140 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Feb. 15. 



tJced in packing fruit. I heard several men 

 say that, when' tliey barrel apples, they put 

 two layers of the nicest and largest ones in the 

 bottom of the barrel, then they fill the barrel 

 nearly full of inferior ones, and again fill the 

 end with large ones. Now, if this is not dis- 

 honesty I do know what it is; and. besides, it 

 works to their disadvantage sometimes. For 

 when the apples are received by the commis- 

 sion man, one barrel is opened, and in many 

 instances emptied out; then these are taken as 

 a sample, and the whole lot is judged by them; 

 then if they are not packed "straight" the 

 packer is caught in his own device. The right 

 way to pack apples, which is also a neat and 

 attractive way, is to lay in the bottom of the 

 barrel a circle of the largest ones, then a circle 

 of smaller ones, and another still smaller, until 

 the layer is complete (lay them with stems 

 down); then put on another layer of average 

 apples, and then fill the barrel rounding a lit- 

 tle, and press on the lid; then turn the barrel 

 upside down and put on the name and address 

 of the commission man, the shipper, and also 

 the name of the apples. It may seem like a big 

 job to put in the two layers in this way; but I 

 have found out that, by a little practice, one 

 can become quite handy at it; and as they are 

 at the end of the barrel that is always opened 

 when presented for sale, they present a good 

 appearance, without -creating an impression 

 that the barrel contains all largo apples. 



PLANTING BASSWOOD-IRKES 



As the season for planting is drawing near, I 

 want to tell a little of my experience with bass- 

 wood-trees. Last spring I planted thirty, and 

 some were thn e inches in diainetor. I cut off 

 nearly all of the top. made large holes so the 

 roots could be spread nut in thoir natural posi- 

 tion, put in several shovelfuls of sand and 

 gravel, then filled in the earth, and trHniijedit 

 firmly about the roots, and not a single one 

 failed to grow, and many of them cast shoots 

 several inches in length. 



Carpenter. Til. 



^ ^ 



GROWING BASSWOODS FROM CUTTINGS. 



ALSO SOME GENERAI- REMARKS AND INSTRUC- 

 TIONS IN REGARD TO MAKING CUTTINGS FROM 

 BASSWOODS, MULBERRIES, ROSES, ETC. 



By Joliii Craycraft. 



In Gleanings, p. <i43, 1895, 1 read about how 

 to grow basswood and mulberries. Either will 

 readily grow from cuttings, as will all soft 

 woods, if cuttings are made from ripe wood. 

 For basswood and mulberries, take off this 

 year's growth, soon after the leaves have fallen 

 off. Cut from s to 12 inches long; tie up in 

 small bundles; place in damp sand, not wet; 

 for if too wet they will die; and if kept in a 

 warm cellar they will have calloused over by 

 spring, when they can be carefully set in rows, 



and covered with a mulch of straw or leaves so 

 as to keep them damp and shaded. They will 

 soon start out leaves and roots, and will grow, 

 if properly cared for, six feet high by fall. I 

 have mulberries that were cut before the freeze 

 of Decembpr, 1894. and just stuck into the 

 ground where tliey are to grow, and covered 

 over with trash. They are now as high as 

 your head, and some of thpm now have several 

 branches. Basswood will grow the same way. 

 In my garden, which is all sub irrigated by na- 

 ture, from one foot to two feet from the surface, 

 I can grow, from the cuttings, mulberries, bass- 

 wood, figs, pear*, peaches, plums, grapes, and 

 all kinds of fruits and woods that drop their 

 leaves in the fall, by making the cuts soon aft- 

 er the leaves drop, and sticking them into a 

 clean prepared bed wher^ tho water can rise 

 within about one foot of tho surface, and drain- 

 ed so that it will not stand any higher if rain 

 falls much. I stick them about four inches 

 deep, so that there will be from four to eight 

 inches above ground, and cover lightly with 

 straw or leaves. That is all they will need 

 here in Florida, except to keep the mulch loos- 

 ened up so that it will not settle too compactly. 



For evergreen woods, cut mature wood, per- 

 fect leaf, and fully developed buds. For lemon, 

 orange, lime, grape fruit, and all the citrus 

 family, cut about 4 in. long or less; two buds 

 cut off; leave next bud of cut, and stick in sand 

 to within one inch, or near the leaf; shade 

 lightly; and, if sub-irrigated, but very few will 

 fail to root and grow. I stuck about 100 roses 

 of a vigorous half- wild rose we have here for 

 grafting. The Marechal Niel rose opened about 

 four weeks ago. and I see scarcely one fails to 

 grow. I will bud them in January, or any time 

 when mature buds can be had. Where you 

 liave sub in igatinn. and with it the heat from 

 the waste steam, as you have, you can grow all 

 the shrubs, trees, roses, etc.. you desire, from 

 cuts. With bottom heat, clean sand, shade, 

 and a humid atmosphere, there is scarcely a 

 wood, shrub, or plant, but. will grow readily 

 f>"om the cut if taken from hoHlthy. mature, de- 

 veloped wood. Nature has provided within 

 every twig the element of self-production, if 

 taken at the proper time. If I mistake not, the 

 basswood does not all bloom prolific alike. Se- 

 lect cuts from the prolific, and you will have 

 like prolific in bloom. Study nature and learn 

 of life. 



Astor Park. Fla., Aug. 21, 1895. 



[No doubt the above plan can be made a suc- 

 cess, even here in the North, in the way of 

 propagating basswoods. There is certainly a 

 great difference, not only in the time the trees 

 bloom, but I think also in the amount of honey 

 secreted. Cuttines made fiom a desirable tree 

 ought to be worth a good deal more than trees 

 grown promiscuously from the seed. My im- 

 pression is, however, that it needs some experi- 

 ment and study to get the conditions just right. 

 Can any of our readers give us further facts 

 from experience in this line?— Ed.] 



