,,the ,,home ,,acre  ,e4 ,p4 ,,roe      
,,contents     ,,chapter ,i             
,,tree-,,planting    ,,chapter ,,ii     
,,fruit-,,trees ,,and ,,grass           
,,chapter ,,iii   ,,the ,,garden        
,,chapter ,,iv   ,,the ,,vineyard ,,and 
,,orchard     ,,chapter ,v   ,,the      
,,raspberry    ,,chapter ,,vi   ,,the   
,,currant   ,,chapter ,,vii             
,,strawberries  ,,chapter ,,viii   ,,the
 ,,kitchen-,,garden    ,,chapter ,,ix   
,,the ,,kitchen-,,garden 7,concluded7   
,,chapter ,i  ,,tree-,,planting   ,land 
hunger is so general that it may be     
regarded as a natural craving4          
,artificial modes of life1 it is true1  
can destroy it1 but it is apt to        
reassert itself in later generations4   
,to tens of thousands of bread-winners  
in cities a country home is the dream of
 the future1 the crown and reward of    
their life-toil4 ,increasing numbers are
 taking what would seem to be the wiser 
course1 and are combining rural         
pleasures and advantages with their     

business4 ,as the questions of rapid    
transit are solved1 the welfare of      
children will turn the scale more and   
more often against the conventional city
 house or flat4 ,a home ,,can be created
 in rented dwellings and apartments2 but
 a home for which we have the deed1 a   
cottage surrounded by trees1 flowers1   
lawn1 and garden1 is the refuge which   
best satisfies the heart4 ,by means of  
such a suburban nook we can keep up our 
relations with ,nature and all her      
varied and health-giving life4 ,the     
tired man returning from business finds 
that his excited brain will not cease to
 act4 ,he can enjoy restoring rest in   
the complete diversion of his thoughts2 
he can think of this tree or that plant1
 and how he can fill to advantage       
unoccupied spaces with other trees1     
flowers1 and vegetables4 ,if there is a 
,jersey cow to welcome him with her     
placid trust1 a good roadster to whinny 
for an airing1 and a flock of chickens  
to clamor about his feet for their      

supper1 his jangling nerves will be     
quieted1 in spite of all the bulls and  
bears of ,wall ,street4 ,best of all1 he
 will see that his children have air and
 space in which to grow naturally1      
healthfully4 ,his fruit-trees will      
testify to his wisdom in providing a    
country home4 ,for instance1 he will    
observe that if sound plums are left in 
contact with stung and decaying         
specimens1 they too will be infected2 he
 will see that too close crowding       
renders the prospect for good fruit     
doubtful2 and1 by natural transition of 
thought1 will be glad that his boys and 
girls are not shut in to the fortuitous 
associations of hall-way and street4    
,the area of land purchased will depend 
largely on the desires and purse of the 
buyer2 but about one acre appears to    
satisfy the majority of people4 ,this   
amount is not so great that the business
 man is burdened with care1 nor is its  
limit so small that he is cramped and   
thwarted by line fences4 ,if he can give

 to his bit of ,eden but little thought 
and money1 he will find that an acre can
 be so laid out as to entail            
comparatively small expense in either   
the one or the other2 if he has the time
 and taste to make the land his         
play-ground as well as that of his      
children1 scope is afforded for an      
almost infinite variety of pleasing     
labors and interesting experiments4     
,when we come to co-work with ,nature1  
all we do has some of the               
characteristics of an experiment4 ,the  
labor of the year is a game of skill1   
into which also enter the fascinating   
elements of apparent chance4 ,what a    
tree1 a flower1 or vegetable bed will   
give1 depends chiefly upon us2 yet all  
the vicissitudes of dew1 rain1 frost1   
and sun1 have their part in the result4 
,we play the game with ,nature1 and she 
will usually let us win if we are not   
careless1 ignorant1 or stupid4 ,she     
keeps up our zest by never permitting   
the game to be played twice under the   

same conditions4 ,we can no more carry  
on our garden this season precisely as  
we did last year than a captain can sail
 his ship exactly as he did on the      
preceding voyage4 ,a country home makes 
even the weather interesting2 and the   
rise and fall of the mercury is watched 
with scarcely less solicitude than the  
mutations of the market4  ,in this      
chapter and in those which may ensue ,i 
merely hope to make some useful         
suggestions and give practical          
advice--the result of experience1 my own
 and others'--which the reader may carry
 out and modify according to his        
judgment4  ,we will suppose that an acre
 has been bought2 that it is            
comparatively level1 with nothing of    
especial value upon it--in brief1 that  
the home and its surroundings are still 
to be created4  ,it is not within my    
design to treat of the dwelling1 its    
architecture1 etc41 but we shall have   
something to say further on in regard to
 its location4 ,before purchasing1 the  

most careful investigations should be   
made as to the healthfulness of the     
region and the opportunities for        
thorough drainage4 ,having bought the   
acre1 the question of removing all undue
 accumulations of water on or beneath   
the surface should be attended to at    
first4 ,the dry appearance of the soil  
during much of the year may be          
misleading4 ,it should be remembered    
that there are equinoctial storms and   
melting snows4 ,superabundant moisture  
at every period should have channels of 
immediate escape1 for moisture in excess
 is an injury to plant as well as to    
family life2 while thoroughly and       
quickly drained land endures drought far
 better than that which is rendered     
heavy and sour by water stagnating      
beneath the surface4 ,tile-drains are   
usually the cheapest and most effective2
 but if there are stones and rocks upon 
the place1 they can be utilized and     
disposed of at the same time by their   
burial in ditches--and they should be   

covered so deeply that a plow1 although 
sunk to the beam1 can pass over them4   
,tiles or the top of a stone drain      
should be at least two feet below the   
surface4 ,if the ground of the acre is  
underlaid with a porous subsoil1 there  
is usually an adequate natural drainage4
  ,making haste slowly is often the     
quickest way to desired results4 ,it is 
the usual method to erect the dwelling  
first1 and afterward to subdue and      
enrich the ground gradually4 ,this in   
many instances may prove the best       
course2 but when it is practicable1 ,i  
should advise that building be deferred 
until the land 7with the exception of   
the spaces to be occupied with the house
 and barn7 can be covered with a heavy  
dressing of barnyard manure1 and that   
this be plowed under in the autumn4     
,such general enriching of the soil may 
seem a waste in view of the             
carriage-drive and walks yet to be laid 
out2 but this will not prove true4 ,it  
should be remembered that while certain 

parts of the place are to be kept bare  
of surface-vegetation1 they nevertheless
 will form a portion of the             
root-pasturage of the shade and fruit   
trees4 ,the land1 also1 can be more     
evenly and deeply plowed before         
obstructions are placed upon it1 and    
roots1 pestiferous weeds1 and stones    
removed with greatest economy4          
,moreover1 the good initial enriching is
 capital1 hoarded in the soil1 to start 
with4 ,on many new places ,i have seen  
trees and plants beginning a feeble and 
uncertain life1 barely existing rather  
than growing1 because their roots found 
the soil like a table with dishes but   
without food4 ,if the fertilizer is     
plowed under in the autumn1 again mixed 
with the soil by a second plowing in the
 spring1 it will be decomposed and ready
 for immediate use by every rootlet in  
contact with it4 ,now1 as farmers say1  
the land is in good heart1 and it will  
cheer its owner's heart to see the      
growth promptly made by whatever is     

properly planted4 ,instead of losing    
time1 he has gained years4 ,suppose the 
acre to have been bought in ,september1 
and treated as ,i have indicated1 it is 
ready for a generous reception of plants
 and trees the following spring4        
,possibly at the time of purchase the   
acre may be covered with coarse grass1  
weeds1 or undergrowth of some kind4 ,in 
this case1 after the initial plowing1   
the cultivation for a season of some    
such crop as corn or potatoes may be of 
great advantage in clearing the land1   
and the proceeds of the crop would      
partially meet expenses4 ,if the aim is 
merely to subdue and clean the land as  
quickly as possible1 nothing is better  
than buckwheat1 sown thickly and plowed 
under just as it comes into blossom4 ,it
 is the nature of this rampart-growing  
grain to kill out everything else and   
leave the soil light and mellow4 ,if the
 ground is encumbered with many stones  
and rocks1 the question of clearing it  
is more complicated4 ,they can be used1 

and often sold to advantage1 for        
building purposes4 ,in some instances ,i
 have seen laboring-men clear the most  
unpromising plots of ground by burying  
all rocks and stones deeply beneath the 
surface--men1 too1 who had no other time
 for the task except the brief hours    
before and after their daily toil4  ,i  
shall give no distinct plan for laying  
out the ground4 ,the taste of the owner1
 or more probably that of his wife1 will
 now come into play4 ,their ideas also  
will be modified by many local          
circumstances--as1 for instance1 the    
undulations of the land1 if there are   
any2 proximity to neighbors1 etc4 ,if   
little besides shade and lawn is        
desired1 this fact will have a          
controlling influence2 if1 on the other 
hand1 the proprietor wishes to make his 
acre as productive as possible1 the     
house will be built nearer the street1  
wider open space will be left for the   
garden1 and fruit-trees will predominate
 over those grown merely for shade and  

beauty4 ,there are few who would care to
 follow a plan which many others had    
adopted4 ,indeed1 it would be the       
natural wish of persons of taste to     
impart something of their own           
individuality to their rural home2 and  
the effort to do this would afford much 
agreeable occupation4 ,plates giving the
 elevation and arrangement of country   
homes can be studied by the evening     
lamp2 visits to places noted for their  
beauty1 simplicity1 and good taste will 
afford motives for many a breezy drive2 
while useful suggestions from what had  
been accomplished by others may repay   
for an extended journey4 ,such          
observations and study will cost little 
more than an agreeable expenditure of   
time2 and surely a home is worth careful
 thought4 ,it then truly becomes ,,your 
home--something that you have evolved   
with loving effort4 ,dear thoughts of   
wife and children enter into its very   
materiality2 walks are planned with a   
loving consciousness of the feet which  

are to tread them1 and trees planted    
with prophetic vision of the groups that
 will gather beneath the shade4 ,this   
could scarcely be true if the acre were 
turned over to architect1 builders1 and 
landscape-gardeners1 with an agreement  
that you should have possession at a    
specified time4  ,we will suppose that  
it is early spring1 that the ground has 
received its second plowing1 and that   
the carriage-drive and the main walks   
have been marked out on paper1 or1      
better still1 on a carefully considered 
map4 ,there is now so much to do that   
one is almost bewildered2 and the old   
saying1 ,rome was not built in a day1 is
 a good thing to remember4 ,an orderly  
succession of labor will bring beauty   
and comfort in good time1 especially if 
essential or foundation labors are first
 well performed4 ,few things will prove 
more satisfactory than dry1 hard1 smooth
 carriage-roads and walks4 ,these1 with 
their curves1 can be carefully staked   
out1 the surface-earth between the      

stakes to the depth of four or five     
inches carted to the rear of the place  
near the stable1 or the place where the 
stable is to be4 ,of the value of this  
surface-soil we shall speak presently1  
and will merely remark in passing that  
it is amply worth the trouble of saving4
 ,its removal leaves the beds of the    
driveway and walks depressed several    
inches below the surrounding surface4   
,fill these shallow excavations with    
little stones1 the larger in the bottom1
 the smaller on top1 and cover all with 
gravel4 ,you now have roads and walks   
that will be dry and hard even in oozy  
,march1 and you can stroll about your   
place the moment the heaviest shower is 
over4 ,the greater first cost will be   
more than made good by the fact that    
scarcely a weed can start or grow on    
pathways thus treated4 ,all they will   
need is an occasional rounding up and   
smoothing with a rake4  ,while this     
labor is going on you can begin the     
planting of trees4 ,to this task ,i     

would earnestly ask careful attention4  
,your house can be built in a summer2   
but it requires a good part of a century
 to build the best trees into anything  
like perfection4  ,the usual tendency is
 to plant much too closely4 ,observe    
well-developed trees1 and see how wide a
 space they require4 ,there is naturally
 an eager wish for shade as soon as     
possible1 and a desire to banish from   
surroundings an aspect of bareness4     
,these purposes can1 it is true1 often  
be accomplished by setting out more     
trees at first than could mature1 and by
 taking out one and another from time to
 time when they begin to interfere with 
each other's growth4 ,one symmetrical1  
noble tree1 however1 is certainly worth 
more than a dozen distorted1 misshapen  
specimens4 ,if given space1 every kind  
of tree and shrub will develop its own  
individuality2 and herein lies one of   
their greatest charms4 ,if the oak      
typifies manhood1 the drooping elm is   
equally suggestive of feminine grace1   

while the sugar-maple1 prodigal of its  
rich juices1 tasselled bloom1 and winged
 seeds1 reminds us of wholesome1        
cheerful natures4 ,even when dying1 its 
foliage takes on the earliest and       
richest hues of autumn4  ,the trees     
about our door become in a sense our    
companions4 ,they appeal to the eye1    
fancy1 and feelings of different people 
differently4 ,therefore ,i shall leave  
the choice of arboreal associates to    
those who are to plant them--a choice   
best guided by observation of trees4    
,why should you not plant those you like
 the best1 those which are the most     
congenial8  ,a few suggestions1 however1
 may be useful4 ,i would advise the     
reader not to be in too great haste to  
fill up his grounds4 ,while there are   
trees to which his choice reverts almost
 instantly1 there are probably many     
other beautiful varieties with which he 
is not acquainted4 ,if he has kept space
 for the planting of something new every
 spring and fall1 he has done much to   

preserve his zest in his rural          
surroundings1 and to give a pleasing    
direction to his summer observation4 ,he
 is ever on the alert to discover trees 
and shrubs that satisfy his taste4      
,during the preparation of this book ,i 
visited the grounds of ,mr4 ,a4 ,s4     
,fuller1 at ,kidgewood1 ,n4 ,j41 and for
 an hour or two ,i broke the tenth      
commandment in spite of myself4 ,i was  
surrounded by trees from almost every   
portion of the northern temperate zone1 
from ,oregon to ,japan2 and in ,mr4     
,fuller ,i had a guide whose sympathy   
with his arboreal pets was only equalled
 by his knowledge of their              
characteristics4 ,all who love trees    
should possess his book entitled        
,practical ,forestry4 ,if it could only 
be put into the hands of law-makers1 and
 they compelled to learn much of its    
contents by heart1 they would cease to  
be more or less conscious traitors to   
their country in allowing the           
destruction of forests4 ,they might     

avert the verdict of the future1 and    
prevent posterity from denouncing the   
irreparable wrong which is now permitted
 with impunity4 ,the ,arnolds of to-day 
are those who have the power to save the
 trees1 yet fail to do so4  ,japan      
appears to be doing as much to adorn our
 lawns and gardens as our drawing-rooms2
 and from this and other foreign lands  
much that is beautiful or curious is    
coming annually to our shores4 ,at the  
same time ,i was convinced of the wisdom
 of ,mr4 ,fuller's appreciation of our  
native trees4 ,in few instances should  
we have to go far from home to find     
nearly all that we wanted in beautiful  
variety--maples1 dogwoods1 scarlet and  
chestnut oaks1 the liquid-amber1 the    
whitewood or tulip-tree1 white birch1   
and horn-beam1 or the hop-tree2 not to  
speak of the evergreens and shrubs      
indigenous to our forests4 ,perhaps it  
is not generally known that the         
persimmon1 so well remembered by old    
campaigners in ,virginia1 will grow     

readily in this latitude4 ,there are    
forests of this tree around ,paterson1  
,n4 ,j41 and it has been known to endure
 twenty-seven degrees below zero4 ,it is
 a handsome tree at any season1 and its 
fruit in ,november caused much          
straggling from our line of march in the
 ,south4 ,then there is our clean-boled1
 graceful beech1 whose smooth white bark
 has received so many tender            
confidences4 ,in the neighborhood of a  
village you will rarely find one of     
these trees whereon is not linked the   
names of lovers that have sat beneath   
the shade4 ,indeed ,i have found        
mementoes of trysts or rambles deep in  
the forest of which the faithful beech  
has kept the record until the lovers    
were old or dead4 ,on an immense old    
beech in ,tennessee there is an         
inscription which1 while it suggests a  
hug1 presents to the fancy an experience
 remote from a lover's embrace4 ,it     
reads1 ,d4 ,boone cilled bar on tree4   
,there is one objection to the beech    

which also lies against the white       
oak--it does not drop its leaves within 
the space of a few autumn days4 ,the    
bleached foliage is falling all winter  
long1 thus giving the ground near an    
untidy aspect4 ,with some1 the question 
of absolute neatness is paramount2 with 
others1 leaves are clean dirt1 and their
 rustle in the wind does not cease to be
 music even after they have fallen4     
,speaking of native trees and shrubs1 we
 shall do well to use our eyes carefully
 during our summer walks and drives2 for
 if we do1 we can scarcely fail to fall 
in love with types and varieties growing
 wild4 ,they will thrive just as well on
 the acre if properly removed4 ,in a    
sense they bring the forest with them1  
and open vistas at our door deep into   
the heart of ,nature4 ,the tree is not  
only a thing of beauty in itself1 but it
 represents to the fancy all its wild   
haunts the world over4  ,in gratifying  
our taste for native trees we need not  
confine ourselves to those indigenous to

 our own locality4 ,from the nurseries  
we can obtain specimens that beautify   
other regions of our broad land2 as1 for
 instance1 the ,kentucky yellow-wood1   
the papaw1 the ,judas-tree1 and1 in the 
latitude of ,new ,jersey and southward1 
the holly4  ,in many instances the      
purchaser of the acre may find a lasting
 pleasure in developing a specialty4 ,he
 may desire to gather about him all the 
drooping or weeping trees that will grow
 in his latitude1 or he may choose to   
turn his acre largely into a            
nut-orchard1 and delight his children   
with a harvest which they will gather   
with all the zest of the frisky red     
squirrel4 ,if one could succeed in      
obtaining a bearing tree of ,hale's     
paper-shell hickory-nut1 he would have a
 prize indeed4 ,increasing attention is 
given to the growing of nut-trees in our
 large nurseries1 and there would be no 
difficulty in obtaining a supply4  ,in  
passing from this subject of choice in  
deciduous trees and shrubs1 ,i would    

suggest1 in addition to visits to woods 
and copse1 to the well-ornamented places
 of men who have long gratified a fine  
taste in this respect1 that the reader  
also make time to see occasionally a    
nursery like that of ,s4,b4 ,parsons    
,co41 at ,flushing1 ,n4,y4 ,there is no 
teaching like that of the eyes2 and the 
amateur who would do a bit of           
landscape-gardening about his own home  
learns what he would like and what he   
can do by seeing shrubs and trees in    
their various stages of growth and      
beauty4  ,i shall treat the subject of  
evergreens at the close of this chapter4
  ,as a rule1 ,i have not much sympathy 
with the effort to set out large trees  
in the hope of obtaining shade more     
quickly4 ,the trees have to be trimmed  
up and cut back so greatly that their   
symmetry is often destroyed4 ,they are  
also apt to be checked in their growth  
so seriously by such removal that a     
slender sapling1 planted at the same    
time1 overtakes and passes them4 ,i     

prefer a young tree1 straight-stemmed1  
healthy1 and typical of its species or  
variety4 ,then we may watch its rapid   
natural development as we would that of 
a child4 ,still1 when large trees can be
 removed in winter with a great ball of 
frozen earth that insures the           
preservation of the fibrous roots1 much 
time can be saved4 ,it should ever be   
remembered that prompt1 rapid growth of 
the transplanted tree depends on two    
things--plenty of small fibrous roots1  
and a fertile soil to receive them4 ,it 
usually happens that the purchaser      
employs a local citizen to aid in       
putting his ground in order4 ,in every  
rural neighborhood there are smart      
men--smart is the proper adjective2 for 
they are neither sagacious nor          
trustworthy1 and there is ever a dismal 
hiatus between their promises and       
performance4 ,such men lie in wait for  
newcomers1 to take advantage of their   
inexperience and necessary absence4     
,they will assure their confiding       

employers that they are beyond learning 
anything new in the planting of         
trees--which is true1 in a sinister     
sense4 ,they will leave roots exposed to
 sun and wind--in brief1 pay no more    
attention to them than a baby-farmer    
would bestow on an infant's appetite2   
and then1 when convenient1 thrust them  
into a hole scarcely large enough for a 
post4 ,they expect to receive their     
money long before the dishonest         
character of their work can be          
discovered4 ,the number of trees which  
this class of men have dwarfed or killed
 outright would make a forest4 ,the     
result of a well-meaning yet ignorant   
man's work might be equally             
unsatisfactory4 ,therefore1 the         
purchaser of the acre should know how a 
tree should be planted1 and see to it   
himself2 or he should by careful inquiry
 select a man for the task who could    
bring testimonials from those to whom he
 had rendered like services in the past4
  ,the hole destined to receive a shade 

or fruit tree should be at least three  
feet in diameter and two feet deep4 ,it 
then should be partially filled with    
good surface soil1 upon which the tree  
should stand1 so that its roots could   
extend naturally according to their     
original growth4 ,good fine loam should 
be sifted through and over them1 and    
they should not be permitted to come in 
contact with decaying matter or coarse1 
unfermented manure4 ,the tree should be 
set as deeply in the soil as it stood   
when first taken up4 ,as the earth is   
thrown gently through and over the roots
 it should be packed lightly against    
them with the foot1 and water1 should   
the season be rather dry and warm1      
poured in from time to time to settle   
the fine soil about them4 ,the surface  
should be levelled at last with a slight
 dip toward the tree1 so that spring and
 summer rains may be retained directly  
about the roots4 ,then a mulch of coarse
 manure is helpful1 for it keeps the    
surface moist1 and its richness will    

reach the roots gradually in a diluted  
form4 ,a mulch of straw1 leaves1 or     
coarse hay is better than none at all4  
,after being planted1 three stout stakes
 should be inserted firmly in the earth 
at the three points of a triangle1 the  
tree being its centre4 ,then by a rope  
of straw or some soft material the tree 
should be braced firmly between the     
protecting stakes1 and thus it is kept  
from being whipped around by the wind4  
,should periods of drought ensue during 
the growing season1 it would be well to 
rake the mulch one side1 and saturate   
the ground around the young tree with an
 abundance of water1 and the mulch      
afterward spread as before4 ,such       
watering is often essential1 and it     
should be thorough4 ,unskilled persons  
usually do more harm than good by their 
half-way measures in this respect4      
,speaking of trees1 it may so happen    
that the acre is already in forest4     
,then1 indeed1 there should be careful  
discrimination in the use of the axe4   

