VINEYARD PRUNING. 
pay him liberally for knowledge that other¬ 
wise would take years to learn and possibly 
at the expense of a whole vineyard or 
orchard. 
j^rborirnlturc 
Hewnstold to plant the seed when the ground 
Is in good condition in tho spring. 
Adulteration of Food.-J. V. Ridor wants the 
Cluti to lake up and ventilate the adulteration 
of all kinds of food. Ho said millers adulterate 
ground feed by adding gypsum mul other sub¬ 
stances ; and asserted that source anything pure 
emanated from tlio city. Mr. Cahpk.vi'kh 
thought, it quite as Important that the adultera¬ 
tions and swindling practiced by farmers in their 
preparation of their products for market re¬ 
ceived attention. Mr. CavaKAOu said fanners 
srut hay Ui market with wood in it.; und straw 
with the center of tjio bundle* stuffed to make 
them took largo, ete. Swindling mid petty cheat- 
ing is tiot co r i fined to anyone locality or elans. 
1 he adulterations of hay, straw, grain, ground 
Iced, bread, manufactured manure*, Ac., were 
generally discussed; but. no remedies therefor 
except, exposure, denunciation and a general 
moral reform, were suggested. It was asserted 
that law is powerless to prevent, these swindles 
A New Apple.—Dr. J. C. fitOUSE, Lowville, N. 
V., stated that In his locality a seedling upplo is 
grown which is regarded of great value. It is 
known locally as tlm “Holden Pippin.” it is 
hardy, productive und of good quality. He 
offered to semi cions of this variety to the Club 
for distribution, as laj behoved it, should be more 
widely known. It was suggested hy members 
tsrussuws 
Practical Experience and Practice Derailed. 
There has been a great deal written about 
grape pruning; and this system, and that, 
and the other, has been recommended and 
described with such minuteness that for one 
I have been lost in the labyrinths of details 
and failed to comprehend the Idea or princi¬ 
ple, and have necessarily been compelled to 
obtain what I know abouL the matter in my 
intercourse with practical vineyardists and 
hy my own experience. I have thought that 
a few practical suggestions about pruning 
would be acceptable to young vine.yardists, 
and therefore. I have attempted briefly to 
explain my method and practice, in pruning 
the grape vine: 
Time of Pruning. — The best time un¬ 
doubtedly is in the fall, immediately after the 
leaves have fallen, for the reason that the 
weather is comfortable; but it may be done 
at any time during the winter, or even in the 
spring, if neglected until that, time. It is 
better to prune when there is no frost in the 
vines as they are more brittle when frozen 
and there is some danger of breaking off the 
canes that you wish left on. 
Method, die. — I find by experience in vine¬ 
yard culture that the vines or canes seldom 
grow just, as we see them marked out on 
plates and diagrams in Our fruit books; and 
consequently 1 will not go iuto detail about 
pruning any particular vine or form of vine 
as we would probably find no two vines in 
the vineyard precisely alike; except that I 
always confine the growth to one stalk or 
cane from (lie ground growing the arms or 
branches, about one foot from the surface. 
1 then spied the strongest and best ripened 
canes (Ian ing not more than six or eight buds 
to a cane) that happen to be the most favor¬ 
ably located on tin; trellis, having a view to 
spreading out the vine so as to occupy every 
part of the trellis as evenly as can he, giving 
the preference to those canes which start out 
nearest the ground and more than a foot 
therefrom ; and always embracing every op¬ 
portunity to cut out any old canes, when the 
new ones for the next, year’s crop are pro- i 
TREES AND MICE 
NEW YORK FARMERS’ CLUB 
CHOICE ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS, 
Among the numerous varieties of shrubs 
used in decorating home grounds and for the 
purpose of contributing to the enjoyment of 
life, none have more claim for a position, 
nor is there any more universally esteemed 
1 , , n °tes thereof; but we shall aim to give, 
i with the strictest impartiality, the gist of what 
is said that muy interest and 
profit our readers. 
