THE FARM AND GARDEN. 



Oi^GHAi^D AMD Small Fi^uits 



Omducted by Eli ^finch, Shiloh, iV. J. 



THE CRAWFORD. 



We give a cut of the Crawford apple this month. 

 The fruit is of a beautiful yellow color, with a 

 faint blush on the sunny side. The shape and 

 size appear in the cut. The flavor is good, but 

 not equal to the Shannon. Tree a moderate 

 bearer, with the drooping habit of the Rhode 

 Island Greening. \Vc are testing the variety, 

 and if we find it to appear valuable to our read- 

 ers, we shall more fully describe it. The apple is 

 a fine keeper, beautiful in appearance, and in 

 season from December to March. AVliile there 

 are so many varieties of fruits before the public, 

 and their identity so uncertain, we prefer to go 

 slowly until we are sure, either from practical 

 experiment or the general favorable opinion of 

 others, which will justify us in recommending it 

 to the public. 



We find in fruit trees that there are varieties 

 Buited to certain soils. A variety may do well in 

 a sandy soil, and refuse to grow in ji cold clay. 

 One variety may like a moist soil, another will 

 appear better in a dry one. We also tind that 

 some apples are only successful in potash soils, 

 others want lime, and some also require bone- 

 dust. Take a row of ditterent varieties and ma- 

 nure with any" special fertilizer we name, and all 

 will not be benefitted alike. Some of the varie- 

 ties ^111 appear greatly improved and others will 

 not appear benefitted until the proper fertilizer 

 which that variety specially requires is reach- 

 ed. We had a very evident proof of this 

 last year.' We planted four trees of a 

 new variety of apples. One was near 

 a rich compost, wherv all the fer- 

 tilizers were present, and it grew 

 finely. The others refused to 

 grow, turned yellow, and ap- 

 peared to be w<»rthless, while 

 the Ben Davis, Grange, Caro- 

 lina Greening, and Red Win- 

 ter Pearman seemed to grow 

 well in the same and adjoin- 

 ing rows. Knowing that the 

 origin of the fruit was in a 

 potas h soil, we gave the 

 three failing trees a plenty 

 of potiish and nuigncsia (five 

 pounds of kainit) to each tree, 

 8preading it in a circle of six 

 or eight feet, and allowing it 

 to wash into the soil l)y the 

 rains. The trees began to slowly 

 recover, and then gained very 

 rapidly. They are now nearly as' 

 large as tlie one near the compost 

 although the growth at' that tree, 

 at first, was so luxuriant and rapid 

 that it grew at least two feet before 

 the others started to grow. We find 

 that there is less truth in the Idea of 

 suitability of soils than there is in sulta* 

 bilities of special mineral manures, or in 

 other words, we can. in any reasonable situa- 

 tion, grow to perfection any variety of fruit if 

 we supply the spe<'ial mineral salts it requires, 

 wfcether it be lime, potash, or magnesia. If they 

 are supplied, the variety will flourish. 



unbroken. Last year we had a peach tree broken 

 ofl" by the wind in .Inly, leaving only a short, 

 broken stump held by a single shred. A stake 

 was set and the tree carefully lifted and tied 

 firmly to it, all the mangled splinters removed, 

 and then wrapped tightly with muslin bands 

 and tied. The whole was covered with earth, 

 well packed. The muslin bands held the parts 

 until they grew together, and rotted, giving way 

 to the growth of the tree. The tree is now equal 

 in vigor and beauty to any tree in the row. The 

 peach tree was a variety we were testing to find 

 its value to propagate, and is now full of peaches. 

 Ten minutes were sufficient to do all the work, 

 and we are saved planting a new tree and three 

 years' waiting to see the fruit of it. 



A friend of ours, last year, saved a fine maple 

 that was broken oIT, by covering the ruptured 

 part with clay and wrapping the clay with a 

 piece of old carpet to hold it in place, and now 

 the tree is forming a beautiful shade. 



