THE FARM AND GARDEN. 



Oi^HAr^D AND Small Fr^uiTS 



Omdiu:(.£d by Eli Mitich, Shiloh, N. J. 

 THE ARKANSAS APPLE. 



We give a cut of a promising new apple we saw 

 at the New Orleans Exposition, called the Arkan- 

 sas or Arkansaw. The Arkansaw being a Houtli- 

 ern apple, would, when planted in the middle 

 Bection of the United States, be in season proba- 

 bly from January to April, our season being so 

 much later. The color is a bright, mottled red on 

 the upper half, the lower, being of a reddish-yel- 

 low. Cavity much russeted, and extending on 

 the surface in indistinct rays. 



The texture is fine and the flavor a pleasant 

 subacid. It is remarkably heavy for its size, like 

 the Swaar, and will prove a good keeper. It is 

 in fine condition in Arkansas as late as March, 

 and will keep much longer. Our specimen was 

 in fine condition for keeping when cut on the 3d 

 of March. Our illustration gives the form, size, 

 and shape, size of seeds, core, etc., all of which 

 are carefully reproduced. 



The tree is a good grower, young wood a very 

 dark brown— almost black, and in habit resem- 

 bles the Winesap, of which it is probably a seed- 

 ling, but is better rooted. It is a good bearer, 

 and sets the fruit evenly through the tree. We 

 are testing the Arkansas in our trial orchards, 

 and feel confident we shall find it a desirable 

 fruit. We got our information of the varictv 

 and a speclinen of the fruit from Mr. E. F. Bab- 

 cock, Kusselville Nurseries, near Little Rock, 

 Arkansas. 



FRU IT NO TES. 

 A tree that has been lately planted will revive 

 if kept well watered. Mulch the tree with any 

 litter, and keep well watered. Much better carry 

 a few pailfuls of water than to buy a new tree 

 next spring. 



Prune all branches closely. Wounds, 

 made by pruning heal soonest in June, 

 We leave all large stubs left in winter 

 pruning until then, and saw all off very 

 closely. The hot, dry winds soon 

 stop the flow of sap and the bleeding 

 which occurs in earlier and later 

 pruning. 



A writer In Cnleman'a RxtraZ 

 World Bays, to make an apple- 

 tree that blossoms but does not 

 bear fruit, fi*uitful, "laj* in the 

 crotch of the tree a stone as 

 large as your two fists; if you 

 lay It in now you will have a 

 good crop of apples this year." 

 We hope our readers will not try it. 

 It would be a pity to wjiste the 

 stones, even if they are cheap. We 

 think much better advice was given 

 eighteen hundred years ago (see 

 Luke XIII., 6-9). Save the stones for 

 something else. 



Pear orchards kept in grass and surface- 

 manured, appears to be the safest plan for 

 growing. Cultivation makes a large growth of 

 immature wood, which is sure to blight. The 

 vitality of the new growth Is Injured by the cold, 

 and will become apparent the following sum- 

 mer. We had a Vicar top-grafted on a Duchess 

 that grew finely and blossomed freely this 

 spring, while the stock was dead and black with 

 winter-kill. As long as the healthy sap that was 

 in the Vicar wood lasted it grew finely, while all 

 below it was dead. Exhausted vitality and 

 blight are one. 



See to newly-set trees that they do not loosen. 

 If they do, take a round pole about two inches in 

 diameter, cut off one end square and round the 

 other end to hold in the hand; then straighten 

 up the tree and firmly pack soli around the tree 

 with the pounder, taking care not to injure the 

 roots. Fill around the tree and pound again, 

 and level off around it. No tree will stand if 

 there is loose dirt under it. If it does not stand 

 firmly it will not last long. Pack the dirt when 

 partly dry ; It will work better. Staking will do 

 for small trees but not for large ones. 