The Norway Oat.—A Catturau- 
gns county gentleman writes a 
letter giving his experience With 
-v this variety. With him it has 
proved inferior to the common 
oat, and ho wants people gener¬ 
ic _ ally to know it. .John DaviS of 
< Vermont pats the members of 
p- 1 tlm Club on the back who have 
\ the manhood to denounce as 
swindlers those men who exact 
g*... exorbitant, prices for Norway 
Ay , "lit. seed, new grapes, Ac., &c. 
jggSfc. Ho has yet to learn that farmers 
;■ are any better off for theso 
fovers of excitement which tiro 
. *.///) created by large stories in telling 
P©- - fir advertisements. 
The Potato Topic was broached. 
-*£—. _ Tt became apparent that there 
were half a dozen dull axes 
to bo ground on the Club’s 
" m ‘ grindstone. Mr, C'AHPKNTfut 
poured water in the trough under the grind¬ 
stone, hy saying that few estimate the im¬ 
portance Of this subject to the country. A fail¬ 
ure of the potato crop of the country would pro¬ 
duce dire results. The loss Of the wheat crop 
could not be utoro disastrous, if wo could get a 
variety which would mature five or ten days be¬ 
fore any variety now cultivated, it would bo 
"heap at an extravagant price. Thu "Early 
Prince" potato was exhibited and said to bo a 
seedling of the Early York, as good as the Early 
Hose and live days earlier. (An enterprising 
and accurate morning paper reported it “five 
days earlier than tiro early roses!" all of which 
is almost as funny us our picture on last page.] 
It Is on i lit- market, at three dollars per pound or 
thirty dollars pet peek. Then followed Mr. 
nmjuflR with his ax. Mr. Uukekr is the origina¬ 
tor of Hie Early Hose. We don’t know whether 
many volumes treating upon the subject, 
giving valuable hints,suggestions, describing 
preventives, heed them not, because they 
may not suffer from the depredation of mice. 
To aid those who desire to save their trees, 
and reap the benefits therefrom, I have pre¬ 
pared this article. One method is to stamp 
the snow around the trees as soon as fallen. 
I his needs to lie performed after every thaw. 
1 lie extra care this involves is such that its 
adoption is not general. 
f Another plan, (Fig. 1,) 
is by the aid of a shovel, 
throw an embankment 
from eight to twelve 
Hj inches in height around 
jH the trees, packing hard. 
Care should be taken 
J8 that no weeds, straw, 
pilt sods nor any article from 
IM which mice build nests 
lelt in the embank* 
ment. Remove it at the 
i. opening of spring. 
Another common plan Is, (Fig. 3,) to en¬ 
circle the bottom of the (roe with a piece of 
tin, sheet iron or zinc, eight inches in height, 
and of a width sufficient for the complete en¬ 
circling of (lie tree. This, though somewhat 
(K/f/ expensive, Is better than 
either of the two former 
apple of that name. Dr, Hodsb said it. was un¬ 
like any apple named in the books. He laid no 
interest in its dissemination, other than that a 
good fruit might ho more generally know n and 
disseminated—ha had nil ax to grind. 
U< ***P v *- Shallow Plowing. -D,.. Thimbu: read 
a paper discussing this subject and defending 
shallow plowing. His observation, experience 
tutd the testimony of others have led him to dis¬ 
trust the superlative value or deep plowing, as 
compared with shallow outturn. Fifty years ago 
the Salem land* of New Jersey had been wont 
out,. Two years ago u committee of this club had 
visited theso lands and found corn-fields that 
would yield seventy-five bushels of shelled corn 
per acre. Tim rule of plowing these lands is five 
inches deep, or loss; an average of three inohes. 
