The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-07-10
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for 0ul
Agricultural Readers.
SUMMER PRUNING.


briliancy of its coors, the size of its flowers
and, in short its whole beauty depend upon
the action of its branches and leaves, aud their
healthiness. The object of the pruner is to
diminish the number OF leaves and branches
whence it may be at once understood how
delicate are the operations he has to practice
and how thorough knowledge he ought to
possess of all the laws which regulate the action
of vegetation If well directed, pruning is one
the most useful, and if i'll directed, it is among
the most mischievous, operations that can take
place upon plant"
1t may further be stated that pruning of all
kinds, and at any season. has a tendency to
arrest the full vigor and development of a
plant; but the most pernicious results are pro-
duced by removing branches and leaves during
the season of growth, which is known as Sum-
mer pruning.
No plant is so often subjected to, or suffers
more from, this process than the grape vine
and yet, among all our hardy fruiting plants
there are none where certain amount of
pruning during the Summer is more essentially
necessary. The grape vine when under favor
able conditions of soil and climate, will make
rampant growth, having many stems and
shoots which, III consequence of their number,
do not attain size or strength to produce fine
punches of fruit. This can be helped by Judi
cious Summer pruning: first, the number of
shoots to be retained can be regulated at an
has commenced, as the budding shoots can be
distinguished, the vines should be carefully
inspected, and all superfuous buds removed
The earlier this is done the better because the
less will be the amount of foliage removed, and
therefore the less will the plant be injured by
its removal. This operation is performed by
merely rubbing off the young buds and is
known as dis5udding This we consider the
most important point in the Summer manage
ment of the grape, for it at once directs growth
just where it is wanted, and without, in any
material degree, affecting the growth or health
Of the vine. But it is too often neglected un-
til later IN the season, when the shoots have
made a foot or two of growth; then the work
of devastation is rendered apparent by the
mass of shoots and foliage left in the wake of
the operator, and the injury inflicted on the
plants will be in proportion to the quantity of
active foliage thus removed We once saw a
very promising crop of about one acre of grapes
which was severely Summer pruned about the
end of July; each fruit-bearing shoot was cut
back to one leaf beyond the bunch many of
the shoots thus shortened had three punches;
all iaterals were entirely removed, and the
leading shoots and strong canes cut back fully
one-half Of their length. The result was that
the fruit never ripened, but remained green
until cut by frost. But the injury did not
stop with the mere loss of that crop: the wood
matured so imperfectly that much of it was
killed the following Winter, and, in short the
once promising vineyard never recovered, and
was ultimately grubbed up And. strange to
relate the owner Of that vineyard would not
concede that the cause of failure was owing to
the barbarous pruning, but stoutly maintained
that it was due to the severity of the Winter,
and that the grapes did not ripen because of
the GOODNESS of the weather during the Fall
Now, the manner Of performance of the above
mentioned illustration was not Objectionable.
aTtTy of J,Yo ~,
fruit-bearing shoots had been carefully exam
ined as soon as the punches became visible,
and their extension checked by breaking out
their points, merely requiring to be pinched
between the finger and thumb, and removing
no appreciate amount of foliage it would
have had the effect of strengthening the
punches to some extent; and if all strong
shoots or canes, and ali lateras springing from
them, had been treated in a similar manner,
by pinching their points so as to cheek longi-
tudinal growth, without the removal of even
one fullydeveloped leaf, the plants would
have been benefited. But no treatment is
moro injurious to the growth OF plant than
that which involves the removal of its foliage
during Summer.
HOW TO GET Rid OF MoLEs.
The Gardeners Monthly has the following
about moles: Zone pint of the seed Of the cas-
tor oil bean is sufficient to clear any garden of
the finger into the mole hill and then drop a
bean there, which he win be sure to eat next
time he comes along. at the same time covering
up the hole to make the run tight as before
and keep out the light. Also, in planting corn
in fields, if castor bean is dropped in the hill,
the mole will eat the bean in preference to the
corn, and as sure as he eats it that will be the
last of him."
Another correspondent says: "I know from
wears IF eYnprience that n1oIeS ra M more for
the castor bean than they do for any other
bean. With the ground sowed with castor
beans as thick as dragons teeth, the moies do
their work obliyious of the deadly bean. The
best mole trap 1 have found is this: Haul
a large heap of manure on the ground infected
in the Fall The moles seek warm winter
quarters and will hunt that heap of manure in
droves, and yet they never leave the ground.
After heavy freeze comes, throw off the heap,
dig out the animals and kill them. 1t is sure
cure. 1t is said by some that moles do more
good than harm. prefer to Danish my moles
by the free use of lime salt and ashes, and by
the warm Winter quarters and slaughter as
above suggested"
A note is also given from French journal,
in which the editor states that he did not at
all succeed in keeping flies away by planting
the castor oil plant, but the seeds, made into
paste, and then pills made thereof was emf
nentiy destructive to rats and that it was
quite as destructive to them as arsenic or phos-
phorous, without being liable to the same OBJ
jections.
RocK-wORK IN GARDENS.
We are aware that this is rather pretentious
term for a mound of earth covered with pieces
of rocks, situated in sheltered aud shady
corner OF the garden, for the purpose of growing
few creeping Or trailing plants but it con-
yeys the idea of what we mean. We do not
advise structure of rough stones Enthusiastically
arranged and probably whitewashed set upon
conspicuous spot on the front lawn, looking
like miniature fort, as may too frequently be
seen we have in view only means to an end,
and that is, to prepare place for the culture,
principally, of wild plantsand bulbs. isamat-
ter of experience that many of our interesting
wild flowers such as the trailing arbutus, refuse
to grow when brought into the garden border or
flower bed along with verbenas, petunas and
geraniums, but will flourish when set in the
crevices formed by rocks and where they find
the shade and shelter necessary to their
growth.
A rocky mound of this kind is always inter-
esting to children, who greatly enjoy searching
the woods and meadows for plants to cover it,
and will watch anXiously for the annual APP
pearanee of the blood-root the hepaticas,
lobelias, ETC., which they had collected and
planted.
Ferns of all hardy kinds flourish we'll on a
mound of soil where rocks protect their roots
from the drying heat of the sun; creeping
vines are also appropriate if kept from monopo-
lizing the whole, and erowding out the less
robust plants. A few hyacinth tulip, and
crocu5 bulbs distributed among other plants
will enliven the surface during Spring, and