210 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



out of the ground, and the work had better be done at evening. 

 Great pains should be taken to have the soil fine and well formed 

 about the roots, and inulching should be put over the surface at 

 once, and if the trunks of the trees are wrapped with strips of bur- 

 lap, cotton cloth, rags, straw or paper for a few days, it is still better 

 and may prevent sunscald. 



In no case should pruning be done during this month, except 

 shortening the tops of trees as transplanted to correspond with the 

 roots, and cutting back budded stocks, if not already done, to within 

 about three inches beyond the bud. 



Spra5'ing with arsenites for the destruction of insects should be 

 done as soon as the blossoins have fallen and the fruit is set. Jar- 

 ring for plum curculio and catching the insects on sheets and de- 

 stroying them is more effectual and safer than spraying. The work 

 of putting out root grafts should be finished up at once, and cuttings 

 of currants, grapes and many shrubs ma}' still be set with safety, 

 but they must be in well worked, rich soil, and the earth pressed very 

 firmly around the base. Grape vines should be fastened to the 

 stakes as soon as the buds have got to the size of large peas. 



Raspberries and blackberries should be up and in place for fruit- 

 ing, and the cultivator run between the rows at once, and two or 

 three times later before the summer mulch is applied. 



Early May is the best time for setting new strawberry beds. In 

 cases where it cannot be done until later, it should not be given up 

 until another year. By using care plants tnaj' be dug and set dur- 

 ing the entire month. If plants are dug early and properly trimmed 

 and heeled in or carefully set two inches apart in rows and the blos- 

 soms kept pinched off, they may be taken out and set with safety 

 until the first of July. 



Work is pressing in the kitchen garden, and the question is what 

 to do first. New asparagus beds should be made as early as possi- 

 ble. Old beds should be kept clean, and the shoots should be kept 

 cut or broken off clean during the season of use, as soon as six or 

 seven inches high. That for market should be put up in neat 

 bunches about three inches in diameter and the lower ends cut 

 square. Tie with two strings, one near the top and the other near 

 the bottoiu. 



All hardy vegetable seeds may now be planted, but lima beans, 

 squashes for winter, melons and such like had better be delayed un- 

 til about the 10th of the month or later. 



Cultivating, hoeing and weeding are essentials to success both in 

 fruit and vegetable gardening and should begin with the season. 



To get rid of perennial weeds, they must first be prevented ripen- 

 ing their seed, and then the plant itself must be eradicated. Where 

 it is possible, they should be pulled up; if small, keeping them cut 

 off will eventually kill them. 