,it may be said that a fine tree is in  
the way of the dwelling4 ,perhaps the   
proposed dwelling is in the way of the  
tree4 ,in ,england the work of groving1 
or thinning out trees1 is carried to the
 perfection of a fine art4 ,one shudders
 at the havoc which might be made by a  
stolid laborer4 ,indeed1 to nearly all  
who could be employed in preparing a    
wooded acre for habitation1 a tree would
 be looked upon as little more than so  
much cord-wood or lumber4  ,if ,i had a 
wooded acre ,i should study the trees   
most carefully before coming to any     
decision as to the situation of the     
dwelling and out-buildings4 ,having     
removed those obviously unworthy to     
remain1 ,i should put in the axe very   
thoughtfully among the finer specimens1 
remembering that ,i should be under the 
soil before ,nature could build others  
like them4  ,in the fitting up of this  
planet as the home of mankind it would  
appear that the ,creator regarded the   
coniferae1 or evergreen family1 as well 

worthy of attention2 for almost from the
 first1 according to geologists1 this   
family records on the rocky tablets of  
the earth its appearance1 large and     
varied development1 and its adaptation  
to each change in climate and condition 
of the globe's surface during the       
countless ages of preparation4 ,surely1 
therefore1 he who is evolving a home on 
one acre of the earth's area cannot     
neglect a genus of trees that has been  
so signally honored4 ,evergreens will   
speedily banish the sense of newness    
from his grounds2 for by putting them   
about his door he has added the link    
which connects his acre with the        
earliest geological record of           
tree-planting4 ,then1 like ,diedrich    
,knickerbocker1 who felt that he must   
trace the province of ,new ,york back to
 the origin of the universe1 he can look
 upon his coniferae and feel that his   
latest work is in accord with one of the
 earliest laws of creation4 ,i imagine1 
however1 that my readers' choice of     

evergreens will be determined chiefly by
 the fact that they are always          
beautiful1 are easily managed1 and that 
by means of them beautiful effects can  
be created within comparatively small   
space4 ,on ,mr4 ,fuller's grounds ,i saw
 what might be fittingly termed a small 
parterre of dwarf evergreens1 some of   
which were twenty-five years old4       
,numbers of this family might be        
described as evergreen and gold2 for    
part of the perennial foliage shades off
 from the deepest green to bright golden
 hues4 ,among the group of this variety1
 ,japanese in origin1 ,mr4 ,fuller      
showed me a sporting specimen1 which1   
from some obscure and remarkable        
impulse1 appeared bent on producing a   
new and distinct type4 ,one of the      
branches was quite different from all   
the others on the tree4 ,it was pressed 
down and layered in the soil beneath2   
when lo6 a new tree was produced1 set   
out beside its parent1 whom it soon     
surpassed in size1 beauty1 and general  

vigor4 ,although still maintaining its  
green and golden hues1 it was so        
distinct that no one would dream that it
 was but a sport from the adjacent dwarf
 and modest tree4 ,indeed1 it reminded  
one of ,beatrix ,esmond beside her      
gentle and retiring mother4 ,if it      
should not in the future emulate in     
caprice the fair subject of comparison1 
it may eventually become one of the     
best-known ornaments of our lawns4 ,at  
present it appears nowise inclined to   
hide its golden light under a bushel4   
,what ,i have said about forming the    
acquaintance of deciduous trees and     
shrubs before planting to any great     
extent1 applies with even greater force 
to the evergreen1 family4 ,there is a   
large and beautiful variety from which  
to choose1 and ,i would suggest that the
 choice be made chiefly from the        
dwarf-growing kinds1 since the space of 
one acre is too limited for much        
indulgence in4 ,norway spruces1 the     
firs1 or pines4 ,an hour with a         

note-book spent in grounds like those of
 ,mr4 ,fuller would do more in aiding a 
satisfactory selection than years of    
reading4 ,moreover1 it should be        
remembered that many beautiful          
evergreens1 especially those of foreign 
origin1 are but half hardy4 ,the amateur
 may find that after an exceptionally   
severe winter some lovely specimen1     
which has grown to fill a large space in
 his heart1 as well as on his acre1 has 
been killed4 ,there is an ample choice  
from entirely hardy varieties for every 
locality1 and these1 by careful inquiry 
of trustworthy nurserymen1 should be    
obtained4  ,moreover1 it should be      
remembered that few evergreens will     
thrive in a wet1 heavy soil4 ,if ,nature
 has not provided thorough drainage by  
means of a porous subsoil1 the work must
 be done artificially4 ,as a rule1 light
 but not poor soils1 and warm exposures1
 are best adapted to this genus of      
trees4  ,i think that all authorities   
agree substantially that spring in our  

climate is the best time for the        
transplanting of evergreens2 but they   
differ between early and advanced       
spring4 ,the late ,mr4 ,a4 ,j4 ,downing 
preferred early spring2 that is1 as soon
 as the frost is out1 and the ground dry
 enough to crumble freely4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,s4 
,fuller indorses this opinion4 ,mr4     
,josiah ,hoopes1 author of a valuable   
work entitled ,the ,book of ,evergreens1
 advises that transplanting be deferred 
to later spring1 when the young trees   
are just beginning their season's       
growth2 and this view has the approval  
of the ,hon4 ,marshall ,p4 ,wilder and  
,mr4 ,s4 ,b4 ,parsons1 ,jr41            
,superintendent of ,city ,parks4        
,abundant success is undoubtedly        
achieved at both seasons2 but should a  
hot1 dry period ensue after the later   
planting--early ,may1 for instance--only
 abundant watering and diligent mulching
 will save the trees4  ,it should be    
carefully remembered that the evergreen 
families do not possess the vitality of 

deciduous trees1 and are more easily    
injured or killed by removal4 ,the roots
 of the former are more sensitive to    
exposure to dry air and to sunlight2 and
 much more certainty of life and growth 
is secured if the transfer can be       
accomplished in cloudy or rainy weather4
 ,the roots should never be permitted to
 become dry1 and it is well also to     
sprinkle the foliage at the time of     
planting4 ,moreover1 do not permit      
careless workmen to save a few minutes  
in the digging of the trees4 ,every     
fibrous root that can be preserved      
intact is a promise of life and vigor4  
,if a nurseryman should send me an      
assortment of evergreens with only the  
large woody roots left1 ,i should refuse
 to receive the trees4  ,what ,i have   
said in opposition to the transplanting 
of large trees applies with greater     
force to evergreens4 ,mr4 ,hoopes       
writes3 ,an error into which many       
unpracticed planters frequently fall is 
that of planting large trees2 and it is 

one which we consider opposed to sound  
common-sense4 ,we are aware that the    
owner of every new place is anxious to  
produce what is usually known as an     
immediate effect1 and therefore he      
proceeds to plant large evergreens1     
covering his grounds with great         
unsightly trees4 ,in almost every case  
of this kind the lower limbs are apt to 
die1 and thus greatly disfigure the     
symmetry of the trees4 ,young1 healthy  
plants1 when carefully taken up and as  
properly replanted1 are never subject to
 this disfigurement1 and are almost     
certain to form handsome specimens4     
,any one who has seen the beautiful     
pyramids1 cones1 and mounds of green    
into which so many varieties develop1 if
 permitted to grow according to the laws
 of their being1 should not be induced  
to purchase old and large trees which   
nurserymen are often anxious to part    
with before they become utterly         
unsalable4  ,when the evergreens reach  
the acre1 plant them with the same care 

and on the same general principles      
indicated for other trees4 ,let the soil
 be mellow and good4 ,mulch at once1 and
 water abundantly the first summer      
during dry periods4 ,be sure that the   
trees are not set any deeper in the     
ground than they stood before removal4  
,if the soil of the acre is heavy or    
poor1 go to the roadside or some old    
pasture and find rich light soil with   
which to fill in around the roots4 ,if  
no soil can be found without a large    
proportion of clay1 the addition of a   
little sand1 thoroughly mixed through   
it1 is beneficial4 ,the hole should be  
ample in size1 so that the roots can be 
spread out according to their natural   
bent4 ,if the ground after planting     
needs enriching1 spread the fertilizer  
around the trees1 not against them1 and 
on the surface only4 ,never put manure  
on or very near the roots4  ,fine young 
seedling evergreens can often be found  
in the woods or fields1 and may be had  
for the asking1 or for a trifling sum4  

,dig them so as to save all the roots   
possible4 ,never permit these to become 
dry till they are safe in your own      
grounds4 ,aim to start the little trees 
under the same conditions in which you  
found them in ,nature4 ,if taken from a 
shady spot1 they should be shaded for a 
season or two1 until they become        
accustomed to sunlight4 ,this can easily
 be accomplished by four crotched stakes
 supporting a light scaffolding1 on     
which is placed during the hot months a 
few evergreen boughs4  ,very pretty and 
useful purposes can often be served by  
the employment of certain kinds of      
evergreens as hedges4 ,i do not like the
 arbitrary and stiff divisions of a     
small place which ,i have often seen4   
,they take away the sense of roominess1 
and destroy the possibility of pretty   
little vistas2 but when used judiciously
 as screens they combine much beauty    
with utility4 ,as part of line fences   
they are often eminently satisfactory1  
shutting out prying eyes and inclosing  

the home within walls of living green4  
,the strong-growing pines and ,norway   
spruce are better adapted to large      
estates than to the area of an acre4    
,therefore we would advise the          
employment of the ,american arbor vitae 
and of hemlock4 ,the hedge of the latter
 evergreen on ,mr4 ,fuller's place      
formed one of the most beautiful and    
symmetrical walls ,i have ever seen4 ,it
 was so smooth1 even1 and impervious    
that in the distance it appeared like   
solid emerald4  ,the ground should be   
thoroughly prepared for a hedge by deep 
plowing or by digging2 the trees should 
be small1 young1 of even height and     
size1 and they should be planted        
carefully in line1 according to the     
directions already given for a single   
specimen2 the ground on each side       
mulched and kept moist during the first 
summer4 ,in the autumn1 rake the mulch  
away and top-dress the soil on both     
sides for the space of two or three feet
 outward from the stems with            

well-decayed manure4 ,this protects the 
roots and ensures a vigorous growth the 
coming season4 ,allow no weeds or even  
grass to encroach on the young hedge    
until it is strong and established4 ,for
 the first year no trimming will be     
necessary beyond cutting back an        
occasional branch or top that is growing
 stronger than the others2 and this     
should be done in early ,october4       
,during the second season the plants    
should grow much more strongly2 and now 
the shears are needed in summer4 ,some  
branches and top shoots will push far   
beyond the others4 ,they should be cut  
back evenly1 and in accordance with the 
shape the hedge is to take4 ,the        
pyramidal form appears to me to be the  
one most in harmony with ,nature4 ,in   
,october1 the hedge should receive its  
final shearing for the year2 and if     
there is an apparent deficiency of      
vigor1 the ground on both sides should  
receive another top-dressing1 after     
removing the summer mulch4 ,as the hedge

 grows older and stronger1 the principal
 shearing will be done in early summer1 
as this checks growth and causes the    
close1 dense interlacing of branches and
 formation of foliage wherein the beauty
 and usefulness of the hedge consist4   
,,chapter ,,ii  ,,fruit-,,trees ,,and   
,,grass   ,it is a happy proof of our   
civilization that a dwelling-place1 a   
shelter from sun and storm1 does not    
constitute a home4 ,even the modest     
rooms of our mechanics are not furnished
 with useful articles merely2 ornaments 
and pictures appear quite as            
indispensable4 ,out-of-doors the impulse
 to beautify is even stronger2 and      
usually the purchaser's first effort is 
to make his place attractive by means of
 trees and shrubs that are more than    
useful--they are essential2 because the 
refined tastes of men and women to-day  
demand them4  ,in the first chapter ,i  
endeavored to satisfy this demand in    
some degree1 and now will ask the       
reader's attention to a few practical   

suggestions in regard to several of the 
fruits which best supply the family     
need4 ,we shall find1 however1 that     
while ,nature is prodigal in supplying  
what appeals to the palate and satisfies
 hunger1 she is also like a graceful    
hostess who decks her banquet with all  
the beauty that she can possibly bestow 
upon it4 ,we can imagine that the       
luscious fruits of the year might have  
been produced in a much more prosaic    
way4 ,indeed1 we are at a loss to decide
 which we value the more1 the           
apple-blossoms or the apples which      
follow4 ,nature is not content with     
bulk1 flavor1 and nutriment1 but in the 
fruit itself so deftly pleases the eye  
with every trick of color and form that 
the hues and beauty of the flower are   
often surpassed4 ,we look at a          
red-cheeked apple or purple cluster of  
grapes hesitatingly1 and are loth to mar
 the exquisite shadings and perfect     
outlines of the vessel in which the rich
 juices are served4 ,therefore1 in      

stocking the acre with fruit1 the       
proprietor has not ceased to embellish  
it2 and should he decide that           
fruit-trees must predominate over those 
grown for shade and ornament only1 he   
can combine almost as much beauty as    
utility with his plan4  ,all the fruits 
may be set out both in the spring and   
the fall seasons2 but in our latitude   
and northward1 ,i should prefer early   
spring for strawberries and peaches4    
,by this time we may suppose that the   
owner of the acre has matured his plans1
 and marked out the spaces designed for 
the lawn1 garden1 fruit trees1 vines1   
etc4 ,fruit trees1 like shade trees1 are
 not the growth of a summer4 ,therefore 
there is natural eagerness to have them 
in the ground as soon as possible1 and  
they can usually be ordered from the    
same nursery1 and at the same time with 
the ornamental stock4 ,i shall speak    
first of apples1 pears1 and cherries1   
and ,i have been at some pains to secure
 the opinions of eminent horticulturists

 as to the best selections of these     
fruits for the home table1 not for      
market4 ,when there is a surplus1       
however1 there will be no difficulty in 
disposing of the fine varieties named4  
,the ,hon4 ,marshall ,p4 ,wilder1 the   
veteran ,president of the ,american     
,pomological ,society1 writes as        
follows3 ,herewith is the selection ,i  
have made for family use2 but ,i could  
put in as many more in some of the      
classes which are just as desirable1 or 
nearly so4 ,these have been made with   
reference to covering the seasons4      
,apples--,red ,astrakhan1 ,porter1      
,gravenstein1 ,rhode ,island ,greening1 
,baldwin1 ,roxbury ,russet1 and ,sweet  
,bough for baking4 ,pears--,clapp's     
,favorite 7to be gathered ,august #bj71 
,bartlett1 ,seckel1 ,sheldon1 ,beurre   
,bosc1 ,buerre d',anjou1 and ,vicar of  
,winkfield for baking1 etc4             
,cherries--,black ,eagle1 ,black        
,tartarian1 ,downer1 ,windsor1          
,cumberland1 and ,red ,jacket4  ,mr4    

,wilder's honored name1 like that of the
 late ,charles ,downing1 is inseparably 
linked with ,american fruits1 and the   
country owes these two men a debt of    
gratitude which never can be paid for   
their lifelong and intelligent efforts  
to guide the people wisely in the choice
 and culture of the very best varieties4
 ,a moment's thought will convince the  
reader that ,i am not giving too much   
space to this matter of selection4 ,we  
are now dealing with questions which    
wide and varied experience can best     
answer4 ,men who give their lives to the
 cultivation and observation of fruits  
in all their myriad varieties acquire a 
knowledge which is almost invaluable4   
,we cannot afford to put out trees1 to  
give them good culture1 and wait for    
years1 only to learn that all our care  
has been bestowed on inferior or        
second-rate varieties4 ,life is too     
brief4 ,we all feel that the best is    
good enough for us2 and the best usually
 costs no more in money or time than do 

less desirable varieties4 ,therefore ,i 
seek to give on this important question 
of choice the opinions of some of the   
highest authorities in the land4  ,mr4  
,a4 ,s4 ,fuller is not only a well-known
 horticultural author1 but has also had 
the widest experience in the culture and
 observation of fruit4 ,he prefaces his 
opinion with the following words3 ,how  
much and how often we horticulturists   
have been puzzled with questions like   
yours6 ,if we made no progress1 were    
always of the same mind1 and if seasons 
never changed1 then perhaps there would 
be little difficulty in deciding which  
of the varieties of the different kinds 
of fruit were really the best4 ,but     
seasons1 our tastes1 and even the       
varieties sometimes change2 and our     
preferences and opinions must vary      
accordingly4 ,apples--,early ,harvest1  
,fall ,pippins1 ,spitzenburgh1 ,rhode   
,island ,greening1 ,autumn ,sweet       
,bough1 and ,talman's ,sweet4           
,cherries--,early ,purple ,guigne1      

