4 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[January, 
pike, C, is very useful, especially to handle 
ice while it is in the water. Any blacksmith 
can fit two chilled iron points in a handle. 
At D are the hand-tongs, useful in removing 
the ice as well as storing it. Saws especially 
for the work may be bought, but a cross-cut 
saw, with one handle removed, will do good 
service ; figure 8 shows a convenient handle. 
A hand-skid, figure 9, will often be useful; 
it is a board about five feet long, 
with a cleat at one end and hand¬ 
les at the other. If a pair of run- 
Fig. 8.— A CROSS-CUT SAW ARRANGED FOR SAWING ICE. 
ners, of strong hoop, are put under the end, 
the board may be used as a sled for draw¬ 
ing the blocks to some distance. In some 
cases a long skid or shute will be needed; 
this is a board of the needed length, with 
raised edges, as shown on page 18. A stone- 
boat, sleds, or wagons, according to circum¬ 
stances, must be provided. The ice being 
cleared of snow, it is then lined into strips 18 
inches wide, using a board as a straight edge, 
and some strong iron point, or an axe, as a 
Fig. 9.— ICE-BOARD, OR HAND-SKID. 
marker. A hole is first cut for the saw to 
enter, and the cutting is done along the lines. 
The strips may be cut into squares, by using 
the saw, or by first making a deep groove 
with the axe, and using the splitting-bar ( B , 
figure 4) to break them apart. Suggestions 
as to loading the ioe are given on page 18. 
The Orchard and Garden for January. 
No other time in the year is so well adapt¬ 
ed to reading as the long evenings of winter. 
A great deal of cultivation can be done by 
the fireside, and an application of “brain 
manure ” can be made now that will give a 
good return in the future. In spite of the 
sneers at “book-farming,” the world is fast 
learning that the experience of others, as 
stated in a journal or book, is none the less 
valuable for being in print. As works which 
treat of the plant in its relations to the soil, 
air, water, etc., we know of none equal to 
“ How Crops Grow,” and “ How Crops Feed,” 
by Prof. S. W. Johnson. Whoever masters 
these has made good use of his time, and can 
never regret the hours thus spent. The point 
first to be gained in an agricultural educa¬ 
tion is a clear knowledge of first principles, 
so far as they have been determined, and 
on this, as a foundation, one can safely base 
his study in some special branch of culture. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
The number of those who in this country 
are orchardists exclusively is very few, and 
these are mainly confined to the great peach 
centers. But many farmers have large 
orchards, and the growing of fruit is an im¬ 
portant part of their farming. When we use 
the term orchardist, it refers to whoever has 
an orchard, be it large or small. Orchard 
culture being in many respects different from 
ordinary fanning, the orchardist needs the 
help of special works. Among the 'very first 
of these is, “ The Fruit Garden,” by Patrick 
Barry, which should be in the library of 
every grower of fruit. It is full of just the 
practical information needed, beginning at 
the beginning, and in plain and simple lan¬ 
guage describes, with the aid of illustrations, 
the various methods of pruning, budding, 
grafting, etc. “The American Fruit Cul- 
turist,” by John J. Thomas, is another valu¬ 
able work. Though not so full of details as 
Mr. Barry’s work, its larger descriptive list 
of fruits makes it of value Jo those wishing 
to be informed on the different varieties. As 
a work of reference, a cyclopaedia 
of all the varieties known up to 
the time of its publication, the most 
complete is the “ Fruits and Fruit 
Trees of America,” by our greatest 
pomological authority, Charles Downing. 
Among special treatises, those works devoted 
to the culture of a single kind of fruit, there 
are “The Peach Culturist,” by the Hon. J. 
Alexander Fulton. This gives full instruc¬ 
tions for the starting and after management 
of a peach orchard, as practised in Delaware 
and Maryland. “ Pear Culture for Profit,” by 
P.-T. Quinn, is a valuable special work on the 
cultivation of pears, by one who has made 
pear-growing profitable. There are many 
other books on kindred subjects, any 
one of which contains much of value. 
The enterprising orchardist will not 
only be familiar with the contents of 
these standard works, but keep him¬ 
self posted as to the new facts that 
appear from time to time in the journals. 
Little work can now be done in the orchard. 
