180 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
assist nature in bringing out the vigorous beauty and supreme adornment 
of God’s creation, the tree, given to man for enjoyment and pleasure. 
In close relation with the art of tree trimming is an understanding of the 
requirements of the tree for proper sustenance. If considerable pruning is. 
done to a tree a great deal of its sustaining properties are wasted, and if it 
stands in a soil whose texture is not able to supply the sufficient quantity, 
it must be supplied by top-dressing to its roots. If this is not done the tree 
will soon become of stunted growth. 
Ornamental evergreens planted on lawns or open spaces often become 
thin or uneven in growth, generally caused by excessive and thrifty lateral 
branches. This should be cut back in the spring, and the tree will soon 
grow even and bushy by the more vigorous growth of the shorter branches 
and by the back growth of the ones that were trimmed. 
HOW | RAISE EGG PLANTS. 
WM. BOX, YANKTON, S. D. 
(Paper read before S. D. State Horticultural Society, Jan. 18, 1900.) 
Plant seed in the early part of March, in a hotbed that will average 75° 
to 80° temperature. When the plants reach the third or fourth leaf trans- 
plant in shallow boxes four and one-half to five inches deep, set four inches 
apart each way. Put in the hotbed again in the same temperature or a few de- 
grees less, water well, and shade if the sun is bright, for a few days, airing 
in the middle of the day. When the plants get large leaves and are strong 
set them in a milder bed till the weather is warm, and it is time to set them 
out. 
My plants are very large when set in field and do not wilt, no matter how 
hot the sun may be. When setting plants start in one corner of box with a 
trowel, and after the plant is removed divide them evenly clear to the 
bottom of the box, so as to get all of the dirt. I have found it best to thor- 
oughly soak the soil and let them stand a few hours, when the earth will 
stick to the roots better, and they can be set with less trouble. I dig a hole 
with a spade so as to have plenty of room to fill in with loose moist soil, 
set the Plants considerably deeper than they are in the boxes, tramp the 
earth firm but gently with one foot and then draw loose soil around the 
plants with the trowel. I do not hill them up, but leave the ground level. 
I set plants three feet apart in the rows; rows four feet apart. My plants 
bear enormous crops; think I have raised as high as twenty-five fruits to a 
plant. Henderson’s “Gardening for Profit” says nine is considered a good 
yield. The land must be rich to attain these results, When the seasons 
have been very dry, I have found sprinkling a large tablespoonful of salt 
around the roots to be of value, raking the ground with a steel rake after- 
wards. Do not let the salt get on the leaves or hearts of plants and culti- 
vate the ground once a week if it is not too wet. 
I think it better to cut the fruit than to pull it, so as to leave pieces of 
the stem on the plant. They are not fit to eat when ripe, but should be used 
when half or two-thirds grown. I find the “New York Improved” as good 
as any I have tried, although there may be other improved sorts fully as 
good. I think if people knew how to prepare and cook egg plant they 
would be more generally used. 
My wife’s receipt for preparing and cooking egg plant is as follows: 
Slice thin, sprinkle each layer with salt, pile one above another, let stand 
from one to two hours, press out the juice, roll each layer in flour, then in 
beaten egg. Fry in hot butter until tender and golden brown and serve hot. 