,bigarreau of ,mezel1 ,black ,eagle1    
,coe's ,transparent1 ,governor ,wood1   
and ,belle ,magnifique4  ,the choice of 
,mr4 ,e4 ,s4 ,carmen1 editor of the     
,rural ,new ,yorker3 ,apples--,early    
,harvest1 ,gravenstein1 ,jefferis1      
,baldwin1 ,mother1 ,spitzenburgh4       
,pears--,seckel1 ,tyson1 ,clapp's       
,favorite1 ,bartlett1 ,beurre d',anjou1 
and ,dana's ,hovey4 ,cherries--,black   
,tartarian1 ,coe's ,transparent1        
,governor ,wood1 ,mezel1 ,napoleon      
,bigarreau4  ,the authorities appear to 
differ4 ,and so they would in regard to 
any locality2 but it should be          
remembered that ,president ,wilder      
advises for the latitude of             
,massachusetts1 ,messrs4 ,fuller and    
,carmen for that of ,new ,jersey4 ,i    
will give now the selection of the      
eminent horticulturist ,mr4 ,p4 ,o4     
,berckmans for the latitude of ,georgia3
 ,cherries 7this is not a good          
cherry-producing region1 but ,i name the
 following as the best in order of      

merit7--,buttners1 ,governor ,wood1     
,belle de ,choisy1 ,early ,richmond1 and
 ,may ,duke4 ,pears 7in order of        
maturity7--,clapp's ,favorite1 ,seckel1 
,duchesse1 ,beurre ,superfine1 ,leconte1
 ,winter ,nellis1 or ,glout4 ,morceau4  
,apples--,early ,harvest1 ,red ,june1   
,carter's ,blue1 ,stevenson's ,winter1  
,shockley1 ,buncombe1 ,carolina         
,greening4  ,he who makes his choice    
from these selections will not meet with
 much disappointment4 ,i am aware1      
however1 that the enjoyment of fruit    
depends much upon the taste of the      
individual2 and who has a better right  
to gratify his taste than the man who   
buys1 sets out1 and cares for the trees8
 ,some familiar kind not in favor with  
the fruit critics1 an old variety that  
has become a dear memory of boyhood1 may
 be the best one of all for him--perhaps
 for the reason that it recalls the     
loved faces that gathered about the     
wide1 quaint fireplace of his           
childhood's home4  ,it is also a        

well-recognized fact that certain       
varieties of fruit appear to be         
peculiarly adapted to certain           
localities4 ,because a man has made a   
good selection on general principles1 he
 need not be restricted to this choice4 
,he will soon find his trees growing    
lustily and making large branching      
heads4 ,each branch can be made to      
produce a different kind of apple or    
pear1 and the kindred varieties of      
cherries will succeed on the same tree4 
,for instance1 one may be visiting a    
neighbor who gives him some fruit that  
is unusually delicious1 or that manifest
 great adaptation to the locality4 ,as a
 rule the neighbor will gladly give     
scions which1 grafted upon the trees of 
the ,home ,acre1 will soon begin to     
yield the coveted variety4 ,this        
opportunity to grow different kinds of  
fruit on one tree imparts a new and     
delightful interest to the orchard4 ,the
 proprietor can always be on the lookout
 for something new and fine1 and the few

 moments required in grafting or budding
 make it his4 ,the operation is so      
simple and easy that he can learn to    
perform it himself1 and there are always
 plenty of adepts in the rural vicinage 
to give him his initial lesson4 ,while  
he will keep the standard kinds for his 
main supply1 he can gratify his taste   
and eye with some pretty innovations4 ,i
 know of an apple-tree which bears over 
a hundred varieties4 ,a branch1 for     
instance1 is producing ,yellow          
,bell-flowers4 ,at a certain point in   
its growth where it has the diameter of 
a man's thumb it may be grafted with the
 ,red ,baldwin4 ,when the scion has     
grown for two or three years1 its       
leading shoots can be grafted with the  
,roxbury ,russet1 and eventually the    
terminal bough of this growth with the  
,early ,harvest4 ,thus may be presented 
the interesting spectacle of one limb of
 a tree yielding four very distinct     
kinds of apples4  ,in the limited area  
of an acre there is usually not very    

much range in soil and locality4 ,the   
owner must make the best of what he has 
bought1 and remedy unfavorable          
conditions1 if they exist1 by skill4 ,it
 should be remembered that peaty1 cold1 
damp1 spongy soils are unfit for        
fruit-trees of any kind4 ,we can        
scarcely imagine1 however1 that one     
would buy land for a home containing    
much soil of this nature4 ,a sandy loam1
 with a subsoil that dries out so       
quickly that it can be worked after a   
heavy rain1 is the best for nearly all  
the fruit-trees1 especially for cherries
 and peaches4 ,therefore in selecting   
the ground1 be sure it is well drained4 
,if the acre has been enriched and      
plowed twice deeply1 as ,i have already 
suggested1 little more is necessary in  
planting than to excavate a hole large  
enough to receive the roots spread out  
in their natural positions4 ,should no  
such thorough and general preparation   
have been made1 or if the ground is     
hard1 poor1 and stony1 the owner will   

find it to his advantage to dig a       
good-sized hole three or four feet      
across and two deep1 filling in and     
around the tree with fine rich surface  
soil4 ,if he can obtain some thoroughly 
decomposed compost or manure1 for       
instance1 as the scrapings of a         
barnyard1 or rich black soil from an old
 pasture1 to mix with the earth beneath 
and around the roots1 the good effects  
will be seen speedily2 but in no        
instance should raw manure from the     
stable1 or anything that must decay     
before becoming plant food1 be brought  
in contact with the roots4 ,again ,i    
repeat my caution against planting too  
deeply--one of the commonest and most   
fatal errors4 ,let the tree be set about
 as deeply as it stood before removal4  
,if the tree be planted early in spring1
 as it should be1 there will be moisture
 enough in the soil2 but when planting  
is delayed until the ground has become  
rather dry and warm1 a pail of water    
poured about its roots when the hole has

 been nearly filled will be beneficial4 
,now that the tree is planted1 any kind 
of coarse manure spread to the depth of 
two or three inches on the surface as a 
mulch is very useful4 ,stake at once to 
protect against the winds4 ,do not make 
the common mistake of planting too      
closely4 ,observe the area shaded by    
fully grown trees1 and you will learn   
the folly of crowding4 ,moreover1 dense 
shade about the house is not desirable4 
,there should be space for plenty of air
 and sunshine4 ,the fruit from one      
well-developed tree will often more than
 supply a family2 for ten or fifteen    
barrels of apples is not an unusual     
yield4 ,the standard apples should be   
thirty feet apart4 ,pears1 the          
dwarfer-growing cherries1 plums1 etc41  
can be grown in the intervening spaces4 
,in ordering from the nurseries insist  
on straight1 shapely1 and young trees1  
say three years from the bud4 ,many     
trees that are sent out are small       
enough1 but they are old and stunted4   

,also require that there should be an   
abundance of fibrous and unmutilated    
roots4  ,because the young trees come   
from the nursery unpruned1 do not leave 
them in that condition4 ,before         
planting1 or immediately after1 cut back
 all the branches at least one-half2 and
 where they are too thick1 cut out some 
altogether4 ,in removal the tree has    
lost much of its root power1 and it is  
absurd to expect it to provide for just 
as much top as before4  ,in many books  
on fruit-culture much space has been    
given to dwarf pears1 apples1 and       
cherries1 and trees of this character   
were planted much more largely some     
years ago than they are at present4 ,the
 pear is dwarfed by grafting it on the  
quince2 the apple can be limited to a   
mere garden fruit-tree in size by being 
grown on a ,doucin stock1 or even       
reduced to the size of a bush if        
compelled to draw its life through the  
roots of the ,paradise4 ,these two named
 stocks1 much employed by ,european     

nurserymen1 are distinct species of     
apples1 and reproduce themselves without
 variation from the seed4 ,the cherry is
 dwarfed by being worked on the         
,mahaleb--a small1 handsome tree1 with  
glossy1 deep-green foliage1 much        
cultivated abroad as an ornament of     
lawns4 ,except in the hands of practiced
 gardeners1 trees thus dwarfed are      
seldom satisfactory1 for much skill and 
care are required in their cultivation4 
,their chief advantages consist in the  
fact that they bear early and take but  
little space4 ,therefore they may be    
considered worthy of attention by the   
purchasers of small places4 ,those who  
are disposed to make pets of their trees
 and to indulge in horticultural        
experiments may derive much pleasure    
from these dwarfs1 for they can be      
developed into symmetrical pyramids or  
graceful1 fruitful shrubs within the    
limits of a garden border4  ,when the   
seeds of ordinary apples and pears are  
sown they produce seedlings1 or free    

stocks1 and upon these are budded or    
grafted the fine varieties which compose
 our orchards4 ,they are known as       
standard trees2 they come into bearing  
more slowly1 and eventually attain the  
normal size familiar to us all4         
,standard cherries are worked on        
seedlings of the ,mazzard1 which ,barry 
describes as a lofty1 rapid-growing1    
pyramidal-headed tree4 ,i should advise 
the reader to indulge in the dwarfs very
 charily1 and chiefly as a source of    
fairly profitable amusement4 ,it is to  
the standards that he will look for     
shade1 beauty1 and abundance of fruit4  
,since we have been dwelling on the     
apple1 pear1 and cherry1 there are      
certain advantages of continuing the    
subject in the same connection1 giving  
the principles of cultivation and care  
until the trees reach maturity4 ,during 
the first summer an occasional watering 
may be required in long periods of      
drought4 ,in many instances buds will   
form and start along the stem of the    

tree1 or near the roots4 ,these should  
be rubbed off the moment they are       
detected4  ,one of our chief aims is to 
form an evenly balanced1 open1          
symmetrical head2 and this can often be 
accomplished better by a little         
watchfulness during the season of growth
 than at any other time4 ,if1 for       
instance1 two branches start so closely 
together that one or the other must be  
removed in the spring pruning1 why let  
the superfluous one grow at all8 ,it is 
just so much wasted effort4 ,by rubbing 
off the pushing bud or tender shoot the 
strength of the tree is thrown into the 
branches that we wish to remain4 ,thus  
the eye and hand of the master become to
 the young tree what instruction1       
counsel1 and admonition are to a growing
 boy1 with the difference that the tree 
is easily and certainly managed when    
taken in time4  ,the study of the       
principles of growth in the young trees 
can be made as pleasing as it is        
profitable1 for the readiness with which

 they respond to a guiding hand will    
soon invest them with almost a human    
interest4 ,a child will not show neglect
 more certainly than they2 and if       
humored and allowed to grow after their 
own fashion1 they will soon prove how   
essential are restraint and training4 ,a
 fruit tree is not like one in a        
forest--a simple1 unperverted product of
 ,nature4 ,it is a result of human      
interference and development2 and we    
might just as reasonably expect our     
domestic animals to take care of        
themselves as our grafted and budded    
trees4 ,moreover1 they do not comply    
with their raison d'etre by merely      
existing1 growing1 and propagating their
 kind4 ,a ,bartlett pear-tree1 like a   
,jersey cow1 is given place for the sake
 of its delicious product4 ,it is also  
like the cow in requiring judicious     
feeding and care4  ,trees left to       
themselves tend to form too much wood1  
like the grape-vine4 ,of course fine    
fruit is impossible when the head of a  

tree is like a thicket4 ,the growth of  
unchecked branches follows the terminal 
bud1 thus producing long naked reaches  
of wood devoid of fruit spurs4          
,therefore the need of shortening in1 so
 that side branches may be developed4   
,when the reader remembers that every   
dormant bud in early spring is a        
possible branch1 and that even the      
immature buds at the axil of the leaves 
in early summer can be forced into      
immediate growth by pinching back the   
leading shoot1 he will see how entirely 
the young tree is under his control4    
,these simple facts and principles are  
worth far more to the intelligent man   
than any number of arbitrary rules as to
 pruning4 ,reason and observation soon  
guide his hand in summer or his knife in
 ,march--the season when trees are      
usually trimmed4  ,beyond shortening in 
leading branches and cutting out        
crossing and interfering boughs1 so as  
to keep the head symmetrical and open to
 light and air1 the cherry does not need

 very much pruning4 ,if with the lapse  
of years it becomes necessary to take   
off large limbs from any fruit-tree1 the
 authorities recommend early ,june as   
the best season for the operation4  ,it 
will soon be discovered--quite likely   
during the first summer--that           
fruit-trees have enemies1 that they need
 not only cultivation and feeding1 but  
also protection4 ,the pear1 apple1 and  
quince are liable to one mysterious     
disease which it is almost impossible to
 guard against or cure--the fireblight4 
,of course there have been innumerable  
preventives and cures recommended1 just 
as we see a dozen certain remedies for  
consumption advertised in any popular   
journal2 but the disease still remains a
 disheartening mystery1 and is more     
fatal to the pear than to its kindred   
fruits4 ,i have had thrifty young trees1
 just coming into bearing1 suddenly turn
 black in both wood and foliage1        
appearing in the distance as if scorched
 by a blast from a furnace4 ,in another 

instance a large mature tree was        
attacked1 losing in a summer half its   
boughs4 ,these were cut out1 and the    
remainder of the tree appeared healthy  
during the following summer1 and bore a 
good crop of fruit4 ,the disease often  
attacks but a single branch or a small  
portion of a tree4 ,the authorities     
advise that everything should be cut    
away at once below all evidence of      
infection and burned4 ,some of my trees 
have been attacked and have recovered2  
others were apparently recovering1 but  
died a year or two later4 ,one could    
theorize to the end of a volume about   
the trouble4 ,i frankly confess that ,i 
know neither the cause nor the remedy4  
,it seems to me that our best resource  
is to comply with the general conditions
 of good and healthy growth4 ,the usual 
experience is that trees which are      
fertilized with wood-ashes and a        
moderate amount of lime and salt1 rather
 than with stimulating manures1 escape  
the disease4 ,if the ground is poor1    

however1 and the growth feeble1 barnyard
 manure or its equivalent is needed as a
 mulch4 ,the apple-blight is another    
kindred and equally obscure disease4 ,no
 better remedy is known than to cut out 
the infected part at once4  ,in coping  
with insects we can act more            
intelligently1 and therefore            
successfully4 ,we can study the         
characters of our enemies1 and learn    
their vulnerable points4 ,the black and 
green aphides1 or plant-lice1 are often 
very troublesome4 ,they appear in       
immense numbers on the young and tender 
shoots of trees1 and by sucking their   
juices check or enfeeble the growth4    
,they are the milch-cows of ants1 which 
are usually found very busy among them4 
,nature apparently has made ample       
provision for this pest1 for it has been
 estimated that one individual in five  
generations might be the progenitor of  
six thousand millions4 ,they are easily 
destroyed1 however4 ,mr4 ,barry1 of the 
firm of ,ellwanger  ,barry1 in his      

excellent work ,the ,fruit ,garden1     
writes as follows3 ,our plan is to      
prepare a barrel of tobacco juice by    
steeping stems for several days1 until  
the juice is of a dark brown color2 we  
then mix this with soap-suds4 ,a pail is
 filled1 and the ends of the shoots1    
where the insects are assembled1 are    
bent down and dipped in the liquid4 ,one
 dip is enough4 ,such parts as cannot be
 dipped are sprinkled liberally with a  
garden-syringe1 and the application     
repeated from time to time1 as long as  
any of the aphides remain4 ,the liquid  
may be so strong as to injure the       
foliage2 therefore it is well to test it
 on one or two subjects before using it 
extensively4 ,apply it in the evening4  
,the scaly aphis or bark-louse attacks  
weak1 feeble-growing trees1 and can     
usually be removed by scrubbing the bark
 with the preparation given above4  ,in 
our region and in many localities the   
apple-tree borer is a very formidable   
pest1 often destroying a young tree     

before its presence is known4 ,i once   
found a young tree in a distant part of 
my place that ,i could push over with my
 finger4 ,in ,june a brown and white    
striped beetle deposits its eggs in the 
bark of the apple-tree near the ground4 
,the larvae when hatched bore their way 
into the wood1 and will soon destroy a  
small tree4 ,they cannot do their       
mischief1 however1 without giving       
evidence of their presence4 ,sawdust    
exudes from the holes by which they     
entered1 and there should be sufficient 
watchfulness to discover them before    
they have done much harm4 ,i prefer to  
cut them out with a sharp1 pointed      
knife1 and make sure that they are dead2
 but a wire thrust into the hole will   
usually pierce and kill them4           
,wood-ashes mounded up against the base 
of the tree are said to be a preventive4
 ,in the fall they can be spread1 and   
they at least make one of the best of   
fertilizers4  ,the codling-moth1 or     
apple-worm1 is another enemy that should

 be fought resolutely1 for it destroys  
millions of bushels of fruit4 ,in the   
latitude of ,new ,york ,state this moth 
begins its depredations about the middle
 of ,june4 ,whatever may be thought of  
the relation of the apple to the fall of
 man1 this creature certainly leads to  
the speedy fall of the apple4 ,who has  
not seen the ground covered with        
premature and decaying fruit in ,july1  
,august1 and ,september8 ,bach specimen 
will be found perforated by a worm-hole4
 ,the egg has been laid in the calyx of 
the young apple1 where it soon hatches  
into a small white grub1 which burrows  
into the core1 throwing out behind it a 
brownish powder4 ,after about three     
weeks of apple diet it eats its way out1
 shelters itself under the scaly bark of
 the tree--if allowed to be scaly--or in
 some other hiding-place1 spins a       
cocoon1 and in about three weeks comes  
out a moth1 and is ready to help destroy
 other apples4 ,this insect probably    
constitutes one of ,nature's methods of 

preventing trees from overbearing2 but  
like some people we know1 it so         
exaggerates its mission as to become an 
insufferable nuisance4 ,the remedies    
recommended are that trees should be    
scraped free of all scales in the       
spring1 and washed with a solution of   
soft soap4 ,about the #ast of ,july1    
wrap bandages of old cloth1 carpet1 or  
rags of any kind around the trunk and   
larger limbs4 ,the worms will appreciate
 such excellent cover1 and will swarm   
into these hiding-places to undergo     
transformation into moths4 ,therefore   
the wraps of rags should often be taken 
down1 thrown into scalding water1 dried1
 and replaced4 ,the fruit as it falls   
should be picked up at once and carried 
to the pigs1 and1 when practicable1     
worm-infested specimens should be taken 
from the trees before the worm escapes4 
,the canker-worm in those localities    
where it is destructive can be guarded  
against by bands of tar-covered canvas  
around the trees4 ,the moth cannot fly1 

but crawls up the tree in the late      
autumn and during mild spells in winter1
 but especially throughout the spring   
until ,may4 ,when1 the evil-disposed    
moth meets the 'tarry band he finds no  
thoroughfare1 and is either caught or   
compelled to seek some other arena of   
mischief4  ,we have all seen the        
flaunting1 unsightly abodes of the tent 
caterpillar and the foliage-denuded     
branches about them4 ,fortunately these 
are not stealthy enemies1 and the owner 
can scarcely see his acre at all without
 being aware of their presence4 ,he has 
only to look very early in the morning  
or late in the evening to find them all 
bunched up in their nests4 ,these should
 be taken down and destroyed4  ,cherry  
and pear slugs1 small1 slimy1 dark brown
 worms1 can be destroyed by dusting the 
trees with dry wood ashes or air-slacked
 lime4  ,field-mice often girdle young  
trees1 especially during the winter1    
working beneath the snow4 ,unless heaps 
of rubbish are left here and there as   

shelter for these little pests1 one or  
two good cats will keep the acre free of
 them4 ,treading the snow compactly     
around the tree is also practiced4  ,do 
not let the reader be discouraged by    
this list of the most common enemies1 or
 by hearing of others4 ,after reading   
some medical works we are led to wonder 
that the human race does not speedily   
die out4 ,as a rule1 however1 with      
moderate care1 most of us are able to   
say1 ,i'm pretty well1 ,i thank you1 and
 when ailing we do not straightway      
despair4 ,in spite of all enemies and   
drawbacks1 fruit is becoming more       
plentiful every year4 ,if one man can   
raise it1 so can another4  ,be          
hospitable to birds1 the best of all    
insect destroyers4 ,put up plenty of    
houses for bluebirds and wrens1 and     
treat the little brown song-sparrow as  
one of your stanchest friends4  ,a brief
 word in regard to the quince1 and our  
present list of fruits is complete4  ,if
 the quince is cultivated after the     

