380 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
advantage of placing many bearing trees on a small 
piece of ground, which might be valuable in towns and 
villages; and in giving tenants the same advantages as 
freeholders, by enabling them to remove trees of fifteen 
or twenty years’ growth, with nearly the same facility 
as furniture, the compact ball of fine fibres forming the 
whole mass of roots, being easily removed entire. In 
most instances, however, in the culture of fruit in this 
country, it will be found useful only, in bringing young 
and thrifty trees soon into bearing, after which the ope¬ 
ration may be dsicontinued, and the trees suffered to at¬ 
tain their full size. For, as dwarfing on small stocks, 
always shortens the life of the tree, it cannot be ques¬ 
tioned that the same result would be produced in some 
degree, by any other mode of permanent or continued 
dwarfing. Caution should al ways be used, as too severe 
a pruning has sometimes destroyed the tree, and at 
others, stunted, and injured the quality of the fruit.* 
A. J. Downing, in his work on Fruits, states that <{ se¬ 
veral nearly full grown peach, pear, and plum trees, on 
a very rich soil on the Hudson, which were over luxu¬ 
riant, but bore no fruit, were root pruned by our advice 
two years ago, and yielded most excellent and abundant 
crops last season.” A similar result has sometimes been 
producetl by seeding orchards down to grass, which has 
a powerful tendency to check growth, and as a conse¬ 
quence to increase the productiveness of over-luxuriant 
trees. 
In conclusion, it is proper to remark, that the great and 
general difficulty in the cultivation of fruit by most per¬ 
sons, is the stunting* the trees by neglect; such will of 
course not need the preceding instructions; and those 
who give their trees the best culture, on fertile soil, 
must use a proper discrimination in applying these sug¬ 
gestions. 
IRRIGATION OF GARDENS. 
We do not know that this has ever been practiced sys¬ 
tematically or on an extended scale; although there are 
certainly facts enough to show its advantages. The 
practice of the Dutch gardeners in freely and constantly 
watering many of their vegetable crops, and their con¬ 
sequent fine growth, is well known. During the present 
season we had a row of red Antwerp raspberries, which 
exhibited the same influence in a strong light. A 
part of the row stood under the eves of a wood-house 
and on the north side of the building, and another part 
stood in open ground, away from the drippings, but from 
its advantageous position was subjected to much freer cul¬ 
tivation. But the influence of the water from the roof 
upon the plants, was very striking throughout the sum¬ 
mer, and at the present time, (mid-autumn,) these are at 
least triple the size of the others in open ground. S. 
Williams, of Waterloo, whose garden was clayey, du¬ 
ring the dry hot weather a few years ago, let in the 
water through small gutters, between the hills and 
rows of vegetables. “ Its genial influence,” says he, 
“ was instantaneous; in ten days, my early potatoes 
grew two thirds in size. In fact, I had never been 
able to get anything like a fair yield of potatoes in 
this garden before. Cucumbers grew equally fast; 
even beans and marrowfat peas bore testimony to 
its quickening power.” McIntosh mentions another case, 
of the benefit of water upon strawberries. Strawberry 
beds, three feet wide, were kept watered by trenches be¬ 
tween them, about nine inches wide, the trenches being 
lined with brick, forming four inch walls on each side, 
and the depth equal to two or three courses of brick. 
They were laid without mortar, and were for the pur¬ 
pose of preserving the sides of the trenches and for 
neatness. Water was supplied by a pump, when the 
ground was dry and the plants were in fruit. “ A much 
greater crop was thus obtained, and the plants continued 
bearing much longer than in beds where there were no 
trenches for water.” This was in the cool and moist cli¬ 
* A similar effect on the fruit of young and newly transplanted 
trees, which are made to bear in consequence of their removal, not 
(infrequently takes place; hence, purchasers of trees sometimes 
suppose they have been imposed upon by nurserymen, when in fact 
the new fruit has as yet had no chance to exhibit its real qualities. 
mate of England; how much more striking would the 
results be in this country. 
