THE GENESEE FARMER. 



345 



FALL WORK IN THE GARDEN. 



At this season, so much is to be done that a word 

 in reference to some points of garden-culture may 

 not be unprofitable. 



Blaokbekries and Raspberries should have all 

 tfaeir old canes cut away, close to the ground, and 

 tlie young suckers removed, leaving only four or 

 five of the stronger in each hill. All the superflu- 

 ous plants may be made into a new plantation, if 

 desired. A good top-dressing of manure applied 

 now, to be finally spaded in, in the spring, will 

 repay the labor with a generous increase of fruit, 

 lu the moi*e Nortliern States and the Canadas, it is 

 higlily beneficial, if not necessary, to bend the canes 

 down, so that the tops may lie on the ground, and 

 1*6 covered with a little earth. 



Currant Bushes may be pruned of all old or 

 diseased wood, and the new shoots partially cut 

 back, which will ensure a more vigorous growth 

 tiie ensuing season. Black Currants should be 

 pruned, with the purpose of obtaining a supply of 

 new wood from the bottom every year, as it is from 

 such wood only that fruit is obtained. 



A layer of coarse manure placed upon the Straw- 

 berry beds will serve the double purpose of enrich- 

 ijig the soil and preventing the plants from being 

 thrown out of the ground by frost. If the plants 

 stand too thick for fruitmg well, they should now 

 be thinned out. 



Dwarf Pear and Dwarf Apple Trees may have 

 their young wood cut back one-half or two-thirds, 

 attention being paid to the symmetry and the pecu- 

 liar habits of each tree. Unless dwarf trees are 

 tiioroughly pruned, annually, thus promoting the 

 growth of strong wood, their tendency to overbear 

 will soon exhaust them of their vitality, and pro- 

 mote their early decay. 



During the latter part of this month, and through 

 December, Grape vines may be pruned and securely 

 fastened to their .trellises, or, if tender, laid down 

 and covered with straw or litter. 



Roses, Spireas, Dkutzias, Althkas, and all 

 other shrubs that produce their flowers on the new 

 wood, should be well shortened in. 



It is not too late, any time this month, to plant 

 spring-flowering bulbs, such as Crocuses, Hyacinths, 

 Tulips, &c. Where these are planted, let the soil 

 be enriched with well-rotted manure, and spaded 

 deep, and of fine tilth. Crocuses and the smaller 

 bulbs should be covered about two inches deep, 

 and Hyacinths and Tulips about four inches. 



Lilies, which deserve a place in every garden, 

 may now be planted ; and on no account should it 

 be deferred until spring, which would prevent them 

 from blooming. Lilium Japonicum and L. longi- 

 florum are exceptions to this remark, and should 

 be treated quite difi'erently. They should be taken 

 up in the fall, before they have been injured by 

 frost, and preserved in dry sand during the winter, 

 and planted in the spring, as early as the ground 

 can be worked. 



Peonias do much better when transplanted at 

 this season, than in spring. 



Let all the rubbish be cleared away. Sticks that 

 have been used in tying up tall-growing plants, 

 should be gathered together and packed away for 

 future use. 



Gravel walks may be rolled hard, and grass edg- 

 ings trimmed, and every thing made to assume as 

 neat an appearance as possible, for the winter 

 season. 



Many other things will be found to be done, 

 which we can not here mention. A well-kept 

 garden and lawn are sources of gratification during 

 even the most inclement parts of the year. 



Catawba Grapes. — We have not seen a perfectly 

 ripe bunch of Catawba grapes grown in this vicin- 

 ity the present season. Indeed, the Catawba sel- 

 dom or never ripens perfectly here in the open air 

 on the trellis. W^e have seen some this season grow- 

 ing against the wall of a house that were nearly 

 ripe, especially those bunches which grew near the 

 end of the vines, some thirty feet from the ground. 

 The bunches and berries were very large, but not 

 ripe. The President of our Horticultural Society 

 informs us that he tasted some Catawba grapes 

 grown this season at Niagara Falls on the trellis, 

 that were perfectly ripe, and much larger than the 

 Catawbas received here from Cincinnati. The cli- 

 mate along the Niagara river is undoubtedly influ- 

 enced materially by the immense body of water 

 passing over the Falls, and by Lakes Erie and On- 

 tario. The finest grapes we have ever seen in this 

 State were grown in Chautauque county, on a Jiigli 

 ridge of sandy land. Whether this is to be attril>- 

 uted to soil and culture, or to the climate, we can 

 not say — probably to all three. 



