Connecticut western news., 1878-03-07
ORCHARD AND NURSERY.

Injured Trees should be looked to at once. If limbs have been broken by accumulations of snow and ice, make smooth wound and cover it with melted graftlng wax or thick paint. Trees that are
 Girdled 6y Mice or Rabbits, if the inner bark is not destroyed, will recover if we'll earthed up, or by the application of a thick plaster of COW dung and loam, bound on by a coarse cloth, the object being to keep the parts from drying until the wound can be healed. Where the girdling is complete, and the inIer bark quite removed, the only chance of saving the tree is to insert gratis between the bark above and that below. Pieces of the shoots of the same tree are sharp ened at each end, and cuts made in the bark by a chisel, pointing downwards below the wound, and pointing upwards above it; the cions, as we may call them, are then inserted, and the wound covered with clay or grating wax. Planti'ag need not be hurried. When trees arrive from the nursery, unpack them, keeping a sharp eye to the labels, and "heel-in" at once This is done by opening trench and placing in the trees ill 8 slop1ng position with their roots we'll covered with fine soil. This should be done if only day is to intervene between their arrival and their planting, and when thus cared for, they remain for days or weeks without harm. Pruning before Planting is of great importance. No matter how carefully a tree may be taken up, a large share of its fibrous roots are lost, and the top should be cut back in proportion. The tree as received from the nursery will probably have four or five branches, and if planted as 1t is, only few of the up permost buds on each branch will start. or four buds on each branch. Novices hesitate to do this, but it IS all important to the future welfare of the tree. At the same time all bruised roots should be cut back to sound wood.
 Laying out tue Ground may be done in squares, the trees in rows, and oppo- site each other, a common plan for small orchards, but where the ground is to be used to the best advantage, the Quiacu,ea method IS adopted. in which each tree stands at the corner of an equilateral triangle, and is equally distant from six others. For any plan, the ground should be measured and staked out beforehand
 I'a Planting, recollect that the tree is not post, but 8 broad and shallow hole is needed, in which the roots can be spread to their greatest extent. If the soil is poor, some good compost may be added, but no fresh manure. Set the tree so that it will be just as it stood be- fore removal. Spread the roots equally and work the soil in among them, ant especially under them with the fingers and cover gradually. When the rootl are well covered, the soil may be pressed down gently with the foot, not stamped down, and the filling finished.
 Stakes, where trees are properl, planted, are not needed, unless in expos ed localities where there are strong winds, and in such cases the orchard should be protected by screen of som, quick-growing trees that will serve as wind break.
 Mulchi'a0 newly planted trees is oftel highly important, whatever will proven evaporation from the soil will answer. Il some localities stones are the most avail able mulch. Use bog-hay, pine-needles straw, or whatever will cover the surface
 Recording the Orchard should not b. omitted. Labels soon become obliter ated, and are unreliable, but map, O record by rows, is permanent.
 Graftin9 is best done just as vegeta tion starts. A tree that produces poo fruit is easily converted into proftabl tree. The operation is simple one, an' any intelligent boy can perform it. Iti not practical for us to repeat these in structions every year.
 Old Trees may be renovated by cut ting out the crowded branches, manur ing, and giving the trunk and large branches wash of ley or soft soap, am seraping.
 Crops i1a tue OYchard.-A young o1 chard may be cultivated with manure crops, such as potatoes and root crops but when the trees come into bearing all s.1,;l 41 4l,o.,os.olxzor