316 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
low the temperature to fall below 50° in 
the hot house or 45 a in the green house. 
Borders—Spade or fork over and manure. 
Bulbs—Do not give too much water. If 
those intended to bloom in glasses are not 
already in, place them there ff. and keep in 
a cool appartmentfor about two weeks, when 
they may be carried to the hot house for 
blooming. By bringing a fewjn each week, 
a succession may be kept up during the win¬ 
ter. 
Camellias—Give plenty of air and water, 
syringing the foliage often. 
Cleanliness should be attended to, wash¬ 
ing and syringing the plants, collecting the 
decayed leaves, sweeping the floors, &c. 
Chrysanthemums—Water freely. 
Fire—Keep steady heat, ventilating when 
there is an excess. 
Geraniums—Turn often, that the opposite 
sides may be equally exposed. 
Roses—Cuttings of some varieties may 
still be made. Tender varieties should now 
be brought in or placed in pits. 
Shutters—Have in readiness, and use if 
very severe weather should occur. 
Strawberries—Begin to force. 
Tobacco Fumigations—Give as is neces¬ 
sary to destroy insects, using sulphur if 
mildew or blight make their appearance. 
Water—Give two or three times a week, 
from cisterns in the houses, the water of 
which has not only become temperate, but 
by its evaporation tends to prevent that dry¬ 
ness in the atmosphere which would other¬ 
wise be the case. 
PLOW THE FIELD AND SPADE THE GAR¬ 
DEN THIS FALL-WHY ? 
Almost our first editorial article was one 
in favor of stirring the soil in Autumn, both 
in Garden and Field. Every subsequent 
year’s experience and observation have 
strengthened our conviction of utility. Aside 
from theoretical consideration, we have 
known a great number of actual trials by 
different individuals, all or nearly all of 
whom speak decidedly in favor of breaking 
up the ground as deeply and thoroughly as 
may be before it is closed by frost. Here is 
one to the point: A reader of this paper, 
a farmer in northern Ohio, who was “ set 
agin ” this fall plowing, called upon us in 
October, 1855, and we had quite a discussion 
over this subject, the result of which was 
a “ compromise ”—he agreeing to treat one 
half of a field after our plan, and the other 
half in the old way. 
The soil was somewhat heavy, a clay 
loam, designed for a crop of spring wheat. 
The third week in November, a double 
team was put before a large plow, and the 
ground back-furrowed into narrow lands, 
only four furrows turned together. The in¬ 
tervening dead furrows were made as deep 
as the plow could be put in, and left open at 
the lower side of the field for the escape of 
of the water. Three acres were thus treated 
and three left untouched until spring. 
On the 17th of May last Mr. L. wrote us 
that the part plowed last fall was very mel¬ 
low, and so free from water that he actually 
harrowed it down nearly level and sowed it 
to wheat, before the rest of the field was 
dry enough to commence plowing. 
A letter just received from him says ! “ I 
give it up. I shall plow all my land for spring 
crops this fall. The spring wheat on the 
plowed portion started much earlier, grew 
better, and yielded almost one third more. 
Stir up the farmers to plow all the land they 
can this fall, you cant do them a better ser¬ 
vice.” 
So much for Mr. L.’s experience in one 
trial. His is a marked case. The snow con¬ 
tinued on the ground quite late last spring, 
and every day gained by having the ground 
previously plowed and drained was im¬ 
portant. Again his soil is a heavy one, 
almost, and in some places quite a clay, and 
therefore most likely to be benefitted by 
thorough freezing. It is not best to jump 
at general conclusions from a single experi¬ 
ment. But we have numerous other ex¬ 
amples, enough perhaps, to estahlish a gen¬ 
eral rule in favor of fall plowing all heavy 
soils. 
Last year we described the practice of a 
successful gardener of our acquaintance who 
spades up nearly an acre every Autumn’, 
throwing it into very high ridges like the fol¬ 
lowing : 
AAAAAAAAAAAA 
We saw the same garden the past sum¬ 
mer and it continued to give evidence of 
the beneficial effects of such a course. The 
ridges freeze through, and in thawing crum¬ 
ble down, while the frost penetrates down be¬ 
low the bottom of the furrows, and the whole 
soil is rendered pulverulent and improved, 
and enriched by the ammonia collected from 
snows, rains, and the air during winter. 