This rule is of recent Introduction. The shal¬ 
lowest- Plowed lands had produced the best 
crops. Hr. T. urged the importance of experi¬ 
ments in tills matter. Deep tillage Is laborious 
and expensive; and if it Is not ax profitable ns 
shallow culture, wo ought lo find il out. On 
shallow plowed corn-holds the roots arc near the 
surface. Itoocorn at the time the ears me form¬ 
ing and you out off a mass ol’ roots which tlm 
plant requires should remain intact. Mr. (Ihkk- 
ucv says the roots go down into the deep, cold 
subsoil. Dr. Thimbu; doubts if subsoiling ami 
trenching arc necessary, even in dry seasons. 
Salem planters assert that fall-plowed land, liar- 
rowed only In spring and planted without fur¬ 
ther preparation, produces tlm best corn. Much 
is said about aerating tlm soil; but is il. neces- 
saty? lx the effect of deep plowing paying? 
Top-dressed meadow hinds produce better crops 
of gross Hum those ropoutodiy broken up. Even 
in the very dry season two years ago, t lm Salem, 
lands produced sixty bushels of corn to the acre 
when plowed but three inches deep. He cited 
one Salem farmer who grows one hundred bush¬ 
els of shelled corn lo the uero by shallow plowing 
-say live inches deep or under. Hut he uses 
manure. Ills rotation is wheat, clover and corn. 
Clover ts sown with the wheat in early spring. 
Shrub — ( Calt/Muthm Jlondus.) A native 
<»t Hitt mountains of our Southern central 
States it is perfectly hardy in ail respects as 
regards cold; but if planted in wet clay It will 
not thrive; nor will it endure well the open 
exposure of sun. The plant usually grows 
in a low, bushy spreading form, rising in 
years tea height of five or six feet, and in 
tlm same time spreading to as many feet in 
diameter. A light, loamy, rich, soil, thor- 
ouglily drained, yet never dry, and a position 
xvhere it is shaded in the alter part of the 
day, will develop the plant in its greatest 
beauty of dark, rich green foliage and flowers 
having the fragrance of spice. There are 
several varieties, hut while they differ inform 
and color ot foil age the habit in all is similar, 
and the one most, commonly grown (Jioridus) 
Jus the most fragrant flowers. For variety, 
when more than one plant is wanted, the 
m order by the tin-smith. 
When cut the desired 
fjfj form, roll them upon a 
R-' 1,(11111(1 much smaller 
than the body of the 
tree which it is to en- 
Eig.s. circle. If properly done, 
when unrolled it will form a circle, 
the edges overlapping; it is sprung apart 
sufficient to clasp around the tree; press 
so th.it mice will not 
in the spring, A 
and also 
to discard. I fe had sort ’o fixed upon “ The lvtng 
"I ihe Earlles," us the name for the new pet ul, 
three dollars per pound. Ho wax very cautious 
in wlmt ho salt I about it. Didn’t seem lo know 
positively whether It was earlier than I hi- Early 
ltose ur uot; hut such was his impression. 
Tins distinguished “originator " was looked at 
by the eager chib quite sufficiently, when a 
champion id' Ihe Early Huso, who grew thou¬ 
sands of buttliois of them tills last year, (and has 
them to sell, of emirso,) put his ax on tho grind¬ 
stone and ground it sharply. 
Then Mr. Caui'kntkh’h gratitude gushed out 
again—be grows the Early Rose too; produced 
five pounds and nine minces of It from one oyo; 
and with Lite most charming enthusiasm lie for¬ 
mally thanked the IlfOiESti, who originated the 
“ early roses,” for Ida contributions to the cause 
of the potato. 
Again lUutoSK waxed warm and asserted that 
Ihe Early Rose would keep well if kept in a cool 
dark place, where It could not sprout. 
Thereupon u distinguished memberof the Club 
from New Jersey, l)r. Thimbu:, ventured tho 
remark that ho thought the flub was running 
things into the ground by advertising potatoes at 
fifty dollars per bushel. 
