64 



SEASONABLE HINTS. 



Orchard Planting. — Let no one be per- 

 suaded to plant fruit trees too close together, 

 under the mistaken idea that it is a waste 

 of ground to give them more room than they 

 require during the first fifteen or twenty 

 years. It is, to the contrary, a far greater 

 waste to plant them too close. Until the 

 trees do occupy the entire ground, some 

 other crop may be grown between them, as 

 easily and profitably almost as in the open 

 field. In the closely-planted orchard, how- 

 ever, the trees will soon crowd each other, 

 exclude light and air, and consequently pro- 

 duce but partial and inferior crops for the 

 remaining fifty or more years of their exist- 

 ence. This is the "'penny-wise and pound- 

 foolish" system — in order to avoid a possible 

 small waste of ground during ten years to 

 incur a manifold greater one for the re- 

 mainder of one's life-time. 



Strong growing kinds of Apple-trees should 

 never be planted closer than thirty-five feet 

 apart each way ; and on strong soil, forty 

 feet will be found still more profitable. For 

 market purposes plant only reliable, saleable 

 kinds. One good, well-known market variety 

 is better than a miscellaneous assortment. 



Cuttings of Currants, Gooseberries, Grape- 

 vines, etc., may be made until the buds 

 start; but those cut last fall, or earlier this 

 season, may be more depended on. They 

 should be planted as soon as the ground is 

 dry and can be worked — never when it is 

 wet — in moderately rich, deep, mellowed, 

 and pulverized soil. If delayed till vegeta- 

 tion starts they cannot make sufficient roots, 

 before summer sets in, to resist heat and 

 drought. 



In a small way cuttings may be planted in 

 beds about four feet wide, with narrow paths 

 between them. A board, a foot wide, is laid 

 across the bed ; along its edge a trench is 

 dug with a sharp spade, so that the smooth, 

 sloping side rests against the board. Into 

 this trench the cuttings are placed, about 

 three inches apart, and pushed down deep 

 enough that only one bud remains just even 

 with the surface after leveling. Fine soil is 

 then drawn in, and firmly pressed against 

 the cuttings, especially the lower ends. The 

 board is then turned over, away from the 

 row just planted, and another trench opened, 

 using the soil for filling in the first one. 



In nurseries, where large quantities of 

 cuttings are made every year, they are 

 planted in long, parallel rows, about three 

 feet apart, so as to admit the use of horse 

 cultivators. 



The ground has to be stirred frequently, 

 and kept entirely clear ami free from weeds 

 all summer. In very dry seasons water- 

 ing may occasionally become necessary ; or 

 mulching with some fine material will prove 

 equally effectual. 



Small Fruits of all kinds may be planted 



Blackberries start very early, and should 

 therefore be planted as soon as possible. 

 When planted, cut off the canes to within a 

 few inches of the ground, and plant but very 

 little deeper than the plants stood in the nur- 

 sery. This rule applies to nearly all plants, 

 but especially to Blackcap Raspberries. 



INDOOR GRAPE CULTURE. 



Forcing of the European varieties of 

 Grapes has been practiced since the first 

 introduction of glass structures for growing 

 plants of any kind. Throughout Great Brit- 

 | ain the improvement in the culture of this 

 fruit has been remarkable, enormously heavy 

 bunches and larger crops being produced 

 than was possible under the old method. 



We have already some very successful 

 growers in this country, and every year is 

 adding new glass-houses for Grape cultiva- 

 tion. Owing to our hot summers, the treat- 

 ment has to be somewhat different from that 

 generally practiced in Europe, and the fol- 

 lowing method, resulting from long practical 

 experience, has been found most successful: 



PROPAGATION. 



Plants propagated from sin 6 le eyes 

 make the best vines. Let the eyes be cut 

 I from well-ripened canes, having about an 

 | inch of wood on each side ; place them sin- 

 gly in small pots, or into the cutting-bench, 

 | where a good strong bottom heat can be fur- 

 I nished. As soon as the roots are about an 

 inch long, if in the sand, put into small pots 

 in a soil consisting of turfy loam, leaf-mold, 

 and sufficient sand to keep the earth open ; 

 place where a good brisk heat can be given, 

 with plenty of moisture, to induce a good 

 rapid growth. As soon as the pots become 

 filled with roots, shift into two sizes larger, 

 i and keep growing. Upon no consideration 

 allow the plants to get stunted in growth, as 

 this always injures the future health and 

 vigor of the vines. The third shift will put 

 the plants into six-inch pots, and when this 

 size is filled with roots, most varieties of 

 Grapes are strong enough to be planted to 

 their permanent position, and their shoots 

 are long enough to be tied up to the wires 

 on which the vines are to be trained. 