In staking an apple tree last month, while 

 straightening it, the tree suddenly broke nearly 

 ofi". We at once tied the tree fast to the stake 

 and took an old sack, tore it into strips, wrapped 

 them tightly around tlie fracture, and covered 

 the whole with wax. Five minutes did the work. 

 Tlie tree is now as thrifty as any. is set full of 

 fruit, and will soon reward us for our trouble. 

 We shall, as soon as the tree grows too large for 

 tiie band, take a sharp knife and cut the bands 

 by making a cut downwards through them to 

 the tree, and wax over the cut. Next spring we 

 shall have a fine tree, and it will take an ex- 

 pert to tell where it waa broken ofl. Allow no 



We are making observations on the diflferent 

 fruits in our trial orchards. It is singular t<t 

 notice the varied api>earance of diflferent fruit 

 trees in growth— leaf, bud. and flower. We have 

 apples like the Hyde's Keeper, with leaves al- 

 m.ost white with down ; others like the Cietighel- 

 mer, that are large and green ; some almost blue, 

 like Carter's Blue ; others deep green— almost a 

 black, while a class like Simmons' Red approach 

 a reddish cast. The leaves difter much in size. 

 Some are very small, others are over three inches 

 in width and five inches long, or including stem, 

 six and one-half inches long. The color of the 

 bark is as noticeable as any. We have from the 

 deep black of the Black Twig, to almost white, 

 as in the old wood of the Minch, and through 

 all the shades of brown, olive, and other colors. 

 So great is the difference in color that three 

 years ago we received seventeen varieties for 

 trial, and when we came to graft them we found 

 that the strings were broken and the varieties 

 were all mixed together. They were separated 

 by color and grafted, and out of three hundred 

 grafts that we set, we find only two mistakes. 

 Close attention should be paid to small differ- 

 ences, and the variety of fruit can be told by the 

 appearance of the tree before setting, and we 

 may he saved from planting worthless kinds. 



A tree in the full vigor of growth, when blown 

 nearly off by winds or broken by accident, may 

 be repaired if only a little of the wood remains 



(Erarf shape and .^tze.") 



wax to come in contact with the fracture; wran 

 well first, wax well afterwards. The wax will 

 injure the new wood and delay the union. 



Birds are invaluable to the fruit grower. We 

 always make them welcome. They begin their 

 day's work in the morning when daylight ap- 

 pears, and at all hours of the day they are busy 

 catching those worms and insects that destroy 

 our fruits. We are not only benefitted by their 

 labors, but also delighted with their songs as 

 they cheerfully search for our enemies all the 

 day long. True, they eat our cherries, but it was 

 our fault that we did not plant more, that there 

 should be enough for us and a few for the birds. 

 Our kind treatment makes them gentle and 

 tame. They make their nests all around us and 

 rear their young, returning to us each year in 

 increasing numbers. We have no tent caterpil- 

 lars, for the blackbirds have destroyed .their 

 nests and eaten the Inmates long ago. Ten years 

 ago, before we had tlie charge of the orchards, 

 the tent caterpillars had complete possession; 

 the blackbirds were shot at and driven away, for 

 pulling up corn, at the time they were making 

 their nests. Now the corn is coal-tarred, and is 

 not disturbed by birds, and they fill our orchards. 

 So far this year, we have only found a single 

 brood of caterpillars, or rather the remains, for 

 the worms were taken before we found the nest. 

 AJl kinds of birds are welcome. Even the de- 

 spised English sparrow is keeping the canker 

 worm in check. 



FRUrT NOTES. 



The Yellow Transparent apple continues to- 

 give universal satisfaction for an early summer 

 variety. The Yellow Transparent is one of the 

 few Russian apples that were introduced in 1870' 

 by the Patent Office, that has proved of value 

 in this country. Its fine size, beautiful transpa- 

 rent yellow color, good quality, and productive- 

 ness make it one of the best extra early apples 

 in cultivation. The tree is very hardy, with- 

 standing a severe climate in safety, and is al.so 

 capable of successful culture in a hot, dry 

 climate equally as well. The variety will prova 

 a standard one. 