common neglectful method1 it would      
better be relegated to an obscure part  
of the garden1 for1 left to itself1 it  
makes a great sprawling bush2 properly  
trained1 it becomes a beautiful ornament
 to the lawn1 like the other fruits that
 ,i have described4 ,only a little care1
 with the judicious use of the          
pruning-shears1 is required to develop  
it into a miniature and fruitful tree1  
which can be grown with a natural       
rounded head or in the form of a        
pyramid1 as the cultivator chooses4 ,it 
will thrive well on the same soil and   
under similar treatment accorded to the 
pear or the apple4 ,procure from a      
nursery straight-stemmed plants2 set    
them out about eight feet apart2 begin  
to form the head three feet from the    
ground1 and keep the stem and roots free
 from all sprouts and suckers4 ,develop 
the head just as you would that of an   
apple-tree1 shortening in the branches1 
and cutting out those that interfere    
with each other4 ,half a dozen trees    

will soon give an ample supply4 ,the    
orange and the pear shaped are the      
varieties usually recommended4 ,rea's   
,mammoth is also highly spoken of4      
,remember that the quince equally with  
the apple is subject to injury from the 
borer1 and the evil should be met as ,i 
have already described4  ,there is a    
natural wish to have as much grass about
 the dwelling as possible1 for nothing  
is more beautiful4 ,if there are        
children1 they will assuredly petition  
for lawn-tennis and croquet grounds4 ,i 
trust that their wishes may be          
gratified1 for children are worth       
infinitely more than anything else that 
can be grown upon the acre4 ,with a     
little extra care1 all the trees of     
which ,i have spoken can be grown in the
 spaces allotted to grass4 ,it is only  
necessary to keep a circle of space six 
feet in diameter--the trunk forming the 
centre--around the tree mellow and free 
from any vegetable growth whatever4     
,this gives a chance to fertilize and   

work the ground immediately over the    
roots4 ,of course vigorous fruit-trees  
cannot be grown in a thick sod1 while   
peaches and grapes require the free     
culture of the garden1 as will be shown 
hereafter4 ,in view1 however1 of the    
general wish for grass1 ,i have advised 
on the supposition that all the         
ornamental trees1 most of the shrubs1   
and the four fruits named would be grown
 on the portions of the acre to be kept 
in lawn4 ,it may be added here that     
plums also will do well under the same  
conditions1 if given good care4  ,grass 
is a product that can be cultivated as  
truly as the most delicate and          
fastidious of fruits1 and ,i had the    
lawn is mind when ,i urged the generous 
initial deep plowing and enriching4     
,nothing that grows responds more       
promptly to good treatment than grass2  
but a fine lawn cannot be created in a  
season1 any more than a fine tree4  ,we 
will suppose that the spring plantings  
of trees have been made with open spaces

 reserved for the favorite games4 ,now  
the ground can be prepared for          
grass-seed1 for it need not be trampled 
over any more4 ,if certain parts have   
become packed and hard1 they should be  
dug or plowed deeply again1 then        
harrowed and raked perfectly smooth1 and
 all stones1 big or little1 taken from  
the surface4 ,the seed may now be sown1 
and it should be of thick1 fine-growing 
varieties1 such as are employed in      
,central ,park and other                
pleasure-grounds4 ,mr4 ,samuel ,parsons1
 ,jr41 ,superintendent of ,central      
,park1 writes me3 ,the best grass-seeds 
for ordinary lawns are a mixture of     
red-top and ,kentucky blue-grass in     
equal parts1 with perhaps a small amount
 of white clover4 ,on very sandy ground 
,i prefer the ,kentucky blue-grass1 as  
it is very hardy and vigorous under     
adverse circumstances4 ,having sown and 
raked in the seed very lightly a great  
advantage will be gained in passing a   
lawn-roller over the ground4 ,i have    

succeeded well in getting a good catch  
of grass by sowing the seed with oats1  
which were cut and cured as hay as soon 
as the grain was what is termed in the  
milk4 ,the strong and quickly growing   
oats make the ground green in a few     
days1 and shelter the slower maturing   
grass-roots4 ,mr4 ,parsons says1 ,i     
prefer to sow the grass-seed alone4 ,as 
soon as the grass begins to grow with   
some vigor1 cut it often1 for this tends
 to thicken it and produce the velvety  
effect that is so beautiful4 ,from the  
very first the lawn will need weeding4  
,the ground contains seeds of strong    
growing plants1 such as dock1 plantain1 
etc41 which should be taken out as fast 
as they appear4 ,to some the dandelion  
is a weed2 but not to me1 unless it     
takes more than its share of space1 for 
,i always miss these little earth stars 
when they are absent4 ,they intensify   
the sunshine shimmering on the lawn1    
making one smile involuntarily when     
seeing them4 ,moreover1 they awaken     

pleasant memories1 for a childhood in   
which dandelions had no part is a       
defective experience4  ,in late autumn  
the fallen leaves should be raked       
carefully away1 as they tend to smother 
the grass if permitted to lie until     
spring4 ,now comes the chief opportunity
 of the year1 in the form of a liberal  
top-dressing of manure from the stable4 
,if this is spread evenly and not too   
thickly in ,november1 and the coarser   
remains of it are raked off early in    
,april1 the results will be astonishing4
 ,a deep emerald hue will be imparted to
 the grass1 and the frequent cuttings   
required will soon produce a turf that  
yields to the foot like a ,persian rug4 
,any one who has walked over the plain  
at ,west ,point can understand the value
 of these regular autumnal              
top-dressings4 ,if the stable-manure can
 be composted and left till thoroughly  
decayed1 fine and friable1 all the      
better4 ,if stable-manure can not be    
obtained1 ,mr4 ,parsons recommends      

,mapes's fertilizer for lawns4          
,,chapter ,,iii  ,,the ,,garden   ,we   
now approach that part of the acre to   
which its possessor will probably give  
his warmest and most frequent           
thoughts--the garden4 ,if properly made 
and conducted1 it will yield a revenue  
which the wealth of the ,indies could   
not purchase2 for whoever bought in     
market the flavor of fruit and          
vegetables raised by one's own hands or 
under our own eyes8 ,sentiment does     
count4 ,a boy is a boy2 but it makes a  
vast difference whether he is our boy or
 not4 ,a garden may soon become a part  
of the man himself1 and he be a better  
man for its care4 ,wholesome are the    
thoughts and schemes it suggests2       
healthful are the blood and muscle      
resulting from its products and labor   
therein4 ,even with the purse of a      
millionaire1 the best of the city's     
markets is no substitute for a garden2  
for ,nature and life are here1 and these
 are not bought and sold4 ,from stalls  

and pedlers' wagons we can buy but dead 
and dying things4 ,the indolent         
epicure's enjoyment of game is not the  
relish of the sportsman who has taken   
his dinner direct from the woods and    
waters4  ,i am often told1 ,it is       
cheaper to buy fruit and vegetables than
 to raise them4 ,i have nothing to say  
in reply4 ,there are many cheap things  
that we can have2 experience has proved 
that one of the ,,best things to have is
 a garden1 either to work in or to visit
 daily when the season permits4 ,we have
 but one life to live here1 and to get  
the cheapest things out of it is a      
rather poor ambition4  ,there are       
multitudes who can never possess an     
acre1 more or less1 and who must obtain 
,nature's products at second hand4 ,this
 is not so great a misfortune as to have
 no desire for her companionship1 or    
wish to work under her direction in dewy
 mornings and shadowy evenings4 ,we may 
therefore reasonably suppose that the   
man who has exchanged his city shelter  

for a rural home looks forward to the   
garden with the natural1 primal         
instinct1 and is eager to make the most 
of it in all its aspects4 ,then let us  
plunge in medias res at once4  ,the     
ideal soil for a garden is a mellow1    
sandy loam1 underlaid with a subsoil    
that is not too open or porous4 ,such   
ground is termed grateful1 and it is not
 the kind of gratitude which has been   
defined as a lively appreciation of     
favors to come1 which is true of some   
other soils4 ,this ideal land remembers 
past favors2 it retains the fertilizers 
with which it has been enriched1 and    
returns them in the form of good crops  
until the gift is exhausted2 therefore  
it is a thrifty as well as a grateful   
soil4 ,the owner can bring it up to the 
highest degree of fertility1 and keep it
 there by judicious management4 ,this   
sandy loam--,nature's blending of sand  
and clay--is a safe bank4 ,the manure   
incorporated with it is a deposit which 
can be drawn against in fruit and       

vegetables1 for it does not leach away  
and disappear with one season's rains4  
,light1 thin1 sandy soil1 with a porous 
or gravelly subsoil1 is of a very       
different type1 and requires different  
treatment4 ,it is a spendthrift4 ,no    
matter how much you give it one year1 it
 very soon requires just so much more4  
,you can enrich it1 but you can't keep  
it rich4 ,therefore you must manage it  
as one would take care of a spendthrift1
 giving what is essential at the time1  
and in a way that permits as little     
waste as possible4 ,i shall explain this
 treatment more fully further on4  ,in  
the choice of a garden plot you may be  
restricted to a stiff1 tenacious1 heavy 
clay4 ,now you have a miser to deal     
with--a soil that retains1 but in many  
cases makes no proper use of1 what it   
receives4 ,skill and good management1   
however1 can improve any soil1 and coax 
luxuriant crops from the most           
unpropitious4  ,we will speak first of  
the ideal soil already mentioned1 and   

hope that the acre contains an area of  
it of suitable dimensions for a garden4 
,what should be the first step in this  
case8 ,why1 to get more of it4 ,a       
quarter of an acre can be made equal to 
half an acre4 ,you can about double the 
garden1 without adding to it an inch of 
surface1 by increasing the depth of good
 soil4 ,for instance1 ground has been   
cultivated to the depth of six or seven 
inches4 ,try the experiment of stirring 
the soil and enriching it one foot      
downward1 or eighteen inches1 or even   
two feet1 and see what vast differences 
will result4 ,with every inch you go    
down1 making all friable and fertile1   
you add just so much more to root       
pasturage4 ,when you wish to raise a    
great deal1 increase your leverage4     
,roots are your levers2 and when they   
rest against a deep fertile soil they   
lift into the air and sunshine products 
that may well delight the eyes and      
palate of the most fastidious4 ,we      
suggest that this thorough deepening1   

pulverization1 and enriching of the soil
 be done at the start1 when the plow can
 be used without any obstructions4 ,if  
there are stones1 rocks1 roots1 anything
 which prevents the treatment which a   
garden plot should receive1 there is a  
decided advantage in clearing them all  
out at the beginning4 ,last fall ,i saw 
a half-acre that was swampy1 and so     
encumbered with stones that one could   
walk all over it without stepping off   
the rocks4 ,the land was sloping1 and   
therefore capable of drainage4 ,the     
proprietor put three men to work on the 
lower side with picks1 shovels1 and     
blasting-tools4 ,they turned the soil   
over to the depth of eighteen inches1   
taking out every stone larger than a    
walnut4 ,eight or ten feet apart deep   
ditches were cut1 and the stones1 as far
 as possible1 placed in these4 ,the rest
 were carted away for a heavy wall4 ,you
 may say it was expensive work4 ,so it  
was2 yet so complete a garden spot was  
made that ,i believe it would yield a   

fair interest in potatoes alone4 ,i     
relate this instance to show what can be
 done4 ,a more forbidding area for a    
garden in its original state could      
scarcely be found4 ,enough vegetables   
and fruit can be raised from it         
hereafter1 with annual fertilizing1 to  
supply a large family1 and it will      
improve every year under the refining   
effects of frost1 sun1 and cultivation4 
,it should be remembered that culture   
does for soil what it does for men and  
women4 ,it mellows1 brings it up1 and   
renders it capable of finer products4   
,much1 indeed1 can be done with a crude 
piece of land in a single year when     
treated with the thoroughness that has  
been suggested1 and some strong-growing 
vegetables may be seen at their best    
during the first season2 but the more   
delicate vegetables thrive better with  
successive years of cultivation4 ,no    
matter how abundantly the ground may be 
enriched at first1 time and chemical    
action are required to transmute the    

fertilizers into the best forms of      
plant-food1 and make them a part of the 
very soil itself4 ,plowing or spading1  
especially if done in late autumn1      
exposes the mould to the beneficial     
action of the air and frost1 and the    
garden gradually takes on the refined1  
mellow1 fertile character which         
distinguishes it from the ordinary      
field4  ,in dealing with a thin1 sandy  
soil1 one has almost to reverse the     
principles just given4 ,yet there is no 
cause for discouragement4 ,fine results1
 if not the best1 can be secured4 ,in   
this case there is scarcely any         
possibility for a thorough preparation  
of the soil from the start4 ,it can     
gradually be improved1 however1 by      
making good its deficiencies1 the chief 
of which is the lack of vegetable mould4
 ,if ,i had such soil ,i would rake up  
all the leaves ,i could find1 employ    
them as bedding for my cow and pigs 7if 
,i kept any71 and spread the            
compost-heap resulting on the sandy     

garden4 ,the soil is already too light  
and warm1 and it should be our aim to   
apply fertilizers tending to counteract 
this defect4 ,a nervous1 excitable      
person should let stimulants alone1 and 
take good1 solid1 blood-making food4    
,this illustration suggests the proper  
course to be taken4 ,many a time ,i have
 seen action the reverse of this        
resulting disastrously4 ,for instance1 a
 man carts on his light thin soil hot   
fermenting manure from the horse-stable1
 and plows it under4 ,seeds are planted4
 ,in the moist1 cool1 early spring they 
make a great start1 feeling the impulse 
of the powerful stimulant4 ,there is a  
hasty and unhealthful growth2 but long  
before maturity the days grow long and  
hot1 drought comes1 and the garden dries
 up4 ,therefore every effort should be  
made to supply cool manures with staying
 qualities1 such as are furnished by    
decayed vegetable matter composted with 
the cleanings of the cow-stable4 ,we    
thus learn the value of fallen leaves1  

muck from the swamp1 etc42 and they also
 bring with them but few seeds of       
noxious vegetation4  ,on the other hand1
 stolid1 phlegmatic clay requires the   
stimulus of manure from the             
horse-stable4 ,it can be plowed under at
 once1 and left to ferment and decay in 
the soil4 ,the process of decomposition 
will tend to banish its cold1 inert     
qualities1 and make the ground loose1   
open1 and amenable to the influences of 
frost1 sun1 and rain4  ,does the owner  
of light1 warm soils ask1 ,what1 then1  
shall ,i do with my stable-manure1 since
 you have said that it will be an injury
 to my garden8 ,i have not said         
this--only that it will do harm if      
applied in its raw1 hot1 fermenting     
state4 ,compost it with leaves1 sod1    
earth1 muck1 anything that will keep it 
from burning up with its own heat4 ,if  
you can obtain no such ingredients1 have
 it turned over and exposed to the air  
so often that it will decay without     
passing through a process approaching   

combustion4 ,when it has become so      
thoroughly decomposed as to resemble a  
fine black powder1 you have a fertilizer
 superior to any high-priced patent     
compound that can be bought4 ,further on
 ,i will show how it can be used both in
 this state and also in its crude       
condition on light soils with the best  
results4  ,it is scarcely possible to   
lay too much stress on this subject of  
fertilizers4 ,the soil of the           
garden-plot looks inert3 so does heavy  
machinery2 but apply to it the proper   
motive power1 and you have activity at  
once4 ,manure is the motive power to    
soil1 and it should be applied in a way 
and degree to secure the best results4  
,to produce some vegetables and fruits  
much is required2 in other growths1 very
 little4  ,in laying out a garden there 
are several points to be considered4    
,the proprietor may be more desirous of 
securing some degree of beauty in the   
arrangement than of obtaining the       
highest condition of productiveness4 ,if

 this be true1 he may plan to make down 
its centre a wide1 gravelled walk1 with 
a grape-arbor here and there1 and       
fruit-trees and flowers in borders on   
each side of the path4 ,so far from     
having any objection to this            
arrangement1 ,i should be inclined to   
adopt it myself4 ,it would be conducive 
to frequent visits to the garden and to 
lounging in it1 especially if there be  
rustic seats under the arbors4 ,i am    
inclined to favor anything which accords
 with my theory that the best products  
of a garden are neither eaten nor sold4 
,from such a walk down the middle of the
 garden the proprietor can glance at the
 rows of vegetables and small fruits on 
either side1 and daily note their       
progress4 ,what he loses in space and   
crops he gains in pleasure4  ,nor does  
he lose much2 for if the borders on each
 side of the path are planted with      
grape-vines1 peach and plum trees1      
flowers and shrubs1 the very ground he  
walks on becomes part of their root     

pasturage4 ,at the same time it must be 
admitted that the roots will also extend
 with depleting appetites into the land 
devoted to vegetables4 ,the trees and   
vines above will1 to some extent1 cast  
an unwholesome shade4 ,he who has set   
his heart on the biggest cabbages and   
best potatoes in town must cultivate    
them in ground open to the sky1 and     
unpervaded by any roots except their    
own4 ,if the general fruitfulness of the
 garden rather than perfection in a few 
vegetables is desired1 the borders1 with
 their trees1 vines1 and flowers1 will  
prove no objection4 ,moreover1 when it  
comes to competing in cabbages1         
potatoes1 etc41 the proprietor of the   
,home ,acre will find that some         
,irishman1 by the aid of his redolent   
pig-pen1 will surpass him4 ,the roots   
and shade extending from his borders    
will not prevent him from growing good  
vegetables1 if not the largest4  ,we    
will therefore suppose that1 as the     
simplest and most economical            

arrangement1 he has adopted the plan of 
a walk six feet wide extending through  
the centre of his garden4 ,as was the   
case with the other paths1 it will be   
greatly to his advantage to stake it out
 and remove about four inches of the    
surface-soil1 piling it near the stable 
to be used for composting purposes or in
 the earth-closet4 ,the excavation thus 
made should be filled with small stones 
or cinders1 and then covered with fine  
gravel4 ,a walk that shall be dry at all
 times is thus secured1 and it will be  
almost wholly free from weeds4 ,in these
 advantages alone one is repaid for the 
extra first cost1 and in addition the   
rich surface soil obtained will double  
the bulk and value of the fertilizers   
with which it is mixed4  ,having made   
the walk1 borders five feet wide can be 
laid out on each side of it1 and the    
soil in these should be as rich and deep
 as any other parts of the garden4 ,what
 shall be planted in these borders will 
depend largely on the tastes of the     

gardener2 but1 as has been suggested1   
there will assuredly be one or more     
shadowy grape-arbors under which the    
proprietor can retire to provide        
horticultural strategy4 ,this brings us 
to that chef-d'oeuvre of ,nature--  ,the
 vine4 ,it climbs by its tendrils1 and  
they appear to have clasped the heart of
 humanity4 ,among the best of ,heaven's 
gifts1 it has sustained the worst       
perversions4 ,but we will refrain from a
 temperance lecture2 also from sacred   
and classical reminiscences4 ,the world 
is not composed of monks who thought to 
escape temptation--and vainly too--in   
stony cells4 ,to some the purple cluster
 suggests ,bacchanal revelry2 to others1
 sitting under one's own vine and       
fig-tree--in brief1 a home4 ,the vine is
 like woman1 the inspiration of the best
 and the worst4  ,it may well become one
 of the dreams of our life to own land1 
if for no other reason than that of     
obtaining the privilege of planting     
vines4 ,as they take root1 so will we1  

and after we have eaten their delicious 
fruit1 the very thought of leaving our  
acre will be repugnant4 ,the literature 
of the vine would fill a library2 the   
literature of love would crowd many     
libraries4 ,it is not essential to read 
everything before we start a little     
vineyard or go a-courting4  ,it is said 
that about two thousand known and named 
varieties of grapes have been and are   
being grown in ,europe2 and all these   
are supposed to have been developed from
 one species 7,vitis vinifera71 which   
originally was the wild product of      
,nature1 like those growing in our      
thickets and forests4 ,one can scarcely 
suppose this possible when contemplating
 a cluster of ,tokay or some other      
highly developed variety of the         
hot-house4 ,yet the native vine1 which  
began to yield fruit after his kind1 the
 third day 7whatever may have been the  
length of that day71 may have been1     
after all1 a good starting-point in the 
process of development4 ,one can hardly 

believe that the one cluster of grapes  
which the burdened spies1 returning from
 ,palestine1 bore between two of them   
upon a staff1 was the result of high    
scientific culture4 ,in that clime1 and 
when the world was young1 ,nature must  
have been more beneficent than now4 ,it 
is certain that no such cluster ever    
hung from the native vines of this land2
 yet it is from our wild species1 whose 
fruit the ,indians shared with the birds
 and foxes 7when not hanging so high as 
to be sour71 that we have developed the 
delicious varieties of our out-door     
vineyards4 ,for about two centuries our 
forefathers kept on planting vines      
imported from ,europe1 only to meet with
 failure4 ,nature1 that had so          
abundantly rewarded their efforts       
abroad1 quietly checkmated them here4   
,at last ,american fruit-growers took   
the hint1 and began developing our      
native species4 ,then ,nature smiled2   
and as a lure along this correct path of
 progress1 gave such incentives as the  

