Connecticut western news., 1883-08-01
FARM AND GARDEN.
few Reasonable Hints from the ''Ameri-
 can Agriculturist'' for August.

SPARE THE ToADs.-There is no bet ter abused, and probably no more use- full creature in the garden and upon the farm than the toad. That apt simile, ''llke toad under harrow" tells the story of his wrongs. And now that our harrows are armed with steel teeth, and are supplemented with clod crushers and cultivators of various types for com mlnutlng the soil, the sorrows of the toads are intensified, and he is threat ened with extinction in all cultivated fields. Stay thy hand from slaughter, tiller of the soil.. The toad is as useful in his place as the implements of tillage you drive over his back so thoughtlessly. ''The jewel in his head" is not there, but Ill his capacious stomach, that always has room in it for one more bug, one more worm. that destroys the food of man. Watch his habits for day, and observe the lightning thrusts of his tongue as he scoops in your enemies, and you will have better appreciation of his work, and of his place in good husdandry. If your garden is without toads, you can afford to purchase them for stock. They will pay good dividends, as surely as superphosphate.
 THE FRUIT GARDEN IN AUGUsT.-As soon as the raspberries are off, cut away the stems that bore them, and encour- age the new stalks. Blackberries often color long before they are ripe; for home use or @ near market, let them ripe; if to be shipped to distance, tkey must be firm. Gut away all suckers not needed. Watch grape vines for the first signs of mildew, and apply sulphur; hand-pick the beetles and large caterpil- lars; keep the laterals pinched back, leaving one leaf of the new growth; re- move shoots which start where they are not needed; keep bearing shoots we'll tied up. Strawberry plants layered in pots may be set out. Gan or dry sur plus fruits.
 SHALL WE PRUNE IN AUTUMN ?- To the above question, which comes from several subscribers. we say decidedly, yes, provided the question applies to newly planted trees, those set last spring, or within few years The sooner such trees have their final shape given to them, the better. This should have been done when they were planted, but between the hurry of spring work and the timidity of the inexperienced. who are afraid to cut, trees are quite too l often set out just AS they come from the nursery. Such trees must sooner or later be put into their final shape for bearing, and the sooner this is done, the better. Some books on fruit culture. the French especially, give diagrams to show how the tree should be shaped These are we'll enough as suggestions, but as no two trees grow precisely alike, the only guides in such matters are, 8 general idea of the laws which regulate tree growth, and common sense in their application. Working to pattern can not be followed. If one has young orchard, the first point to be considered is the night at which he will make the heads of bis trees. In localities where the summer is long and hot, it is claimed that low heads shade the trunk, and thus are benefit Others wish to have the heads high enough to allow of the passage of teams beneath them, if need be. While there is no objection to cul- tivating crops in 8 young orchard, and indeed it is better to do this than to neglect the soil entirely, the practice is becoming more general of seeding the bearing orchard to clover, and using it as pasture for swine, to the mutual benefit of pigs and trees. The night of the heads being decided upon, all branches that start below this should be removed. The next point should be, to secure an open and well-balanced head, with the main branches evenly disposed. Beyond this, all branches that crowd, or cross one another, all "water shoots,' ; vigorous growths, that sometimes start up in the growing season, should be cut away. The seasons growth being com pleted, the removal of branches at this time will cause no check, and as the branches to be cut away are all small, no large wounds will be exposed. Hence we say, by all means do such pruning in autumn, while the weather is mild, and other farm work is not pressing.