We believe the Southern Limbertwig apple- 

 will prove, in most sections, a desirable, long- 

 keeping variety. The tree, as its name indicates,. 

 has limber twigs, is a healthy, good grower, and 

 is less drooping than would be expected of a tre& 

 of such limber branches and such an enormous 

 bearer. The fruit is of medium or above medium 

 in size, a dark red or crimson in color, and very 

 heavy and solid in texture. The quality, when 

 in season, April to June, is good for either the- 

 table or cooking. We know of, for the Middle 

 states, no better keeper. The trees grow well on 

 a diversity of soil, from the elevated mountairt 

 to sandy plain. 



The Red Bietigheimer is a very large and beau- 

 tiful fall apple that must rapidly take a place 

 among the list of standard varieties for all sec- 

 tions. The tree is a rapid grower, with large 

 dark-green leaves, making a beautiful tree. It 

 bears large crops of fine, rich, red-striped fruit 

 alternate years. It is very productive, but not 

 an unusually early bearer. This variety is. 

 valuable for market, where its fine ap- 

 pearance will always attract buyers^ 

 and its good cooking qualities will 

 makf it one held in high esteem 

 everywhere. We believe the tree 

 will prove hardy in most sections, 

 and will prove a popular and val- 

 1^" v uable fall apple. 



1^1^ \\ We learn by Our Countr}/ 



\, \ J Home that Mr. H. L. Moody, an 



extensive <»rchardist of Lock- 

 port, N. Y., finds that the use 

 of Paris green in orchards, after 

 a two years' trial, destroys the 

 curculio effectively. After two 

 years' use be finds it to V)e 

 almost ex t e r m i n a t e d. We 

 know from experience that the 

 foliage of the trees are much 

 healthier from the use of Paris 

 green, are more green in appear- 

 ance, and the growth of the tree 

 more rapid and satisfactory. We 

 expect that the day is not far-dis- 

 tant, so rapidly are orchard insects 

 Increasing, that the use of arsenical 

 poisons will be deemed a necessity in 

 oil orchards if fine perfect fruit is desired, 



'^Z This month and next the peach borer 



deposits its eggs on the peach tree, near the 



root. A strong wash of potash or soda lye — 



one pound of caustic soda or potash dissolved 

 in a gallon of water, and the trunks of the trees, 

 near the rof»ts, wnshed with it, will kill the eggs 

 and young worms before they enter the tree and 

 do any damage. Two or three Wivshings will be 

 surticient if applied one early and one late, and 

 if possible, one during mid-summer. The cost is 

 small. Heaping lime and ashes around the base 

 of the tree will do some good, but is not safe to 

 depend ui>on. The borer will find a lodging- 

 place above the lime and ashes. 



We have been experimenting during the last 

 four years, with various plans of pruning young 

 trees. We have set many varieties for trial, and 

 find a vast difference in the various i>luns of prun- 

 ing. While some plans are w<prthliss. others are 

 positively pernicious, although highly recom- 

 mended. We hope next year to be able to give 

 full details of our experiments, fully illustrated 

 by woodcuts, of proper plans for the most suc- 

 cessful pruning. The subject has been before 

 fully treated from general principles, but the de- 

 tails have been neglected. These can only be 

 made plain by engravings, and should be fully 

 illustrated. During the last four years we have 

 given the subject special attention, and believe 

 we can give some features not before in print. 



Professor Budd, of Iowa, writes to the I*rnirie 

 Fnrmrr of the Bogdanoft apple, speaking of it in 

 very high terms for its hardiness, color, size, 

 keeping, and dessert qualities. During the last 

 cold winter it bore the severity of climate ex- 

 ceedingly well, coming out with its wood bright 

 and uncolored, while the Wealthy was discol- 

 ored. He d€'scribes the Bogdanoft as similar in 

 appearance to the Domine, but larger and higher 

 colored, and keeps well until May. We make It 

 our duty to learn all we can of Iruit that prom- 

 ises well in each section, and describe them 

 from those who test them. When we speak of 

 hardy varieties, they are recommended especi- 

 ally for severely cold climates, and not for gene- 

 ral cultivation. 