,isabella1 the ,catawba1 and ,concord4  
,we are now bewildered by almost as     
great a choice of varieties from native 
species as they have abroad2 and as an  
aid to selection ,i will again give the 
verdict of some of the authorities4     
,the choice of the ,hon4 ,norman ,j4    
,colman1 ,commissioner of ,agriculture3 
,early ,victor1 ,worden1 ,martha1       
,elvira1 ,cynthiana4 ,this is for the   
region of ,missouri4 ,for the latitude  
of ,new ,jersey1 ,a4,s4 ,fuller's       
selection3 ,delaware1 ,concord1 ,moore's
 ,early1 ,antoinette 7white71 ,augusta  
7white71 ,goethe 7amber74 ,e4,s4        
,carmen3 ,moore's ,early you cannot     
praise this too much4 ,the quality is   
merely that of the ,concord2 but the    
vines are marvels of perfect health1 the
 bunches large1 the berries of the      
largest size4 ,they ripen all at once1  
and are fully ripe when the ,concord    
begins to color1 ,worden1 ,brighton1    
,victoria 7white71 ,niagara 7white71 ,el
 ,dorado4 ,this does not thrive         

everywhere1 but the grapes ripen        
early--,september #a1 or before--and the
 quality is perfection--white4 ,choice  
of ,p4,j4 ,berckman1 for the latitude of
 ,georgia3 ,white grapes--,peter ,wylie1
 ,triumph1 ,maxatawny1 ,scuppernong4    
,bed grapes--,delaware1 ,berckman's1    
,brighton4 ,black--,concord1 ,ives4  ,as
 ,i have over a hundred varieties in    
bearing1 ,i may venture to express an   
opinion also4 ,i confess that ,i am very
 fond of those old favorites of our     
fathers1 the ,isabella and ,catawba4    
,they will not ripen everywhere in our  
latitude1 yet ,i seldom fail to secure a
 good crop4 ,in the fall of #ahhe we    
voted the ,isabella almost unsurpassed4 
,if one has warm1 well-drained soil1 or 
can train a vine near the south side of 
a building1 ,i should advise the trial  
of this fine old grape4 ,the ,iona1     
,brighton1 and ,agawam also are great   
favorites with me4 ,we regard the       
,diana1 ,wyoming ,red1 ,perkins1 and    
,rogers' hybrids1 ,lindley1 ,wilder1 and

 ,amenia1 as among the best4 ,the       
,rebecca1 ,duchess1 ,lady ,washington1  
and ,purity are fine white grapes4 ,i   
have not yet tested the ,niagara4 ,years
 ago ,i obtained of ,mr4 ,james         
,ricketts1 the prize-taker for seedling 
grapes1 two vines of a small wine grape 
called the ,bacchus4 ,to my taste it is 
very pleasant after two or three slight 
frosts4  ,our list of varieties is long 
enough1 and one must be fastidious      
indeed who does not find some to suit   
his taste4 ,in many localities the chief
 question is1 ,what kind ,,can ,i grow8 
,in our favored region on the ,hudson   
almost all the out-door grapes will     
thrive2 but as we go north the seasons  
become too cool and short for some      
kinds1 and proceeding south the summers 
are too long and hot for others4 ,the   
salt air of the sea-coast is not        
conducive to vine-culture1 and only the 
most vigorous1 like the ,concord and    
,moore's ,early1 will resist the mildew 
blight4 ,we must therefore do the best  

we can1 and that will be very well      
indeed in most localities4  ,because our
 list of good grapes is already so long1
 it does not follow that we have reached
 the limit of development by any means4 
,when we remember that almost within a  
lifetime our fine varieties have been   
developed from the wild northern ,fox   
grape 7,vitis labrusca71 the ,summer    
grape 7oestivalis71 ,frost 7cordifolia71
 we are led to think that perhaps we    
have scarcely more than crossed the     
stile which leads into the path of      
progress4 ,if ,i should live to keep up 
my little specimen vineyard ten years   
longer1 perhaps the greater part of the 
varieties now cultivated will have given
 place to others4 ,the delicious        
,brighton requires no more space than a 
sour1 defective variety2 while the      
proprietor starts with the best kinds he
 can obtain1 he will find no restraint  
beyond his own ignorance or carelessness
 that will prevent his replacing the    
,brighton with a variety twice as good  

when it is developed4 ,thus             
vine-planting and grape-tasting stretch 
away into an alluring and endless vista4
  ,when such exchanges are made1 we do  
not recommend the grafting of a new     
favorite on an old vine4 ,this is a     
pretty operation when one has the taste 
and leisure for it1 and a new1          
high-priced variety can sometimes be    
obtained speedily and cheaply in this   
way4 ,usually1 however1 new kinds soon  
drop down within the means of almost any
 purchaser1 and there are advantages in 
having each variety growing upon its own
 root4 ,nature yields to the skill of   
the careful gardener1 and permits the   
insertion of one distinct variety of    
fruit upon another2 but with the vine   
she does not favor this method of       
propagation and change1 as in the case  
of pears and apples1 where the graft    
forms a close1 tenacious union with the 
stock in which it is placed4 ,mr4       
,fuller writes3 ,on account of the      
peculiar structure of the wood of the   

vine1 a lasting union is seldom obtained
 when grafted above-ground1 and is far  
from being certain even when grafted    
below the surface1 by the ordinary      
method4 ,the vine is increased so       
readily by easy and natural methods1 to 
be explained hereafter1 that he who     
desires nothing more than to secure a   
good supply of grapes for the table can 
dismiss the subject4 ,on the other hand1
 those who wish to amuse themselves by  
experimenting with ,nature can find     
abundant enjoyment in not only grafting 
old vines1 but also in raising new      
seedlings1 among which he may obtain a  
prize which will astonish the natives4  
,those1 however1 whose tastes carry them
 to such lengths in vine-culture will be
 sure to purchase exhaustive treatises  
on the subject1 and will therefore give 
no heed to these simple practical       
chapters4 ,it is my aim to enable the   
business man returning from his city    
office1 or the farmer engrossed with the
 care of many acres1 to learn in a few  

moments1 from time to time1 just what he
 must do to supply his family abundantly
 with fruits and vegetables4  ,if one is
 about to adopt a grape-culture as a    
calling1 common-sense requires that he  
should locate in some region peculiarly 
adapted to the vine4 ,if the possessor  
of a large farm purposes to put several 
acres in vineyard1 he should also aim to
 select a soil and exposure best suited 
to his purpose4 ,two thousand years ago 
,virgil wrote1 ,nor let thy vineyard    
bend toward the sun when setting4 ,the  
inference is that the vines should face 
the east1 if possible2 and from that day
 to this1 eastern and southern exposures
 have been found the best4 ,yet climate 
modifies even this principle4 ,in the   
,south1 ,i should plant my vineyard on a
 north-western slope1 or on the north   
side of a belt of woods1 for the reason 
that the long1 hot days there would     
cause too rapid an evaporation from the 
foliage of the vines1 and enfeeble1 if  
not kill them4 ,in the limited space of 

the ,home ,acre one can use only such   
land as he has1 and plant where he must2
 but if the favorable exposures         
indicated exist1 it would be well to    
make the most of them4 ,i can mention1  
however1 as encouragement to many1 that 
,i saw1 last fall1 splendid grapes      
growing on perfectly level and sandy    
soil in ,new ,jersey4  ,a low-lying1    
heavy1 tenacious clay is undoubtedly the
 worst ground in which to plant a vine2 
and yet by thorough drainage1 a liberal 
admixture of sand1 and light            
fertilizers1 it can be made to produce  
good grapes of some varieties4 ,a light 
sandy soil1 if enriched abundantly with 
well-decayed vegetable and barnyard     
manures1 gives wider scope in choice of 
kinds2 while on the ideal well-drained  
sandy loam that we have described1 any  
outdoor grape can be planted hopefully  
if the garden is sufficiently removed   
from the seaboard4  ,as a general truth 
it may be stated that any land in a     
condition to produce a fine crop of corn

 and potatoes is ready for the vine4    
,this would be true of the entire garden
 if the suggestions heretofore made have
 been carried out4 ,therefore the       
borders which have been named are ready 
to receive the vines1 which may be      
planted in either spring or fall4 ,i    
prefer the fall season for several      
reasons4 ,the ground is usually drier   
then1 and crumbles more finely2 the     
young vine becomes well established and 
settled in its place by spring1 and even
 forms new roots before the growing     
season begins1 and in eight cases out of
 ten makes a stronger growth than       
follows spring planting2 it is work     
accomplished when there is usually the  
greatest leisure4 ,if the ground is     
ready in ,,early spring1 ,i should      
advise no delay4 ,a year's growth is    
gained by setting out the vines at once4
 ,as a rule ,i do not advise late spring
 planting--that is1 after the buds have 
started on the young vines4 ,they may   
live1 but usually they scarcely do more1

 the first year4  ,in ordering from a   
nursery ,i should ask for vigorous1     
well-rooted two-year-old vines1 and ,i  
should be almost as well contented with 
first-class one-year-olds4 ,if any one  
should advertise extra large1 strong    
vines1 ready to bear at once1 ,i should 
have nothing to do with him4 ,that's a  
nursery trick to get rid of old stock4  
,the first year after the shock of      
removal a vine should not be permitted  
to bear at all2 and a young vigorous    
vine is worth a dozen old stunted ones4 
,having procured the vines1 keep them in
 a cool1 moist place until ready to     
plant4 ,never permit the roots to become
 dry2 and if some of them are long and  
naked1 shorten them to two feet1 so as  
to cause them to throw out side fibrous 
roots1 which are the true feeders4      
,excavate holes of ample size1 so that  
all the roots may be spread out         
naturally4 ,if you have reason to think 
the ground is not very good1 two or     
three quarts of fine bone-dust          

thoroughly mixed with the soil that is  
placed on and about the roots will give 
a fine send-off4 ,usually a good mulch  
of any kind of barnyard manure placed on
 the ,,surface after planting will      
answer all purposes4 ,before filling in 
the hole over the roots1 place beside   
the vine a stout stake six or seven feet
 high4 ,this will be all the support    
required the first year4 ,cut back the  
young vine to three buds1 and after they
 get well started1 let but one grow4 ,if
 the planting is done in the fall1 mound
 the earth up over the little vine at   
the approach of winter1 so as to cover  
it at least six inches below the        
surface4 ,in spring uncover again as    
soon as hard frosts are over--say early 
,april in our latitude4 ,slow-growing   
varieties1 like the ,delaware1 may be   
set out six feet apart2 strong growers1 
like the ,concord1 eight feet4 ,vines   
can not be expected to thrive under the 
shade of trees1 or to fight an unequal  
battle in ground filled with the roots  

of other plants4  ,vines may be set out 
not only in the garden borders1 but also
 in almost any place where their roots  
will not be interfered with1 and where  
their foliage will receive plenty of    
light and air4 ,how well ,i remember the
 old ,isabella vines that clambered on a
 trellis over the kitchen door at my    
childhood's home6 ,in this sunny        
exposure1 and in the reflected heat of  
the building1 the clusters were always  
the sweetest and earliest ripe4 ,a ton  
of grapes may be secured annually by    
erecting trellises against the sides of 
buildings1 walls1 and poultry yard1     
while at the same time the screening    
vines furnish grateful shade and no     
small degree of beauty4 ,with a little  
petting1 such scattered vines are often 
enormously productive4 ,an occasional   
pail of soapsuds gives them a drink     
which eventually flushes the thickly    
hanging clusters with exquisite color4  
,people should dismiss from their minds 
the usual method of ,european           

cultivation1 wherein the vines are tied 
to short stakes1 and made to produce    
their fruit near the ground4 ,this      
method can be employed if we find       
pleasure in the experiment4 ,at ,mr4    
,fuller's place ,i saw fine examples of 
it4 ,stubby vines with stems thick as   
one's wrist rose about three feet from  
the ground1 then branched off on every  
side1 like an umbrella1 with loads of   
fruit4 ,only one supporting stake was   
required4 ,this method evidently is not 
adapted to our climate and species of   
grape1 since in that case plenty of     
keen1 practical fruit-growers would have
 adopted it4 ,i am glad this is true1   
for the vine-clad hills of ,france do   
not present half so pleasing a spectacle
 as an ,american cornfield4 ,the vine is
 beautiful when grown as a vine1 and not
 as a stub2 and well-trained1 well-fed  
vines on the ,home ,acre can be         
developed to almost any length required1
 shading and hiding with greenery every 
unsightly object1 and hanging their     

finest clusters far beyond the reach of 
the predatory small boy4  ,we may now   
consider the vines planted and growing  
vigorously1 as they will in most        
instances if they have been prepared for
 and planted according to the           
suggestions already given4 ,now begins  
the process of guiding and assisting    
,nature4 ,left to herself1 she will give
 a superabundance of vine1 with         
sufficient fruit for purposes of        
propagation and feeding the birds4 ,our 
object is to obtain the maximum of fruit
 from a minimum of vine4 ,the little    
plant1 even though grown from a single  
bud1 will sprawl all over everything    
near it in three or four years1 if      
unchecked4 ,pruning may begin even      
before midsummer of the first year4 ,the
 single green shoot will by this time   
begin to produce what are termed        
laterals4 ,the careful cultivator who   
wishes to throw all the strength and    
growth into the main shoot will pinch   
these laterals back as soon as they form

 one leaf4 ,each lateral will start     
again from the axil of the leaf that has
 been left1 and having formed another   
leaf1 should again be cut off4 ,by      
repeating this process during the       
growing season you have a strong single 
cane by fall1 reaching probably beyond  
the top of the supporting stake4 ,in our
 latitude ,i advise that this single    
cane--that is1 the vine--be cut back to 
within fifteen inches of the surface    
when the leaves have fallen and the wood
 has well-ripened--say about the middle 
of ,november--and that the part left be 
bent over and covered with earth4 ,when 
,i say bent over1 ,i do not mean at     
right angles1 so as to admit of the     
possibility of its being broken1 but    
gently and judiciously4 ,i cover with   
earth all my vines1 except the ,concords
 and ,isabellas1 just before hard       
freezing weather2 and even these two    
hardy kinds ,i weight down close to the 
ground4 ,i have never failed to secure a
 crop from vines so treated4 ,two men   

will protect over a hundred vines in a  
day4  ,in early ,april the young vine is
 uncovered again2 and now the two       
uppermost buds are allowed to grow and  
form two strong canes1 instead of one1  
and on this new growth four or five     
clusters of grapes may be permitted to  
mature if the vine is vigorous4 ,if it  
is feeble1 take off all the fruit1 ,and 
stimulate the vine into greater vigor4  
,our aim is not to obtain half a dozen  
inferior clusters as soon as possible1  
but to produce a vine that will         
eventually almost supply a family by    
itself4 ,if several varieties have been 
planted1 some will be found going ahead 
rampantly2 others will exhibit a feebler
 growth1 which can be hastened and      
greatly increased by enriching the      
surface of the soil around them and by a
 pail of soap-suds now and then in ,may 
or ,june--but not later1 unless there   
should be a severe drought4 ,there      
should be no effort to produce much     
growth during the latter part of the    

summer and early autumn1 for then both  
the wood and roots will be immature and 
unripened when frost begins1 and thus   
the vine receive injury4 ,for this      
reason it is usually best to apply      
fertilizers to vines in the fall2 for if
 given in the spring1 a late1           
unhealthful growth is often produced4   
,throughout all subsequent years manure 
must be applied judiciously4 ,you may   
tell the hired man to top-dress the     
ground about the vines1 and he will     
probably treat all alike2 a vine that is
 already growing so strongly that it can
 scarcely be kept within bounds will    
receive as much as one that is slow and 
feeble in its development4 ,this is     
worse than waste4 ,each vine should be  
treated in accordance with its condition
 and habit of growth4 ,what would be    
thought of a physician who ordered a    
tonic for an entire family1 giving as   
much to one who might need depleting1 as
 to another who1 as country people say1 
was puny and ailin'8 ,with even an      

assortment of half a dozen varieties we 
shall find after the first good start   
that some need a curb1 and others a     
spur4  ,stakes will answer as supports  
to the vines during the first and second
 seasons2 but thereafter trellises or   
arbors are needed4 ,the latter will     
probably be employed over the central   
walk of the garden1 and may be          
constructed after several simple and    
pretty designs1 which ,i leave to the   
taste of the reader4 ,if vines are      
planted about buildings1 fences1 etc41  
trellises may be made of anything       
preferred--of galvanized wire1 slats1 or
 rustic poles fastened to strong1       
durable supports4 ,if vines are to be   
trained scientifically in the open      
garden1 ,i should recommend the         
trellises figured on pages #abj and #adb
 of ,mr4 ,fuller's work1 ,the ,grape    
,culturist4 ,these1 beyond anything ,i  
have seen1 appear the best adapted for  
the following out of a careful system of
 pruning and training4 ,such a system   