There is not the slightest question, that where water is 
at command, either from streams, ponds, by pumping 
with hand, or elevating by wind, the finest results would 
be produced. The water might be distributed by means 
of trenches, as already described, or by hose furnished 
with a nose like that of a watering pot, the latter would 
doubtless be much the best and most convenient. A very 
small pipe would be sufficient. Water containing for¬ 
eign matter would of course be more enriching than pure 
water. Those who will try the experiment thoroughly, 
should make the necessary preparations now, at this com¬ 
paratively leisure season of the year. 
WAGES OF LABOR. 
From an instructive article on the subject of agricul¬ 
tural labor in different countries, its wages, and the com¬ 
parative condition of the laborer, in the London Mark 
Lane Express, we condense the following facts. In our 
estimates we have called the shilling sterling 22 cents, 
though its value is a trifle less; and the comparison, 
though instituted with the English laborer, can be easily 
made with those of this country. 
In England, the average rate of agricultural wages for 
an able man with a family, is 9 shillings, or $1.98 cents 
per week. From this is to be deducted cottage rent at 
33 cents per week, leaving $1.63 per week to provide 
himself with the necessaries of life. In France, a labo¬ 
rer in the same situation receives $1.04 per week; in 
Prussia, 66 cents; in Germany, $1.02 per week; in Hol¬ 
land and Belgium, $1.20; in Italy, and the Austrian 
states, $1.15 cents. It will be remembered that these 
averages are those of the common laborer, shepherds, 
carmen, and mechanics, receiving rather more. The 
food which the wages named above will purchase in the 
several countries, is stated in the Express as follows: 
In England the laborer can obtain for his 163 cents, or 
his week’s wages, either 39 lbs. of bread, or 11| lbs. 
of meat; 7\ lbs. of butter; 12| lbs. cheese; or 174 lbs. 
potatoes. 
In France, with his 104 cents, he can buy either 46 
lbs. of bread; 13^ lbs of meat; or 261 lbs. of potatoes. 
In Prussia, with his 66 cents per week, the laborer 
can buy either 36 lbs. of bread; 16 lbs. of meat; or 8| 
ins. of butter. 
In Germany, with 102 cents he obtains either 43| lbs. 
of bread; 18 lbs. of meat; 11| lbs. of butter; 24 lbs. 
cheese; or 54 quarts of beer. 
In Holland and Belgium, 120 cents will buy either, 58 
lbs. of bread; 22 lbs. of beef; or 460 lbs. of potatoes. 
In Italy and the Austrian states, the laborer with his 
115 cents, can buy either 50 lbs. of bread; 22 lbs. of 
beef; 8 lbs. of butter; 8 lbs. cheese; or 168 lbs. of po¬ 
tatoes. 
This table is interesting as showing not only the prices 
of labor in the countries named, but also the price of 
bread, meat, butter, cheese, &c. It is true the bread is 
stated by the lb. instead of grain by the bushel, but as the 
flour of a bushel of wheat, say 40 lbs., will make from 
63 to 65 lbs. of bread, an estimate may easily be 
made of the quantity of wheat or flour a man in any of 
the countries named, would receive for a week’s work. 
The laborer in this country who receives his bushel of 
wheat a day, or other articles in proportion, will readily 
conceive the meagre fare, and slender chance of <( laying 
by anything ” which must attend the foreign agricultu¬ 
ral laborer. In all these countries it will be seen the 
value of provisions is at least as great as here, and in 
some instances much greater. It is only by the com¬ 
parisons which such authentic statements enable them to 
make, that the free laborers, the farmers or mechanics of 
this country, can fully appreciate the advantages of their 
position. 
Onions.— For the past ten years from 30,000 to 60,000 
bushels of onions have been raised in the single town of 
Danvers, Mass. 
Fattening Hogs. —The latest improvement consists 
in keeping them as clean as possible. 
