114 



FIR BALSAM. 



Standards on this line early in spring, they will con- 

 tinue to grow in this horizontal position, and make you 

 a most durable fence. 



People are apt to lop these standards at a wrong 

 time of year, and they lop them too high. If the 

 standard is four inches in diameter, it should be cut 

 within one foot of the ground, and then upwards, so 

 that the whole cutting may extend one foot in length : 

 cut the standard thus half off, and bend it dov/n in an 

 opposite direction from the cutting, carefully, so that it 

 may resemble an ox-bow half bent : then it will grow, 

 and make you a living fence. 



FIR BALSAM. 



The fir is not only a fine ornamental tree about our 

 dwelUngs and by the road-side, but its gum, or balsam, 

 is exceedingly useful when applied to fresh wounds 

 caused by bruises or cuts. It is readily gathered from 

 the tree at all times in the year, by simply making a 

 puncture in the body wherever you find a little blister- 

 ing under the bark. These blisters are numerous, and 

 are of the size of a large drop of water: take a sharp 

 penknife and tap them, and you may readily press out 

 the balsam into a cup, or spoon, and it is fit for use. 

 Apply this to the wound, and bind on a rag : you will 

 learn its virtues in your relief from pain, and by the 

 speedy healing of your wound. 



Trees of this kind, planted out about our dwellings, 

 should never stand so as to keep the sun from the 

 house in winter. We then want the whole force of 

 his rays to assist in warming our sitting parlor at the 

 south or southeast corner of the house. These trees, 

 bearing their leaves through the winter, are a nuisance 

 when placed between us and the sun. Their place is 

 at the north and west side of our houses, where, if we 