,mr4 ,fuller has thoroughly and lucidly 
explained in the above-named book4      
,unless the reader has had experience1  
or is willing to give time for the      
mastery of this subject1 ,i should      
advise that he employ an experienced    
gardener to prune his vines after the   
second year4 ,it is a brief task1 but a 
great deal depends upon it4 ,in         
selecting a man for the work ,i should  
require something more than exaggerated 
and personal assurances4 ,in every      
village there are terrible butchers of  
vines and fruit-trees1 who have some    
crude system of their own4 ,they are as 
ignorant of the true science of the     
subject as a quack doctor of medicine1  
and1 like the dispenser of nostrums1    
they claim to be infallible4 ,skilful   
pruning and training is really a fine   
art1 which cannot be learned in a day or
 a year4 ,it is like a surgical         
operation1 requiring but little time1   
yet representing much acquired skill and
 experience4 ,in almost every locality  

there are trustworthy1 intelligent      
gardeners1 who will do this work for a  
small sum until the proprietor has      
learned the art himself1 if so inclined4
 ,i should also employ the same man in  
spring to tie up the vines and train    
them4  ,if one is not ambitious to      
secure the best results attainable1 he  
can soon learn to perform both the tasks
 well enough to obtain fairly good fruit
 in abundance4 ,it should be our        
constant aim not to permit long1 naked  
reaches of wood1 in one part of the     
vine1 and great smothering bunches of   
fruit and foliage in another part4 ,of  
course the roots1 stem1 and leading arms
 should be kept free from useless shoots
 and sprouts2 but having reached the    
trellis1 the vine should be made to     
distribute bearing fruit-spurs evenly   
over it4 ,much can be learned about     
pruning from books and by watching an   
expert gardener while giving the annual 
pruning2 but the true science of        
trimming a vine is best acquired by     

watching buds develop1 by noting what   
they will do1 where they go1 and how    
much space they will take up in a single
 summer4 ,in this way one will          
eventually realize how much is wrapped  
up in the insignificant little buds1 and
 now great the folly of leaving too many
 on the vine4  ,in my next chapter ,i   
shall treat briefly of the propagation  
of the grape1 its insect enemies1       
diseases1 etc42 and also of some other  
fruits4     ,,chapter ,,iv  ,,the       
,,vineyard ,,and ,,orchard   ,he who    
proposes to plant grape-vines will      
scarcely fail to take the sensible      
course of inspecting the varieties      
already producing fruit in his locality4
 ,from causes often too obscure to be   
learned with certainty1 excellent kinds 
will prove to be well adapted to one    
locality1 and fail in others4 ,if1      
therefore1 when calling on a neighbor   
during ,august1 ,september1 or ,october1
 we are shown a vine producing fruit    
abundantly that is suited to our taste1 

a vine also which manifests unmistakable
 vigor1 we may be reasonably sure that  
it belongs to a variety which we should 
have1 especially if it be growing in a  
soil and exposure somewhat similar to   
our garden plot4 ,a neighbor worthy of  
the name will be glad to give us a few  
cuttings from his vine at the time of   
its annual pruning2 and with1 very      
little trouble we also may soon possess 
the desired variety4 ,when the vine is  
trimmed1 either make yourself or have   
your friend make a few cuttings of sound
 wood from that season's growth4 ,about 
eight inches is a good length for these 
vine-slips1 and they should contain at  
least two buds4 ,let each slip be cut   
off smoothly just under the lowest bud1 
and extend an inch or two above the     
uppermost bud4 ,if these cuttings are   
obtained in ,november or ,december1 they
 may be put into a little box with some 
of the moist soil of the garden1 and    
buried in the ground below the usual    
frost-line--say a foot or eighteen      

inches in our latitude4 ,the simple     
object is to keep them in a cool1 even  
temperature1 but not a frosty one4      
,early in ,april dig up the box1 open a 
trench in a moist but not wet part of   
the garden1 and insert the cuttings     
perpendicularly in the soil1 so that the
 upper bud is covered barely one inch4  
,in filling up the trench1 press the    
soil carefully yet firmly about the     
cuttings1 and spread over the surface   
just about them a little fine manure4   
,the cuttings should be a foot apart    
from each other in the row4 ,do not let 
the ground become dry about them at any 
time during the summer4 ,by fall these  
cuttings will probably have thrown out  
an abundance of roots1 and have made    
from two to three feet of vine4 ,in this
 case they can be taken up and set out  
where they are to fruit4 ,possibly but  
one or two of them have started         
vigorously4 ,the backward ones had      
better be left to grow another year in  
the cutting bed4 ,probably we shall not 

wish to cultivate more than one or two  
vines of the variety2 but it is just as 
easy to start several cuttings as one1  
and by this course we guard against     
failure1 and are able to select the most
 vigorous plant for our garden4 ,by     
taking good care of the others we soon  
derive one of the best pleasures which  
our acre can afford--that of giving to a
 friend something which will enhance the
 productiveness of his acre1 and add to 
his enjoyment for years to come4  ,not  
only on our neighbor's grounds1 but also
 on our own we shall discover that some 
varieties are unusually vigorous1       
productive1 and well-adapted to our     
locality2 and we may very naturally wish
 to have more vines of the same sort1   
especially if the fruit is to our taste4
 ,we can either increase this kind by   
cuttings1 as has been described1 or we  
can layer part of the vine that has won 
our approval by well-doing4 ,i shall    
take the latter course with several     
delicious varieties in my vineyard4     

,some kinds of grapes do not root       
readily as cuttings1 but there is little
 chance of failure in layering4 ,this   
process is simply the laying down of a  
branch of a vine in early spring1 and   
covering it lightly with soil1 so that  
some buds will be beneath the surface1  
and others just at or a little above it4
 ,those beneath will form roots1 the    
others shoots which by fall should be   
good vines for planting4 ,every bud that
 can reach the air and light will start 
upward1 and thus there may be a thick   
growth of incipient vines that will     
crowd and enfeeble each other4 ,the     
probabilities are that only two or three
 new vines are wanted2 therefore all the
 others should be rubbed off at the     
start1 so that the strength of the      
parent plant and of the new roots that  
are forming may go into those few shoots
 designed to become eventually a part of
 our vineyard4 ,if we wish only one     
vine1 then but one bud should grow from 
the layer2 if two vines1 then two buds4 

,the fewer buds that are permitted to   
grow1 the stronger vines they make4  ,it
 must be remembered that this layer1 for
 the greater part of the growing season1
 is drawing its sustenance from the     
parent plant1 to which it is still      
attached4 ,therefore the other branches 
of this vine thus called upon for       
unusual effort should be permitted to   
fruit but sparingly4 ,we should not     
injure and enfeeble the original vine in
 order to get others like it4 ,for this 
reason we advise that no more buds be   
permitted to grow from the layer than we
 actually need ourselves4 ,to injure a  
good vine and deprive ourselves of fruit
 that we may have plants to give away1  
is to love one's neighbor better than   
one's self--a thing permitted1 but not  
required4 ,when our vines are pruned1 we
 can make as many cuttings as we choose1
 either to sell or give away4  ,the     
ground in which a layer is placed should
 be very rich1 and its surface round the
 young growing vines always kept moist  

and free from weeds4 ,in the autumn1    
after the leaves have fallen and the    
wood is ripe and hard1 cut off the      
layered branch close to the vine1 and   
with a garden-fork gently and carefully 
lift it1 with all its roots and young   
vines attached1 out of the soil4 ,first 
cut the young vines back to three or    
four buds1 then separate them from the  
branch from which they grew1 being sure 
to give each plant plenty of roots1 and 
the roots ,,back of the point from which
 it grew2 that is1 those roots nearest  
the parent plant from which the branch  
was layered4 ,all the old wood of the   
branch that is naked1 free of roots1    
should be cut off4 ,the young shoots    
thus separated are now independent      
vines1 and may be set out at once where 
they are to fruit4 ,if you have a       
variety that does not do well1 or that  
you do not like1 dig it out1 enrich the 
soil1 and put one of your favorites in  
its place4  ,we will now consider       
briefly the diseases and insect enemies 

of the grape4 ,a vine way be doomed to  
ill-health from its very situation4 ,mr4
 ,hussman1 a grape-culturist of great   
experience and wide observation1 writes3
 ,those localities may generally be     
considered safe for the grape in which  
there are no miasmatic influences4      
,where malaria and fevers prevail1 there
 is no safety for the crop1 as the vine 
seems to be as susceptible to such      
influences as human beings4  ,taking    
this statement literally1 we may well   
ask1 ,where1 then1 can grapes be grown8 
,according to physicians1 malaria has   
become one of the most generally        
diffused products of the country4 ,when 
a man asserts that it is not in his     
locality1 we feel sure that if pressed  
he will admit that it is round the      
corner4 ,country populations still      
survive1 however1 and so does           
grape-culture4 ,yet there are low-lying 
regions which from defective drainage   
are distinctively and1 it would almost  
seem1 hopelessly malarial4 ,in such     

localities but few varieties of the vine
 will thrive1 ,the people who are       
compelled to live there1 or who choose  
to do so1 should experiment until they  
obtain varieties so hardy and vigorous  
that they will triumph over everything4 
,the best course with grape-diseases is 
not to have them2 in other words1 to    
recognize the fact at once that certain 
varieties of the grape will not thrive  
and be productive of good fruit unless  
the soil and climate suit them4 ,the    
proprietor of the ,home ,acre can       
usually learn by a little inquiry or    
observation whether grapes thrive in his
 locality4 ,if there is much complaint  
of mildew1 grape-rot1 and general       
feebleness of growth1 he should seek to 
plant only the most hardy and vigorous  
kinds4  ,as ,i have said before1 our    
cultivated grapes are derived from      
several native species found growing    
wild1 and some now valued highly for    
wine-making are nothing but wild grapes 
domesticated2 as1 for instance1         

,norton's ,virginia1 belonging to the   
oestivalis class4 ,the original plant of
 this variety was found growing upon an 
island in the ,potomac by ,dr4 ,norton1 
of ,virginia4  ,the species from which  
the greatest number of well-known grapes
 is obtained is the ,vitis labrusca1 the
 common wild or fox grape1 found growing
 in woods and thickets1 usually where   
the ground is moist1 from ,canada to the
 ,gulf4 ,the dark purple berries1       
averaging about three-quarters of an    
inch in diameter1 ripen in ,september1  
and they contain a tough1 musky pulp4   
,yet this slip of wilderness is the     
parent of the refined ,catawba1 the     
delicious ,brighton1 and the magnificent
 white grape ,lady ,washington--indeed1 
of all the black1 red1 and white grapes 
with which most people are familiar4    
,our earliest grapes1 which ripen in    
,august1 as well as some of the latest1 
like the ,isabella1 come from the       
labrusca species4 ,it is said that the  
labrusca class will not thrive in the   

extreme ,south2 and with the exception  
of the high mountain slopes1 this       
appears reasonable to the student of the
 vine4 ,it is said that but few of this 
class will endure the long hot summers  
of ,france4 ,but there are great        
differences among the varieties derived 
from this native species4 ,for example1 
the ,concord thrives almost anywhere1   
while even here upon the ,hudson we can 
scarcely grow the ,catawba with         
certainty4 ,it is so good a grape1      
however1 that ,i persist in making the  
effort1 with varying success2 but ,i    
should not recommend it1 or many of its 
class1 for those localities not         
specially suited to the grape4  ,i will 
now name a few varieties which have     
proved to be1 or promise to be1 the most
 thrifty and productive whereever grapes
 can be grown at all the labrusca class3
 ,black--,concord1 ,wilder1 ,worden1    
,amenia1 ,early ,canada1 ,telegraph or  
,christine1 ,moore's ,early4            
,red-,wyoming1 ,goethe1 ,lindley1       

,beauty1 ,brighton1 ,perkins 7pale red71
 and ,agawam4 ,white--,rebecca1 ,martha1
 ,alien's ,hybrid1 ,lady ,pocklington1  
,prentiss1 ,lady ,washington4 ,these are
 all fine grapes1 and they have         
succeeded throughout wide areas of      
country4 ,any and all are well worth a  
trial2 but if the grower finds that some
 of them are weak and diseased in his   
grounds1 ,i should advise that he root  
them out and replace them with those    
which thrive4 ,the ,niagara is highly   
praised1 and may make good all that is  
claimed for it4  ,of the aestivalis     
class ,i can recommend the ,cynthiana   
and the ,herbemont1 or ,warren1 for the 
extreme ,south4 ,both of them are black4
 ,there are new varieties of this       
vigorous species which promise well4    
,the cordifolia species promises to     
furnish some fine1 hardy1 and productive
 grapes1 of which the ,amber is an      
example4 ,the ,elvira1 a pale yellow    
grape1 is highly praised by ,mr4        
,hussman4 ,although the ,bacchus is     

distinctively a wine grape1 ,i have     
already said that its flavor1 when fully
 ripe1 was agreeable to me4 ,the only   
difficulty in growing it is to keep the 
ground poor1 and use the pruning-knife  
freely4  ,i have enlarged on this point1
 for ,i wish to direct the mind of the  
reader to the fact that there are many  
very hardy grapes4 ,i congratulate those
 who1 with the taste of a connoisseur1  
have merely to sample until they find   
just the varieties that suit them1 and  
then to plant these kinds in their      
genial soil and favored locality4  ,at  
the same time ,i should like to prevent 
others from worrying along with         
unsatisfactory varieties1 or from       
reaching the conclusion that they can   
not grow grapes in their region or      
garden4 ,let them rather admit that they
 can not raise some kinds1 but may      
others4 ,if a variety were persistently 
diseased1 feeble1 and unproductive under
 good treatment1 ,i should root it out  
rather than continue to nurse and coddle

 it4  ,when mildew and grape-rot first  
appear1 the evil can often be remedied  
in part by dusting the vines with       
sulphur1 and continuing the process     
until the disease is cured1 if it ever  
is4 ,i have never had occasion to do    
this1 and will not do it4 ,a variety    
that often requires such nursing in this
 favored locality should be discarded4  
,there is one kind of disease1 or       
feebleness rather1 to which we are      
subject everywhere1 and from which few  
varieties are exempt4 ,it is the same   
kind of weakness which would be         
developed in a fine sound horse if we   
drove him until he dropped down every   
time we took him out4 ,cultivated vines 
are so far removed from their natural   
conditions that they will often bear    
themselves to death1 like a peach-tree4 
,to permit this is a true instance of   
avarice overreaching itself2 or the evil
 may result from ignorance or neglect4  
,close pruning in autumn and thinning   
out the crowding clusters soon after    

they have formed is the remedy4 ,if a   
vine had been so enfeebled1 ,i should   
cut it back rigorously1 feed it well1   
and permit it to bear very little fruit1
 if any1 for a year4  ,of insect enemies
 we have the phylloxera of bad eminence1
 which has so dismayed ,europe4 ,the man
 who could discover and patent an       
adequate remedy in ,france might soon   
rival a ,rothschild in his wealth4 ,the 
remedy abroad is also ours--to plant    
varieties which are phylloxera-proof1 or
 nearly so4 ,fortunately we have many   
which defy this pestiferous little      
root-louse1 and ,european vine-growers  
have been importing them by the million4
 ,they are still used chiefly as stocks 
on which to graft varieties of the      
vinifera species4 ,in ,california1      
grapes of the vinifera or ,european     
species are generally cultivated2 but   
the phylloxera is at its destructive    
work among them4 ,the wine-grapes of the
 future throughout the world may be     
developed from the hardy cestivalis and 

cordifolia classes4 ,in many localities1
 even in this new land1 varieties like  
the ,delaware succumb to this scourge of
 foreign vineyards4  ,the aphis1 or     
plant-louse1 sometimes attacks the      
young1 tender shoots of the vine4 ,the  
moment they appear1 take off the shoot1 
and crush it on a board with the foot4  
,leaf-rollers1 the grape-vine sphinx1   
and caterpillars in general must be     
caught by hand and killed4 ,usually they
 are not very numerous4 ,the horrid     
little rose-chafers or rose-bugs are    
sometimes very destructive4 ,our best   
course is to take a basin of water and  
jar them off into it--they fall         
readily--and then scald them to death4  
,we may discover lady-bugs--small red or
 yellow and black beetles--among our    
vines1 and many persons1 ,i fear1 will  
destroy them with the rest4 ,we should  
take off our hats to them and wish them 
godspeed4 ,in their destruction of      
aphides and thrips they are among our   
best friends4 ,the camel-cricket is     

another active destroyer of injurious   
insects4 ,why do not our schools teach a
 little practical natural history8      
,once1 when walking in the ,catskills1  
,i saw the burly driver of a stage-load 
of ladies bound out of his vehicle to   
kill a garter-snake1 the pallid women   
looking on1 meanwhile1 as if the earth  
were being rid of some terrible and     
venomous thing4 ,they ought to have     
known that the poor little reptile was  
as harmless as one of their own garters1
 and quite as useful in its way4 ,every 
country boy and girl should be taught to
 recognize all our helpers in our       
incessant fight with insect enemies--a  
fight which must be maintained with more
 organized vigor and intelligence than  
at present1 if horticulture is ever to  
reach its best development4  ,wasps and 
hornets often swarm about the sweet and 
early ripe varieties4 ,a wide-mouthed   
bottle partially filled with molasses   
and water will entrap and drown great   
numbers of these ugly customers4 ,some  

of our favorite birds try our patience  
not a little4 ,during the early summer  
,i never wearied of watching the musical
 orioles flashing with their bright hues
 in and out of the foliage about the    
house2 but when the early grapes were   
ripe1 they took pay for their music with
 the sang-froid of a favorite prima     
donna4 ,on one occasion ,i saw three or 
four alight on a ,diana vine1 and in    
five minutes they had spoiled a dozen   
clusters4 ,if they would only take a    
bunch and eat it up clean1 one would    
readily share with them1 for there would
 be enough for all2 but the dainty      
little epicures puncture an indefinite  
number of berries1 merely taking a sip  
from each4 ,then the wasps and bees come
 along and finish the clusters4 ,the    
cardinal1 cat-bird1 and our unrivalled  
songster the wood-thrush1 all help      
themselves in the same wasteful fashion4
 ,one can't shoot wood-thrushes4 ,we    
should almost as soon think of killing  
off our ,nilssons1 ,nevadas1 and ,carys4

 ,the only thing to do is to protect the
 clusters2 and this can be accomplished 
in several ways4 ,the most expeditious  
and satisfactory method is to cover the 
vines of early grapes with cheap        
mosquito netting4 ,another method is to 
make little bags of this netting and    
inclose each cluster4 ,last fall1 two of
 my children tied up many hundreds of   
clusters in little paper bags1 which can
 be procured at wholesale for a trifling
 sum4 ,the two lower corners of the     
paper bags should be clipped off to     
permit the rain to pass freely through  
them4 ,clusters ripen better1 last      
longer on the vine1 and acquire a more  
exquisite bloom and flavor in this      
retirement than if exposed to light as  
well as to birds and wasps4 ,not the    
fruit but the foliage of the grape-vine 
needs the sun4  ,few of the early grapes
 will keep long after being taken from  
the vine2 but some of the later ones can
 be preserved well into the winter by   
putting them in small boxes and storing 

them where the temperature is cool1     
even1 and dry4 ,some of the wine-grapes1
 like ,norton's ,virginia1 will keep    
under these conditions almost like      
winter apples4 ,one ,october day ,i took
 a stone pot of the largest size and put
 in first a layer of ,isabella grapes1  
then a double thickness of straw paper1 
then alternate layers of grapes and     
paper1 until the pot was full4 ,a cloth 
was next pasted over the stone cover1 so
 as to make the pot water-tight4 ,the   
pot was then buried on a dry knoll below
 the reach of frost1 and dug up again on
 ,new ,year's ,day4 ,the grapes looked  
and tasted as if they had just been     
picked from the vine4  ,for the         
mysteries of hybridizing and raising new
 seedlings1 grafting1 hot-house and cold
 grapery culture1 the reader must look  
in more extended works than this1 and to
 writers who have had experience in     
these matters4  ,we shall next consider 
three fruits which upon the ,home ,acre 
may be regarded as forming a natural    

group-peaches1 plums1 and raspberries1  
if any one expresses surprise that the  
last-named fruit should be given this   
relationship1 ,i have merely to reply   
that the raspberry thrives in the       
partial shade produced by such small    
trees as the peach and plum4 ,where     
there is need of economy of space it is 
well to take advantage of this fact1 for
 but few products of the garden give any
 satisfaction when contending with roots
 below and shade above4  ,we have taken 
it for granted that some grape-vines    
would be planted in the two borders     
extending through the centre of the     
garden1 also that there would be spaces 
left which might be filled with peach   
and plum trees and small flowering      
shrubs4 ,if there is to be a good-sized 
poultry-yard upon the acre1 we should   
advise that plums be planted in that2   
but we will speak of this fruit later1  
and now give our attention to that fruit
 which to the taste of many is          
unrivalled--the peach4  ,with the       

exception of the strawberry1 it is      
perhaps the only fruit for which ,i     
prefer spring planting4 ,at the same    
time1 ,i should not hesitate to set out 
the trees in autumn4 ,the ground should 
be good1 but not too highly fertilized4 
,i prefer young trees but one year old  
from the bud4 ,if set out in the fall1  
,i should mound up the earth eighteen   
inches about them1 to protect the roots 
and stem1 and to keep the tree firmly in
 the soil4 ,with this precaution1 ,i am 
not sure but that fall planting has the 
greater advantage1 except when the      
climate is very severe and subject to   
great alternations4 ,plant with the same
 care and on the same principles which  
have been already described4 ,if a      
careful system of pruning is to be      
adopted1 the trees may be set out twelve
 feet apart2 but if they are to be left 
to grow at will1 which ,i regret to say 
is the usual practice1 they should be   
planted fifteen feet from each other4   
,there are many good reasons why the    

