Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-26
Notes On Orchard and Garden W ork.

Notes GA Orchard and Garden w Or{1.
From the American Agriculturist.
so gradually is the approach Of winter that
frequently the work which naturally belongs to
the open. pleasant weather of October may be
carried on well into November. 1t should be re-
me mbered that spring with us is short and the
amount of work is SO great, that it is the busiest
season OF the year. A late autumn may be made
to greatly relieve the pressure of spring work
by allowing many things to be done well in ad-
vance. This is a time when a definite plan for
the next season should be matured in ali the de-
partments OF orchard and garden.
ORCHARD AND NURSERY.
Trees planted this fall should have earth
drawn up around them, making mound IL to
Is inches in height. 1t should be of solid, clean
earth, clean from all sOds weeds. ETC.. or else it
will furnisha winter home for mice. The mound
thus made serves a double purpose of support
TO the young tree against the winds of winter
and prevents mice from gnawng the tree Rab-
bits can do much harm to young orchard.
When the trees are few they can be protected by
bands OF cloth, or even tarred paper. These
pests have distaste for meat and may be kept
away from the trees by rubbing them with flesh
or smearinG the trunks with blood. BOYS can
catch many of them by trapping and afford what
is to many an acceptable variety for the table
Ii the weather remains mild. and the ground
open, trees may be still planted. South of the
4Oth parallel planting may be done during the
greater part OF the winter. Planting in the fall
relieves the pressure of spring work. If the
ground is frozen. rather than place the roots
| among frozen cl0ds. it is better to heel-in the
trees until spring. The labels upon the trees
should be looked to- Never leave the labels
on the trees that are placed there in the nursery
Iney are usually wired on tightly. and are only
intended to identify the trees when received
| and not for permanent use. Unless labels are
we'll made and firmly fastened to the trees they
are soon lost The old kind made of pine and
marked with rather hard lead-pencil upon
fresh coat of white lead paint is cheap and dur
| able. Some prefer zinc strips. For orchards it
is best to have chart with each tree and its
kind recorded, and not trust at all to labels.
CiOns may be cut as soon as the leaves fall,
packed in saw-Gust or sand, and put i'm a cool
cellar until needed for grating. Care should be
| taken in selecting the cions, cutting them only
from thrifty and healthy trees. 1t is better to
buy ciOns than to use any poor ones. Root graft
ing is done during the winter, and. therefore,
the stocks should be in acOnvenient place They
are taken from the ground before it freezes,
sorted, tied in bundles and then placed in boxes
with the roots cOvered.with soil, and put in
cellar. The seeds Of trees for spring planting
are best preserved by mixing them with sand
and placing the boxes in COO. and dry place
out of the way of the MICE The fences and
gates of the orchard and nursery should be in
good order at all times, and especially at this
season. when stray animal may get in and do
serious damage.
Blackberries and raspberTies may be planted
as late as the weather allows. These plants
start into growth SO early that it is better to set
them in autumn. When new plants are desired
they can be rendily raised from root cuttings.
Roots are removed from old plants by cutting
down near the base with spade, and taking up
the severed roots. These are cut into pieces
three inches long, and placed in boxes Of earth
and put in cool cellar; or, they may be buried
outside. below the reach Of frost, where water
will not stand. Root cutting, kept cool and yet
not frozen, WILL during the winter, make pre-
parations for growth. One or more buds will
be formed on each piece the ends Of the cut
tings will have callused, and often more or LEES
| roots have formed. They are then to be set in
the open ground very early in spring. Tender
raspberries should be covered this month. The
canes are bent down in the direction of the rows
and covered with a few inches of earth. Cur
rant cuttings are made from the present years
growth, removed from the bushes at the time Of
pruning, and should be about six inches long.
These may be Get in the open ground and COW
cred with litter. or IN boxes Of soil placed In the