1879.] 
4r3 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
gates ; pregnaut cows are often injured by it, and 
abortion frequently follows. When this disease 
once occurs it may spread through an entire herd, 
so one careless act may thus cause serious loss. 
Rotes for the Orchard and Garden. 
Up to nearly Christmas it seemed probable that 
the preseut winter would resemble the past in its 
mildness, but by the time the new year fairly 
opened, the weather established its claim to be re¬ 
garded as that of an old-fashioned winter. While 
a mild winter is pleasant on some accounts, it is all 
the better for the cultivator to have it sufficiently 
cold to put vegetation thoroughly to rest. Where 
the buds of trees and hardy plants remain in a half 
dormant condition only, they are readily excited by 
a few mild days, and when these are followed, as 
they are quite apt to be, by a cold snap, the buds, 
if not killed outright, are more or less injured and 
their future growth lacking in vigor. It is in view 
of this, that it has been proposed to protect peach 
trees by putting oil a heavy mulch after the ground 
around the roots is thoroughly frozen. The object 
of this is to keep the roots in a frozen condition until 
late in spring, when danger from spring-frosts shall 
have passed. Whether this has been tried on any 
considerable scale, we are not advised. For reasons 
which we have not space to give here, we doubt 
the practicability of the scheme. As this is, to the 
majority of our readers, the last of the months of 
long evenings and leisure for reading and planning, 
we commend to their attention a subject that seems 
to belong more to horticulture than to agricul¬ 
ture proper—that of Forest-tree Planting, or as it is 
often termed, Forestry. Forestry as it is understood 
in Europe, is quite impracticable in this country at 
present, but so long as the advocates of “ Forestry ” 
induce people to care for the wood-lands they 
already have, and lead to the planting of more, we 
are not disposed to quibble about names. In former 
volumes, we have, from time to time, presented the 
subject of forest tree planting and culture as a 
matter of profit, and expect to do so in the future. 
Our present point is : In laying out plans for the 
coming season, and making note of the improve¬ 
ments to be made, let every one consider if he has 
not some lot or field that will yield a better return 
if planted in trees than it will if kept under cultiva¬ 
tion, or even in grass for mowing or pasture. There 
are often outlying fields belonging to an estate, 
where the time consumed in going to and from 
them, and the wear and tear of transportation ne¬ 
cessary in cultivating them, form a very heavy tax, 
and make too high a rent for ordinary farming; 
such lands, fields too rocky for meadow, and those 
too poor for culture or pasture, may often be 
brought into profit by setting them with trees. 
What trees, will depend upon the character of the 
land and the immediate market. All these and 
other points may be well considered at this time. 
Orchard, and Nursery, 
We regard it as a good sign that we are in receipt 
of letters asking for instruction in grafting. While 
we think that every one who grows fruit at all, can 
make no better investment than in such a work as 
Barry’s “Fruit Garden,” we are aware that there 
is a large class who expect to find in the American 
Agriculturist all that they need to know on such 
matters; and while we commend such works as 
giving instructions more in full than it is possible 
for us, we do not decline to give in the paper, so 
far as practicable, those matters that our readers 
ask for. But our limits will not allow us to give 
everything every year. In the matter of grafting, 
we gave in April, 1877, a very full account of the 
operations, made so plain by the aid of engravings, 
that any intelligent boy could practice them and be 
sure to succeed. We can not repeat this now, and 
advise those who ask for instructions in grafting, 
to send for that number. Any of the back numbers 
for the last 20 years, may be had postpaid for 15 c. 
We say that we are glad to receive inquiries about 
grafting; this indicates an intention 
To Renovate Old Orchards, and to convert trees 
that now bear worthless fruit into profit. In all 
the older states there are orchards that are worth¬ 
less, the varieties, probably “ natural fruit,” were 
never of any value, or if originally good kinds, 
they are, from starvation, by constant cropping of 
the ground, and by neglect of pruning and every 
other care, now practically useless. Before attempt¬ 
ing to renovate such an orchard, it will be well to 
consider if it will pay. In many cases it will be 
cheaper to set out a new orchard and convert the 
old trees into fire-wood. 
If the Trees are of good Kinds, it will be folly to 
graft them over. Pruning, scraping, and more than 
all, manuring, are the needs of such an orchard, and 
if the trees are still sound, renovation will pay. 
Sound Trees of poor Kinds may be grafted over, 
as described in the paper referred to, but grafting 
will be of little use, unless accompanied by good 
culture. Merely changing the character of the 
tops of the trees is not sufficient. Renovation in 
all cases must begin with the soil. A good dressing 
of manure, turned under by shallow plowing, is 
the one thing needful in renewing an orchard. 
As to Pruning. —Where large branches are to be 
removed, the best time is after the severe winter 
weather is over, and before the buds swell in spring. 
The limbs should always be sawed—never chopped 
—off, the cut smoothed with a drawing knife, and 
covered with thick paint or melted grafting wax. 
How and Where to Prime can not be told until one 
has the particular tree before him, as each tree will 
need a different treatment. Long neglected trees 
are likely to have the heads much crowded, and 
the first need in such cases, is thinning, taking out 
especially such branches as cross and interfere with 
others. Sometimes shoots have pushed out far be¬ 
yond the rest, and need to be cut back : it may be 
that for some cause the growth has run to one side, 
and the tree is lop-sided. Only the general direc¬ 
tion can be given, secure an open, well-shaped head. 
Scraping and Cleansing. —The best preparation 
that we know of for removing old bark, moss, and 
lichens, is good home-made soft-soap, made from 
lye or potash. Thin this with water, so that it may 
be laid on with a whitewash or other brush. Then, 
in one of those moist thawing times that occur late 
in winter or early spring, paint over the trunks and 
large limbs with the soap, putting it on freely. 
