Yoiir (®ori7ei 



^^^^-""^^^ 



I notice your (luestion ou pa^e 160 of the April Horticulturist re- 

 ferring^ to tig^htening trellis wire, and will give j'ou the mode that I 

 have used for quite a long- time. Starting at one end, I drive four 

 staples (about one-half inch long) into the post, letting them stand 

 out far enough to pass the wire twice around the post. I comtuence 

 \>y passing the wire through the staple next to the vines, pulling the 

 wire tight as I can. and having come to the fourth staple, and the 

 wire tight, drive that staple so that it holds the wire. The end of 

 the wire is now bent back, an extra staple being put in to make cer- 

 tainty sure, and I go to the various posts on the line and place the 

 wire in its proper position and drive the staples to hold the wire, 

 leaving them far enough out that the wire passes through freely, 

 and so on, till I come to the last post. There bore a hole about one- 

 half inch in diameter where j'ou want the wire, and take an iron 

 hook, say twelve or fourteen inches long and about three-eighths 

 inches thick with a thread about one-half the length of the hook, on 

 which goes a good large washer and nut: pass the hook through 

 the hole, put the washer next the wood, and the nut just enough on 

 to be sure it holds, which leaves most of the hook on the side next the 

 grapes. Now pass the wire on the hook and have it as tight aa a 

 good, strong man can comfortably pull it, then take your monkey 

 wrench and screw the nut up till the wire is as tight as you want it- 

 In the fall of the year unscrew the nut till the wire is loose, or some- 

 thing will have to give wa3' on account of contraction. Try one trellis 

 and let me know if it meets your approbation. J.\o. Prichett. 



Alexandria, Minn. 



FRUIT PROSPECTS. 



My orchard is in tine shape for a large crop of apples— trees bud- 

 ded full. J. A. HOW.VKD. 

 Hammond, Wis., April 19, '96. 



Strawberry and other plants and trees wintered good. Plenty of 

 moisture in the ground, and we ought to have a good crop of fruit, 

 but it is really a month too early to tell anything about it. 



Windom, April Jl, '96. Dewaix C<WK. 



"I spent yesterday pruning in my orchard, and I never saw so 

 many healthy buds at this time of the year. Barring frosts and in- 

 sects, the crop ought to be immense." A. J. Philips. 



April 9. 



