The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-27
A BUSY MONTH.
Work for the Horticulturist to DO I'm
August.
Metropolitan and Rural Home.

Metropolitan and Rural Home.
August is busy month for horticulture
lists. Strawberry plantations may be set,
where desirable, early in the month.
Make the soil very fine, select the strong
est plants, from runners of the current
seasons growth, and plant with care, see
ing to Ii that the earth is well compacted
around the ends Of the roots as well as at
the surface. Although spring is our favor
lite season for setting strawberries, if neg
lected then would set them now.
No rural home is passable without q
good, liberal strawberry bed.
If old plantations of strawberries are to
be continued, there should be as little de-
lay as possible in putting them in good
shape for late summer and autumn growth.
Either pillow or spade between the rows,
and thoroughly clean out all weeds. Beds
set last spring should also be cleaned. If
weeds once get the start OF you in straw
berries 10 will cost you more TO subdue
them than the crop will amount to. There
is no safety in horticulture except in very
prompt action, doing everything in time.
As soon as black-cap raspberries are
gathered the plantations should be cleaned
out, the old, dead canes cut out and the
ground worked up early, prepared for lay
ering the tips of the canes. Some object
to removing old canes until next spring,
contending that they contain plant-food
that viii return to the soil If they are al
lowed to remain, and that they will aid in
protecting the young canes from being
broken off by the wind. We have no faith
in the former theory, but there is some
thing in the latter claim. But they are so
n lac Of ffrt+f lax,o no
and digging plants, that we would prefer
20 take the risk of loss by winds than to let
them remain.
| AS soon as the tips of the canes begin to
assume a wiry appearance, suddenly elon-
| gate, IL is an indication that they are in
condition for layering. Then bend the
end of the cane TO the ground and bury il
about one and one-half to two inches
Let the point enter the ground nearly per.
pendicular, so that it will not emerge
| thereirom and continue TO grow brarnble-
like, instead of striking root, as it is much
inclined to do. We have found a short
| handled hoe a very convenient implement
| for layering. Standing with hoe in your
| right hand, facing the cane, grasp the cane
near the end in the left hand, strike the
corner of the hoe blade about two inches
| in the ground, raise the earth enough to
| enable you to insert the cane tip. with.
| draw the hoe, put your foot upon the loose
| earth and your weight upon your foot
| and the operation is completed in less
| time than il will take you to read this di
| rection. A quick motioned man will layer
| thousands in day.
There are many other labors for the busy
| horticulturalist in the month of August
| If he grows blackberries for market, they
| will have to be- picked and marketed
| Peaches begin to ripen and must receive
| prompt and intelligent attention. 1t otter
requires much more intelligent care to pick
and market in good order the earlier clas:
| of peaches than the later. Most of the
seedlings of Hale's Early are very liable tc
| rot, especially if the weather is moist and
sultry. Then only the most careful han
| ding will prevent large share of the
| peaches decaying before the retail dealer
| in market can dispose of them. Generally
| you should begin to pick the early peaches
month or more before they are ripe
| They are inclined to grow in clusters and
| crowd one another, and where they come
| in contact there is pretty certain to appear
rotten spot. If thinned when about the
size of nutmegs, so as TO prevent the pos.
| sibility of touching when fully grown, the
liability to decay will be greatly dimin
ished.
| Early apples, early pears and early
| plums pay very well in some localities
| but the risk in handling them in hot
weather Is greatly increased. In pickine
| early fruit discriminating Judgment i.
very necessary. The fruit on the trees
! ripens up quite gradually, and by going
| carefully over the trees and selecting those
| and those only which are fully grown, the
| fruit sent TO market will be yerv much
finer. while the partially grown fruit left
upon the trees. having the benefit OF
| greater breadth of foliage to minister 70
| their support, will often attain 20 larger
size than those first gathered
Clematises should not be planted where
| something for shade Is required. as they
do not grow dense enough for this. speak.
| ing of the large lowered sorts. The I'm.
gllsh and the wild one. Virgiuiana. are of a
different nature. and give abundance OF
| shade.
With ounces 81 to S. per bushel. as they
| have been within year or two past, this
/ fruit should he profitable one u grow. In
| deep. moist, rich ground, they flourish. liz
1 Is claimed that urine about the base of the
| trees frightenS away all borers, and there
Is but little doubt that kitchen slops keen
| them away
To be successful with hlackberries and
raspherriss. they must have warm. we'll
underdralned soil. A Wet place does not
suit them at all. Ii rich and not wet.
these fruits will DO we'll in almost any
soil.
The black Tartarian cherry. one of the
best Of the black ones, is exceedingly full
/ OF frGit this season. 1t is one of the best
paying cherries there is, being noted for its
hrm hesh as we'll as for its large size.
Enemies OF the Hop Louise.
PuySllup Commerce