278 THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE 



not be easily reached nor the necessary spraying done, 

 and tends to an early decay of the trunks and lower 

 branches. (See Fig. 51, page 148.) 



If new trees are to be planted, orders should be sent 

 in early and all plans as to distance and arrangement be 

 completed. 



Vineyard. The pruning of vines in the vineyard and 

 on buildings and garden trellises should not be delayed 

 or the flowing of sap when the buds begin to swell will 

 injure them. See method of training in Chapter IX. 



Small Fruits. Pruning of the raspberry and black- 

 berry canes may be done now, though some growers 

 delay this work until the buds begin to start that only 

 dead wood may be cut out. The old and very small 

 canes should be first cut out and then the new uninjured 

 canes headed back about one-fourth of their length. 



Vegetable Garden. Little outside work can be done 

 at the North during this month, except getting out 

 manure, securing supplies of fertilizers, seeds, etc., but 

 at the South out-door work is going on rapidly. Every- 

 thing that will relieve the rush when the weather will 

 permit of out-door work should be done. At the South 

 early crops of peas, lettuce, beets, radishes, rhubarb, 

 asparagus, etc., are now being harvested, while these 

 crops are in stages of development less advanced as we 

 go north until we find everything except such as are 

 under glass still in the icy bonds of frost and snow. 



Tools. Keep at work upon the tools, and have every 

 one put in the best possible condition. No one can do 

 good work with poor tools, and it will often pay to buy 

 new and improved ones, especially labor-saving imple- 

 ments like manure spreaders, weeders, wheel-hoes, seed 

 and fertilizer drills, etc. 



Fertilizers. Clean up the poultry houses, pig pens, 

 box stalls, manure sheds, etc., and take account of the 



