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136 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



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HORTICULTURAL. 



We have long supposed that the failure 

 of the Heart Cherry in this regioQ was 

 caused by the exceeding richness of the 

 soil. In the same latitude, east of the 

 mountains in poor soil, Heart Cherry trees 

 grow to a large size, and, it is said, will last 



lor a century. 



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lulching. 



This is a term used by horticulturists for 

 shading the ground around growing trees, 

 shrubs and plants. There are many plants 

 so delicate in their structure, that they ab- 

 solutely require mulching the first summer, 

 to insure their roots a firm hold in the 

 ground. But as most of our summers are 

 so dry and hot, there are few plants that 

 are hot benefi tted by mulching. 



If the ground around fruit trees is cleared 

 of the weeds and grass, and mulched with 

 leaves or straw, immediately after a rain, 

 the tree will be invigorated, and a fine crop 

 of fruit will be the reward. Roses that are 

 wilting, and showing a^ickly bloom will be 

 revived, and bloom in beauty, by mulching 

 when the ground is moist. The Dahlia, a 

 plant that requires a great deal of moisture, 

 will bloom in perfection until frost, if kept 

 properly mulched throughout the summer. 

 Now, when we recommend mulohing, we do 

 not mean a few leaves or straws placed im- 

 mediately around the plant, but a ccating 

 so thick that the sun cannot penetrate 

 through, and placed as far from the plant or 

 tree as the influence of the roots extend. 

 Anything that will shade the ground; rock, 

 brick or plank, will answer to mulch with ; 

 but substances that in their decomposition 

 will make a soil, are decidedly preferable. 

 The native forests mulch themselves, and we 

 see how rank and vigorons ^hey grow. We 

 think that, unle*-? the surface be kept con- 

 stantly stirred sronnd n *Tee or plant, the 

 Tays of the sun shou; ; utr^v r;.vt upon it. 

 Those who look upon labor anJ efl"ort as a 

 great bug-bear, may get along v»-ithout mulch- 

 ing. But those wLio mulch properly actual- 

 ly save tiine and labor, for when it is well 

 done, the labor is done for the year, and the 

 soil is all the time being enriched, as the 

 plant grows and perfects itself. Therefore 

 we say to the orchardist, mulch around your 

 fruit trees; to the vine-grower, mulch around 

 the grape vines; to the gardt-ner, mulch 

 among the vegetables; to our fair lady 

 florists, mulch among the flowers, mulch — 

 mulch — mulch. Never tire of mulching.— 

 [Soil of the South. 



TransplatiDg Evergreens. 



I wish to give your numerous readers my 

 rales for transplanting evergreens, for I 

 think them as easily transplanted as the 

 apple tree. The time here is about the 

 I5th of June, or after the tops have made 

 from one to two inches new growth. First 

 dig your holes for your trees, dig them large 

 and deep, then take a stake six feet long 

 and drive it down in the center of your hole 

 two feet deep, then fill the hole with fine soil 

 to within six inches of the top, then dig up 

 your trees with as many roots as you can 

 get, and set them out as soon as you can, 

 filling aronnd the roots with fine soil. After 

 you have got the roots c'ovp'*ed two inches 

 deep pour in one pail of water, then wind 

 some lags around the top of your stake, and 

 tie the tree firmly to the stake, and keep it 

 so tied for two years; and don't forget to 

 cover the ground for two feet each way from 

 your tree, with old hay or straw eight 

 inches deep, and put ou some stones to keep 

 it from blowing away. 



In this way I have "set out Pine, Heui- 

 lock. Spruce, and Balsam Fir, without losing 

 one tree. — [Country Geat. W. 



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To Make Cream Cheese. — The following are 

 two recipes: — Take a quart of cream, or, 

 if not desired very rich, add thereto one 

 pint of niw milk; ".'arm it in hot water till 

 it is about the heat of milk from the cow, 

 add a small quantify of rennet (a table- 

 spoonful is suflBcient,; let it stand till thick, 

 then break it slightly with a spoon, and 

 place it in the frame in which yon havQ 

 previously put a fine canvass cloth; press it 

 slightly with a weight; let it stand a few 

 hours, then put a finer cloth ia the frame; 

 a little powdered salt may be put over the 

 cioth. It will be fit for use in a day or two. 

 Another Mf^thod. — If cream is scarce, so 

 that r. snP .;.;;, r idantity cannot be had at 

 once, take a fine canvas bag, and pour as 

 much cream as you may happen to have into 

 it, adding additional small quantities twice 

 a day. and from its becoming naturally sour, 

 the thin part will drain through the canvas, 

 and the remainder will prove an excellent 

 cheese. If one quart of cream can be had 

 at once, and poured into a fine canvas bag, 

 it will make a nice sizt-d cheese, and of 

 i course equrjly good as those made by sev- 

 eral small qnantiiies added at convenient in- 

 tervals. The cheeses made in this way are 

 not fit for use* so soon as those made with 

 rennet. 



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