44 



THE AMERICAN GARDEN. 



[March, 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



March is practically the last of the winter 

 months in the orchard and garden, although in 

 the show-windows of millinery and clothing- 

 stores spring begins the first of this month. 

 All preparatory work should therefore he 

 finished without delay ; and especially when 

 it is contemplated to make new plantations 

 or add to old ones, the selections should be 

 made carefully and deliberately, and the trees 

 and plants ordered at once. 



Where to buy is frequently a more serious 

 consideration than what to buy. Many per- 

 sons have been so unmercifully swindled by 

 so called " tree agents " or peddlers, that i 

 they have wisely concluded to beware of 

 them, and unwisely to set down as a fraud 

 any one who sells trees. Now, the fact is 

 that nurserymen as a class are, at least, as 

 honest and honorable as other business men. 

 The very nature of their business makes fair 

 dealing and the utmost care and accuracy a 

 necessity. A spurious tree is a damaging 

 and lasting reproof which no nurseryman of 

 sound mind would intentionally expose to 

 the view of those he wish*es to become his 

 customers. 



The Tree-Peddler's case is somewhat differ- 

 ent, While some, canvassing certain dis- 

 tricts from year to year, become familiar 

 with the special conditions of the localities 

 and the varieties best suited for them, are 

 personally acquainted with the residents, 

 and may be as readily relied upon as any 

 other traveling salesmen, there is another 

 class, and a numerous one, who never in- 

 tend or expect to visit the same places more 

 than once. During this raid they naturally 

 try to catch as many dupes as will allow | 

 themselves to become ensnared by their mis- 

 representations. They have generally no 

 other credentials to present but their un- 

 limited amount of cheek, and yet it is 

 almost incredible how many, otherwise clear- 

 headed persons, become their easy prey. 

 Still, as long as there are people to be found 

 who will send their solid dollars to fictitious 

 firms, expecting to get a fifty-dollar gold 

 watch in return for one or two dollars, fraud- 

 ulent tree-peddlers will continue their lucra- 

 tive business. 



Nurseries of unquestionable reliability may 

 now be found in every State, and with rare 

 exceptions all the most desirable varieties of 

 fruit-trees and plants may be had there as 

 good and cheap as anywhere. We cannot, 

 for obvious reasons, single out certain firms, 

 but we may state that all those whose adver- 

 tisements are found in our advertising 

 columns we believe to be perfectly reliable, 

 and that they will do all they promise, and 

 that, if any mistakes in filling orders should 

 occur, they will promptly and cheerfully 

 make satisfactory amends. All will send 

 catalogues free, or at a charge of not more 

 than to cover postage, and some of these 

 pamphlets contain an amount of valuable 

 information little expected by those who 

 have not examined them. 



In writing for catalogues or circulars to 

 any of our advertisers, or when sending or- 

 ders, we shall consider it a favor if our 

 readers will mention that they saw the ad- 

 vertisement in the American Garden. 



GRAFTING. 



The principal object of grafting fruit-trees 

 is to propagate varieties or sports which do 

 not come true from seed, and also to pro- 

 duce earlier bearing of seedlings or other 

 new kinds. Dwarfing of strong growing 

 kinds is also, effected by grafting them on 

 nearly related less vigorous species or varie- 

 ties, as for instance, the Pear on Quince 

 stock, or the Peach on Plum stock. The 

 nearer stock and graft are allied, the more 

 complete will be their union. 



WHIP GRAFTING. SADDLE GRAFTING. 



During the winter months the nurseryman 

 and amateur prepare their Boot Grafts for 

 spring setting. The operation is very simple, 

 and, if due care is used, can be performed by 

 any farmer or gardener. 



The stocks or seedlings are dug late in the 

 fall and stored in the cellar, packed in saw- 

 dust moderately moist. The scions should 

 also be cut before heavy freezing, and stored 

 in like manner in the cellar. 



