SMorintltunil.i 
WINTER PRUNING OF FRUIT TREES. 
In theory, theorists may differ very widely 
in their ideas touching the Winter pruning of 
fruit trees and shrubs; but practical men 
usually begin this work as soon as convenient 
after the holidays. There is no use of boi 
rowing trouble about the frost injuring the 
exposed wood where a branch has been cut 
off, because if you have any fears on this 
score just cover the wounds with a little gum 
sheila/.-, dissolved in alcohol, or with common 
paint; grafting wax will also answer the 
purpose os well. 
But never prune a plant just for the sake 
of pruning, or because somebody has said that 
trees require priming annually. The size and 
form of trees may be controlled at will by 
pruning, and fruitfulness may be hastened or 
retarded by the same process. Vigorous 
growing trees should be preserved with care 
and judgment, the operator remembering 
that the more wood that is cut away the 
more rapid will be the growth the following 
season ; and if a tree is already making too 
much wood, no more should be allowed than 
is actually necessaiy to bring that which re¬ 
mains into proper shape. 
This principle as am* guide, we prune stunt¬ 
ed trees severely ; or even sickly branches, on 
an otherwise healthy tree, may often be re¬ 
stored to health by the use of the pruning- 
knifo alone. If the trees arc largo and 
branches so numerous as not to permit the 
light to reach the center of the tree, cut out 
a portion, and give all parts an equal chance 
for development and health. In all large, old 
trees there must naturally occur many ex- 
hau-tod branches ; and in cutting these away 
w r e give the others an opportunity to grow ; 
and if a few fruit spurs are destroyed, those 
remaining will be strengthened, and the fruit 
produced larger and of a better quality. Most 
fruit cultivators will own to a weakness in 
leaving too much bearing wood upon their 
trees, and poor, small fruit is the result. 
No better time can be- selected for pruning 
understandingly than in Winter, for at, tldg 
season one can readily determine the charac¬ 
ter of each bud, spur or branch, and shorten, 
remove entire, or allow any portion to remain 
intact, as the conditions may indicate. Ap¬ 
ple, pear and plum trees may bo pruned far- 
more freely than the cherry ; for this last- 
named tree is rather impatient under the 
knife, although it may Often be pruned to 
advantage. W e all take far too much delight 
in showing our fruit trees loaded down with 
a greater burden than they can, in safety, 
carry through to maturity, lienee the neces¬ 
sity of severe pruning to restore vigor to ex¬ 
hausted specimens. 
Next to fruit trees, grape vines are allowed 
to overbear more than any other of our small 
fruits, and the fur too common great prom¬ 
ise in the early part of the season ends in 
a lamentable failure. Green, half-ripened 
grapes are usually more abundant in gardens 
and vineyards than those that are well ma¬ 
tured ; and a failure to use the knife is very 
frequently the cause. Gooseberries are very 
liable to mildew, especially upon old, neglected 
plants; severe pruning by cutting out the 
old wood, thinning and shortening the young, c 
is usually beneficial. But with varieties that, f 
are subject to disease, it is best to renew the j 
stock frequently, keeping none but young y 
plants. t 
The red and white currants of our gardens ] p 
require more pruning than t he majority of t 
persons give them ; and annual t hinnings of n 
the shoots will result in larger and better t< 
fruit than if allowed to grow in thick, dense tl 
clumps, as generally seen in fanners’ gardens, g 
Tlie black varieties do better, and bear larger 
fruits when grown in a miniature tree form, 
and pruned accordingly. People, as a rule, 
prune off the outside of such plants instead 
of cutting out the inside, just as some will 
begin at the base of a tree and prune upward ol 
instead of beginning at the top and prune rc 
downward. sc 
Raspberries, blackberries and other similar & 
fruits are improved by pruning, and theoper- gt 
ation may be described in the two words, c< - 
sliortening and thinning. B. 
If men would only think more while they 
work and notice the effects of certain opera- n« 
tions, the benefits to be derived from judi¬ 
cious pruning, as well as when to avoid errors, ! 
would soon be learned. 
my experience. My farm has belonged in my 
family for over a hundred years, and I have 
lived on it for thirty-five years. About 
thirty years ago two Madeira nuts were 
planted in the garden and were afterwards 
transplanted. One tree bore Madeira nuts 
EARLY BEATRICE PEACH. 
ACCORDING to testimony from the District 
of Columbia and North Carolina, this peach 
is likely to take the lead as an early variety. 
A North Carolina gentleman has stated that 
|luntl flrdiiterture. 
and the other, which now stands on my farm, * u ' fl quantity of this Variety fully ripe 
lias borne fruit different times, hut the fmit Jimc lo—t wo weeka ahead of Hale’s Early. 
has borne fruit different times, but the fruit 
has never been perfect. The tree is a perfect 
Madeira nut in bark, wood and leaf. The 
first year of its bearing the outside rind of the 
fruit was like the Madeira nut; the inside, 
shell, meat and flavor, were butternut. Every 
Who, among our readers, lias grown it and 
can give testimony concerning it, pro or con ? 