The superiority of kainit over ashes for peach- 

 growing we believe is due to the salts of magne- 

 Biaand the common salt it contains, as well as 

 the potash. Being extremely soluble, and not as 

 caustic as ashes. It enters at once into the sap 

 circulation, and does not burn the roots as ashes 

 •would if freely used. We are now successfully 

 growing a peach orchard of two-year-olds where 

 It was deemed impossible to grow them on ac- 

 count of the yellows, which the soil was sure to 

 produce. Even seedling trees would turn yellow 

 and die in a few years. We now have a fine or- 

 chard of healthy trees. 



The staking of blackberries and raspberries 

 will not be required where the canes are topped 

 at three feet for the ordinary varieties. The 

 more vigorous ones must be topped higher. This 

 causes thum to brunch and form a bushy head 

 and a firm, strong growth of the cane, which 

 will stand up under a large load of berries. 

 Should any of the branches grow too fast, top 

 them also, which will cause them to develop 

 fruit buds and they will produce enormously the 

 next season. It takes a great deal of work to 

 keep a field of blackberries topped, but the extra 

 quantity and quality of the fruit amply pays for 

 the labor. 



Trees girdled by mice maybe restored if the 

 part injured is kept covered with a foot or two ol 

 moist earth. Last year we had some large apple 

 trees girdled by mice,— all the bark removed for 

 six inches or more all around them. We banked 

 up the wet soil two feet high around the trees, 

 and they are now nicely covered with new bark. 

 The sap from the body of the tree will exude, 

 and if kept moist by the dirt, will soon form a 

 soft growth of new wood where the injury is, 

 and it will in due time be covered with bark. 

 Last year we saved fifty trees by the plan we ad- 

 vise. We banked our trees in June and trod the 

 dirt solidly around them. 



Do not use Paris green on gooseberry or currant 

 bushes. It is a mineral poison, and will not 

 lose its poisonous qualities by sun and rain. Hel- 

 lebore is a vegetable poison, and dews will de- 

 stroy Its harmful qualities, whic*h makes its use 

 perfectly safe. Turn no stock into an orchard 

 where Paris green has been freely used until 

 after a rain. The grass under the trees is poi- 

 soned and is dangerous. The best antidote for 

 l*aris green poison is the hydraten sesqul-oxide 



If your peach tree looks yellow do not pull it 

 up. but give a liberal supply of kainit to it, say 

 five pounds for a small tree to fifteen pounds for 

 a large one. Spread evenly as far as the branches 

 extend, and allow it to wiish into the soil by 

 rains. We use from eight to ten tons annually 

 on peaches, and find its use, with bone-dust, a 

 preventive of yellows. We had trees set one year 

 make a large head by the use of kainit and bone- 

 dust. Some of the trees, as dry as it was last year^ 

 made a growth of ^rc and one-half feet, and made 

 some growths of new wood one inch in diameter. 

 Some of the trees made heads from a single stem 

 over sir feet across, and as sturdy as an oak. The 

 Farm A>'D Gardes has been the first to recom- 

 mend kainit for peach culture, and we would 

 not raise a single peach tree without it. We also 

 tried ashes last year, but the new growth was so 

 small and the indications of yellows so plain, we 

 dug the trees up and planted again. We used, of 

 ashes, from a iialf peck to a peck to a tree, but we 

 will say we prefer kainit and bone. We have 

 twenty-four acres planted in peaches, and are 

 not only experimenters, but practical growers. 



{Exact shape and size,) 



of iron, given immediately. This antidote 

 should be in every farmer's kitchen, ready for 

 instant use in case of poison. Vour druggist 

 keeps it. It is very cheap. 



The currant and gooseberry worms that con- 

 sume the leaves of the currant and gooseberry, 

 leaving the bushes bare of foliage, will weaken 

 them so much that the berries will not ripen,— 

 even the bushes are sometimes killed by them. 

 They may be poisoned by the use of hellebore 

 dissolved in water, and the bushes sprayed with 

 It. Take a tablespoon ful of the hellebore and 

 add a quart of hot water, and allowing it to stand 

 a few hours, add to it a pailful of water, and 

 spray the bushes well with it. An old broom 

 will answer very well for spraying. The worms 

 are soon killed, and the poison will not last long. 

 In a few days the berries are safe to eat. 



