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THE GENESEE FARMER. 







COTTAGE KESIDEXCE OF W. H. ASPIXWiiLL, STATEN ISLAND 



SPECIMEN OF,_AMSEICAN LANDSCAPE AND 

 GARSENINU 



"We extract from Downing's Landscape Garden- 

 ing and. Rural Architecture, the accompaiiyinsr en- 

 gravinjT of the beautiful cottage residence of W. H. 

 AspixwALL on Staten Island. It is a fine specimen 

 of Ami rican Landscape Gardening. 



The house is in the English cottage style, and 

 from its open lawn in front, the eye takes in a wide 

 view of the ocean, the narrows, and the blue hills of 

 Neversiuk. In the rear of the cottage the surface 

 is much broken and varied, and finely wooded and 

 planted. In improving this picturesque site, a nice 

 sense of the charm of natural expression has been 

 evinced; and the sudden variations from smooth, 

 open surface to wild, wooded banks, with rocky, 

 moss-covered flights of steps, strike the stranger 

 equally with surprise and delight. A charming 

 greenhouse, a knotted flower-garden, and a pretty, 

 rustic moss-house, are among the interesting points 

 of this spirited place. 



To Prevent GirdliiVg by Mice. — A correspon- 

 dent in Riley, Iowa, gives the following as an effect- 

 ual preventive for the depredations of mice and rab- 

 bits on fruit trees, which, perhap?, is worth trying, al- 

 though we doubt its efficacy. It is as follows: " Se- 

 lect so.7ie fine young crab-apple trees, and plant thera 

 out in rows where you wish your orchard, and wait 

 till they get well growing. Then select your scions, 

 and at the proper season graft the trees, and in due 

 time you will have an orchard of trees which neither 

 rabbits, mice, or any other animals will girdle or bark. 

 If any one doubts the above, let him try the experi- 

 nient on one tiee.' D. F. K. — Riley, Vigo county, 

 Iowa,. 



CcRR FOR Gooseberry Mildew. — Pcrape off the 

 ronuh bark in the spring, before the buds swell, and 

 apply soft soap freely to the bushes and roots, as far 

 as you can reach them ; afterward.s, a few times wash- 

 ing them, while the fruit is growinsr, with soap-suds. 

 Watering young plants a few times in the summer, 

 will prevent the mildew. L. Faibbanks. — Whitby, 



aw. 



HINTS FOR THE MONTH, 



January is not a month in which much work can 

 be done in the open garden ; but in mild weather, 

 the pruniiig of hardy trees may be proceeded with. 

 The pruning of fully developed garden or orchard 

 standard trees, will consist merely in cutting away 

 any wounded or broken branches that may have hap- 

 pened in the gathering of the fruit, by the ladder or 

 other means ; and the cutting out of all shoots that 

 may have been produc d in the fork or up the ma^n 

 arms or in the middle of the tree. Do not allow the 

 middle of the tree to become crowded with twiggy 

 and nseleps wood ; it chokes up and impedes the free 

 circulation of air among the leaves and truit, and ob- 

 structs the action of the sap, (so essential to the full 

 development of fine healthy leaves and fair fruit,) in 

 the main branches. A convenient and easy method 

 of cutting out these little branches in the middle 

 of the tree is, to take a sharp chisel, on a handte 

 five or six feet long, place the edge of the chisel on 

 the under side of the branch and close to the tree, 

 then a smart tap with a mallet will take it off at a 

 blow. Cut away any pieces that are crossing ar 

 chafing each other. Always make the cut from the 

 under side of the branrh and slanting upM'ards, so 

 that the wet may not lodge upon the wound. I am 

 greatly of opinion that the spot and rust which we 

 see so much of, upon the surface of so many poor 

 specimens of apples, is owing to poor cultivation of 

 the soil and reglect in careful pruning. 



Attend to the mulching of young and newly 

 planted trees, and il snow has cu'lected about them 

 either throw it away or tread it down hard, or mice 

 are apt to work beneath and girdle the trees. 



This is, also, the time to mend and repair gar- 

 den tools, paint watering cans, and paint and repair 

 hot-bed frames and sashes. Josiah Salter. 



Fly on Cherry Trees. — T was once told by a 

 friend that burning brimstone under cherry trees, 

 while in bloom, will preserve them against the fly 

 which deposites its eg^s in the young fruit, thereby 

 destroying the product of the tree for the season. 

 Have any of the readers of the Genesee Farmer 

 tried it, and with what result ? D. — Gates. 



