December 11, 1909 



HORTICULTURE 



628 



The East and the West 



II. 



DECIDUOUS AND EVERGREEN TREES 



We find that the same species are hardy or tender 

 according to the location in which they have grown for 

 thousands of years. Tlie bos elder of Nebraska is worth- 

 less in Manitoba. Pines and maples from the extreme 

 East do not do so well in Nebraska as trees of the same 

 species grown in the West. I have known eastern elms 

 to kill to the ground, while western ones would be unin- 

 jured. A tree may be hardy in the north and yet not 

 be able to endure the winter drought of the plains. 

 Prof. Hansens of South Dakota originated the Sunbeam 

 raspberry — a cross between Shafer's Colossal and a 

 Manitoba wild red variety. These are hardy and very 

 prolific in the Dakotas and Minnesota, but kill to the 

 ground at this experiment station. They simply dry' 

 down in winter. The tulip tree may live here in shel- 

 tered places, but would be an utter failure in the open. 

 Nebraska is 400 miles long and so has a variety of 

 conditions. The Horticultural Society has cut the State 

 up into several districts with recommendations of trees, 

 shrubs and fruits for each district. White pines do well 

 on the Sterling Morton place at Nebraska City which 

 could not live a year at the western limit. Thousands 

 of white pines have been planted here in York County 

 and there are perhaps 25 yet living. As a general 

 thing evergreens with soft foliage cannot endure the 

 extremes of our variable climate. Most of the eleven 

 kinds of the eastern slope of Eocky Mountain conifers 

 do well. Those with soft foliage, like the Douglas 

 spruce, need shelter from the sun and do well in groves 

 surrounded by other trees. Scotch pine will do well in 

 Manitoba but can't endure conditions at the 100th 

 meridian. 



The ponderosa or bull pine is the hero of the West. 

 It laughs at hot winds, blizzards, and droughts, and 

 grows right on. All the plains from the Missouri river 

 to the Eoekies can be covered with it, and since fabrics 

 are being made of its long needles, you plant a grove of 

 this species and you also plant a flock of sheep that the 

 dogs can't worry and you know where they are nights. 

 White spruce from Europe is a failure ; that from north- 

 ern Maine is of but little account. That from northern 

 Minnesota is better while the belt which swings around 

 into the Black Hills fits our conditions and they are 

 being raised by the million. 



Trees of variegated foliage soon revert to their orig- 

 inal type. On the grounds of Robert Douglas of ever- 

 green fame I saw some variegated catalpas of great 

 beauty. I secured some. They put on their gala dress 

 and then the sun commenced persecuting them and 

 burned that charming foliage to a crisp. Then the trees 

 seemed to say : "Well, if you don't like our style we will 

 try something else," and they all reverted to the green 

 dress Just like their neighbors. Deutzias, altheas and 

 weigelas are a little tender and are not planted to a 

 great extent. 



The reader might think we were badly, circumscribed 

 and had but a few things to rely on, yet there are about 

 twelve kinds of evergreens that do well and all of your 

 150 kinds of lilacs with two or three exceptions. Even 

 we have aboiit 50 kinds of native trees and shrubs; the 

 whole family of sj'ringas and spireas, the large collection 

 of cornus, tamarisk and the Eussian olive do better here 

 than in the East. Most of the perennials are a success. 



In short, with a careful selection we can pull down a sec- 

 tion of paradise and live in it and so win a victory oyer 

 adverse conditions. 



York. Neb. 



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Pruning Peaches 



In the peach house, pruning is one of the most im- 

 portant operations. To liave the proper fruiting wood 

 for this year's crop depends upon whether the trees were 

 properly cared for the past year when disbudding was 

 done and the proper training depends upon how the new 

 wood was tied in. A perfectly trained tree can only be 

 secured by great care in the first training and pruning. 

 All of the strong and rank growth must be taken off 

 unless it is needed to form the shape desired. Cut off 

 tlie wood that fruited last year when possible and leave 

 the bottom new wood to take its place. 



When peaches are in flower all the air possible should 

 be given; keep the atmosphere dry. To ensure fertiliz- 

 ation some gardeners put a hive of bees into the house 

 when the trees are in flower, with great success. If 

 this is done it is well to have an opening on the outside 

 of the house so they can get back to their hive if they 

 should get out of the ventilator, which they will nat- 

 urally do if the day is warm. When the peaches are in 

 full bloom the outside entrance could be closed up for a 

 few hours and make them all come out into the house. 

 Others use a camel's hair brush to distribute the pollen. 

 I prefer tapping the trees with my hand, to dislodge 

 the pollen, three or four times a day; this must be done 

 when the house has ventilation on, or dried up with 

 fire heat. 



When the fruit is set and the growth starting give 

 them a good syringing every bright morning and in 

 the afternoon on bright days when closing the house 

 up. This should be done early, so they can dry up 

 before sunset. A good watering should be given as 

 soon as the fruit is set for now root action has started. 

 This should be done with the chill taken oS. The best 

 and easiest way I have found is to have a faucet attached 

 to the hot water pipe and run the water into a barrel, 

 then use a Kinney pump to sj-phon the hot water from 

 the can and water through the hose. This should be 

 done early in the morning while the water is good and 

 hot. 



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An Appreciated Appreciation 



I think you have been especially successful in pro- 

 ducing timely and well-directed editorials in your 

 publication and in my estimation they add very much 

 to the worth of the paper. 



Yours sincerely, 



J. A. Valentine. 

 Denver, Colo. 