common orchard culture of the peach     
should not be adopted in the garden4    
,there is no fruit more neglected and   
ill-treated than the beautiful and      
delicious peach4 ,the trees are very    
cheap1 usually costing but a few cents  
each2 they are bought by the thousand   
from careless dealers1 planted with     
scarcely the attention given to a       
cabbage-plant1 and too often allowed to 
bear themselves to death4 ,the land1    
trees1 and cultivation cost so little   
that one good crop is expected to       
remunerate for all outlay4 ,if more     
crops are obtained1 there is so much    
clear gain4 ,under this slovenly        
treatment there is1 of course1 rapid    
deterioration in the stamina of the     
peach4 ,pits and buds are taken from    
enfeebled trees for the purpose of      
propagation1 and so tendencies to       
disease are perpetuated and enhanced4   
,little wonder that1 the fatal malady1  
the yellows1 has blighted so many hopes6
 ,i honestly believe that millions of   

trees have been sold in which this      
disease existed from the bud4 ,if fine  
peaches were bred and propagated with   
something of the same care that is      
bestowed on blooded stock1 the results  
would soon be proportionate4 ,gardeners 
abroad often give more care to one tree 
than hundreds receive here4 ,because the
 peach has grown so easily in our       
climate1 we have imposed on its         
good-nature beyond the limits of        
endurance1 and consequently it is not   
easy to get sound1 healthful trees that 
will bear year after year under the best
 of treatment1 as they did with our     
fathers with no care at all4 ,i should  
look to men who had made a reputation   
for sending out sound1 healthful stock  
grown under their own eyes from pits and
 wood which they know to be free from   
disease4 ,do not try to save a few      
pennies on the first cost of trees1 for 
the probabilities are that such economy 
will result in little more than the     
yellows4  ,in large orchards1 cultivated

 by horse-power1 the stems of the trees 
are usually from four to six feet high2 
but in the garden this length of stem is
 not necessary1 and the trees can be    
grown as dwarf standards1 with stems    
beginning to branch two feet from the   
ground4 ,a little study of the habit of 
growth in the peach will show that1 to  
obtain the best results1 the            
pruning-shears are almost as essential  
as in the case of the grape-vine4 ,more 
than in any other fruit-tree1 the sap   
tends strongly toward the ends of the   
shoots4 ,left to ,nature1 only the      
terminal buds of these will grow from   
year to year2 the other buds lower down 
on the shoots fail and drop off4 ,thus  
we soon have long naked reaches of      
unproductive wood1 or sucker-like       
sprouts starting from the bark1 which   
are worse than useless4 ,our first aim  
should be to form a round1 open1        
symmetrical head1 shortening in the     
shoots at least one-half each year1 and 
cutting out crossing and interlacing    

branches4 ,for instance1 if we decide to
 grow our trees as dwarf standards1 we  
shall cut back the stems at a point two 
feet from the ground the first spring   
after planting1 and let but three buds  
grow1 to make the first three or leading
 branches4 ,the following spring we     
shall cut back the shoots that have     
formed1 so as to make six leading       
branches4 ,thereafter we shall continue 
to cut out and back so as to maintain an
 open head for the free circulation of  
air and light4  ,to learn the importance
 of rigorous and careful pruning1       
observe the shoots of a vigorous        
peach-tree1 say three or four years old4
 ,these shoots or sprays are long and   
slender1 lined with fruit-buds4 ,you    
will often find two fruit-buds together1
 with a leaf-bud between them4 ,if the  
fruit-buds have been uninjured by the   
winter1 they will nearly all form       
peaches1 far more than the slender spray
 can support or mature4 ,the sap will   
tend to give the most support to all    

growth at the end of the spray or       
branch4 ,the probable result will be    
that you will have a score1 more or     
less1 of peaches that are little beyond 
skin and stones4 ,by midsummer the      
brittle sprays will break1 or the limbs 
split down at the crotches4 ,you may    
have myriads of peaches1 but none fit   
for market or table4 ,thousands of      
baskets are sent to ,new ,york annually 
that do not pay the expenses of freight1
 commission1 etc42 while the orchards   
from which they come are practically    
ruined4 ,i had two small trees from     
which1 one autumn1 ,i sold ten dollars' 
worth of fruit4 ,they yielded more      
profit than is often obtained from a    
hundred trees4  ,now1 in the light of   
these facts1 realize the advantages     
secured by cutting back the shoots or   
sprays so as to leave but three or four 
fruit-buds on each4 ,the tree can       
probably mature these buds into large1  
beautiful peaches1 and still maintain   
its vigor4 ,by this shortening-in       

process you have less tree1 but more    
fruit4 ,the growth is directed and kept 
within proper limits1 and the tree      
preserved for future usefulness4 ,thus  
the peach-trees of the garden will not  
only furnish some of the most delicious 
morsels of the year1 but also a very    
agreeable and light phase of labor4     
,they can be made pets which will amply 
repay all kindness2 and the attentions  
they most appreciate1 strange to say1   
are cutting and pinching4 ,the          
pruning-shears in ,march and early      
,april can cut away forming burdens     
which could not be borne1 and pinching  
back during the summer can maintain     
beauty and symmetry in growth4 ,when the
 proprietor of the ,home ,acre has      
learned from experience to do this work 
judiciously1 his trees1 like the        
grape-vines1 will afford many hours of  
agreeable and healthful recreation4 ,if 
he regards it as labor1 one great1      
melting1 luscious peach will repay him4 
,a small apple1 pear1 or strawberry     

usually has the flavor of a large one2  
but a peach to be had in perfection must
 be fully matured to its limit of growth
 on a healthful tree4  ,let no one      
imagine that the shortening in of shoots
 recommended consists of cutting the    
young sprays evenly all round the trees 
as one would shear a hedge4 ,it more    
nearly resembles the pruning of the     
vine2 for the peach1 like the vine1     
bears its fruit only on the young wood  
of the previous summer's growth4 ,the   
aim should be to have this young bearing
 wood distributed evenly over the tree1 
as should be true of a grape-vine4 ,when
 the trees are kept low1 as dwarf       
standards1 the fruit is more within     
reach1 and less liable to be blown off  
by high winds4 ,gradually1 however1 if  
the trees prove healthful1 they will get
 high enough up in the world4           
,notwithstanding the rigorous pruning   
recommended1 the trees will often       
overload themselves2 and thinning out   
the young peaches when as large as      

hickory nuts is almost imperative if we 
would secure good fruit4 ,men of        
experience say that when a tree has set 
too much fruit1 if two-thirds of it are 
taken off while little1 the remaining   
third will measure and weigh more than  
would the entire crop1 and bring three  
times as much money4 ,in flavor and     
beauty the gain will certainly be more  
than double4  ,throughout its entire    
growth and fruiting life the peach-tree 
needs good cultivation1 and also a good 
but not overstimulated soil4            
,well-decayed compost from the          
cow-stable is probably the best barnyard
 fertilizer4 ,wood-ashes are peculiarly 
agreeable to the constitution of this   
tree1 and tend to maintain it in health 
and bearing long after others not so    
treated are dead4 ,i should advise that 
half a peck be worked in lightly every  
spring around each tree as far as the   
branches extend4 ,when enriching the    
ground about a tree1 never heap the     
fertilizer round the trunk1 but spread  

it evenly from the stem outward as far  
as the branches reach1 remembering that 
the head above is the measure of the    
root extension below4 ,air-slacked lime 
is also useful to the peach in small    
quantities2 and so1 no doubt1 would be a
 little salt from time to time4         
,bone-meal is highly recommended4  ,like
 other fruit-trees1 the peach does not  
thrive on low1 wet ground1 and the      
fruit-buds are much more apt to be      
winter-killed in such localities4 ,a    
light1 warm soil is regarded as the most
 favorable4  ,of course we can grow this
 fruit on espaliers1 as they do abroad2 
but there are few localities where any  
advantage is to be derived from this    
course4 ,in our latitude ,i much prefer 
cool northern exposures1 for the reason 
that the fruitbuds are kept dormant     
during warm spells in winter1 and so    
late in spring that they escape injury  
from frost4 ,alternate freezing and     
thawing is more harmful than steady     
cold4 ,the buds are seldom safe1        

however1 at any time when the mercury   
sinks ten or fifteen degrees below zero4
  ,as we have intimated1 abuse of the   
peach-tree has developed a fatal        
disease1 known as the yellows4 ,it      
manifests itself in yellow1 sickly      
foliage1 numerous and feeble sprouts    
along the larger limbs and trunk1 and   
small miserable fruit1 ripening         
prematurely4 ,i can almost taste the    
yellows in much of the fruit bought in  
market4 ,some regard the disease as very
 contagious2 others do not4 ,it is best 
to be on the safe side4 ,if a tree is   
affected generally1 dig it out by the   
roots and burn it at once2 if only a    
branch shows evidence of the malady1 cut
 it off well back1 and commit it to the 
flames4 ,the only remedy is to propagate
 from trees in sound health and vigor4  
,like the apple1 the peach-tree is      
everywhere subject to injury from a     
borer1 named exitiosa1 or the           
destructive4 ,the eggs from which these 
little pests are hatched are laid by the

 moth during the summer upon the stem of
 the tree very near the root2 the grubs 
bore through the outer bark1 and devour 
the inner bark and sap-wood4            
,fortunately they soon reveal their evil
 work by the castings1 and by the gum   
which exudes from the hole by which they
 entered4 ,they can not do much harm1   
unless a tree is neglected2 in this     
case1 however1 they will soon enfeeble1 
and probably destroy it4 ,when once     
within a tree1 borers must be cut out   
with a sharp-pointed knife1 carefully   
yet thoroughly4 ,the wounds from the    
knife may be severe1 but the ceaseless  
gnawing of the grub is fatal4 ,if the   
tree has been lacerated to some extent1 
a plaster of moistened clay or          
cow-manure makes a good salve4 ,keeping 
the borers out of the tree is far better
 than taking them out2 and this can be  
effected by wrapping the stem at the    
ground--two inches below the surface1   
and five above--with strong hardware or 
sheathing paper4 ,if this is tied       

tightly about the tree1 the moth cannot 
lay its eggs upon the stem4 ,a neighbor 
of mine has used this protection not    
only on the peach1 but also on the      
apple1 with almost complete success4 ,of
 course the pests will try to find their
 way under it1 and it would be well to  
take off the wrapper occasionally and   
examine the trees4 ,the paper must also 
be renewed before it is so far decayed  
as to be valueless4 ,it should be       
remembered also that the borer will     
attack the trees from the first year of 
life to the end4  ,in order to insure an
 unfailing supply of this delicious     
fruit1 ,i should advise that a few trees
 be set out every spring4 ,the labor and
 expense are scarcely greater than that 
bestowed upon a cabbage patch1 and the  
reward is more satisfactory4  ,for this 
latitude the following choice of        
varieties will prove1 ,i think1 a good  
one3 ,early ,alexander1 ,early ,elvers1 
,princess of ,wales1 ,brandywine1 ,old  
,mixon ,free1 ,stump the ,world1        

,picquet's ,late1 ,crawford's ,late1    
,mary's ,choice1 ,white ,free ,heath1   
,salway1 and ,lord ,palmerston4  ,if the
 soil of one's garden is stiff1 cold1   
adhesive clay1 the peach would succeed  
much better budded or grafted on        
plum-stocks4 ,some of the finest fruit  
,i have ever seen was from seedlings1   
the trees having been grown from pits of
 unusually good peaches4 ,while the     
autumn planting of pits lightly in the  
soil and permitting them to develop into
 bearing trees is a pleasing and often  
profitable amusement1 there is no great 
probability that the result will be     
desirable4 ,we hear of the occasional   
prizes won in this way1 but not of the  
many failures4  ,by easy transition we  
pass to the kindred fruit the plum1     
which does not generally receive the    
attention it deserves4 ,if one has a    
soil suited to it--a heavy clay or      
loam--it can usually be grown very      
easily4 ,the fruit is so grateful to the
 taste and useful to the housekeeper    

that it should be given a fair trial1   
either in the garden borders or wherever
 a tree can be planted so as to secure  
plenty of light and air4 ,the young     
trees may be one or two years old from  
the bud2 ,i should prefer the former1 if
 vigorous4 ,never be induced to purchase
 old trees by promises of speedy fruit4 
,it is quite possible you may never get 
any fruit at all from them worth        
mentioning4 ,i should allow a space of  
from ten to fifteen feet between the    
trees when they are planted together1   
and ,i should cut them back so that they
 would begin to branch at two feet from 
the ground4 ,long1 naked stems are      
subject to the gum-disease4  ,in the    
place of general advice in regard to    
this fruit ,i shall give the experience 
of ,mr4 ,t4 ,s4 ,force1 of ,newburgh1   
who exhibited seventy varieties at the  
last annual ,orange ,county fair4  ,his 
plum-orchard is a large poultry-yard1   
containing half an acre1 of which the   
ground is a good loam1 resting on a     

heavy clay subsoil4 ,he bought trees but
 one year from the bud1 set them out in 
autumn1 and cut them back so that they  
began to form their heads at two feet   
from the ground4 ,he prefers starting   
with strong young plants of this age1   
and he did not permit them to bear for  
the first three years1 his primal aim   
being to develop a healthy1 vigorous    
tree with a round1 symmetrical head4    
,during this period the ground about    
them was kept mellow by good            
cultivation1 and1 being rich enough to  
start with1 received no fertilizers4 ,it
 is his belief that over-fertilization  
tends to cause the disease so well known
 as the black knot1 which has destroyed 
many orchards in this vicinity4 ,if the 
garden has been enriched as ,i have     
directed1 the soil will probably need   
little1 if anything1 from the stables1  
and certainly will not if the trees are 
grown in a poultry-yard4 ,during this   
growing and forming period ,mr4 ,force  
gave careful attention to pruning4      

,budded trees are not even symmetrical  
growers1 but tend to send up a few very 
strong shoots that rob the rest of the  
tree of sustenance4 ,of course these    
must be cut well back in early spring1  
or we have long1 naked reaches of wood  
and a deformed tree4 ,it is far better1 
however1 not to let these rampant shoots
 grow to maturity1 but to pinch them    
back in early summer1 thus causing them 
to throw out side-branches4 ,by summer  
pinching and rubbing off of tender      
shoots a tree can be made to grow in any
 shape we desire4 ,when the trees       
receive no summer pruning1 ,mr4 ,force  
advises that the branches be shortened  
in at least one half in the spring1     
while some shoots are cut back even more
 rigorously4 ,at the age of four or five
 years1 according to the vigor of the   
trees1 he permits them to bear4 ,now    
cultivation ceases1 and the ground is   
left to grow hard1 but not weedy or     
grassy1 beneath the boughs4 ,every      
spring1 just as the blossoms are        

falling1 he spreads evenly under the    
branches four quarts of salt4 ,while the
 trees thrive and grow fruitful with    
this fertilizer1 the curculio1 or       
plum-weevil1 does not appear to find it 
at all to its taste4 ,as a result of his
 methods1 ,mr4 ,force has grown large   
and profitable crops1 and his trees in  
the main are kept healthy and vigorous4 
,his remedy for the black knot is to cut
 off and burn the small boughs and twigs
 affected4 ,if the disease appears in   
the side of a limb or in the stem1 he   
cuts out all trace of it1 and paints the
 wound with a wash of gum shellac and   
alcohol4  ,trees load so heavily that   
the plums rest against one another4 ,you
 will often find in moist warm weather  
decaying specimens4 ,these should be    
removed at once1 that the infection may 
not spread4  ,in cutting out the        
interfering boughs1 do not take off the 
sharp-pointed spurs which are forming   
along the branches1 for on these are    
slowly maturing the fruit-buds4 ,in this

 case1 as in others1 the careful        
observer1 after he has acquired a few   
sound principles of action to start     
with1 is taught more by the tree itself 
than from any other source4  ,mr4 ,force
 recommends the following ten varieties1
 named in the order of ripening3        
,canada2 ,orleans1 a red-cheeked plum2  
,mc,laughlin1 greenish1 with pink cheek2
 ,bradshaw1 large red1 with lilac bloom2
 ,smith's ,orleans1 purple2 ,green      
,gage2 ,bleeker's ,gage1 golden yellow2 
,prune d',agen1 purple2 ,coe's ,golden  
,drop2 and ,shropshire ,damson for      
preserves4  ,if we are restricted to    
very light soils1 we shall probably have
 to grow some of the native varieties1  
of the ,canada and ,wild-,goose type4   
,in regard to both this fruit and       
peaches we should be guided in our      
selection by information respecting     
varieties peculiarly suited to the      
region4  ,the next chapter will treat of
 small fruits1 beginning with the       
raspberry4     ,,chapter ,v  ,,the      

,,raspberry   ,the wide and favorable   
consideration given to small fruits     
clearly marks one of the changes in the 
world's history4 ,this change may seem  
trifling indeed to the dignified        
chroniclers of kings and queens and     
others of high descent--great descent1  
it may be added1 remembering the moral  
depths attained2 but to those who care  
for the welfare of the people1 it is a  
mutation of no slight interest4 ,i am   
glad to think1 as has been shown in a   
recent novel1 that ,lucrezia ,borgia was
 not so black as she has been painted2  
yet in the early days of ,june and      
,july1 when strawberries and raspberries
 are ripening1 ,i fancy that most of us 
can dismiss her and her kin from mind as
 we observe ,nature's alchemy in our    
gardens4 ,when we think of the luscious1
 health-imparting fruits which will     
grace millions of tables1 and remember  
that until recent years they were       
conspicuous only by their absence1 we   
may not slightingly estimate a great    

change for the better4 ,once these      
fruits were wildings which the vast     
majority of our forefathers shared      
sparingly with the birds4 ,often still1 
unless we are careful1 our share will be
 small indeed2 for the unperverted taste
 of the birds discovered from the first 
what men have been so slow to           
learn--that the ruby-like berries are   
the gems best worth seeking4 ,the world 
is certainly progressing toward physical
 redemption when even the ,irish laborer
 abridges his cabbage-patch for the sake
 of small fruits--food which a dainty   
,ariel could not despise4  ,we have said
 that raspberries thrive in partial     
shade2 and therefore some advice in     
regard to them naturally follows our    
consideration of trees4 ,because the    
raspberry is not so exacting as are many
 other products of the garden1 it does  
not follow that it should be marked out 
for neglect4 ,as it is treated on many  
places1 the only wonder is that even the
 bushes survive4 ,like many who try to  

do their best in adversity1 it makes the
 most of what people term a chance to   
get ahead4  ,moreover1 the raspberry is 
perhaps as often injured by mistaken    
kindness as by neglect4 ,if we can      
imagine it speaking for itself1 it would
 say3 ,it is not much that ,i want1 but 
in the name of common-sense and nature  
give me just what ,i do want2 then you  
may pick at me to your heart's content4 
,the first need of the raspberry is a   
well-drained but not a very dry1 light  
soil4 ,yet such is its adaptability that
 certain varieties can be grown on any  
land which will produce a burdock or a  
mullien-stalk4 ,in fact1 this question  
of variety chiefly determines our       
chances of success and the nature of our
 treatment of the fruit4 ,the reader1 at
 the start1 should be enabled to        
distinguish the three classes of        
raspberries grown in this country4  ,as 
was true of grapes1 our fathers first   
endeavored to supply their gardens from 
foreign nurseries1 neglecting the wild  

species with which our woods and        
roadsides abounded4 ,the raspberry of   
,europe 7,rubus idaeus7 has been        
developed1 and in many instances        
enfeebled1 by ages of cultivation4      
,nevertheless1 few other fruits have    
shown equal power to adapt themselves to
 our soil and climate1 and we have      
obtained from foreign sources many      
valuable kinds--as1 for instance1 the   
,antwerp1 which for weeks together      
annually taxed the carrying power of    
,hudson ,river steamers4 ,in quality    
these foreign kinds have never been     
surpassed2 but almost invariably they   
have proved tender and fastidious1      
thriving well in some localities1 and   
failing utterly 7except under the most  
skilful care7 in others4 ,the frosts of 
the ,north killed them in winter1 and   
,southern suns shrivelled their foliage 
in summer4 ,therefore they were not     
raspberries for the million1 but for    
those who resided in favored regions1   
and were willing to bestow upon them    

