Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1880-12-11

last, but that Is hardly possible.
Ne vertheiess prudent man will
be prepared to lay in his ice as
soon as it shall have attained half
the usual thickness, or even less
| The possibilities are that an enor-
nous quantity will be secured this
season. 1t is being applied to new
uses all the time, and its con-
symptoms ia both town or cOun-
try is greatly on the increase.
| ORCHARD AND NURSERY.
| APPLES. This has been a great
apple year, and immense qnanti-
tias have been shipped to various
parts Of Europe. This trace is
now 80 we'll established that in
planting, the American orchardist
should have the foreign demand in
view. Apples for shipping should
be those that bear transportation,
and also those that are in favor
abroad, such at the Newtown
Pippen, Sptzenberg, Baldwin,
etc.
FRUIT IN THE CELLAR.-When
the fruit cellar is separate from
the house it should be kept just
above the freezing point; such
cellars do not require ventilation.
Cellars under living-rooms must
be ventilated, otherwise the gass
given off while the fruit is ripen-
ing-and too frequently decaying
will endanger the health of the
inmates. There is demand for
special care in this matter, at the
present time, because the fruit
has been so abundant that there
is an unusually large amount stor-
ed in the cellars. II the house is 80
constructed that an opening can
be made from the cellar into a
chimney, ventilation may be very
complete; an opening which can
be closed at pleasure shOIld be
made to admit air from without
when desirable.
| MANURE5.-By many the orch
ard is expected to yield two crops
-one from the trees, and another
more directly from the soil, as
may seem. 1t Is useless to expect
the best fruit from trees that are
robbed of their nutriment by
quick growing crops. Ordinarily,
when the tress come into bearing
they should have the land to
themselves. If circumstances make
IL necessary to grow some crop be-
tween the trees, both the crop and
the tress should be MANFRED. Well
rotted manure is best, and when
spread let it cover the whole
ground and not be heaped about
| the trunks of the trees where there
| are no small roots to make use of
it. Winter is an excellent time to
spread the manure, as it can be
drawn upon sleds which more
readily pass under and among low
trees than a wagon. A dressing
of lime will often be of great
benefit to an orchard.
FRIrIT GARDEN
WINTER PROTECTION Many
plants are killed by too much pro-
lection. For example, strawber-
ries are hardy, and the covering
of straw, marsh hay, ect., that is
recommended for them is not so
much to shield from cold as to
prevent frequent freezing and
thawing Of the soil. The covering
should be mainly around and not
upon the plants.
| SHRUBS that are not quite hardy
do not require bundling up, as
was thought necessary not many
years ago, when more plants were
smothered than benefited by the
covering. A little brush, or bet
ter, some evergreen boughs placed
close to the shrub will ward of
the severe winds, modify sudden
changes of Temperature, and be q
sufficient protection. Tender rasp-
berries must be bent down, and
covered with earth before freezing
prevents it.
KITCHEN AND MARKET GARDEN.
CELERY, while in trenches
for the winter, should not be
allowed to freeze hard-a moder-
ate freezing does no harm. The
hay or straw for covering should
be at hand when needed. AS soon
as the winter fairly sets in, the
covering, which until then was
slight, should be made about one
foot in thickness. Celery in boxes
in the cellar, is more apt to suffer
from heat than cold. The boxes,
about nine inches wide, are made
of old stuff, and as long as cOnven-
lent; set the celery in them as in
trenches. The boxes should be
placed their own width apart, thus
avoiding a solid mass of celery
which would heat and decay, The
cellar should be as near the freeZ-