The cold, dry winter we have passed through 

 has ruined many orchards in Indiana, Illinois, 

 and the North-west. The dry winds of winter 

 are as ruinous to the trees as the colds. Many 

 orchards that are not yet dead, are so severely 

 injured that they will linger along and prove 

 worthless at last. We believe hardy varieties 

 must be root-grafted for cold, dry sections, and 

 then the varieties wanted should be top-grafted 

 on them. There is a great difference in the hardi- 

 ness of stalks for the purpose we name. We 

 hope in the proper season, to have more to say 

 about the subject. We should be glad to hear 

 from those who have tried the plan we advise of 

 top-grafting hardy stocks. 



Editor Faru and Garden : 



Smithfield, Fulton Co., Ill,, April 16, '85. 

 In your issue of April in an article on Cleft 

 Grafting, you say that you must always have the 

 "wood of the stock and that of the graft and scion 

 creH." This would be impossible, and a mere 

 accident if it so happened. We only cleft-graft 

 where the stock is too large to either whip-graft, 

 or the bark too thick to bud successfully. Hence 

 owing to the great dift'erence in the thickness of 

 the bark of the%tock and scion, and the impos- 

 sibility of seeing the line between bark and 

 wood when placing the graft in tlie cleft, it would 

 be a mere accident if it would correspond ex- 

 actly. I have made cleft grafting a specialty 

 for many yeans, as in this country all ths 

 oldestorchards were seedlings. My father 

 had a nursery here in 1830, and his 

 trees were sought after and planted 

 in many adjoining counties by the 

 early settlers, most of whom 

 brought apple seeds with them 

 when they came from the east. 

 They planted them, and when 

 large enough some one of the 

 hardy pioneers wanted them^ 

 and hence all were seedlings, 

 and some of most excellent 

 quality that are still largely 

 grown, as you will see by refer- 

 ng to " Downlng's Fruits." 

 In the year lS4."j, Mr. E. W. Pike, 

 of Rochester, N. Y., came through 

 this country with specimens of 

 fruits, and took orders from nearly 

 every owner of a seedling orchard, 

 for grafting. My father paid him 

 about Sri3 for grafting ills seedling 

 orchard. I set in with Mr. Pike to learn 

 to graft. There were four of us to do the 

 sawing off of the limbs, setting grafts, 

 ^^ and waxing, Mr. Pike whittling all the 

 •^fifgrafXR himself. 



I shall never forget his orders. They were, 

 "Boys, put your grafts with the bud out, and 

 nearly down to the top of the slope, and be ^ure 

 and lean the top of the graft out a little.'" This 

 leaning " out a little" was done in order to be 

 sure that a junction would be formed, and the 

 veritable bud on the wedge of the graft always 

 oittside. In waxing, this bud was always covered 

 with it, and it sometimes happened that this 

 bud would be the only one on the graft to grow. 

 Thus you see that this leaving a bud on the out^ 

 side of the wedge part of the graft was of ancient 

 origin. 



I have for thirty-five years grown nursery- 

 stock, root grafting, budding, and cleft grafting, 

 and have never seen any difference In the life, 

 health, or bearing of the various methods, pro- 

 vided the stock was of itself a healthy seedling, 

 grown from seed of a natural seedling. 



Right here I would iriMxt upon nurserymen 

 sowing only the seed of natural seedling apples 

 for stocks to graft or bud. I know that they are 

 much hardier, and in every way make better 

 trees than if grown from seeds promiscuously 

 saved from all kinds of grafted fruit. The wood 

 of the seedling apple is finer grained, more com- 

 pact, firmer, smaller pored, and much less liable 

 to be injured by freezing and thawing, than is 

 most of the grafted-wood seedlings. 



John H. Baughman. 



The farmer who last season neglected to plant 

 a bed of strawberries, and who now sees his 

 neighbor's wife and children bring the luscious 

 fruit from their patch to the house by the pan, 

 pailful, or by the bushel, probably wishes he had 

 taken the advice which we give every season^ 

 viz., plant a suflaciency of small firuits. 



