1871. 
THE GARDENER’S MONTHLl. 
67 
for what a vine should he ; the whole cane may 
be buried down in the soil to where the strong 
ehoots spring from, and the young wood of last 
season trained up from this. The plant will 
then recover its good appearance quite as well 
as hy cutting down, with the advantage of not 
sacrificing a year’s crop of fruit. Grapes that 
have become weak from age may be renewed by 
layering down a branch some feet just under the 
surface, and then cut back, so that one good eye 
only be left at the surface of the soil. 
Apple trees in orchards are often so thickly 
matted with branches, that none of the leaves 
get their full share of light and air. This should 
never have been permitted, but as it is, a vigor- 
ous thinning should be effected, though the axe 
and saw be called in to eflTect it. Sprouts will 
come out thick next summer, after such pruning, 
but they should be torn out while green. 
Peaches, it is said, grow too strong generally, 
and should not be pruned ; but the same rule 
holds good as with apples. Thin out all weak 
or crowded shoots. Our experience is that if a 
Peach tree’s constitution is-not impaired by bad 
treatment, it seldom grows too strong for its 
own good. 
Plum and Cherry trees are often injuretl by 
the knot. These can often be renovated by a 
severe pruning. Cutting away all branches on 
which the swelling came the last season, a new 
growth will follow, which never has any knots 
on that season. The spores of the knot fungus, 
however, find their nests, and the next season 
grow, and then, if the trees are examined in 
May, the swelling will appear as soft frothy 
masses, which, if then taken out by the finger 
and thumb, usually destroys the crop at once and 
forever. Horticulture has made great progress 
the few past years in many of these things ; and 
now, if Entomology shall prove its great value 
to gardening, by fixing the end of curculio, as 
mycology has, in its way, done us good, America 
will be the paradise of fruit growers. 
In setting out Kaspberries and Blackberries, 
remember the hints we once before gave, not to 
set out deeper than the plant grew before. A 
currant or gooseberry set deep, will root from 
the cane, but a raspberry will not. The new 
buds have to come up from the roots. Thousands 
of these plants die every year. In nurseries 
there are two kinds of plants— plants which are 
simply suckers, taken off in winter, and plants 
taken up as they sprout during summer, and set 
out to grow awhile before fall. These are called 
transplanted plants, and are worth much more 
than others. Transplanted plants seldom die. 
Both Kaspberries and Blackberries should be cut 
down within six inches or a foot before planting. 
Transplanted plants may be left longer, and be 
allowed to bear a little ; but if these plants are 
allowed to produce much the first year after set- 
ting out, the suckers for next year are very weak. 
Little is gained by having fruit the first year. 
Strawberries, like Raspberries, are often de- 
stroyed by planting deep. Only the fibrous roots 
should be set under the ground— never the bud. 
Sometimes the excuse is that the plant will not 
set firm in the ground without ; in this case, 
make the ground firm by rolling or beating down 
before planting. 
People often complain that their Currants 
drop their leaves early, in which case they don’t 
mature a very large crop the next season. The 
Currant is a native of cool regions, and the cool- 
est ground should always be devoted to it. The 
leaves do not fall early then. In this section the 
currant borer is the worst insect pest About 
this season the larvae will be found in the pith, 
and the shoots containing them should be cut off 
and burned. If the shoots look weak and 
starved, like o» planta, ko-vo o.f-fcl*o«x 
very strong and vigorous, it is quite likely they 
have the larvae of these borers in the weak ones. 
This can then be determined by examination. 
VEGETABLE GARDEN. 
In the open ground Peas and Potatoes receive 
the first attention. Then Beets and Carrots. 
Then Lettuce, Radish, Spinach, Onions, Leeks 
and Parsley. Beyond this, unless in more 
favored latitudes than Pennsylvania, little can 
be done till the first week in April There is 
nothing gained in working soil, until it has be- 
come warm and dry. 
Those who have no Spinach sown in the f^il 
should do that right away ; no amount of stable 
manure but will be a benefit to it, though guano, 
in even smallish doses, will kill it. Guano pro- 
duces excellent Cabbage, mixed with the ground 
while it is being dug for that crop. Cabbage, 
by the way, may be put in as soon as the ground 
is ready ; and Potatoes are better in before the 
beginning of next month, if the ground is not 
too wet ; mail}' plant Cabbage between the 
Potato rows. 
Onions are better put in eaH;^ but the ground 
ought to be dry, and troddejor beaten firm 
Botanical 
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