All trees should be protected from intruders 
of every kind. Horses and cattle should be 
kept from old trees, as they often do much 
injury by browsing the twigs. Young trees 
are not only to be guarded against the larger 
animals, but from mice and rabbits. Hence, 
when there is a fall of snow, it should be 
trampled firmly around the trees to keep 
off the mice. Rabbits are kept away by 
smearing the trunks with blood or bloody 
meat. The eggs of the tent-caterpillar are 
easily seen and removed in winter. Manure 
may be drawn out and spread in the orchard 
at any time. . . . Now is the proper time to 
think about orchard planting. If fruit trees 
are to be set out next spring, two leading 
points should be considered: the thorough 
preparation of the ground, and the selecting 
of the varieties of fruit. An orchard set on 
poor soil, poorly prepared, will be a poor in¬ 
vestment. Another important point is that 
it costs no more to grow a tree of a good 
variety than a poor one. It is difficult to give 
a list of varieties of apples, pears, etc., that 
will suit every one in eveiy locality. A list 
that will aid in making the selection was 
given in the Notes for last January, and may 
be consulted .... In purchasing fruit trees, 
it is of the first importance that they shall be 
true to name; and second, that the trees be 
healthful and well grown. We place ac¬ 
curacy first; a poor tree by care may be 
grown to make a good one, but if one who 
intended to set an orchard of Northern Spy 
or Newtown Pippin, finds after waiting six 
or eight years that he has only Early Harvest 
or Pumpkin Sweets, he has no remedy. A 
good share of his life, so far as orchard cul¬ 
ture goes, has been wasted. Hence our fre¬ 
quent advice not to buy of tree peddlers, but 
to always deal directly with a nursery of 
known reputation. One cannot afford to 
plant doubtful trees if they are given to him. 
Therefore, unless a “nursery agent” can 
show that the nursery he represents is re¬ 
sponsible for him, don’t buy, if the hoped-for 
orchard must be postponed. If disposed to 
listen to one believed to be an agent of a 
nursery you know to be reliable, it is always 
safest, after making up a selection, to send 
it direct to the nursery yourself, and get an 
answer that it is all right. If there is a 
reliable nursery near at hand, it is better, 
other things being equal, to get trees there. 
TSie Fruit Garden, 
Under this head we treat of what are now 
generally known as “ Small Fruits,” as dis¬ 
tinguished from the fruits of the Orchard. 
In this department the literature is veiy full, 
there being a large number of general and 
special treatises. The “ Fruit Garden,” of P. 
Barry, already referred to, in its title hardly 
indicates its full scope. In the present use 
of the term “ Fruit Garden ” one might sup¬ 
pose that it treated of small fruits only. The 
fact is, it is largely devoted to the raising and 
the’ cultivation of trees, while the small fruits, 
though they receive their full share, are not 
the leading topics. Whoever has this work 
has a most excellent general guide to the cul¬ 
ture of small fruits, though so far as varieties 
go, reference must be made to the catalogues 
of the dealers for the newer sorts. The ‘ ‘Small 
Fruit Culturist,” by A. S. Fuller, has long 
been a standard work, while “ Success with 
Small Fruits,” by E. P. Roe, shows what art 
can do in presenting a matter of fact sub¬ 
ject.... Grapes are included as small fruits, and 
here the latest, freshest work is “American 
Grape Growing and Wine Making,” by Prof. 
Geo. Hussman. This treats especially of vine¬ 
yard culture. The “ Grape Culturist,” by A. 
S. Fuller, will perhaps better meet the re¬ 
quirements of those who would grow but a 
few vines. “ Mohr on the Grape Vine ” is a 
most suggestive little work....Other special 
works of value are ; “The Illustrated Straw¬ 
berry Culturist,” by A. S. Fuller, and the 
“Cranberry Culturist,” by J. J. White. It 
should be generally understood that Cran¬ 
berry culture can only be successful where 
there are certain natural conditions of the 
soil. White’s work plainly shows what these 
are and how to take advantage of them .... 
What follows is intended for every farmer 
who reads> this paper. It is a well known 
fact that every city or village mechanic has 
during the year a greater variety of straw¬ 
berries, raspberries, etc,, which he buys, than 
are to be seen upon the table of many a 
wealthy farmer. The American Agriculturist 
has constantly endeavored to show how easily 
every farmer’s table can be supplied with the 
choicest fruits and vegetables at a very little 
expense. We are glad to know that our 
teachings have brought good results, but 
there is still room for improvement. Now 
we would ask you—the reader—Have you 
upon your table, from the time the first 
strawberry comes, to that when the last 
grape disappears, all the fruit, every day— 
yes three times a day—that your family can 
eat ? If you have not, you are not living up 
to your privileges, and if your boys, who now 
and then go to the town, and see how much 
better off their town cousins are in this re¬ 
spect, will not “stay on the farm,” it is well 
that you should know one reason why.— 
Town’s people, city people, with half the 
general prosperity —live better than the far¬ 
mer. It is of no use to blink this fact. Con- 
