The record-union., 1892-04-21

k1LIO1k4A
avoid having two limbs of equal dame
ter coming ont at the same place. Cut
enc off a great deal shorter than the
other, or cut it off entirely. Any limb
that has less angle than torty-five de-
grees from the leading shoot should be
cut of. If the limb or branch is any
thing near the diameter of the leading
shoot. if smaller, there is no danger OF IL
splitting Oft, and should be so pruned as
to make a side limb. Some of what
might have been the finest orchards in
the State were spoiled when they were or
were not pruned the second year. The
third year our leading shoots viii have
formed nice top. Always prune early.
Now, IN November or December, when
the ground is in the right condition pillow.
Never prune when frozen. We viii cut
| the last years growth with a sharp pair
OF good shears, commencing on the lower
branches. and here we will give our tree
its egg-shape form. At this time, it re-
quires great deal of judgment, for the
same treatment will not do for all trees.
"A cherry tree and peach tree cannot
/ be pruned alike. Plum, prune and cherry
tgrow on spurs and require two years to
develop fruit buds, while the peach forms
its fruit buds on the first years growth.
| The sharp thornS found on the prune and
plum should never be cut Oft, for these
are the fruit spurs. At this pruning we
will cut out every branch that crosses
another one; for If we do not do it now,
in after years we will have TO cut off
large limb.
This year. on our peaches, prunes and
pears, we will leave on every one that the
trees viii bring to perfection. We do not
believe tree properly pruned Will ever
be hurt by the fruit that it bears. The
fourth year we will prune about the same
as we did the third year, only we will cut
every branch back two-thirds. This year
we expect a good crop Of fruit. All fol-
lowing years we will prune as we have
this fourth year. and our trees will stand
any load Of fruit they will bear, and
never break down under the load of half
ripe fruit. our trees will bear large speci-
men fruits, such as will bring the highest
price IN any market.
IAN orchard pruned on the above plan
will be something pleasing to the eye,
and the straight rows look as though
they had been pruned to a line. At some
future time we will show how we are
going to cultivate this orchard"
HIGH FARMING WITH SHEEP.
But for the fact that so many farmers
have more land than they can cultivate,
the keeping of sheep for wool would re-
ceive but little consideration OF the farm.
Wool growing is somewhat of patriarch
al Sltliis tJS VIC bIGGIS DtSb dIldI)Itu lOf
the production Of fine woods require more
range and exist in larger tlocks than the
mutton breeds. IN those countries where
the farms are small the woOl-producing
sheep are almost unknown, and yet the
largest profit from stock is made from
sheep, the production Of choice mutton
and lamb superseding the speciality Of
wool growing. The merinO sheep is aptly
termed 'the animal for the land-po
farmer" as such farmers believe that
they can best utilize their hillSides and
Improbable ranges to advantage with
that hardy little wOol-bearing breed.
No system OF keeping sheep that does
not place the animals always under the
care and WatchtulneSS of their owner will
pay. Whileisheep may permit Of the util-
IzatIcn OF waste lands, yet the farmer
would derive a far greater profit by re-
Stricting the sheep to fields that afford
plentiful food, that has been grown for
their support, and any labor devoted III
that direction will receive due reward.
1t is inconsistent with high farming to
! turn sheep loose. leaving them to roam
/ through the woods, and of to the remOt-
! est portion of large farm, to seek their
food and shelter, and then demand protec-
ton against dogs and other enemies,
| when the very system itself is one that
| belongs to the past, and which invites all
the difficulties that cause so many pro-
! tests to be made.
In all cases where WoOl-grOwing as a
speciality has been abandoned, and the
mutton breeds substituted, the farmers
find that a large profit is secured. The
objection is that such sheep cannot be
turned out on the range, and that the
fiockS must not be too large. Such OBJ
lection may also be urged against all
classes OF stock. When the mutton breeds
are pastured in fields, and fed and shell
tered at the barn, their great weight and
the large size of the lambs more than bal
ance the outlay for the land, shelter, food
and labor, and there is less loss from en-
emies. They also produce fieeces above
the average in weight, which afford a
profit also, while the restriction of the
sheep TO limited areas enriches the soil.
The farmer has been struggling to make
profit from a product of the sheep,
instead of aiming to make the sheep give
the profit from mutton, lamb and wool.
Large carcasses and choice quality of
mutton cannot be obtained from the
small, tine-wool breed. When the farmer
uses less land and resorts to the mutton
breeds, he Will make a sure profit, as is
done in England, where such a breed as
the merinO is almost unknown.
POULTRY ON THE FARM.
Most farmers consider poultry on the