There are several advantages derived 
from fall plowing, part of which have been 
hinted at above : 
The teams are generally in better condi¬ 
tion for work in the fall than after passing 
through a long winter. 
There is generally more time for plowing 
in fall, than in spring when getting in the 
spring crops, carting manure, &c., all crowd 
together. 
Ground plowed in ridges, with deep open 
furrows between, dries out sooner, and on 
wet land several days may be gained, which 
is often enough to turn the sale in favor of 
a good wheat or oat crop. This was the 
case with Mr. L., described above. 
The action of frost is very important in 
destroying and pulverizing the mineral ele¬ 
ments and thus reducing them to that fine 
impalpable state necessary to giving a good 
medium for the growth of roots. See re¬ 
marks in last number under “ Why Clay 
benefits Sandy Soils.” 
Much poisonous matter in the soil is de¬ 
stroyed, since the frost and air penetrates 
a double depth where deep open furrows are 
left. 
The organic or vegetable matter, such as 
roots of plants, are decomposed more rap¬ 
idly when subjected to freezing and thaw¬ 
ing, as is the case when the ridged soil is 
more thoroughly exposed to frost. 
The roots of dock and other noxious weeds 
are more thoroughly killed out. 
Insects that burrough deeply in the soil 
are killed by exposure to frost. 
These considerations are enough, we 
think, to recommend plowing all heavy soils 
in autumn, where it can be done without 
serious neglect in the saving and threshing 
of crops already grown. Light, dry, sandy 
soils do not so strongly call for such fall 
treatment, though we think any soil will be 
benefitted. 
n the case ’of garden soils, or those sub¬ 
mitted to a high degree of cultivation, we 
recommend in all cases to subject them a 
thorough ridging and spading before they are 
frozen so much as to preclude the operation, 
and if it be neglected then, let it be attended 
to during winter, if the ground chances to be 
thawed out at anytime.—E d. 
SHADE TREES. 
IiinLs About Planting, and Description of 
some of the Best—How to Move Large 
Trees , c fc. 
For all Northern regions, where the frost 
has killed the leaves, the last of October and 
the first of this month, is the best season for 
transplanting deciduous (leaf-shedding) 
shade trees. The general rule is move them 
as soon as the leaves fall. The earlier 
after that period the better, though better 
late than never. 
For a large tree,which is not to be moved far, 
a good plan is to dig a trench around it now, 
at a greater or less distance from the trunk, 
according to the size, and let it remain until 
the ground is hard frozen to a depth of eight 
to twelve inches. Then dig under it and 
cut off some of the deepest roots, and with 
a rope attached to the trunk or large limbs, 
lower it down cautiously, leaving a large 
mass of frozen earth attached firmly to the 
roots. Put it upon a “ stone-boat ” or sled, 
and move it to its new location. For a large 
tree, two sleds, or two pairs of wheels may 
be used, taking care not to break the branch¬ 
es or fracture the bark upon the trunk. 
Now dig a hole just to fit the mass of 
earth, set up the tree and put on stones 
enough around the roots to keep it from be¬ 
ing blown over. When the ground thaws, a 
tree thus moved will put forth leaves, and 
grow just as well as if left standing in its na¬ 
tive location. However, if many roots are 
cut off it is well to cut off a corresponding 
amount of the limbs. 
We have assisted in moving in this way some 
trees a foot in diameter, and 25 to 40 feet in 
hight, and have not known a case of failure. 
We saw an elm, 18 inches in diameter, and 
over 30 feet high, moved four rods, without 
at all checking its growth. In this case, a 
mass of frozen earth, twelve feet in diameter, 
was left attached to the trunk. The earth 
was dug out under one side at a time, 
to cut off the deep roots, and then filled in 
again. When it was all loosened in this 
way, the earth was beveled under the side 
towards its new location, and boards thrust 
under for it to slide upon. Other boards 
were then laid at the end of these to form a 
floor for it to be moved over. A mass of 
straw was put around the trunk and bound 
on with heavy ropes. To these ropes a 
chain was then attached, and three yoke of 
oxen hitched on. A number of men took 
hold of ropes, previously fastened to the 
limbs, and kept the tree upright while drawn 
to its new position, when it was lowered 
into a ready-prepared excavation. This was 