The later rains will do most of the work, but be¬ 
fore spring opens, it will be well to go around with 
the scraper—an old, short-handled hoe will answer 
—and remove whatever loose bark remains. 
The Selecting and Ordering of trees by those in¬ 
tending to plant, should be completed at once. 
The orders will be much better filled if the nursery¬ 
man has them before his season’s work begins. 
Order directly from the Nursery. —Deal at head¬ 
quarters, and then, if anything is wrong, you know 
where to apply for remedy. 
Our Opinion of Tree Peddlers has often been given. 
Probably nine out of ten are untrustworthy, but 
unfortunately,respectable nurseries send out agents, 
aud if we say that all are scamps, we may wrong 
some honest men. If a person represents himself 
as an agent of a well known nursery, if honest, he 
will be willing to show his credentials. If one 
offers any new, wonderful and before unheard of 
thing, such as “ self-pruning grape vines,” peaches 
grafted on the “French willow,” strawberries on 
bushes, and other such—tell him you read the 
American Agriculturist, and he will soon find his 
way to the gate. 
Fruit Garden. 
If one is to set out small fruits, whether for 
home use or market, the sooner the preliminary 
work of selecting the kinds, and ordering the plants 
is done, the better. The present is one of those pe¬ 
riods, that every now and then occur in fruit cul¬ 
ture. There are a number of new varieties of great 
promise, but that have not been sufficiently tested, 
to warrant planting them largely. The grower for 
market feels much like the hunter who wished to 
so aim at an animal, that he would miss it if a calf, 
but hit it if a deer. The safe way for those who 
grow fruit for sale, is to plant out trial-beds of the 
promising kinds, this will test their adaptability to 
the soil, and if the result is satisfactory, give a 
stock of plants for setting a plantation. 
The Market and the Neighborhood have both to be 
considered. If the market is a distant one, the 
fruit, whatever other quality it may have, must be 
firm enough to reach its destination in good order. 
If there is a local or neighborhood trade—a matter 
quite too often overlooked by growers, then a 
very different class of fruits may be grown. 
The Varieties of Strawberries and Raspberries so re¬ 
cently offered that they may be regarded as new, 
are so many, that one may well be puzzled in mak¬ 
ing a selection. We have during the past year 
presented the claims of several of these, and there 
are still others to be noticed. The claims made by 
those offering the, new kinds, are presented in the 
catalogues, which should be studied by those in¬ 
tending to plant, whether for home use or market. 
Pi-uning Omitted Last Fall, should be attended to 
now as soon as the weather will allow. Grape-vines 
need the first care, and should be pruned long be¬ 
fore the buds begin to swell. Currants and Goose¬ 
berries start early, and should be pruned early. 
Preparatory Work in the way of trellises and other 
supports may bo attended to and the materials got 
ready. In the family garden, the best support for 
raspberries, is a single wire strained between posts 
at the ends of the rows, and w T e think that the best 
grape-vine trellis, is that with horizontal slats 
4 feet apart, with upright wires where needed. 
EsSlieSiest am! Market CSardeis. 
The stored crops, whether in cellars or in trench¬ 
es, may suffer from neglect. Those in the cellar 
must not be allowed to get too warm, or growth 
may start. Those in trenches may be invaded by 
field mice and rabbits, or the stock greatly injured 
by the running in of surface water. Frequent in¬ 
spection and timely care will prevent such losses. 
Roots in the Ground. —A share of the parsnips and 
salsify is usually left in the ground, to be dug in 
early spring, the freezing they receive does not in¬ 
jure them, but makes them more sweet and tender. 
If the stored supply runs short, these may often be 
dug during a January thaw, and bring a good price. 
Cold Frames need, except in settled cold weather, 
almost daily attention, especially as the warmth of 
the sun increases, and the plants are in danger of 
being started into growth if airing is neglected.... 
In almost every neighborhood there is a demand for 
Vegetable Plants. —Many,who have gardens, omit or 
neglect to provide a stock of cabbage, tomato, pep¬ 
per, and other plants, depending upon some good- 
natured neighbor to supply them from his surplus. 
It is well to be neighborly in such matters, but it is 
also well that those who neglect to provide them¬ 
selves with such plants, should pay those who are 
at the trouble of raising them. Many a boy, orman 
either, if he lets it be known that he will have plants 
to sell at the proper season, may establish a profita¬ 
ble little trade. It is about as much trouble to raise 
a hundred plants as it is several thousand, and when 
it is known that the plants may be had with certain¬ 
ty, those who need but a small number will buy in 
preference to raising them. For the very earliest 
cabbages, cauliflowers and lettuce for marketing, 
Cold-frame Plants are preferable,but these have to 
be prepared in the previous fall. In the absence of 
these, the next best are properly treated hot-bed 
plants, and if these are well managed, they are al¬ 
most as good as those that have been wintered in 
cold frames. Of course to get the plants early, 
there must be hot-beds. We are not able to give 
every year a full account of the method of making 
these important aids in gardening, and at best, we 
can not give so full a description of their manage¬ 
ment as one making a business of raising plants re¬ 
quires. As a part of his outfit, one should have a 
Book on Gardening, not only for this, but for ref¬ 
erence in many other matters. As noted last month, 
“ Gardening for Profit,” by Henderson, “Money in 
the Garden.” by Quinn, and “Farm Gardening and 
Seed Growing,” by Brill, are works that no one who 
undertakes to grow vegetables for sale, whether aa 
