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EDITOirS TABLE. 



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Cliincsc Arbor Vitte, Norway Spruce, cSic, yon must import. Mr. G. G. SiiKrPABD, of New 

 York, who is agent for some of tlie best foreign seedsmen, can obtain them for you. Tlie 

 most successful way wo have tried of growing evergreens from seed in the open air is, to 

 select a strip of light sandy soil, say eight feet wide, surround it with boards, to make it 

 like a box. Sow the seeds in this, and make a cover or awning of heavy sheeting to place 

 over it at the distance of eighteen or twenty inches from the surfiico of the ground. This 

 keeps off the hot sun, and not only promotes the vegetation of tlie seed, but prevents the 

 young plants from being scorched when they push through the ground. Of course, the 

 beds must be kept regulaily and very carefully watered. The awning might bo withdrawn 

 at night. ^ 



On the street ia front of my residence is a handsome row of Elms and Button Balls of some 

 fifty years growth, with two Ash trees included. On cither side of tliese two Ash trees the Elm 

 is sickly, and only about half the size of the others. It has been suggested that the Ash injures 

 the Elm and other trees, when brought into immediate proximity. Can you enlighten me on that 

 point ? If it is so, I will remove the Ash trees to save the Elms, which I tliiuk will soon die. (1.) 



I have an Osage Orange hedge, planted a year ago last spring, about twenty rods long, scjiara- 

 ting my lawn from my carriage-road. I want to make a hedge about four feet high. How 

 much wood should I leave each year in cutting it down ? and as it is very vigorous, would it 

 answer to cut it down twice each season? and if so, what time in the summer? (2.) J. W. F. — 

 Milford, Conn. 



(1.) The Ash, having immense masses of fibrous roots that rise nearly to the surface of 

 the ground, is injurious to the growth of grass, or any other plants in its shade or near the 

 roots. "We have never known or heard of it being otherwise injurious to trees or jjlants 

 growing near it. If the roots of the Ash trees on your grounds are injuring the neiglibor- 

 ing Elms by appropriating tlieir food, cut a trench around them pretty close up to the tree, 

 and the difficulty will be remedied. 



(2.) Your Osage Orange hedge should have been cut down last spring (April), within 

 four or five inches of the old wood ; then, if it grew freely, it should have been cut again 

 in July, leaving about three or four inches of this season's growth. We cut ours three 

 times a year, and it has a good effect. Instead of allowing long shoots to be made and cut 

 away, tlie frequent shearing throws the growth into the lateral shoots and thicl-ens the 

 hedge, which is the great point aimed at. The time to cut is when a crop of strong shoots 

 have been thrown up from the top of the hedge, like a brush, and when these shoots have 

 attained maturity enough to show perfect buds on the lower parts intended to be left. 



If it is conceded (as it seems to be) that iron filings, bone dust (or some constituent of that 

 kind), and unslaked lime are the best ingredients to apply to pears on quince stocks, will you 

 have the goodness to inform me (and I dare say many of your readers may also be profited by 

 this information) how to proportion these materials, and how much of the preparation should be 

 applied to small Pear trees one year from the bud : also, how much to large standard Pear trees ? 

 Ax Old Scbscriber. — Sand Hill. 



"We have no particular experience in the api)lication of these materials to Pears. Bone 

 dust, however, we know to be a valuable fertilizer, and in i)Oor soils we should think a 

 quart worked into the surface of the soil as a top dressing would be sufficient for a yearling 

 tree, and a peck would not be too much for a large standard tree. Perhaps some of our 

 readers may have experience in these matters. 



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