Connecticut western news., 1880-09-01
FARM AND GARDEN.
NOTES BY A YOUNG FARMER.

Young Farmer has often urged the planting of more trees, not only in orchards, to take the place of those which have passed their prime, and those which by improper selections of soil, or improper treatment, or neglect, have never succeeded in doing enough to pay for cumbering the ground, but also the small fruit trees in the gardens and around the house. He has never said much about the best time of year to set them, as he has set them in spring and fall, and even has transplanted them in the heat of summer without losing one out of dozen. In this case they were not transported far, and were not out of ground long.
 In late number of the N05ne Far97seq' is an article by practical (perhaps I may say professional orchardist and nursery man, in which he gives some of the advantages of fall planting of trees. l copy it, not because am fully satisfied that the fall is the only proper time to set fruit trees, but because believe it to be a good time, if the farmer now has time to attend to it. For those who do not get @ chance to set their trees this fall I may be able to give other good reasons for doing their work next spring. But the fall is the best time because the fall is now and the spring may find you so busy that you cannot do it, and 1t will be neglected entirely, as it has been for so many years by farmers who have the best intentions of doing it "when they get around to it."
 First, he describes his method of pre- pairing the ground by under-draining, which was very necessary upon his land, as 1t was clay and granite soil with hard pan subsoi, not sufficiently in- clined to run off the water. If the land had been drained naturally by gravelly subsoil the artificial drains would not have been needed. The turf was turned under and well rolled, and the land as rich as usually made for good corn crop. "The holes were dug twelve inches or more deep, and filled one-third with top soil then set the trees, cover ing with best soil till mound was made about six inches higher than the sur rounding surface. Then plowed three furrows toward the trees on each side, thus leaving good drainage for the water to run off instead of settling in the holes. We then put around each tree heap of good manure from the shed, to prevent deep freezing and heaving. This was spread over the ground broadcast in the spring."
 Under this treatment the trees made large growth the following season. Others set in the spring with the same care did not grow as much in two seasons as did these in one.
 He names the following as "some of the advantages of fall planting: First, it may be done any time after the fall of the leaves second, there is generally more time than in the spring, when so much other work is urging it's claims to be done first; third, the soil has time to become well packed around each root and fibre, and the tree is ready for action at the earliest call of spring whereas, if not planted till the buds open in the spring, the tender spongioles and roots, starting simultaneously with the buds, are broken off and often dried so as to be of no service, and the tree will have the same work to do over and with loss of power fourth, spring planting ofttimes than otherwise is deferred too long," Now, will you take his advice and set that apple orchard which you have been thinking about so long, and then, by my advice, put in a few good pear trees and peach trees near the house, and few plum trees in the hen yard, and quince bush or two in some low place?
 And how about entrants and goose berries, blackberries, raspberries and straw berries? It is good time to put them out iii the fall, and they cost but little money and little labor, while the amount of pleasure and profit (to the health as well as the purse) to be ob. tained from them will more than repay you for it all. I am not an enthusiast ill regard to the cultivation of small fruits for market by the farmer. Some men can make speciality of it and suc- ceed wonderfully well, but the average farmer will succeed better if he only tries to grow enough for family use these will seem to cost him nothing.
 Having spent some weeks each fall fol several years past in region wheresuch fruit is abundant at eachfarmer's house, I wonder how New England famers will continue to neglect their cultivation and look upon such cheap luxury as almost l unattainable.
 Nor do not forget the cherry, as I did when suggesting trees to be set out. Te tell the truth, I do not value the cherry as much as did when boy, for the old-fashioned red, sour pie cherry, anc the rich, juicy Black Heart have become , almost unattaiaable at modern nurse | ries, and their place is taken by ine proued varieties, which do not please my palate as they did, or as they de
 when am able to find an old tree tha still continues to bear such cherries as I ate lever so many" years ago.
 Perhaps you know where there arc cherry and peach trees that grow jus
 such fruit as you like. If so, plant ou a quart or so of stones this fall in som, good place; not too rich soil and no
 much deeper than you would plant corn
 In one or two years you can bud then l e,.o,,o ,uo11a, fauorita frees and than vn1