Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-03-19

VIC AolO Venerable nurSoryman, MAnlOn
Moon, IN Bucks County, Penn, where
the original tree is still standing. 1t is
very symmetrical specimen, about
forty feet high, two and half feet in
diameter of trunk, and fifty feet in
| spread OF branches. 1t has never been
injured by cold, having endured tenn
perature OF twenty degrees below zero
| without damage even to the blossom
buds. 1t has been regular and heavy
bearer Tor many years, having pro-
| duced one crop i'll the year 1880 that
measured eighty quarts, while the
average yield for i've consecutive years
| was slxty-tWo quarts per year. Many
! or the nuts measure one and half
| INCHES across them, and forty of them
Will measure heaping dry measure
quart. Grated trees of this variety
commence to bear in from three to
| seven years after grating, according to
the size and vlgor Of the stocks on
which they are worked. An orchard
OF forty trees planted in the spring OF
1881, with trees two and three years
grated, bore In autumn of 1888 an aver
| age OF two quarts Of nuts per tree. The
owner Of this orchard is an extensive
fruit and vegetable grower, but he con-
| slders this one of the most valuable
| acres of his farm.
It is as important that nut trees
should be grated as it is for apples,
pears and other fruits, and for the same
| reason, VIZ, to induce early bearing,
and to secure productive, valuable va
| rieties. There is nearly as much vari-
alton and uncertainty in regard to these
qualities among Seeding chestnut and
hickory trees as there is among apples.
Natural trees do not often commerce to
frnf fo
twenty years old. Chestnuts, and In
fact most of our native t-bearing
trees, are difficult to graft and to trans
plant, and require careful, judicious
workmanship in every part of the oper-
atoms, and watchful care afterwards, to
insure success. [ have had best sue
cess in grating chestnuts by cutting the
scions on the approach of mild weather
| in spring, while they are entirely dor
mant, and keeping them cool and moist
In an ice-hOuse, or buried deep IN the
ground until the buds on the stocks are
well swollen, and then graft the same as
apples, cherry or other fruit trees. 1t
is necessary that the work be done &C.
curately and the wax applied carefully
and promptly, and careful attention
given throughout the growing season to
prevent the natural suckers from rob-
blng or crowding out the gratis.
On many farms there are young
chestnut trees and suckers growing
naturally on stony hillsides and waste
lands, that could be grated and there
by made to bear in lew years and be-
come profitable. Trees of considerable
size, say six inches or more in dame
ter, if we'll furnished with young
branches, can be headed in aud grated
successfully.
AS stated above. the chestnut is a diff
fcult tree to transplant. The roots are
very sensitive to exposure Of any kind,
and if they get dry do not re-establish
in the earth as easily as many other
trees; consequently for time after
transplanting they do not supply the
necessary moisture and nutrlment for
the lie Of the tree unless the conditions
are favorable.
When practicable, the trees should
be dug and transplanted on a damp or
driZZling day, or else the roots SHOULD
be puddled in thin mud as soon as dug,
and not exposed to air nor allowed to
dry, but planted again as soon as posi- :
BILE. The surface of the ground for sew
eral feet around each tree, should be
heavily mulched with coarse manure,
and kept thoroughly watered all
through the first and second sum-
mers. If the summer is hot and dry
the tree trunks should be straWed up
from the ground to the branches to
shade them. They should be planted
forty feet apart.
We have but few native trees that are
more handsome or desirable Tor shade
than chestnut and hickory, and none
more suitable for planting about farm
buildings, along lanes or rOadsides for
shade or ornament. They are great
many lanes and headlands and idle COR
ners that could be advantageou ely util-
lied by planting nut or fruit trees in
them.-SaDluel G. Noon.
Care of HOtbeds.
Those farmers who have prepared
hotbeds will find that they require con-
siderable care this month. The fire.
quent and sudden changes of tempera-
ture make it necessary to watch them
very closely after the young plants APP
pear, and to see that the hot sun does
not scorch the leaves or the frost de-
stroy them. Then they need to be
ventilated whenever the weather will
allow, not only to harden them against
the time when they will be put in the
open ground, but to prevent them from
growing rank and spindling, as they will
if the heat runs little too high. If
the nights are likely to be very cold,
mats or shutters must be put over the
sashes.
Weeds should be removed from the
beds, and plants thinned to proper dis
tances. 1t is aconomy to provide sui
fcient number of the two-inch flower
pots known as thimbles, and to trans
plant the plants into them when an inch
or two inches in height. This greatly
facilitates the labor of the final trans
planting, and also prevents much
breakage OF fine roots in the operation.
and the consequent checking of their
growth. More plants can be we'll
grown in hotbed set in these pots than
in any other way, as it admits of about
three dozen to the square foot, or over
fifty dozen plants to each SASH
The earth in these pots should consist
Of mixture composed Of one-half sand
and one half rich loan, into which has
been mixed some well-rotted COW
manure or a little good fertilizer. Do
not have it too rich, as it is better not to
force the plants too fast in the hot beds.