1879.1 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



331 



thing of the science in fruit or vegetable culture 

 over one who simply plods on. 



Take for instance what is known of the trans- 

 piration of moisture by living plants — for it is 

 such matters as these which now constitute the 

 most inviting features of botanical study. If we 

 take a dead and dry stick, say an inch or two 

 thick, soak it thoroughly with water, and expose 

 it to the full sun of a warm summer day, in a 

 few hoilrs it will be found that the moisture has 

 all gone, and the stick is as dry as ever. Take 

 a living branch of the same size, cut it from its 

 parent tree, expose it side by side with the 

 other, but though it will at once begin to shrink 

 there will be some moisture left for several days 

 to come. There is still some vital power left in 

 the tree, and vital power resists evaporation. So 

 in the winter time, a sudden burst of sunshine 

 will raise the steam from a dead corn-stalk that 

 may have been soaked by snow, and the stalk 

 will soon feel w^arm ; while a live green yucca 

 leaf, or a branch of an evergreen is still cold as 

 ever, and emits no steam. The vital power is 

 equal to maintaining the plant's even tempera- 

 ture, whatever it may be, and simply throws off 

 the water after the vital power has no more use 

 for it. 



Now the one who knows this, knows just how 

 to manage a tree that has been injured by frost, 

 or by transplanting. He never allows a twig or 

 branch that is probably going to die, or is actu- 

 ally dead, to remain on the tree, because i-t 

 helps to kill the living pai'ts of the tree by eva- 

 poration. A living branch does not lose much 

 water by evaporation, but a dead one does ; and 

 while it is, it is draining the tree of its juices 

 and throwing into the atmosphere just what the 

 living ones need so long as it remains on. So if 

 he plant a tree at this season, and has the re- 

 motest idea that the twigs or top shoots will be 

 killed he does not wait for the event, but cuts 

 them off at once. Thousands of trees are saved 

 every year by the one who knows this little of 

 botany, while hundreds of thousapds die every 

 year under the hands of those who think they 

 can raise potatoes or grow apple trees without 

 " botherin' their heads about this stuff." 



It is little use to attempt to grow vegetables 

 well unless the soil is well treated. They may 

 be and are grown on thin soils, not only at a 

 great expense for manure, and at a great risk of 

 dying out in a dry season, and of having the 

 roots rotted out in a wet one. In those parts 

 where the frost has not yet been severe enough to 



injure the celery crop, it may have another 

 earthing up. Care must be exercised in the ope- 

 ration not to let the earth get into the hearts of 

 the plants, or they will be liable to rot. Where 

 the plant has evidently finished its growth for 

 the season, measures should be taken to pre- 

 serve it through the winter. For family use, it 

 is probably as well to let it stay where it is 

 growing, covering the soil with leaves, litter or 

 manure, to keep out the frost, so that it can be 

 taken up as wanted. Where large quantities 

 are frequently required, it is better to take it up 

 and put it in a smaller compass, still protecting 

 it in any way that may be readily accessible. It 

 always keeps best in the natural soil, where it is 

 cool and moist and free from frost, and what- 

 ever mode of protection is resorted to, these 

 facts should be kept in view. Beets, turnips and 

 other root crops, will also require protection. 

 They are best divested of their foliage and 

 packed in layers of sand in a cool cellar. Pars- 

 nips are best left in the soil as long as possible. 

 If any are wanted for late spring use, they may 

 be left out to freeze in the soil, and will be 

 much improved thereby. Cabbage is preserved 

 in a variety of ways. If a few dozen only, they 

 may be hung up by the roots in a cool cellar, or 

 buried in the soil, heads downward, to keep out 

 the rain, or laid on their sides as thickly as they 

 can be placed, nearly covered with soil, and 

 then completely covered with corn stalks, litter 

 or any protecting'material. The main object in 

 protecting all these kinds of vegetables is to pre- 

 vent their growth by keeping them as cool as 

 possible, and to prevent shriveling by keeping 

 them moist. Cabbage plants, lettuce, and spi- 

 nach sown last September, will require a slight 

 protection. This is usually done by scattering 

 straw loosely over. The intention is princi- 

 pally to check the frequent thawings, which 

 draw the plants out of the ground. 



In making new vegetable gardens, a south- 

 east aspect should be chosen, as far as practi- 

 cable. Earliness in the crops is a very great 

 desideratum, and such an aspect favors this point 

 materially. Too great a slope is objectionable, 

 as inducing too great a run of water in heavy 

 rains. The plots for the crops should be laid off 

 in squares or parallelograms, for convenience in 

 digging, and the edges of the walks set with box 

 edging. If water can be introduced, it is a great 

 convenience. 



Sometimes broccoli does not head before there 

 is danger of frosts, especially if growing vigor- 



