Connecticut western news., 1885-03-18
FARM AND GARDEN. ABOUT PRUNING ORCHARDS IN WIN TKR-HOw TT SHOULD HE DONE. Details of The Work thnt CRu be Learned
 Only by Experience.

PRUNING ORCHARDS IN WINTER. An apple orchard which has been we'll man. aged from the beginning, needs very little pruning afterward. Needless shoots are rubbed off as soon as they make their appearance, with a tenth of the labor required subsequently, for their removal with the saw. But this timely work is not always performed, and many trees have become dense in their tops, which sometimes present a mass of brush. It is advisable in such instances to thin them moderately and gradually in successive seasons. It is common to cut too much at time. But a greater fault is to thin the interior and leave the outside as thick as ever. This mass of brush excludes the sunlight, the lwigs and leaves are small and crowded, and as a consequence the fruit is small and defective. The tree being made taller by this treatment, and the branches successively run up 10 night, the fruit is more difficult to gather, and the windfalls are bruised in falling. The proper course is to thin in from the outside, to let the sun in to every part. Every portion of the head, and not the outside merely, thus receives the benefit of the suns rays, and the leaves and fruit have room to become fully de- veloped. There are some details of the work which can be learned only be ex- perience and by observing the require ments of trees of different forms and habits of growth. It may be observed, however, as general rules, that the re- maining branches should be as evenly distributed through the head as prac- ticable, and that the limbs be not run out in long, bare poles, but sufficient side branches retained 10 give good general shape. It is well to remember that it is better to prune too little than too much, and that pruning cannot be successful if cultivation or top.dressing with manure is neglected. This opera tion in pruning, when required, msy be done any time in winter in regions where there is no danger of injury by intense cold, wounds always rendering trees more tender. But there will com monly be little danger if the pruning is quite moderate, as it always should be. In very cold regions it may be well to defer the work till the approach of spring; but it should be always done be fore the buds swell, when pruning would check growth. The wounds may be protected from rains and decay with coat of paint. Boston Ctt'tiUator.
 TIME FOR SEED. TESTING. Nov is the season for making test of old or doubt ful seeds. Ihave just had the pleasure of seeing general issue of strong sprouts from some peas which I was lcabtful of as to their power of germination, al- though only of last summers growth; because had poured boiling water over them and then forgotten to lift the bas. ket out, after lapse Of two minutes as intended. They remained until the water was nearly cold, and they were much swelled. It was troublesome job to get them dried. But they show now no signs of any bugs, and of twen- U put on damp sand in a plate, and covered with piece of thick cloth, all are evenly vegetating. Some three year. old pens, on another plate, show no sprouts yet, but look as if they will. They are in lew warmth, rather more equable ard favorable than the outdoor soil will afford at so early date as is best for pea-plant:ng. We have had much severe winter weather, and it may have an injurious effect on the sprouting of seed potatoes that have been kept where the temperature has long re- mained near the freezing point. They require to be kept in temperate condi- tions to preserve the full flush of theis vegetative power. A deep covering, in a dry hill, is their safest winter quarters. -HortuldnuS.