It was proper Hie Farmers’ Club of tho Ameri¬ 
can Institute should resent such interference In 
its legitimate business, and outi member said ho 
could not grow the Peach iliow for five dollars 
per bushel, but be could i he Early Rose 
too heavily. We are very seldom satisfied 
to learn, only by experience, that it is not pro¬ 
fitable to do so. It is without doubt, better 
to grow a moderate amount of well devel¬ 
oped, well ripened fruit than a much larger 
amount, of fruit of poor quality, besides being 
much more profitable for the vineyard in 
the long run. Although I expect all young 
viucyardists will have to learn it by experi¬ 
ence, as I have, I will give my method as 
near as 1-can. 
The n umber of pounds the vines are capable, 
of beuriiif/ must depend on their age, dis¬ 
tance apart they are planted and their gen¬ 
eral strength and vigor. My oldest vineyard 
is eight years old, and was planted ten by 
twelve feet; and 1 endeavor to fruit an 
average of twenty to twenty-five pounds to 
tlm vine. I have from twenty to fifty well 
matured fruit buds to each vine, according 
to its vigor ancl strength; and, of course, the 
younger I fruit u good deal less, according 
to age, size, Ac. I find by experience with 
our hardy, prolific varieties that each well- 
developed fruit bud will, under favorable cir¬ 
cumstances, develop a cane,; and each cane 
will, on the average, bear three clusters of 
grapes that will average about one pound to 
the cane; so, for the mu-noses of iminino- r 
it in tho ground 
work under it; remove 
coat of paint will prevent rusting, 
add to the durability. This arrangement, 
benders trees perfectly safe from the intru¬ 
sion of mice. 
To those who have not the means, or do 
not wish to incur the expense of tin, &c., I 
suggest a plan clearly 
t shown in Fig. !}, which 
is simply inclosing the 
tree with a box made 
from one half-inch stuff, 
ten inches high, and of a 
width corresponding to 
the size of tree, the outer 
rot* edge coated with coal 
.-(/•■Lu w ,/{./n ,tar. One side has Imt 
*' r jA11 \\ o small nails driven in 
it, which arc knocked 
Fig. s. loose when it is desired 
to remove the box. In sections where lum¬ 
ber is plenty, this is tho cheapest arrange¬ 
ment for the purpose that can be obtained. 
Trees along fences, where snow lies in con¬ 
siderable quantities during the winter, should 
be protected by some one of the above plans. 
The saving of but one tree from the ravages 
of mice, will abundantly repay for protect¬ 
ing an entire orchard. L. D. Snook. 
serve us hiding places for them; that lie has 
not lost one tree in a hundred by rabbits; 
and Ihe reason lie thinks is because he keeps 
his orchard clean. 
It cannot ho doubted that tho remedy 
given is good, as far as it goes. The less 
hi.ling places, the less rabbits. But that it is 
not a sovereign panacea, wo happen toknow. 
If tlu: writer should ever locate near timber, 
on tho edge ot a prairie or near groves, his 
philosophy would not save him from the 
rabbits. Here they venture out a mile or 
tw o on the prairie and commit more or less 
depredations upon orchards. Buildings, 
fences, woodpiles, corn and straw stacks, 
currant and raspberry bushes, and other 
places, furnish them harliors. Hero in the 
\\ e$t our orchards need shelter and protec¬ 
tion- Thick planting, tow-branchcd heads, 
or belts ot thick limber and shrubbery, arc 
one or all requisite to successful orcharding. 
So we must look to.some other source than 
that given by the Telegraph writer for pro¬ 
tection from the rabbits. 
Rolling Prairie, Wis. L. L. Faikciiii.o. 
and critical observer. Tlio praetlout value or lii» 
telle maybe summed up lo tlio statement that 
tho winter is the host time to destroy tioxiotiB 
insects, by going over ami examining carefully 
trees and shrubs, und destroying the cocoon* 
containing tho eggs for the next season's brood. 
