878 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



The best time for planting an orchard in the Middle 

 States is in October or November, and in the West- 

 ern States in the spring. The best time to take up 

 the trees is late in the fall, after the wood is well 

 ripened. When the trees are taken up, see that the 

 roots are injured as little as possible, and allow them 

 to be exposed to the air no longer than is absolutely 

 necessary to effect their removal. If they are to be 

 kansported any distance, see that they are securely 

 packed in moderate sized cases or packages, with a 

 suflicient quantity of moss about their roots, to keep 

 them from drying; and whenever the cases are open- 

 ed, have the trees placed temporarily in the ground 

 with as little delay as possible. All fruit trees which 

 are removed from the Eastern nurseries to the West- 

 ern States in the fall, should be heeled in and covered 

 with litter of some kind for the winter, where they 

 will remain in good order, and be ready for early 

 planting in the spring. One great drawback attend- 

 ing the removal of fruit trees from the East to the 

 West in spring, is, that the season is usually too far 

 advanced before they reach their destination. 



If the foregoing directions have been attended to, 

 the trees will be in good order for planting whenever 

 the ground is fit to receive them. When the trees 

 are removed from their temporary quarters, see that 

 the roots are in good order, for all trees, in the pro- 

 cess of removal, have their roots more or less injured; 

 they should therefore be thoroughly examined, and 

 those which have been mutilated'should be cut back 

 1o a sound part, with a sharp knife. The holes 

 f^hould be made large enough to admit of the roots 

 being spread out horizontally without touchirg the 

 sides, and planted no deeper than is necessary to 

 cover all the roots. Tread the ground around the 

 tree moderately, not too hard, but sufhcient to keep 

 the tree firmly in its place. Insert a good strong 

 stake firmly in the ground by the side of each tree, 

 and tie the tree securely to it. At the time of plant- 

 ing, some of the trees will require a slight pruning, 

 but only just so much as is necessary to adjust the 

 head to the roots; and, finally, previous to the set- 

 ting in of dry weather, every tree should be well 

 mulched with hay or straw, or any kind of litter; by 

 this means a proper degree of moisture may always 

 be retained about the roots of the trees. This mode 

 •will be found far preferable to watering. 



Spectator. 



IS IT DESIEABLE TO PLANT FRUIT TREES IN THE 

 HIGHWAY. 



I ANSWER yes, for several reasons; the first is, there 

 is a lack of fruit in this country, the demand being 

 much greater than the supply; and every fruit tree 

 that is planted and properly taken care of will bear 

 fruit sometime, and of course help to supply the de- 

 mand. Another reason is, trees properly planted and 

 arranged on the side of the highway help to beautify 

 it, and make it pleasant for those who travel on it, 

 besides being an addition to the farm upon which 

 they are planted, and a source of constant pleasure 

 to the owner. 



Now, while I write this, I have a particular kind 

 (if fi'uit tree in view, and that is the Cherry; — not 

 that there no others as good, but because there is 

 the greatest lack of fruit at the season of the year 

 when cherries are ripe, and because they supply food 

 for those true friends of the farmer, the birds. As it 



is now, there is a continual warfare against the birds, 

 which ought to cease, as they do more towards de- 

 stroying insects and worms which spoil the fruit than 

 almost anything else. Who ever heard of any body 

 that had too many cherries being troubled by the 

 birds getting them? Let the birds have the first that 

 get ripe, as they most always see the wormy ones, 

 and they will put a check upon the worms for 

 another year. 



In conclusion, let me say, get some nice Cherry 

 trees; some of as good a variety as there is, that is 

 known to be hardy, and which will ripen at about the 

 same time as those in your orchard or garden, and 

 plant them by the side of the hiijbway, and dedicate 

 them to tlie birds, or anybody else that has a mind 

 to ask for a few to eat (as every person will that has 

 good manners), and they will be a source of enjoy- 

 ment which you will not willingly part with. 



H. B. S. 



BONES AND BLACKBERRY PLANTS. 



Editors Genesee Farmer: — In your valuable 

 Rural Annual for 1858 I see that the article on 

 manures speaks highly of superphosphate of lime 

 and bones. The strong desire which plants seem to 

 have for bones, and the attraction by which the roots 

 are drawn to osseous substances is very remarkable. 



We have all read the article which not long since 

 went the rounds of the newspapers, stating how 

 straight a grape vine would send out a root toward 

 a bono placed near it, and with what apparent avidi- 

 ty that root would entwine its fibres around the 

 bone, and completely enfold it in its embrace. 



In digging some of my New Rochelle Blackberry 

 plants for sale, the other day, we found a singular 

 lump at the end of one of the roots, which, on ex- 

 amination, proved to be a good sized beef bone. The 

 root had gone nearly two I'eet from the plant to the 

 bone; but, as the latter lay in the earth broadside to 

 the plant, the root had gone around to the end of 

 the bone, had then entered and traversed the whole 

 length of the cancellated structure of the centre, 

 throwing out its fibres inside, as the grape vine above 

 mentioned is said to have done outside. 



This shows that the grape is not alone in its cra- 

 ving for the phosphate, and all farmers should care- 

 fully economize what is now too often thrown away; 

 the very aliment most desired by many of the plants, 

 in their gardens. C. P. Bissell. 



Rochester, JV. Y, JYov. 10, 1857. 



To Dry Parsley for Winter Use. — Choose a 

 dry, warm day, when the leaves are free from moist- 

 ure. Gather as much fresh, good parsley as you can 

 spare; cut off the stems, and place it lij^htly on 

 sheets of newspaper, in an oven not very hot. where 

 it will dry gradually. It should remain until crisp; 

 and the heat should not have been sufficient to re- 

 move the green colour. When cold, put it in jars or 

 wide-mouthed bottles, and well cork it down. It is' 

 most useful as a winter store. Lemon thyme, mint 

 and sage, may be similarly kept, until the young 

 shoots give a supply in the spring. 



If apples do not tall from the trees of themselves, 

 they should be shaken or knocked off". Letting them 

 remain on the trees all winter ia one great cause of 

 the numerous skin diseases now so prevalent in neg- 

 lected orchards. 



