Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-11-08
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Tomntoen-Their Cnlture.

|
am satisfied that the only way to
grow tomatoes successfully is to plant
them as early as the weather will per-
NIT, on sandy soil, fully exposed to the
rays of the sun, that they may receive
light and nourishment. Let the vines
grow naturally, spreading out over the
ground, and the fruit will be found to
be much better favored, sweeter and
richer than when trained to stakes or
fastened to lattice work.
After the fruit is set for a sufficient
crop, the ends of the vines should be
trimmed to throw the strength of the
plant more to the fruit, and thus secure
a larger growth and an early ripening.
l am not partial to plants raised in a
greenhouse. They fail to produce we'll.
A farmer we know of the present year
set out nearly a hundred plants bought
at the greenhouse, aud up to the pres
ent time, September IL, the family had
not had over a peck of ripe tomatoes
from these plants. The plants have
been we'll attended and the ground kept
clear of all weeds, yet the crop will be
failure.
Other patches near by, set out with
plants started in the ordinary way by
the provident housewife, have come into
bearing loaded with fruit, and the stock
will prove ample, though the plants
number less than half of those procured
at the greenhouse. The labor bestowed
upon the two patches is by far the most
on the unproductive one, soil and appli-
aDces being nearly equal.
Select seed from smooth, earliest ripe
tomatoes each year. By this practice
the earliest fruit is gained. As soon as
the first of March, and oftentimes earli-
er, owing to the season, prepare some
earth in box that will hold water
tin pan will answer all purposes if it is
large. After sowing the seed-not
thickly, but few and scattering-keep
the earth moist and warm. When the
plants appear, give them light and air,
in the sunny part of the kitchen. AS
the plants get age, gradually change to
cooler temperature, so as to harden
them.
AS the plants shoot up, leaving a
spindling body, sprinkle more earth
about them, bringing it up to the first
leaves this is better than to transplant,
as the plant, with such treatment,
grows right along without drawback,
gets stocky, and has more vitality. Thin
out 80 as to give each plant fully an
inch or more of space to grow in, and
the beginning will be we'll. An early
trsnsplanting to the fruit bed, protect.
ing from frost, with good culture, will
open the way for an abundant crop. -
Cor. Practical Farmer.
Orchards TO be Kept Up.
The fall is regarded by many as the
boet ooasan for planting moot ua rieties
of fruit trees. We presume that most
of our farmers will see the necessity of
keeping their orchards in a good con-
dition, if they are so fortunate as to
have them /; or if they have not estab-
lished one, they will now clearly see
how important it is, alike for health,
pleasure and economy, to have an
abundance of fruit for home consump-
tion.
Every farmer having ever so great
variety and number of fruit trees
should consider it a duty to plant few
trees each year. 1t is only by doing so
that ne can keep his orchard in a
fourishing condition. Trees from
various causes will die off some will
yield no fruit, or fruit of so poor
quality that they might as well be out
Of the way and make place for better
varieties.
Many persons think that if they have
trees in bearing that is enough, and
that it is entirely unnecessary to plant
more. This is mistake. We know
of many farms where fine varieties of
fruit trees were planted twenty years
ago and came into early bearing, but
are now 80 thinned out by the borer,
blight, or some other disease, that there
are few remaining, and there is little
fruit now to be gathered. No young
trees have been set out to take the place
of those already dead, and the conse-
quence is a greatly diminished amount
of fruit. Too great care cannot be exer-
cised in the matter of fruit. After the
haying and harvesting are done, the
thrifty farmer will look we'll to his
orchard and see that the full standard of
trees, as to number and quality of fruit,
be sustained. Spirit Of Kansas.
| Principles oil Pruning.
Barry, in his Fruit Garden, rests
the theory of the pruning of fruit trees
ON six general principles:
First The vigor of tree subjected
to pruning depends in a great measure
ON the equal distribution of sap in all its
branches. To accomplish this the fol-
lowing means are advised, to be sue
cessively employed: (D. Prune the
branches of the most vigorous parts
very short, and those of the weak parts
long. (2). Leave large quantity Of
fruit on the strong part and remove the
whole or greater part from the feeble.
(3). Bend the strong parts and keep the
weak erect, as the more erect the
branches are, the greater will be the
flow of sap to the growing parts (this
remedy is especially applied to espaliel
trees) (4). Remove from the vigorous
parts the superhuous shoots as early il
the season as possible, and from the
feeble parts as late as possible. (5)
Pinch early the soft extremities of the
shoots on the vigorous parts and as late
as possible on the feeble parts, excep
always any shoots which may be too
vigorous for their position. (6). Lay
in the strong shoots on the trellis early
and leave the feeble parts loose as Ions
as possible in espalier trees.
Fruit Tree Food,
! For ,aooh a,,,la oDd ,,aor traec th or,