STATE POMOLOaiGAL SOCIETY. 125 



proved, should give that variety a trial. If my memory serves 

 me, Mr. Varney, at the last Winter Meeting of the Pomological 

 Society, spoke highly in favor of that variety, as did also Mr. 

 Fernald, although we do not find their remarks in the last report. 



Setting the Plants. In setting the plants, we should take into 

 consideration the fact that we shall need to apply dressing and 

 mulching material in the course of time, and consequently set the 

 plants with this object in view. My experience the last fall has 

 convinced me that I committed an error in planting four feet apart 

 instead of five. The trouble is not so much in the plants being 

 crowded as from the inconvenience in passing among the vines 

 with horse and wagon for various purposes. If the plants are set 

 in squares of five feet, by driving the horse quite near the row an 

 ordinary farm wagon will run clear of the rows by about a foot. 

 Nearer than that the liability is to injure the plants by passing 

 over them. 



To facilitate the work of setting, we stretch a line about a foot 

 from the ground for the rows ; with a five foot measure and hoe, 

 pass along and dig the holes. The plants will be tied up in 

 bundles of fifty each ; place them in a pail half filled with water, 

 cut the band, and pass along throwing down a plant at each hole. 

 With a garden trowel return over the row and set the plants, 

 taking care to have the upper roots at least three inches beneath 

 the surface. If your ground is liable to be bare of snow during 

 the winter the action of the frost and frequent hoeings will bring 

 the roots too near the surface if not pretty deeply set at first. 

 Press the earth down firmly about the roots, and from their being 

 wet, it will readily adhere to them. 



Cultivation. Hoe as you do corn, at least three times during 

 the summer — keeping the ground perfectly clear of weeds, and as 

 often as the worms appear wet the bushes over with water in 

 which poke root has been steeped. This is more effectual and 

 much cheaper than to buy the powdered helebore. 



Remedy for the Gooseberry Worm. Take a half-hogshead, which 

 your groceryman will be glad to get rid of at fifty cents for a 

 whole one — one with iron hoops is best. Place this near your 

 bushes ; then dig a bushel or two of poke root, (helebore). If you 

 have none of your own, your neighbors will not charge you high 

 for the privilege of digging. Wash clean and put in your tub 

 and add a dozen pails of water. This should be done quite early, 

 as soon as the leaves on the plants begin to put out, so as to be 



