The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-23
HORTICULTURE.

1t is certainly desirable to plant fruit
trees early in the spring, as they are
more likely to live and make better
growth. All this argues in favor of the
meeting in" process in the fall. Trees
left standing are fuller of sap, and much
more likely to be injured by the frost
during the winter; in the other case the
wood is more fully ripened, and, il prop
erly treated, will come out bright and
uniniured.
Evaporation has become recognized
auxiliary to horticulture, and affords an
outlet for surplusage and for defective
fruit. Add to this the fact that not any
branch of agriculture nor horticulture
is extending as rapidly as the average
increase in our population, and it seems
that the outlook for our fruit growing
industries is not at all gloomy.
Were fruit trees planted along our
highways, especially apples and cherries,
as they are in some of the German
States, our country drives would not
only be things Of beauty, but they would
feed many needy family and refresh
the wayfarer = if everywhere there
would be no abuse of them. They
would also tend to bring about our
homes more Of our merry songsters.
How shall we begin it?
You have long known your vines
needed pruning, but have neglected it,
and have had poor grapes. If thus neg
lected for two or three years it will be
we'll to leave them with more top than
is usually done in regular pruning. See
that is done before the sap fills them.
The easier way seems to be the better
in strawberry culture. The matted
rows prove themselves bearers of larger
and more abundant berries than when
they are kept in stools. This is an un-
expected result, but careful experiment
has shown it to be So
II by any meals farmers or gardeners
near the cities could manage some sim
pie means of irrigation, they could be
growing peas, beans and other like truck,
and offer them for sale after all the
rush was over, aud make large profit
of the business. A Virginia gardener
shipped peas to market last November,
to New York, and received $3.50 a bas-
ket.
A generally safe rule in transplanting
is that any tree without foliage may be
safely moved. Should a tree in full
foliage be transplanted the absorbent
leaves will quickly consume all the
moisture in the tissues, causing the bark
and young wood to shrink. 1t is pretty
safe to move at any time of year if leaves
are stripped off.
Nitrate of soda, applied at the rate of
300 pounds an acre. and we'll worked in
at the earliest cultivation, is the proper
thing for strawberry bed in the spring
1t is but waste of time and money to
use fertilizers Unfortunately. upon all
our fields, knowing nothing about the
lack and supply for different products.
Theirs are differences Of opinion as to
the methods of treating the soil in
fruit bearing orchard. but there should
be no question but that the young or
chard should have the most careful cul-
tivation. Weeds and grass should not
be allowed to grow, as they rob the
ground of sustenance which should be
absorbed only by the young and tender
roots of the trees.
Our first endeavor should be to keer
plants always in vigorous health by good
food and treatment, for thereby the first
step is gained in keeping them free from
insects. In fighting insects we will al
ways notice that it is the sickly, debilit-
ated plant which is first attacked; it is
not generally the case that the insect
makes the weak appearing plant.