Instead of wailing until tile eggs become worms, 
and scatter through an orchard, destroy them 
now. More can bo done in this wuy in an hour 
now than in it week in summer. 
JVeliriodin for Settlers. — A Boston gentleman 
asks for information concerning Nebraska, lb* 
vranta to locate on tlio Union Pacific It. H., and 
wants to know where. A western gentleman 
who has lived in Hu* Mississippi Valley mans 
years, und traveled all over Nebraska and across 
tho Rocky Mountains several times, says he fs 
not favorably impressed with Nebraska, — that- 
the soil is good on tho I’1ft t. to River, but there is. 
no timber, and the river Itself is of little or no 
consequence to Hie country. On the side of the 
forks of the Platte, farmers are doing very well; 
hut. Nebraska is the lust, place In the West In 
which he would locate. He is asked if there islitt- 
biiity to drouth, and replies that there Is. 
Quea.—What kind of limber will grow there? 
Am .—Any kind—If planted, probably; though 
i don’t think it a good fruit country. 
There was considerable talk intended to dis¬ 
courage emigration to the West, on© man assert¬ 
ing that Delaware grew more corn to the acre 
than any Western State. A western man retort¬ 
ed that it might be true; but one farm in Illinois 
produced more corn annually than tho whole 
State of Delaware. 
A New Kind of Out*. -A gentleman at Port 
Wayne, Ind., sends the club n bag of oats which 
h» considers of superior quality, und which 
variety yields seventy-five bushels per ucre. He 
semis them for distribution among members. 
The seed from which they grow was obtained 
from the Patent Office. They are unlike any oat 
lie has over grown, shunt up well, resist extremes 
of drouth and wet, weigh forty-five pounds to 
the bushel,&e. He Informs the club that they 
will be well distributed the present season, and 
asks that members test them und report therein. 
Mr. Cajife.ntsr says the oat Is a peculiar grain, 
and only produces the beat residts In certain 
localities, fn New Jersey and Eastern Ne w York 
oats are light in weight, and not pron-anle as a 
Crop; while as we go North they weigh heavier 
and produce better. In some localities the best 
varieties degenerate more rapidly than in others. 
He has paid large prices for seed oats; but after 
the first, year, in Westchester Co., they deterio¬ 
rate rapidly. Samples of tot. Norway and New 
Brunswick oats were exhibited in comparison 
witli the Indiana sample, and pronounced inte¬ 
rior to the last, named. The importance of fre¬ 
quently changing seed, regardless of the com¬ 
parative merits of varieties, was urged. 
. uuother 
member went him one dollar better, and said ho 
could not afford to grow it for six dollars per 
bushel; but ho ooukl the Early Rose and the 
Early Goodrich. 
A gentleman from Long Island wanted to know 
about tho quality of tlm Harison. With him It 
produced well, rotted very little, but tho quality 
had not proved altogether satisfactory, and some 
of hlu neighbors had discarded it; thought ho 
should try It again another year, however. Mr. 
Oahpe.ntku replied that it was a most produc- 
iive potato In Westchester county, and of very 
good quality. 
Parking Fruit. - President Ei.y exhibited sam¬ 
ples of fruit taken from two barrels purchased 
in market. Ono of those samples wen* from 
barrels forwarded to market by Miss Lrci.VA 
Tuck uit, Sharon, Conn., and were found lo bo 
uniform as to size mid,quality of fruit through¬ 
out the four barrels purchased. The other sam¬ 
ples were from a barrel of Russels, tlio top layer 
or two of which were very line fruit, while the 
balance of the barrel was very inferior. Th.es© 
were illustrations of honesty and honor as ex¬ 
hibited daily in tiie market. 
Mr. Cakpkntru said it could not safely be 
charged that the producer of the emit was re¬ 
sponsible for t he manner in wiv/T, it appears on 
the market; for much, and Indeed most, of tho 
fruit Is bought, by speculators on tho tree, and 
gathered and packed by them, and not by the 
orchardists. And tot\ many of those specu Inters 
are unscrupulous mcsi. 
