The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-04-17
HORTICULTURE.

AOAAACOLTDhE.
young orchard should receive as
careful and thorough culture as would
be given crop of corn; in fact, crop of
corn, regularly hoed, may be grown be-
tween the rows for the first two or three
years to advantage. This will pay the
expense of the culture of the whole.
A practical fruit grower will never be-
heart to boast that his trees need prop
ping up. Do not let a tree overbear
should too much fruit set, as it is most
Injurious. 1t is unwise to ever let the
tree bend over with the weight of ite,
product.
In raising celery the trenches may be-
dug close together. and it can be blanch.
ed by placing corn fodder around it in
stead of earth. 1t will also blanch il the
plants are wrapped in heavy paper.
Celery will keep we'll in winter if the
plants are put in the cellar with the
roots in damp earth.
From the beginning the orchard
should have an annual pruning. II it
does not have it the limbs will become
crowded, some of them mishapen, and
there will be increased difficulty in
bringing the tree into proper form.
The cherry is more sensitive to the
heat Of hot and dry soil than other
fruit trees, and mulching is more i'm
portant. Where young or newly trans.
planted cherry trees are 30 treated they
will likely all live and grow; il not,
their growth will be slow, and many of
them will probably perish.
Put stout stake by every tree YOU
plant; then tie the tree to the stake by
band of straw. twisting the band in
the form of figure s. This will pre-.
vent all injury to the tree by rubbing
against the stake, nor will it chafe the
bark of the tree.
In Italy they dry tomatoes for mar
ket. When ripe they are pressed and
the skins and seeds strained out. The
juicy pulp is spread out to dry and then
broken and ground. That we allow
thousands of bushels to go to waste may
DC OF may not be reproach.
If an orchard of three acres of pear
trees be set out, instead of the usual
two or three rows, they will support
almost any family, Notwithstanding the
abundance of other fruit and berries.
young man could thus fortify the flu
ture, even if he worked out for living,
while the orchard was coming into ma.
turity.
Ii you see the necessity of fertilizing
a fruit orchard of any kind, and do not
know what food constituents the soil
most needs. venture to spread raw bone
meal and potash literally. Whether
we want the sulphate, carbonate or
muriate. we will find it in unleached
ashes
Plaster mixed with manure from the
poultry house makes a splendid top
dressing for either the flower beds or for
the garden. Mix we'll before applying,
and also mix we'll with the soil. The
cleanings from the chicken house are Of
more worth than we usually accord
them
When putting in the we'll and erect
ing wind mill choose location with
reference to both the stock and the gar
den. Have it so that the COWS can be
handily watered, or that stream can
be put on the garden when the drouth
is severe. An irrigated garden is very
satisfactory thing to have
A trellis to which the blackberries
and raspberries can be tied will be
found more satisfactory than posts; il
wires are stretched between two stout
end posts they can be supported by
lighter stakes at intervals. The great
objection to this is that cultivation is
permitted in but one direction.
When opportunity offers. good foun-
dation for compost heap can be made
by cutting sods and laying them down to
depth of six inches or more, with such
length and breadth as seems desirable,
Then build upon this as time and ma
terial permit.
Ounce bushes are not always favo-
rite for some reason, perhaps because
they are so seldom cared for. Has it
ever occurred to you that these bushes
are profitable, although they may yield
but half a bushel each in year? Figure
up an acre and see.
Set strawberries in the spring for best
results, but if you fail to do so. you can
expect tolerably good results from fall
set plants. Never set out old straw berry
plants or plants from old beds; they are
worthless, and will be disappointing.