The National tribune., 1882-09-09

in city markets, have but q faint idea as to
what finely ripened fruit is Strawberries,
| raspberries, grapes, and peaches will not
keep in good condition for any length of
time if fully ripened before being picked. A
peach is in its best condition when left on
the tree until it will part from the branch
on slight touch; so with blackberries; but
they cannot be taken to market in this con-
dition without ruinous injury. But there is
no fruit which depends so much upon proper
picking and ripening as the pear. Without
exception, pears should be picked from the
tree and ripened in the shade, protected
from light and air. Much of the diversity
of opinion which exists regarding the quail
tiles of pears is owing to imperfect manage
ment in their ripening. Some fine pears,
such as Flemish Beauty, Clapp's Favorite,
Kirkland, Beurre Superfne, &c, will hang
on the tree until they are a mass of decay,
although externally they appear sound and
solid. The proper time to gather pears may
be ascertained by lifting the fruit gently,
and If it parts from the tree it indicates ap-
preaching maturity; with all, except late
| winter varieties, good criterion is the color
| ing of the seeds, which may be ascertained
| by cutting an average specimen of the fruit !;
when the seeds commence to color the fruit
may be taken off and kept in 9 cool apart
ment, where they will gradually ripen, and
should be used as they feel soft to the touch.
Hinter Fyotcering Pldnts-NTany of the
| flower-garden plants, if carefully lifted and
| potted about this time, may be made avail
able for furnishing flowers during the win
ter months in the parlor windows or the
greenhouse. Young tea roses, which were
set out last spring, can now be removed, pot
| ted, and placed in a sheltered or shaded
position, will speedily form new roots, and
in time start into growth and form flower
| buds.
1t Is essentially requisite that the branches
or shoots be pruned well back when potted,
and this applies with equal force in the re-
moval and preparation of such plants as
heliotrope, scarlet oak-leaved, and other
kinds Of scented geraniums, the double fever
| fews, lantanas, sc. The winter Towering
daisies, so called, are now largely used for
winter flowers they are very floriferous and
easily managed; the best are Grysdnthemum
yfrutescens, the true Marguerite" of the
French and golden yellow fowered sort,
called Etioile Dor. Winter blooming car
nations are very satisfactory window plants;
they do not require so warm temperature
for Towering as roses or heliOtrope. A few
pots Of mignonette seed sown now and set
in shady spot until the plants are well up,
will flower about the end of the year, if
taken into the house about the end of next
month. A few pots sown with seeds Of the
sweet alyssum, and treated similar to the
last, will afford flowers for many months.
Flowering plants have their beauty in
creased when associated with elegant, green
foliage, such as may be secured in some
ferns, especially the maiden-hair fern, which
is comparatively hardy species, and is in
all respects good plant for window culture.
If few palms can be introduced they will
add a characteristic Oriental feature to the
collection. Among fan-leaved palms Latania
6orbonicd and Cham@rops erce1:a are two of
the best species for window gardening The
date palm is also of easy culture, and easily
raised. A pound of dates from the grocery
store will afford seeds enough to produce
dozens Of plants. The seeds vegetate quickly
that is, for palm seeds.-many kinds re-
quiring months, and even years before the
plants make their appearance. These palms
will endrre a considerable degree of cold,
but thy should not be exposed to frost al
though the Cham@rops will not be injured
by several degrees of frost. Palms require
to be freely watered during summer.
Planting Trees. Where planting is con-
templated this fall, attention should now he
given to the preparation of the ground. In
preparing for fruit orchard the least that
should be done is to plow the whole as
deeply as can be accomplished with a good
plow, taking narrow, deep furrows, and fol-
low in each furrow with q subsoil plow, SO as
to loosen mp the subsoil Holes for the trees
may be made by first throwing the top soil
TO one side, then throw out the subsoil on
the opposite side, making the hole eighteen
inches deep, and not less than four feet in
diameter. The surface soil is now placed in
the bottom, and enough additional taken
from the surrounding surface to fill the hole,
replacing il with the subsoil. This gives a
good start to the young trees, and when
once an orchard has good start it will sell
dom dwindle if ordinary care in cultivation
and surface manuring is given.
In preparing for grapes in field culture it
viii seldom be necessary to dig holes. A
deep furrow should be made by plowing out
both ways and then pass the subsoil through
the bottom of the furrow two or three times.
or until it is well stirred. This will leave
trench quite deep enough to admit the grape
roots, and after the planting is finished the
furrow can be closed by plow and harrow
1t is mistake to plant too closely; it is
probable that much of the failures of vines |
after giving two or three crops, is due to the
thick planting roots become so plentiful |
as to occupy the whole of the ground, when
the plants decline. Better to have the rows
ten feet apart, and the plants from six to
eight feet apart in the lines of planting.
In selecting trees for planting the largest |
are not always the best. Medium sized trees |
are lifted with better roots, are easier han |
died, are less liable to injury from transpor-
tation, start quicker and grow faster than |
fall plants that have been drawn nm weakly |