4 ♦-»-— 
CALIFORNIA PEARS IN SCOTLAND. 
IV E notice that a sale of Eastern Beurre 
r VAN GEERT’S 
succeeding year the fruit has been the same pea. 
until last year (1872), when the fruit more re- Glai 
sembled the Madeira nut, both in Rhell and not 
flavor. How do you account for this “freak - 
Am I likely ever to have a perfect Madeira 
nut ? B. S. Horton. 
v -XJTsT PROTECTION. 
pears from California, was recently made in 
Glasgow, Scotland. The prices obtained are 
not given. 
<$he jJmiltrj) 
UNLEACHED ASHES ABOUT ORCHARD 
TREES. 
R. S. S. asks if we would recommend top 
dressing orchards with unleached ashes '< 
Certainly, especially where they stand in 
grass. We have had considerable experience 
in the matter. We never knew ashes to hurt 
any tree unless tlv-y wore piled close about 
the body of the tree in considerable bulk. It 
Is no place for them. But a top-dressing over 
the rooln of the trees will be found to give 
most gratifying results. We have known 
old, moss-covered, lousy trees stimulated into 
a new life by such application. 
- 
CALYCANTHUS IN WISCONSIN. 
Can the Calycanthus be cultivated out of 
doors in such a cold country as the center of 
Wisconsin i Mrs. P. C. C. 
Yes ; by giving slight protection in Winter. 
homological. 
GREEN NEWTOWN PIPPIN. 
The Green Newtown Pippin has been raised 
on my farm for more than sixty yeai-s. My 
j father brought the trees from Conn. The ap¬ 
ple has never flourished well here, 12 miles 
North of Utica ; the seasons are too short for 
the apples to mature. I have not grafted or 
planted any of this variety of Pippins within 
thirty years; but some of the old stock re¬ 
mains on the homestead. The Green New¬ 
town Pippin demands a warmer climate, and 
the breezes of salt water are congenial to its 
growth. F. J. Wolcott. 
Trenton, N. J. 
- ■*-*-■* - 
PROLIFIC APPLE TREES. 
My father gathered from one tree, the top I 
of which was grafted live years ago, ten bar¬ 
rels of apples last season ; if they had been 
Sold when packed they would have brought 
$30. A neighbor, David Bangs, Ogden, N. Y., 
gai liored iroru two trees 20 barrels each. They 
could have been sold at S3 per bbl.—V ernon 
Barker, ChurdivUk, N. F. 
We are sorry our correspondent did not 
name the variety of fruit thus gathered. 
-- . 
APPLES IN NEBRASKA, 
GUINEA FOWL AND TURKEY HYBRID. 
I have, what T consider a curiosity, in my 
yard in the shape of a fowl. Two were 
brought to this place last year, one of which 
was killed by a dog, the other I now have. 
A farmer from one of the lower counties in 
tills State gave them to a merchant here, and 
claimed they were across between his Guinea 
fowls and wild turkey, some of the latter 
ranging close to his house. One of the two 
I half-breed fowls laid a few eggs last year 
without any attempt at hatching being made. 
The fowl I have is very much larger than 
the largest Guinea fowl I have seen ; weighs, 
gross, between t and .1 lbs.; legs longer than 
Guinea, plumage of a pure white color with a 
few, so far as color is concerned, turkey feath¬ 
ers in the wings and on the body ; -while its 
shape and action, especially when frightened, 
shows pure Guinea ; its head is not all like it, 
nor like turkey, so far as t he fleshy protuber¬ 
ances peculiar to both arc concerned , the 
fowl has more of them. The shape of its 
head in outline like turkey and very thinly 
leathered all over; feathers on top of the 
head stand nearly upright. 
Its cry when startled is like that of the 
Guinea fowl under similar circumstances but 
not so harsh ; never gives voice except when 
frightened ; that is, it never uses the peculiar 
call of the Guinea. Do not know whether it 
is male or female. When I lirst received the 
iowj it was very wild, now it feeds with my 
chickens but is very wary still. 
Jackson, Miss, Geo. C. Eyrich. 
BUN PROTECTORS FOR PLANTS. 
J. Wright writes to the Cottage Gardener 
concerning Mr, Charles Van Geert’s nurs- 
1 eries at Ghent, and says that, unlike other 
’ Continental nurseries they do not contain “a 
sea of glass.” The. cliaracteristic of the nurs¬ 
ery' is its fine collection of hardy plants, trees, 
ornamental and fruit-Learing shrubs and 
conifers. “The only glass structures are a 
splendid vinery, orangery' and a long range 
of plain span roofs which are principally em¬ 
ployed for Wintering Camellias, Azaleas, 
Ferns, Palms, and other half-hardy orna¬ 
mental plants located in the open air—or in 
what I will call, for want of a better name, 
Van Geeht’h wigwams—during summer. 
