rROCEEDINGS OP THE FAHMERs' CLUB. lOl 



nourishes tlic trco and protects it from tlio sun. TTo was in favor 

 of fall plowing, fall dip;ging and mnlcliing. If land is mulched 

 with coarse manure in the fall it is leached just whore it is wanted. 



'^I'lie Chairman recommendcid mulching, and in watering to put 

 two or three pounds of IN'ruvian guano with a barrel of water, 

 and to use the solution, especially for small fruit. Digging to 

 keep the ground mellow is very important in the summer. 



Mr. Carpenter. — What I objected to was watering upon the 

 bare ground, Avhich becomes as hard as a brickbat. The tree, if 

 newly planted out, must die under such treatment. Digging 

 around the tree carries moisture to the roots, and assists the 

 tree in making new roots. 



THE AUSTIN STUAwnKRRY. 



Mr. Carpenter exhibited a dish of Austin strawberries, grawn 

 eight miles from Albany, the largest of which weighed an ounce, 

 and measured 5^ inches in circumference. This strawberry 

 floui'ishes best in a sandy soil, and a|)j)earH lo bo a good market 

 berry. It is very productive, and by some is preferred to all 

 other varieties; but it is yet a new berry, and some which havo 

 been longer known could be recommended with nioro confidcnco. 



THE KASPIJKKUY PllUNlNG. 



Mr. Carpenter said that raspberries had been much ixighicted, 

 and probably in part from the trouble of covering thiMu in the 

 fall. There are some new varieties, as the Belle de Fontenay and 

 Doolittle's Ulack Cap, Avhicli promise to be ])erfectly hardy. They 

 will give aV)undanco of fruit, with as little care as currants. 

 Brinkle's Orange he regarded as the best raspberry, but it re«piirc8 

 covering. 



Mr. Doughty had found the l>elle de Fontenay a perfectly hardy 

 and prolific berry, as well as one of the best fruits. Doolittle's 

 Black (^ap he feared would prove too small. 



The (Jhairman stated that proper pruning would almost su{>cr- 

 sede covering. About the time of the summer solstice, if the 

 Bhoot is six feet high, cut it down to four feet, and it will send 

 out strong lateral branches. \i' they are very vigorous shorten 

 them. TIk; })lant will then ri{)en and harden its wood, so that 

 it will stand the wintc^r. So with the blackberry. In this way 

 he had obtained fruit from the very top of lir inkle's Orange. 



Mr. Carpenter had tried this method to some extent upon shrub- 

 bery. He had found the grapevine better prepared for the winter 



