92 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



to a proper whitewash consistency; then 

 add 2 quarts of soft soap, or its equiva- 

 lent of whale oil soap, and if convenient 

 thin down as required with a strong 

 decoction of tobacco. Having this, lay 

 bare the collar and main roots of the 

 trees, forming a sort of basin around 

 each tree; then with an old broom wash 

 the exposed roots, collar and trunk of 

 each tree. This will be too oflfensive an 

 application for any insect, and is also 

 healthful. And in November mound 

 up the earth about the tree in a small 

 cone, with one or two quarts of wood 

 ashes on top as a protection against 

 mice, removing the same in May, — and 

 thus year by year, repeat. 



If possible, mulch with some coarse 

 manure or other material at setting in 

 of winter, not around the trunk of the 

 tree but under the outer branches, as a 

 safeguard against severe winters and 

 premature spring. 



Proper pruning, and this should em- 

 brace judicious shortening in. 



As I have already hinted we should 

 avoid a late growth by not cultivating 

 after July, and also by only a moderate 

 cultivation. The peach tree should 

 neither be stinted nor forced into ex- 

 cessive growth. Avoid also heavy crop- 

 ping first, by previous cutting back and 

 thinning out of superfluous branches, 

 and again, if necessary, by thinning out 

 fruit. But by no means allow exhaus- 

 tion of the trees. Hence, feed the 

 young orchard moderately, and the 

 bearing orchard fully. Excessively rich 

 soil should not be selected for the peach, 

 for rapid growth is quite likely to be 

 followed by early decay. — P. M. Augue, 

 in iV. U. Homestead. 



Early Pears. — The following varieties 

 give a successive supply at the North 

 from late in July till the middle of Sep- 

 tember : Doyenn6 d'Et6, Bloodgood, 

 Giffard, Rostiezer, Petite Marguerite, 

 Tyson, Washington, Bartlett. — Country 

 Gentleman. 



CELERY GROWING. 



One of the most successful garden 

 crops that I raise is celery. I raised 

 the past season about 5,000 heads, of 

 which I lost about 1,000, owing to the 

 winter setting in so unexpectedly. The 

 4,000 heads saved will bring, when all 

 sold, about $125. This was all raised 

 as a second crop following peas, and it 

 did not occupy more than one-fourth of 

 an acre. I also sold about $25 worth 

 of celery plants. I raise very nice 

 plants in the following way : 



I sow the seed in a cold-frame about 

 the middle of April, and when about 

 an inch and a half high, I transplant to 

 beds four feet wide and sixteen in 

 length, setting the plants two inches 

 apart each way. As soon as the bed is 

 finished, I have frames made of narrow 

 strips of board and lath, the lath being 

 their width apart. These I place over 

 the bed about eight inches from the 

 plants on the top of the stakes, three of 

 which are driven on each side of the 

 bed. By the use of these frames the 

 plants enjoy a free circulation of air, 

 and are just half the time in the shade 

 (while the sun shines \ and will not 

 wilt or need watering, except at time 

 of setting out. The frames may be left 

 on until the plants become well-rooted. 

 Plants treated in this way become very 

 fine and stocky in from four to six 

 weeks, and may then be taken up with 

 a ball of earth as large as a man's fist 

 adhering to each plant. 



I transplant to the trenches from the 

 1st of July to the 1st of August. The 

 trenches I make very shallow, about 

 two inches below the surface after the 

 plants are set out, some kind of fertilizer 

 being below the plants. I have seen 

 the best results from well-rotted stable 

 manure. I commence to earth up as 

 soon as the plants begin to spread, so 

 as to keep them growing in an upright 

 position, taking care not to choke them 



