248 



THE GENESEE FAR^kfER. 



WALKS AND TALKS IN THE GAEDEN— NO. IV. 



" HoWbadly the cherries have rotted this year. 

 It is a striking example of the rapidity with which 

 fnngns multiplies and spreads. It will spread over 

 a whole tree in twenty-four hours, affecting almost 

 every cherry." 



"The plums, too, are affected. I have one tree 

 on which every ])lnm has rotted, and now nothing 

 remains but the dried and shriveled skins and 

 stones. What with the black-knot, curculio and 

 the rot, plums are decidedly a precarious fruit." 



" There is no fruit I like better than the rasp- 

 berry — and none that is more easily raised. They 

 produce abundantly, are not liable to any diseases 

 (that I am aware of,) come at a season when we have 

 no other fhuit, and a plantation will last for years." 



" The young suckers that I set out last year are 

 now producing a fair crop. Having more suckers 

 than were required, the gardener pricked them out 

 by themselves, intending to fill up any vacancies 

 that might occur. They were not needed, and this 

 spring in digging the plot, they were taken up and 

 heeled in. They lay there in a bundle till about 

 the first of June, when a city friend, who is build- 

 ing himself a new house and fixing up his garden 

 in the meantime, called, and I told him he might 

 have them, if he chose to run the risk of their 

 growing. He set them out, and, a few days ago, 

 I called on his wife and she remarked : ' I have 

 not taken much interest in our new gnrden ; but 

 yesterday John brought me a dish of the most de- 

 licious raspberries from those vines yon gave him, 

 and it has given me quite a horticultural fever. I 

 am now quite anxious to get into our new home.' " 



" That is the way it works. We blame Ameri- 

 can ladies for not taking an interest in out-door 

 pursuits, but after all is not the fault with us? If 

 we would fix up our gardens, set out choice ft-nits 

 and flowers, and get the thing fairly started, our 

 wives and daughters would soon take an interest, — 

 and when once they became interested there would 

 be no lack of choice fruit in future.*' ♦ 



" I did not tell this good lady that strawberriei 

 and raspberries could be set out about this timi 

 and bear fruit next year, or I fancy John wonllii 

 have no peace till the thing was done." 



"Speaking of raspberries, I have some black' 

 caps that I am going to train differently in future 

 On one stool last year all the shoots were acci 

 dently broken off but one. It is now a »mall tree 

 loaded with fruit ! I have made up my mind nevei 

 to leave more than two canes to a hill in future 

 and, if strong enough, I think one would be sufB 

 cient. They will require far less labor to trail 

 them up and attend to them." 



" There is no accounting for tastes ; but I canno 

 understand how you can prefer the blackcaps t( 

 our cultivated raspberries. Give me a dish o 

 Brinckle's Orange or Hudson River Antwerp, an( 

 you are welcome to your blackcaps." 



"Matters of taste are determined by majorities 

 and you will find, on inquiry, that the blackcap 

 sell for most in market." 



"It was so a year or two ago, bnt it is not thi 

 case at present. Blackcaps were selling yesterday 

 in the city at seven cents per box, while ordinan 

 raspberries were in demand at nine cents. I an 

 told, too, that some who have gone quite exten 

 sively into the cultivation of the blackcsipsfor mar 

 ket have abandoned them, owing to the unpleasan 

 labor of pruning and gathering tliera. You wan 

 a coat of mail before venturing among the pricklj 

 branches." 



"Mulching in dry weather is of more benefii 

 than is generally supposed." 



" Doctors disaarree on that point. The editor o 

 the Gardener's MontliJy in the last number says 

 that it may be desirable sometimes to mulch « 

 weak or sickly tree, but that it is ' usually a ques 

 tionable practice.' " 



"I set out some pear trees this spring, ant 

 among them was a Winter Nelis. It is usually i 

 slow grower, but in this case it did not grow ai 

 all. I thought it would die ; but I poured tw( 

 pailfols of water round the roots, and then mulch 

 ed the tree with some green grass. The tree start- 

 ed immediately, ^nd has now made a y&rj fail 

 growth." 



" Perhaps it was owing to the water, bnt proba- 

 bly owing to both. Mulching will not f^ipplu 

 moisture, it only checks the evaporation of thf 

 moisture already in the ground. You watered th< 

 tree (horoughly, and then mulched it to prevent 

 the water from evaporating. I have no doubt thai 

 mulching in soch a case is a decided benefit." 



