CAiVA DIAK JIORTICUL'J UJiJST. 



183 



of leaves taken away; then stir tlie 

 soil gently, and if necessary enrich by a 

 top dressing of compost. If lie wishes 

 to propagate from any of the plants 

 which he has raised because of their 

 superior flowers, it can be done by care- 

 fully dividing the roots after blooming 

 season is over and the seed has ripened. 



Cutting off Tops of Strawbeppy Plants. 



75. Does it work well to cut the t<)i)H of Ktraw- 

 berry j)laiits after they are done fruiting to keep 

 them in hounds ? — Kkaijkk ok the Hohticul- 

 TVKI.ST, PtntUitujHtshi'nc. 



Riphj III/ John Little, Uranton, Ont. 



Reme.muerixg the leaves are tlie life 

 of the plant, it will retard the growth 

 of the plant ; but with frequent water- 

 ing and keeping the earth loose 

 about the plants, and an occasional 

 dressing of ivood ashes, not too much at 

 a time, he will be surprised at the result. 



In the west, where they are troubled 

 with Blic^ht, sun scald and Crown-borer, 

 they mow oti" the tops of the plants, and 

 when dry burn them off, and cultivate 

 without any detriment to the plants. 



Movable Fence. 



7<). Would you please describe the Movable 

 Fence referred to in the report for 1886, p. 11. 

 — H. E., Napanee. 



It was Mr. Beadle who made the re- 

 ference and he says he had in mind the 

 common hurdle fence, well known to 

 all old-countrymen, and made of 

 various patterns in this country ; they 

 are easily taken apart, and moved as 



Fio. 71. 



circumstances recjuire. The Rural 

 New Yorker gives a very good design 

 for a movable fence in No. for June IG, 

 which we copy. Fig. 72 represents 

 the post which is made of an inch 

 board 5 feet long and 8 inches wide; 



h. h. represent up- 

 right pieces made 

 of 2 inch plank, 

 of desired height, 

 and c. is about 4 

 inches wide, and 

 supports the top 

 Ijoard d. of the 

 pannel. The boards 

 of the pannels may be 12 or 16 feet 

 long, and the strips e. e. are 4 inches 

 wide the middle one included to pre- 

 vent endward movement. 



Fiu. 72. 



Apple Root Grafts. 



77. Will you V)e kind enough to let me know 

 in your next number how Apple (irafts set this 

 spring should be treated for three years. I 

 have set them in rows two-and-a-half feet apart 

 and eighteen inches in row. How late in the 

 season should they be cultivated and how 

 pruned ? 



You have set your rows too close, 

 and you will Hnd great difficulty in 

 getting through witii a horse and 

 cultivator when the trees are three 

 years of age ; thiee or three-and-a half 

 feet would be better. Ten or twelve 

 inches apart in the rows is far enough. 

 Give good cultivation as you would 

 corn, up to the month of August, when 

 you should cease it to allow of early 

 ripening of the young wood. Prune by 

 encouraging one npriglit stock, but do 

 not rub offspurs or leaves too closely up 

 the trunk, or the tree will be too slender. 



Pruning Small Fruits. 



78. Should the young wood of this spring's 

 gro\vth of the currants, gooseberries and rasj)- 

 berries, which is most rami)ant, Ite cut back ? 

 If so, when, and how much? Wji. McM,— 

 Niagara. 



The young wood of raspberry and 

 blackberry canes should be cut back 

 when it reaches the desired height in 

 order to produce stocky growth, and to 

 develop side branches. Two-and-a-half 

 or three feet is a good height. 



It is usual to prune currant and 

 gooseberry bushes in fall or early spring, 

 thinning out the old wood and all 

 superfluous branches, and in case of the 

 former to cut back the young wood one- 

 half or two-thirds its new growth 



