100 



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NOTES FOR 1877. 



\\\ i;i.\ . i:. 1'. rowKM,. ( i.inion. n. v. 



Perhaps tlic most iisoful contribution to tlu' 

 public tliat a horticulturist can make is to give 

 the results of his year's work, l^i77 has been so 

 fruitfuj that it ha.s <;iven us an opportunity to 

 test thorouLrhly and favorably many kinds of 

 fruits and tlowers. 



1. In answer to your (juestion concerning the 

 apple blight. It has reached as far north as 

 northern Xew York. It is occasionally the 

 cause of death to trees, especially those culti- 

 vated in rich soil much manured. Apples grown 

 in sod seldom sufter badly. There is, however, 

 a ditVerence in varieties. The Pound Sour and 

 Crab apples with me Avere considerably defaced, 

 and the crops damaged. 



2. The theory is again confirmed by the expe- 

 rience of the year that pear blight is at least 

 most successfully prevented by culture in sod ; 

 bj' feeding with salt and ashes and keeping the 

 trees well mulched, perhaps with sawdust or 

 ashes is best. Any exposure of the soil to sun 

 and weather has a disastrous eftect. 



3. The grape crop has been admirable, ripen- 

 ing tolerably in spite of too frequent wet days 

 throughout October. I am inclined to think 

 more and more highly of the Goethe, if grown on 

 open trellis, in a warm exposure. Of the lona, 

 well ripened, I would I'aise my figures constantly. 

 Both are withal excellent-keeping grapes. I 

 have lonas, now the 10th of December, in as 

 good condition as my Isabellas. The Diana 

 keeps best of all ; but is so very tough and 

 skinn}' that even those who like its peculiar 

 flavor cannot enjoy it. But we must have it. 

 The simplest and best method of preserving 

 grapes for Winter is after all to spread them 

 thinly on oil-cloth floors in cool dry rooms ; or 

 on shelves similarly covered. 



4. Among small fruits I have given up the en- 

 deavor to raise cultivated blackberries without 

 cultivation. No matter what may be said by a 

 few who liave raised an occasional crop in grass, 

 W'B must take the Kittatiuny in hand and rale it. 

 Mine are wired to stakes and well sheai'cd in. 

 The easiest method is to clip the arms with an 

 ordinai'y sickle. \ 



5. In managing extensive hedges I have found 

 this same instrument of great service. For 

 Buckthorn I generally use shears ; but for 

 Arbor Yitje I have rarely use for anything except 

 a moderately sharp sickle. Give generally an 

 upward stroke, and Avalk backward. You can 



tiiiii ill one iiuui- ill tills way as much as you 

 could with shears in half a <lay. and do it (juite 

 as well. Ol' course this will not apply to hedges 

 n<»t already well formed. IJy the way, tnost 

 evergreen hedges tiial we see are seriously in- 

 jured by making the sides too erect, and flatten- 

 ing the tops. It is impossible to keep for a long 

 time a handsome hedge of Arbor Vitie or Hem- 

 lock without the base is nearly double the thick- 

 ness or depth of (he top, and the top cut in an 

 ai'ched form like nature. 



f). It is exceedingly necessary to eliminate 

 only tolerable small fruits from the catalogues 

 as well as from our gardens. For instance, the 

 Turner Raspberry, a worthless humbug, to one 

 who can have the Philadelphia. You can sa}' 

 no better of most of the new strawberries. The 

 older nurserymen can do us good service l)y 

 classifying established fruits. The Monthly 

 has done much good by its conservation concern- 

 ing novelties. 



7. In landscape gardening plant for all seasons. 

 There are some things which make no note of 

 themselves until late Autumn. Others like the 

 purple berberry, and some of the dogwoods, are- 

 valueless except in very early Spring. 



PRESERVATION OF THE LEADTNC 

 SHOOTS OF EVERGREENS. 



BY SAMUEL PARSOXS, FLUSHING, K. Y. 



One of the false impressions that have long 

 prevailed with much force and endurance, is the 

 alleged necessity of preserving the top shoots of 

 evergreens. Birds are looked upon with appre- 

 hension and disgust as they press destructive feet 

 on this valuable gi'owth. Stakes are even used 

 to support such important elements of health 

 and symmetry ; and the purchaser who seeks 

 choice specimens, carefully avoids all evergreens 

 that have lost their leaders, almost superstitioush' 

 regarding it as impossible that the lost, in this 

 case, can ever return. 



AVhat are the real facts of the case as indicated 

 by intelligent experience ? Simply that the de- 

 struction of the leading shoot is often an actual 

 benefit to the tree when its aspiring habits become 

 too strong, and that, so far from birds fatalh' 

 injuring the symmetry of trees by breaking the 

 topmost shoots, cases happen, frequcntl}', where 

 the preservation of symmetry has been largel)' 

 due to the action of their little feet. 



As long as the leader grows in due proportion 

 to the rest of the tree, its presence is most neces- 

 sary : but. unfortunately, this upward tendency. 



