THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA 
473 
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December's Work in the Garden 
By Henry Gibson, Pennsylvania 
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THERE is but little that can be done in this depart- 
ment this month, save to continue cleaning up, 
and making the place presentable before snow- 
comes to put an end to these operations. Any necessary 
pruning of shrubs can be proceeded with, and all beds 
that have been planted with spring flowering bulbs 
should be mulched with litter as soon as the ground is 
frozen two or three inches. It is well to have plenty of 
litter on hand where it is most likely to be needed when 
cold weather s t is in in earnest. 
In the vegetable garden very little can be done, but to 
get ready for another season, spinach and other plants 
needing protection should have it as soon as the ground 
is frozen, and the final covering should be given to celery, 
in trenches, or roots in pits, and if not already done give 
the asparagus bed a liberal coating of manure. Bean 
poles, pea brush and stakes of all kinds should be looked 
over, the tool-house put in order, and everything put in 
shape for next spring. Every effort ought to be made 
to have all vacant land trenched or ploughed before the 
ground is hard frozen. The disintegrating influence of 
frost and snow on soil, especially that of a heavy nature, 
is worth a good many cultivations during the growing 
season, and for this reason, if for no other, the ground 
ought to be turned over and left as rough as possible to 
the elements of winter. 
In such sections of the country where protection from 
severe frost is necessary, grape-vines, blackberries, rasp- 
berries, etc., should be loosened from their supports and 
laid down and covered with soil, leaves, straw or other 
available material. The washing of fruit trees, with an 
alkali solution, is to be recommended. Not only are 
mosses and lichens, but insect and fungus pests de- 
stroyed in this way. A cheap and effective wasb is made 
of a saturated solution of soft soap and common salt 
( brine ) or caustic soda. Of course, spraying with any 
of the dormant spray materials will prevent the develop- 
ment of these pests, but this method of hand-painting tbe 
trunks and large branches of the tree with the solution 
mentioned is meant as a supplement to, and not as a sub- 
stitute for, winter, or dormant spraying. It is good 
practice to scrape all the large limbs and trunks of tree 
before applying the solution. 
As soon as the leaves of the fruit tree are all fallen, 
spraying with any of the dormant sprays may be com- 
menced providing that hard freezing weather is not 
prevalent. Where trees are badly infested with scale, it 
is an excellent plan to spray as soon as possible in the 
fall, and supplement this with another good spraying 
again in early spring before the buds burst. Pruning of 
fruit trees is a controversial subject, some contending that 
spring is the one and only time for pruning, while others 
just as strongly contend for winter pruning. Personally 
we are of the opinion that any fine day during the winter 
is a good time for pruning. It is a cold job on a cold 
day, and the wise gardener will select warm, mild days 
for this work. 
There is this, however, to be said against early winter 
pruning of fruit trees. If the previous fall has not been 
favorable to the proper ripening of the wood, it is pos- 
sible that a severe winter would kill the wood back much 
farther than it would be pruned, thus making it neces- 
sary to go over the trees a second time. This, however, 
is not likely to happen generally, and so it may safely be 
said that pruning may be done any fine day during the 
winter. 
Snow that accumulates on the cold frames or other 
structures of this nature should be removed as soon as 
possible, especially if the ground beneath the glass has 
not been frozen. If the ground is frozen it may remain 
longer as the plants growing therein will lie dormant, 
and several days of darkness will not harm them in the 
least. 
The planting of deciduous shrubs and trees may be 
continued as long as the ground remains open if each 
plant is carefully mulched after planting is completed. 
Big trees may be prepared for moving, after the ball of 
earth is frozen hard through. Not so very long ago this 
used to be considered the best means of moving large 
trees with any prospect of success, but with the improved 
tree-moving machines that have been put into use during 
late years it is possible to move trees of almost any size 
at almost any time of the year. Nevertheless many trees 
are still moved during the winter, months by the old- 
fashioned method of freezing the ball of earth and using 
the old stone boat as a means of transport. Where such 
removal is contemplated, now is the time to make the 
preparations. 
It is not a far cry from the removal of trees to the 
woodland lot, and it is at this time of the year that much 
can be done in the way of improvements there. Dead 
trees that were marked with white paint in October 
should be brought down as soon as possible. Dead 
branches may be trimmed from living trees and the cut 
ends nicely tarred over. 
Forked branches that are liable to split by swaying 
with the wind had better be bolted together. In doing 
this allowance should be made for the swaying of the 
limbs by having joints, or elbows, as it were, in the bolt 
that extends betweeen the two limbs. Cavities should be 
cleaned out down to live tissue and the surface either 
tarred over or filled with cement as may seem to be nec- 
essary. As lonn as the weather remains sufficiently open 
woodland walks may be made and provision made for 
bridal paths by cutting off any such branches as are likely 
to interfere with one riding through the woods. 
The thinning out of cross branches that overcrowd 
and prevent light from reaching the center of the tree, 
can be attended to at this time. Mulching and manuring 
of large trees is a matter that is worth some attention at 
this time. In fact this phase of arboriculture, or rather 
the necessity of it, is just beginning to lie realized bv gar- 
deners. It is a practice that is becoming general. Com- 
ment on the necessity of it is needless when we reflect 
but for a moment upon the artificial conditions under 
which large trees are expected to live and thrive. Lawns 
and green swards are made where once existed plant food 
in abundance in the form of vegetable mold which is now 
raked up and carted away to make the place look neat. 
The consequence is that trees that flourished under such 
conditions cease to do so when growing on lawns and 
deprived of Nature's food supply. Hence the necessity 
of manuring. 
