no hotbed
| Frame but it will be a pity if there is not
at least one sash hotbed frame in every
garden. 1t pays for itself in numerous
ways. Where one has such frame he
can have early radishes and lettuce. 1t
does not mean that we must always have
manure to have the hotbed effective. The
frame aud sash. set on the ground in a
sheltered place, will make warmth enough
to bring things forward considerably, es-
pecially if one has mat at hand to throw
| over on frosty nights.
Box-edgings, evergreen screens, aud
fences comes under the head we started
with, not to do things too soon. Any
trimming they may need it is best to leave
till the cold weather is over, and for the
reasons given in the article on pruning
evergreen hedges few weeks ago.-Ger-
| mant0Un Telegraph.