These erections are homely, but the health of 
the endless variety of plants beneath their 
shade proves them to be excellently adapted 
to their purpose. They are found much bet¬ 
ter than glass, in being 
cool, and better than can¬ 
vas, inasmuch as while 
they exclude the sun they 
admit the rain. They are 
simply Bheds on posts, with 
a covering of split bam¬ 
boo caues — deal laths 
would do as well. The 
canes are arranged longi¬ 
tudinally and are put to¬ 
gether with a stout string, 
- leaving interstices between 
each cane of a quarter or 
half an inch, formed by 
the twist or knot of the 
string between cane and cane. They are 
rolled up in lengths and taken in in Winter 
They' last for years. Mr. Van Geert spoke 
highly of them, as] indeed he well may, for 
they evidently serve him well, The accom¬ 
panying sketch gives an idea of what these 
“wigwams” are like. The open path be¬ 
tween the bamboo affords easy access to the 
plants.” 
HARDY AQUARIUMS. 
The same correspondent notices another 
feature of Mr. Van Geert’s grounds, and 
speaks of it us “giving an outline idea of 
what may be carried out more fully, and 
which may ussist to make, especially little 
suburban and town plots, more Interesting* 
At the ends of one range of beds is a miniu- 
' ture hardy aquarium—I mean one in each 
bed. It is simply the half of a paraffin cask 
sunk to the level of the ground and filled with 
water. These tubs were occupied with named 
collections of hardy aquatics, and by their 
evident health would quickly establish them¬ 
selves. Around the tubs were ferns and sub- 
aquaties. It is easy to see that by a little 
rock work and suitable plants a pleasing varie¬ 
ty may be provided in any garden, however 
small, by working out, according to taste, 
this simple idea. The only thing required to 
keep the water pure and the plants healthy 
is to pour in a pailful every' morning and let 
it flush over the sides. 
— ■ ■ - 
RED AND WHITE BRICK FARM HOUSE. 
FOWLS DYING. 
I find a pullet lying partly on her side with 
her head and neck twisted half-wny T around 
and her head lying on her back between her 
wings. She seems unable to keep her head 
in any other position, even when 1 straighten 
her head and neck into its natural position ; 
as soon as I let go of it, it turns immediately 
to its original unusual position. This con¬ 
tinues for 48 hours, nothing having been 
eaten, because of the pullet’s inability' to eat, 
when I find her lying dead. 
I found a choice Light Brahma hen in 
precisely the same situation and symptoms, 
wlfich continues for Sfi hours, when I find 
her with her head and neck straightened and 
getting better, eating, etc., and finally' recov¬ 
ering entirely'. Now, if you please, what is 
the trouble, cause and remedy Y w. r. b. 
Morristown, N. J. 
THAT DOUBTFUL FREAK. 
In Rural New-Yorker, December 21, 
1S72, I noticed an article entitled “ A Doubt¬ 
ful Freak,” which you seem to think in¬ 
credible. Now, I wish to tell you a little of 
In the discussions of the Nebraska Horti¬ 
cultural Society, we notice that Red Astra- 
chan, Duchess of Oldenberg and Early Har¬ 
vest were recommended as early apples, and 
BIG EGG. 
I HAiTt seen big ej 
New-Yorker, but 
js noticed in the Rural 
ave not seen one equal 
White WinterPearmain, Janetting, Winesap, fhe, one I’ve just brought in. measuring 7% 
Roman Beauty, Ben Davis, Hubbardston ^y ^ inches, single y'olk—half Spanish and 
Nonsuch and Romanite for Winter use. Coos Co., Oregon. E ‘ °’ 
I intend to build a two story farm house— 
the groundwork to be of red brick ; but I 
wish to improve its appearance by variega¬ 
ting it with white brick. Not having seen 
any plan that pleases me, 1 would be very 
glad if you would publish one that would 
, improve the appearance of such a building. 
D. McK,, Cold Springs, Out. 
Tehre is no accounting for taste. It is dif¬ 
ficult for any one’s standard of taste to suit 
till classes. Wo know of no method of varie¬ 
gating a red brick building with white brick, 
that will add at ail to its beauty. Red brick, 
carefully' laid, painted brick color, penciled 
with white between the joints, with white 
stone window dressings, corner steps and 
chimney tops, is the neatest variegation we 
know of. We suppose white brick might be 
substituted for stone, but we would not like 
it as well Buch a building would look ornate 
enough, substantial and sensible. Any fancy 
that would intermix wliite brick and red, in 
any other way, we should think in bad taste, 
-- 
HOW THE CHINESE BUILD, 
In China, when a contractor engages to 
build a house, he encloses the premises and 
sets up cooking apparatus, to supply his hired 
workmen with regular meals at the most 
economical rates. Having taken, breakfast, 
they work until noon, rest one hour, and 
leave off at 5 P. M., and return to their homes. 
On leaving, each takes a ticket which admits 
him next morning. These tickets are daily 
vouchers of the artizau’s presence. Counted 
up at any tune a true account is rendered. 
A man on the ground throws several bricks 
to another ten feet above, and he to another 
still higher. Thus the masons are supplied 
as they ascend with the wall 