Stock cut and split. Scions inserted. 

 CLEFT GRAFTING. 



Splice Grafting is the simplest form. The 

 root or stock is cut across at an angle near the 

 collar, the scion at a like angle or slope, and 

 the two fitted and bound together. 



Whip Grafting (see illustration) is but a 

 modification of splice grafting, and differs 

 only in splitting or tonguing the stock and 

 scion midway on the sloping cut of each, as 

 shown in the engraving, and thus locking 

 them together. 



They are afterward wound with waxed 

 thread or cotton yarn, and stored again in 

 the cellar until time for planting in the 

 spring. The inner bark of stock and scion 

 should join at least on one side, as the cell 

 circulation which unites the two is carried 

 on through the inner bark. 



Cleft Grafting is preferred when the stock 

 is much larger than the scion, as in renewing 

 the tops of orchard trees. The stock in this 

 case is cut square across, then split, and the 

 scions, which have been shaved down to a 

 wedge shape, are inserted, joining or con- 

 tiguous to the inner bark of the stock on 

 either side, as shown in the cut. The point 

 of union is then covered with grafting wax, 

 to exclude the air. A good grafting wax is 

 made of equal parts of rosin, beeswax and 

 tallow, melted together and applied warm ; 

 if applied cold a larger proportion of tallow 

 must be used, and a little linseed oil to 

 secure pliability. 



In Saddle Grafting (see cut) the operation 

 of cleft grafting is reversed, the stock being 

 shaved to a wedge shape, and the scion split 

 and pressed over it, 



J. Jenkins, 

 Author of The Art of Propagation. 



APPLES FOE EXPORT. 



An interesting account of the method of 

 selling Apples in England was given recently 

 before the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, 

 by Mr. Charles F. Curtis. He stated that this 

 is done wholly by auction. There are five 

 auctioneers in the business in Liverpool, 

 and all the Apples received are sold by one 

 of them. The sale is held in a large amphi- 

 theater, in the centre of which is a large 

 table, on which a barrel of each mark is 

 poured out as a sample. Each auctioneer 

 sells for three-quarters of an hour at a time, 

 and the sales continue, if necessary, till ten 

 o'clock at night. Apples are sold in lots of 

 twenty barrels each. The understanding is 

 that the Apples shall be perfectly tight in 

 the barrel, when such bring twenty-five 

 shillings per barrel; " shakers," or those not 

 tightly packed, will bring four shillings less. 

 The next grade is " wet and wasted," which 

 bring only half the price of the best. The 

 Baldwin is the only variety sold to any 

 amount ; it is the only one which can be 

 obtained in sufficient quantity to sell by the 

 thousand barrels. Retail lots and odds and 

 ends are not wanted. Sales are held three 

 days in a week. The trade dates from about 

 ten years ago. When it became apparent 

 that New England could raise Apples enough 

 for its own consumption, the New-York 

 growers began to ship. 



In packing, a basket of high-colored and 

 medium-sized specimens are placed in the 

 bottom of the barrel as close as possible, 

 with the stems all down, and the barrel is 

 shaken as often as a basketful is put in. It 

 is filled half an inch above the chimes, the 

 head is pressed in by means of a screw, and 

 the barrel is then turned over and marked 

 on the faced head, so that when opened it 

 shows an even and uniform surface. Apples 

 thus faced will bring from twenty-five to 

 fifty cents more than those not faced. There 

 is very little demand for Sweet Apples. 

 Apples are sometimes shipped successfully 

 in warm weather, when later shipments, in 

 cooler weather, will decay. 



Mr. Curtis, in answer to an inquiry, said 

 he did not think that cold storage would 

 keep Apples a month later than ordinary, 

 and a great disadvantage is that they must 

 be used as soon as taken out. Now very few 

 Russets are stored, owing to the improvement 

 in early Southern Apples, which formerly 

 were shaken off and raked up, but now are 

 gathered and packed properly. 



