Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-11-26
FARM AND GARDEN.


year ?" We once asked that question
of an apple-tree upon our own grounds.
which was filled with blossoms. The
tree was a Gravenstem, variety that
ripens its fruit so early in the season
that the trees have some time, late in
the season, for developing and matur-
ing fruit buds after the present years
crop is gathered, and ON this account,
we may look with more confidence to
such varieties for fruit every year, than
from late varieties which draw upon the
vitality of the tree through the entire
season. The tree had been in bearing
some half-dozen years or more, and
was large enough to mature two or
three barrels of fruit. When the yonng
apples were about as large as ripe shay
bark walnuts, or perhaps an inch in
diameter, boy was put into the tree
with pair of scissors, and instructed
to take off every apple, and being a
pretty faithful boy, he made very
thorough work, not more than q couple
of dozen specimens being overlooked.
These were of unusually large size ct
harvest time, but the number was too
small to iuiure the tree for the next
years fruiting, as the full bloom on the
following spring amply proved. Among
a hundred trees in the orchard. none
cqualed this in the profusion of its
beautiful, large petals for which this
variety is noticeable. Pollination was
perfect, and the fruit set quite az full
as on the previous spring of the bearing
year.
But it might just as well have bloomed,
so far as producing crop was concerned.
By the time the young apples were 4,
large as on the previous year, when the
cutting out process was performed.
there was probably not single speci-
men that had escaped the attention of
the female curculio, and in some ap-
pies that were particularly noticed.
could be counted as many as twenty
five crescent shaped punctures where
this insect had broken the SKIN to de-
posit an egg, which in few days was
Matched into small worm, to go
through the fruit and prevent all fur
Their natural development.
And this, we believe, will usually be
the experience of those who attempt to
change the bearing years of a single
tree, or OF a few trees in large Or
chard, particularly If no special efforts
are made the year previous, further
than to thin out, or entirely remove the
setting fruit. After this experience.
and others like it, the philosophy of the
bearing and non-bearing years seems as
plain and simple as the swinging of a
pendulum. Any tree, like the Baldwin
apple, which inclines to overbear, that
is, to produce more fruit than the
strength of the tree can carry out to
perfection, and maintain growth of wood
and the development of fruit buds for
the succeeding year, must have alter
nate years of rest. The oldes. inhabi-
tant cannot remember when great bear
ers produced full crops every year,
though he can remember that formerly
the bearing and non-bearing years were
much less remarkable than at present.
Within the past decade or two, the
panduium seems to have been vibrating
with an unusual amount of power.
FLOWING AN ORoHARD.-If an orchard
is to be plowed, the work would be bet.
ter done now than in the spring. If
any roots are broken the ends will have
become calloused over before spriug.
and new roots have started from the
ends. This is considerable gain, and
leaves the trees in better condition than
if no blowing had been done. The cold
will also paralyze many insects and leave
them exposed to the frost and their
many enemies. The blowing will also
improve the soil, so that altogether the
disadvantages, if there be- any, will be
largely overbalanced by the benefits
resulting from the fall blowing.
WHITEwAsHINa TREEs.-A coat of
whitewash of lime will benefit fruit
trees. 1t will kill moss on the bark.
destroy any bark-lice or insects that
may harbor in the bark it will reflect
the suns heat, which sometimes DAM
ages young trees in the winter, and
when it is washed off by the rain it will
fertilize the soil benefcially.
PROFITS OF KEEPING SHEET have
a little farm of 1913 acres, mostly in grass
and fruit. l do not sell hay, but feed
it and sell off fat cattle. 1 give here
with little transaction made in sheep
last fall: / bought, September l, 1880,
16 ewes, for which paid $40. I sold
last spring l ram lamb at 95, 4 ewes for
SIC, II lambs to the butcher for $40, 10
old ewes for $50, and 933 pounds of
wool for 1854, making a total of
$128.34. kept 8 of my best ewes, and
have bought pure South Down ram
and s good grade ewes, and will try it
another season. house my sheep every
night, and only feed them in lambing
time little grain and sheaf oats
Correspondence Country Gentleman.
DRY AND SEED Corn. We should ex-
ercise great care in drying the seed
corn, and the plan Of drying it in the
air, as will readily occur to the thought
full, does not always work successfully.
We have seen farmers hang their seed
corn III strong draught of wind and
think it was drying, when the wind was
so laden with moisture that nothing
could dry in it; the corn would be
damper at the close of the day than it
was in the morning. In such weather
as we have been having it is better to
dry it by artificial means. 1t will not
cost much trouble, and the end must be
accomplished in some way if We expect
seed to grow. We have always recon-
mended smoking the corn, and believe
that we have demonstrated that smoked
corn has no equal as seed. Iu all mat
ters of life we are apt to neglect little
details which are absolutely of the ut
most importance in securing success.
We farmers are very apt to do that, and
the result is partial failure. We need
to begin to prepare for next years corn
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