GRAPERIES. 



Early, or forcing, graperies are best eon- 



i structed on the lean-to system ; that is, hav- 

 ing a long sloping roof to the south against a 



j back wall of brick or wood. In building, 

 allow ample means for giving ventilation at 

 top and front, especially at top, as it is im- 

 perative to have plenty of air when required. 

 I have seen more fruit scalded in houses 

 from insufficient ventilation than from all 



j other causes together. Front ventilation is 

 only to be used when the fruit is beginning 



J to ripen, as when applied when the vines are 

 making a rapid growth it often causes mil- 

 dew, — the greatest evil to contend with in 

 growing Grapes indoors. 



The border or bed in which the vines are 

 to grow should be formed of good, rich, turfy 

 loam, — the surface of an old pasture, cut up 

 into small pieces, being the most suitable. 

 Give a good mixture of pure ground bone 

 and well-rotted horse manure. Richness in 

 a vine border is indispensable, but I do not 

 believe in using for the purpose bodies of 

 animals of any kind. When I first began 

 the formation of grapery borders, it was 

 deemed necessary to bury some dead animal 

 into them, to thoroughly enrich the soil. 

 Such notions of fertilizing are now anti- 

 quated. Although grape-vines are strong 

 feeders, it has been learned that their roots 

 will not remain in a healthy condition when 

 in contact with a wet mass of undecomposed 

 animal matter. 



In forming the border, have it thoroughly 



drained; if not naturally so, have it slope 

 j from the house to the front, about twelve 

 feet broad, and from two to three feet deep. 

 A dry border is necessary for success; stag- 

 nant water around the roots of the vines, 

 especially during winter, is sure destruction 

 to them. About two feet is all that is 

 needed for a border inside of the house, as 

 roots of grape-vines will not stay long in- 

 side a house if they can get plenty of food 

 outside. 



Mansfield Milton. 



WHAT TO PLANT. 



In many localities, the growing of Grapes 

 may be made profitable: for these can be 

 shipped long distances at cheap rates of 

 I freight ; in others, Apples, Pears, or Peaches 

 I can be grown to advantage. Since the in- 

 troduction of the ice-house and refrigerator 

 system, large quantities of Grapes, Pears, 

 and Apples are stored and held for an ad- 

 vanced market, which is of great benefit to 

 those who would, otherwise be compelled to 

 ship their fruit as soon as it matures. 



In some valleys Cherries can be grown to 

 perfection, and with but slight risk of losing 

 a crop. When this is the case, I would ad- 

 vise to plant some of the dark-skinned varie- 

 ties, as these carry and sell better than the 

 white ones, which are liable to discolor 

 during transportation. Then, if you can 

 grow Cherries, no doubt you could grow 

 Plums — at least, you could try a few trees, 

 and soon learn the fact ; but let your varie- 

 ties be of the large, fancy kind, as the com- 

 mon stock is generally cheap and plenty. 

 If you can grow Plums, perhaps you could 

 grow Apricots, which, when large and of 

 fine color, sell well, and there is a large 

 demand for them at all times. 



Machines for evaporating fruit are now 

 so cheap that every fruit-growing district 

 should have at least one. When the price 

 i of fruit falls below a paying figure, these 

 dryers can always utilize the crop. Dried 

 Blackberries usually sell for about eight 

 cents per pound ; Raspberries, from twenty- 

 five to thirty cents per pound ; while Cher- 

 ries range from twenty-one to twenty-three 

 cents per pound. Evaporated Apples and 

 Peaches always meet with a ready sale, — 

 the former ranging from fourteen to fifteen 

 cents. While Peaches, peeled, range from 

 twenty-three to twenty-five cents, unpeeled 

 Peaches sell from twelve to fourteen cents 

 per pound. I believe it would pay a grower 

 to raise Raspberries exclusively for drying, 

 when a drying-house is located near him. 

 Even the wild Huckleberries, dried, have be- 

 come an article of shipment, and are now 

 selling' from twelve to thirteen cents per 

 pound. 



With fruits, as with eggs, it is not a safe 

 plan to put all in one basket, for, if an 

 accident happen it, all the eggs might get 

 broken ; but, by dividing, you can save a 

 portion of them. Don't, rush into any one 

 variety until you have tested your ability to 

 grow and sell it. 

 Although it is not advisable to plant a 

 t large number of varieties for market, it is 

 | well to try, in a small way, such new kinds 

 i as appear promising ; then you can judge for 

 yourself, and from your own experience, 

 which is, after all, the best teacher. 



C. W. Idell. 