Planting WsIxmh.--H r, Shaw flirt her reported 
that he planted a grove of Walnuts, (block, we 
suptwetk though not so specified in his letter ) in 
Wti'l', and the trees resulting arc twenty l’cot high 
ami their bodies six inches In diameter. He is 
sorry ho had not planted more and thus enhanced 
the value of his farm proportionately. This is a 
natural ami common regret 
Wintering Osage Orange Plants.—\V. R. DAVIS 
of Crawford County, t>., does not take up hiu 
Goe thermal Culture. This system of culture, 
by forming an underground heat by means of 
pipes,for the purpose of growing early vegeta¬ 
bles has been put Into practice to some extent in 
I he central and Southern parts of Illinois. It 
was tried pretty extensively in England some 
years Since, but without satisfactory results, be¬ 
cause it was found that earth heat, without glass 
covering* to hold it, would not resist cold and 
wot. The plants by means of tho bottom 
warmth would be thrown Into activity; and so 
long as the weather continued mil l and dry, 
nil was well; but a slight frost produced 
more severe Injury than upon plants of the 
same varieties growing near by, but without tho 
underground heat. It in probable, however, 
that, this system will bo found practically valua¬ 
ble on hid side slopes, with the addition of mova- 
bio cheap glass sashes; or, possibly, he use of 
cloth in place of glass would answer every 
purpose. 
LEARNING PRUNING, 
When reading the essays and articles of 
modem writers on pruning'wo often feel like 
reminding them of an. old writer’s saying, 
v * z: — “In thfe quitter the end in view r 
is not to ho sacrificed, t,o fanciful precision.” 
IIard\y any two trees in an. orchard, or vines 
in a, vineyard, will permit of the same pre¬ 
cise fine and rule practice; but the operator 
must, ere he commences, study each tree or 
vine with a physiological knowledge, of its 
apparent capacity for fruit or growth, and 
having so studied set to work; tor in this 
knowledge of physical plant life lies the 
foundation of successful pruning. 
We. may write of how to prune lor pro¬ 
motion of wood, or of fruit, or to induce 
growth into particular shapes, and detail our 
writing never so carefully, yet tho operator 
would donUtltfv* fail on the first tree to which 
lie attempted the application*of our direc¬ 
tions. From year to year, we arc more cog¬ 
nizant of the fact that to the novice written 
instructions for priming oftener lead to error 
than success ; while an hour’s practice uud,er 
the instruction of one well skilled U vhe 
theory as well as its application, will render 
the work comparatively easy thereafter. 
Our advice, fs, therefore, if such a man is 
withiw a day’s ride, write him what day lie 
Will give to you; go work with him, and 
Ubhc W illow for Baskets.—A Columbus. O., 
correspondent writesT have some /and sale¬ 
able lor growing the White Willow ;u baskets. 
Will you tell me, if you can, r can got 
plants, with some directing about growing 
them?'* We reply at once that you do not want 
the White Willow f*V any such purpose. You 
should plant t\»4x Osier Willow- Suite vtrniiuUix. 
Almost ary nurseryman can supply you. Will 
give direct ions for planting and culture when 
*e have more spare space and time. 
Grape \> nqted .—a correspondent of Rural 
World publishes his wants to beA white grape 
that is quite healthy, hardy and productive; va¬ 
rieties that will make light colored winesus suc¬ 
cessfully as the Norton, Clinton, &c., make dark 
vines; an early grape with a very uniform con¬ 
sistent pulp that will dry to become a good 
raisin. 
Growing Chestnut*.—A horticulturist of expe¬ 
rience calls attention to the fact that tb* chest¬ 
nut should not be transplanted after making one 
season's growth; but tho tap-root .'should bo 
carefully cutoff with a spade- or otherwise, and 
the troo allowed to re mam the second season, 
when it may be safely transplanted. 
