Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-11-20

may have time TO settle somewhat be-
fore the plants are set The surface
should be rich. This Is especially i'm
portant with Fall-set plants. as their
roots have comparatively little time to
90 far in search of food. There is an
other advantage in encouraging surface
roots; they are not drawn out or brok-
en- by the expansion of the water in the
soil when it changes to ice, but rise
and fall with the ground. Roots that
run deep are apt to be broken or drawn
out-as red clover-whiie white clover
roots remain uninjured. although froz-
en- and thawed dozen times. II the
soil has been enriched for previous
crop, so much the better; but, if not
well decomposed stable manure may
be worked into the surface either be-
fore or after setting the plants. Bone
dust and wood ashes will supply all
that may be lacking in any soil, and
these can be obtained in nearly all
parts of the country. OF all the CON-
mercial fertilizers, none is safer to buy
than pure ground bone. 1t must how
ever, be decomposed before the plants
can use it, as they take up all their
food in solution. For immediate effect
it is sometimes advisable to use dis
solved bone (superphosphate of lime),
which will be washed down to the
roots by the first 1ain. 1t should be
impressed on the mind of every tiller
of the soil that neither pleasure nor
profit can be derived to any great ex-
tent from cultivating poor land.
A plant receives more or less of
check by being taken up and reset in
the growing season, even though this
be done in the most skillful manner.
The following method have used with
great success for more than quarter
OF century: Ihe plants are taken out
of damp soil with great care. divested
Of all runners and superfluous leaves
and thrown into pail OF water. They
are then carried to the new bed, and
each one taken out as planted. The
roots are spread out in fan-shape, with
the crown even with the surface, and a
little damp soil put over the roots and
pressed firmly against them. The bal
ance of the soil is then filled in loosely.
If the weather be very hot after trans
planting, little shade during the mid
die of the day, for time, will be an
advantage.
Another very satisfactory method is
to set the plants about four inches
apart in loamy soil. with the roots
spread out carefully and covered with
half an inch of EARTH In this situation
they can be shaded and watered, if
necessary, and in few days thousands
of new roots will be sent out. They
may then be taken up. after thorough
watering, with the soil adheriDg, and
set in the new bed, where they will
grow from the first without willing.
This is the best way to treat all plants
received from distance. Soon after
the plants are set out they will COM
mence to send out runners which must
be cut off as soon as they appear. The
soil should be kept well stirred from
the time the plants are set until the
end of the growing season; but all deep
cultivation should be discontinued af-
ter the first of October, lest the surface
roots be injured. Plants set in the
Fall-the earlier the better-will pro-
duce fine fruit the following June. and
will make far greater growth than il
planting be postponed till Spring.
As soon as freezing weather comes
the whole surface of the bed should be
covered to the depth of two or three
inches with straw or any light litter
Early in the Spring, when the plants
begin to grow, the covering should be
removed from over the crown of each
plant and left between to keep the
ground moist and the fruit clean.