much care and high culture4  ,eventually
 another process began1 taking place    
either by chance or under the skilful   
manipulation of the gardener--that of   
hybridizing1 or crossing these foreign  
varieties with our hardier native       
species4 ,the best results have been    
attained more frequently1 ,i think1 by  
chance2 that is1 the bees1 which get    
more honey from the raspberry than from 
most other plants1 carried the pollen   
from a native flower to the blossom of  
the garden exotic4 ,the seeds of the    
fruit eventually produced were endowed  
with characteristics of both the foreign
 and native strains4 ,occasionally these
 seeds fell where they had a chance to  
grow1 and so produced a fortuitous      
seedling plant which soon matured into a
 bearing bush1 differing from1 both of  
its parents1 and not infrequently       
surpassing both in good qualities4 ,some
 one horticulturally inclined having    
observed the unusually fine fruit on the
 chance plant1 and believing that it is 

a good plan to help the fittest to      
survive1 marked the bush1 and in the    
autumn transferred it to his garden4 ,it
 speedily propagated itself by suckers1 
or young sprouts from the roots1 and he 
had plants to sell or give away4 ,such1 
,i believe1 was the history of the      
,cuthbert--named after the gentleman who
 found it1 and now probably the favorite
 raspberry of ,america4  ,thus          
fortuitously1 or by the skill of the    
gardener1 the foreign and our native    
species were crossed1 and a new and     
hardier class of varieties obtained4    
,the large size and richness in flavor  
of the ,european berry has been bred    
into and combined with our smaller and  
more insipid indigenous fruit4 ,by this 
process the area of successful raspberry
 culture has been extended almost       
indefinitely4  ,within recent years a   
third step forward has been taken4 ,some
 localities and soils were so unsuited  
to the raspberry that no variety        
containing even a small percentage of   

the foreign element could thrive4 ,this 
fact led fruit-growers to give still    
closer attention to our native species4 
,wild bushes were found here and there  
which gave fruit of such good quality   
and in such large quantities that they  
were deemed well worthy of cultivation4 
,many of these wild specimens accepted  
cultivation gratefully1 and showed such 
marked improvement that they were       
heralded over the land as of wonderful  
and surpassing value4 ,some of these    
pure1 unmixed varieties of our native   
species 7,rubus strigosus7 have obtained
 a wide celebrity2 as1 for instance1 the
 ,brandywine1 ,highland ,hardy1 and1    
best of all1 the ,turner4 ,it should be 
distinctly understood1 however1 that1   
with the exception of the last-named    
kind1 these native varieties are        
decidedly inferior to most of the       
foreign berries and their hybrids or    
crosses1 like the ,cuthbert and         
,marlboro4 ,thousands have been misled  
by their praise1 and have planted them  

when they might just as easily have     
grown far better kinds4 ,i suppose that 
many wealthy persons in the latitudes of
 ,new ,york and ,boston have told their 
gardeners 7or more probably were told by
 them73 ,we do not wish any of those    
wild kinds4 ,brinckle's ,orange1        
,franconia1 and the ,antwerp are good   
enough for us4 ,so they should be1 for  
they are the best2 but they are all     
foreign varieties1 and scarcely will    
live at all1 much less be productive1 in
 wide areas of the country4  ,i trust   
that this preliminary discussion in     
regard to red raspberries will prepare  
the way for the advice to follow1 and   
enable the proprietor of the ,home ,acre
 to act intelligently4 ,sensible men do 
not like to be told1 ,you cannot do     
this1 and must not do that--in other    
words1 to be met the moment they step   
into their gardens by the arbitrary     
dictum of ,a1 ,b1 or ,c4 ,they wish to  
unite with ,nature in producing certain 
results4 ,understanding her simple laws1

 they work hopefully1 confidently2 and  
they cannot be imposed upon by those who
 either wittingly or unwittingly give   
bad advice4 ,having explained the       
natural principles on which ,i base my  
directions1 ,i can expect the reader to 
follow each step with the prospect of   
success and enjoyment much enhanced4    
,the question first arising is1 ,what   
shall we plant8 ,as before1 ,i shall    
give the selection of eminent           
authorities1 then suggest to the reader 
the restrictions under which he should  
make a choice for his own peculiar soil 
and climate4  ,dr4 ,f4 ,m4 ,hexamer1 the
 well-known editor of a leading         
horticultural journal1 is recognized    
throughout the land as having few1 if   
any1 superiors in recent and practical  
acquaintance with small fruits4 ,the    
following is his selection3 ,cuthbert1  
,turner1 and ,marlboro4 ,the ,hon4      
,marshall ,p4 ,wilder's choice3         
,brinckle's ,orange1 ,franconia1        
,cuthbert1 ,herstine1 ,shaffer4 ,the    

,hon4 ,norman ,j4 ,colman1 ,commissioner
 of ,agriculture3 ,turner1 ,marlboro1   
,cuthbert4 ,p4 ,j4 ,berckmans1 of       
,georgia3 ,cuthbert1 ,hansel1 ,lost     
,rubies1 ,imperial ,red4 ,a4 ,s4        
,fuller3 ,turner1 ,cuthbert1 ,hansel4   
,in analyzing this list we find three   
distinctly foreign kinds named3 the     
,orange1 ,franconia1 and ,herstine4 ,if 
the last is not wholly of foreign       
origin1 the element of our native       
species enters into it so slightly that 
it will not endure winters in our       
latitude1 or the summer sun of the      
,south4 ,for excellence1 however1 it is 
unsurpassed4  ,in the ,cuthbert1        
,marlboro1 and ,lost ,rubies we have    
hybrids of the foreign and our native   
species1 forming the second class       
referred to2 in the ,turner and ,hansel1
 examples of our native species unmixed4
 ,to each of these classes might be     
added a score of other varieties which  
have been more or less popular1 but they
 would serve only to distract the       

reader's attention4 ,i have tested forty
 or fifty kinds side by side at one     
time1 only to be shown that four or five
 varieties would answer all practical   
purposes4 ,i can assure the reader1     
however1 that it will be scarcely       
possible to find a soil or climate where
 some of these approved sorts will not  
thrive abundantly and at slight outlay4 
,throughout southern ,new ,england1     
along the bank of the ,hudson1 and      
westward1 almost any raspberry can be   
grown with proper treatment4 ,there are 
exceptions1 which are somewhat curious4 
,for instance1 the famous ,hudson ,river
 ,antwerp1 which until within a very few
 years has been one of the great crops  
of the ,state1 has never been grown     
successfully to any extent except on the
 west bank of the river1 and within the 
limited area of ,kingston on the north  
and ,cornwall on the south4 ,the        
,franconia1 another foreign sort1 has   
proved itself adapted to more extended  
conditions of soil and climate4  ,i have

 grown successfully nearly every        
well-known raspberry1 and perhaps ,i can
 best give the instruction ,i desire to 
convey by describing the methods finally
 adopted after many years of            
observation1 reading1 and experience4 ,i
 will speak of the class first named1   
belonging to the foreign species1 of    
which ,i have tested many varieties4 ,i 
expect to set out this year rows of     
,brinckle's ,orange1 ,franconia1 ,hudson
 ,river ,antwerp1 and others4 ,for this 
class ,i should make the ground very    
rich1 deep1 and mellow4 ,i should prefer
 to set out the plants in the           
autumn--from the middle of ,october to  
the tenth of ,november2 if not then1 in 
early spring--the earlier the           
better--while the buds are dormant4 ,i  
should have the rows four feet apart2   
and if the plants were to be grown among
 the smaller fruit-trees1 ,i should     
maintain a distance from them of at     
least seven feet4 ,i should use only    
young plants1 those of the previous     

summer's growth1 and set them in the    
ground about as deeply as they stood    
when taken up--say three or four inches 
of earth above the point from which the 
roots branched4 ,i should put two       
well-rooted plants in each hill1 and    
this would make the hills four feet     
apart each way4 ,by hills ,i do not mean
 elevations of ground4 ,this should be  
kept level throughout all future        
cultivation4 ,i should cut back the     
canes or stems of the plants to six     
inches4 ,thousands of plants are lost or
 put back in their growth by leaving two
 or three feet of the canes to grow the 
first year4 ,never do this4 ,the little 
fruit gained thus prematurely always    
entails a hundred-fold of loss4 ,having 
set out the plants1 ,i should next      
scatter over and about them one or two  
shovelfuls of old compost or decayed    
manure of some kind4 ,if the plants had 
been set out in the fall1 ,i should     
mound the earth over them before        
freezing weather1 so that there should  

be at least four inches of soil over the
 tops of the stems4 ,this little mound  
of earth over the plants or hill would  
protect against all injury from frost4  
,in the spring ,i should remove these   
mounds of earth so as to leave the      
ground perfectly level on all sides1 and
 the shortened canes projecting1 as at  
first1 six inches above the surface4    
,during the remainder of the spring and 
summer the soil between the plants      
chiefly requires to be kept open1       
mellow1 and free from weeds4 ,in using  
the hoe1 be careful not to cut off the  
young raspberry sprouts1 on which the   
future crop depends4 ,do not be         
disappointed if the growth seems feeble 
the first year1 for these foreign kinds 
are often slow in starting4 ,in         
,november1 before there is any danger of
 the ground freezing1 ,i should cut back
 the young canes at least one-third of  
their length1 bend them gently down1 and
 cover them with earth to the depth of  
four or five inches4 ,it must be        

distinctly remembered that very few of  
the foreign kinds would endure our      
winter unprotected4 ,every autumn they  
must be covered as ,i have directed4 ,is
 any one aghast at this labor8          
,nonsense6 ,antwerps are covered by the 
acre along the ,hudson4 ,a man and a boy
 would cover in an hour all that are    
needed for a garden4  ,after the first  
year the foreign varieties1 like all    
others1 will send up too many sprouts1  
or suckers4 ,unless new plants are      
wanted1 these should be treated as      
weeds1 and only from three to five young
 canes be left to grow in each hill4    
,this is a very important point1 for too
 often the raspberry-patch is neglected 
until it is a mass of tangled bushes4   
,keep this simple principle in mind3    
there is a given amount of root-power2  
if this cannot be expended in making    
young sprouts all over the ground1 it   
goes to produce a few strong            
fruit-bearing canes in the hill4 ,in    
other words1 you restrict the whole     

force of the plant to the precise work  
required--the giving of berries4 ,as the
 original plants grow older1 they will  
show a constantly decreasing tendency to
 throw up new shoots1 but as long as    
they continue to grow1 let only those   
survive which are designed to bear the  
following season4  ,the canes of        
cultivated raspberries are biennial4 ,a 
young and in most varieties a fruitless 
cane is produced in one season2 it bears
 in ,july the second year1 and then its 
usefulness is over4 ,it will continue to
 live in a half-dying way until fall1   
but it is a useless and unsightly life4 
,i know that it is contended by some    
that the foliage on the old canes aids  
in nourishing the plants2 but ,i think  
that1 under all ordinary circumstances1 
the leaves on the young growth are      
abundantly sufficient4 ,by removing the 
old canes after they have borne their   
fruit1 an aspect of neatness is         
imparted1 which would be conspicuously  
absent were they left4 ,every autumn1   

before laying the canes down1 ,i should 
shorten them in one-third4 ,the         
remaining two-thirds will give more     
fruit by actual measurement1 and the    
berries will be finer and larger1 than  
if the canes were left intact4 ,from    
first to last the soil about the foreign
 varieties should be maintained in a    
high degree of fertility and mellowness4
 ,of manures from the barnyard1 that    
from the cow-stable is the best2        
wood-ashes1 bone-dust1 and decayed      
leaves also are excellent fertilizers4  
,during all this period the partial     
shade of small trees will be beneficial 
rather than otherwise1 for it should be 
remembered that sheltered localities are
 the natural habitat of the raspberry4  
,by a little inquiry the reader can     
learn whether varieties of the foreign  
class are grown successfully in his     
vicinity4 ,if they are1 he can raise    
them also by following the directions   
which have been given4 ,brinckle's      
,orange--a buff-colored berry--is       

certainly one of the most beautiful1    
delicate1 and delicious fruits in       
existence1 and is well worth all the    
care it requires in the regions where it
 will grow2 while the ,franconia and    
others should never be permitted to die 
out by fruit connoisseurs4 ,if the soil 
of your garden is light and sandy1 or if
 you live much south of ,new ,york1 ,i  
should not advise their trial4 ,they may
 be grown far to the north1 however4 ,i 
am told that tender varieties of fruits 
that can be covered thrive even better  
in ,canada than with us4 ,there deep    
snow protects the land1 and in spring   
and autumn they do not have long periods
 when the bare earth is alternately     
freezing and thawing4  ,in the second   
class of raspberries1 the crosses       
between the foreign and native species1 
we now have such fine varieties that no 
one has much cause for regret if he can 
raise them2 and ,i scarcely see how he  
can help raising them if he has         
sufficient energy to set out a few      

plants and keep them free from weeds and
 superabundant suckers4 ,take the       
,cuthbert1 for instance2 you may set it 
out almost anywhere1 and in almost any  
latitude except that of the extreme     
,southern ,states4 ,but you must reverse
 the conditions required for the foreign
 kinds4 ,if the ground is very rich1 the
 canes will threaten to grow out of     
sight4 ,i advise that this              
strong-growing sort be planted in rows  
five feet apart4 ,any ordinary soil is  
good enough for the ,cuthbert to start  
in1 and the plants will need only a     
moderate degree of fertilizing as they  
begin to lose a little of their first   
vigor4 ,of course1 if the ground is     
unusually light and poor1 it should be  
enriched and maintained in a fair degree
 of fertility4 ,the point ,i wish to    
make is that this variety will thrive   
where most others would starve2 but     
there is plenty of land on which        
anything will starve4 ,the ,cuthbert is 
a large1 late berry1 which continues    

long in bearing1 and is deserving of a  
place in every garden4 ,i have grown it 
for many years1 and have never given it 
any protection whatever4 ,occasionally  
there comes a winter which kills the    
canes to the ground4 ,i should perhaps  
explain to the reader here that even in 
the case of the tender foreign kinds it 
is only the canes that are killed by the
 frost2 the roots below the surface are 
uninjured1 and throw up vigorous sprouts
 the following spring4 ,the ,cuthbert is
 so nearly hardy that we let it take its
 chances1 and probably in eight winters 
out of ten it would stand unharmed4 ,its
 hardiness is greatly enhanced when     
grown on well-drained soils4  ,it now   
has a companion berry in the            
,marlboro--a variety but recently       
introduced1 and therefore not thoroughly
 tested as yet4 ,its promise1 however1  
is very fine1 and it has secured the    
strong yet qualified approval of the    
best fruit critics4 ,it requires richer 
soil and better treatment than the      

,cuthbert1 and it remains to be seen    
whether it is equally hardy4 ,it is well
 worth winter protection if it is not4  
,it is not a suitable berry for the home
 garden if no other is grown1 for the   
reason that it matures its entire crop  
within a brief time1 and thus would give
 a family but a short season of         
raspberries4 ,cultivated in connection  
with the ,cuthbert1 it would be         
admirable1 for it is very early1 and    
would produce its fruit before the      
,cuthberts were ripe4 ,unitedly the two 
varieties would give a family six weeks 
of raspberries4 ,there are scores of    
other kinds in this class1 and some are 
very good indeed1 well worth a place in 
an amateur's collection2 but the two    
already named are sufficient to supply a
 family with excellent fruit4  ,of the  
third class of red raspberries1         
representing our pure native species1 ,i
 should recommend only one variety--the 
,turner2 and that is so good that it    
deserves a place in every collection4   

,it certainly is a remarkable raspberry1
 and has an unusual history1 which ,i   
have given in my work ,success with     
,small ,fruits4 ,i doubt whether there  
is a hardier raspberry in ,america--one 
that can be grown so far to the north1  
and1 what is still more in its favor1 so
 far to the south4 ,in the latter region
 it is known as the ,southern           
,thornless4 ,the fact that it is almost 
wholly without spines is a good quality2
 but it is only one among many others4  
,the ,turner requires no winter         
protection whatever1 will grow on almost
 any soil in existence1 and in almost   
any climate4 ,it yields abundantly      
medium-sized berries of good flavor4    
,the fruit begins to ripen early1 and   
lasts throughout a somewhat extended    
season4 ,it will probably give more     
berries1 with more certainty and less   
trouble1 than any other variety4 ,even  
its fault leans to virtue's side4 ,set  
out a single plant1 leave it to ,nature1
 and in time it will cover the place    

with ,turner raspberries2 and yet it    
will do this in a quiet1 unobtrusive    
way1 for it is not a rampant1 ugly      
grower4 ,while it will persist in living
 under almost any circumstances1 ,i have
 found no variety that responded more   
gratefully to good treatment4 ,this     
consists simply in three things3 7#a7   
rigorous restriction of the suckers to  
four or five canes in the hill2 7#b7    
keeping the soil clean and mellow about 
the bearing plants2 7#c7 making this    
soil rich4 ,its dwarf habit of growth1  
unlike that of the ,cuthbert1 enables   
one to stimulate it with any kind of    
manure4 ,by this course the size of the 
bushes is greatly increased1 and        
enormous crops can be obtained4  ,i     
prefer to set out all raspberries in the
 fall1 although as a matter of          
convenience ,i often perform the task in
 the early spring4 ,i do not believe in 
late spring planting1 except as one     
takes up a young sprout1 two or three   
inches high1 and sets it out as one     

would a tomato-plant4 ,by this course   
time is often saved4 ,when it is our    
wish to increase the quality and        
quantity of the fruit1 ,i should advise 
that the canes of all varieties be cut  
back one-third of their length4 ,a      
little observation will teach us the    
reason for this4 ,permit a long cane to 
bear throughout its natural length1 and 
you will note that many buds near the   
ground remain dormant or make a feeble  
growth4 ,the sap1 following a general   
law of nature1 pushes to the            
extremities1 and is1 moreover1 too much 
diffused4 ,cut away one-third1 and all  
the buds start with redoubled vigor1    
while more and larger fruit is the      
result4 ,if1 however1 earliness in      
ripening is the chief consideration1 as 
it often is1 especially with the        
market-gardener1 leave the canes        
unpruned1 and the fruit ripens a few    
days sooner4  ,in purveying for the home
 table1 white raspberries offer the     
attractions of variety and beauty4 ,in  

the case of ,brinckle's ,orange1 its    
exquisite flavor is the chief           
consideration2 but this fastidious      
foreign berry is practically beyond the 
reach1 of the majority4 ,there is1      
however1 an excellent variety1 the      
,caroline1 which is almost as hardy as  
the ,turner1 and more easily grown4 ,it 
would seem that ,nature designed every  
one to have it 7if we may say ,,it of   
,caroline71 for not only does it sucker 
freely like the red raspberries1 but the
 tips of the canes also bend over1 take 
root1 and form new plants4 ,the one     
thing that ,caroline needs is           
repression1 the curb2 she is too        
intense4  ,i am inclined to think1      
however1 that she has had her day1 even 
as an attendant on royalty1 for a new   
variety1 claiming the high-sounding     
title of ,golden ,queen1 has            
mysteriously appeared4 ,i say           
mysteriously1 for it is difficult to    
account for her origin4 ,mr4 ,ezra      
,stokes1 a fruit-grower of ,new ,jersey1

 had a field of twelve acres planted    
with ,cuthbert raspberries4 ,in this    
field he found a bush producing white   
berries4 ,in brief1 he found an ,albino 
of the ,cuthbert4 ,of the causes of her 
existence he knows nothing4 ,all we can 
say1 ,i suppose1 is that the variation  
was produced by some unknown impulse of 
,nature4 ,deriving her claims from such 
a source1 she certainly has a better    
title to royalty than most of her sister
 queens1 who1 according to history1 have
 been commonplace women1 suggesting     
anything but nature4 ,with the exception
 of the ,philadelphians1 perhaps1 we as 
a people will not stand on the question 
of ancestry1 and shall be more inclined 
to see how she queens it4  ,of course   
the enthusiastic discoverer and         
disseminators of this variety claim that
 it is not only like the ,cuthbert1 but 
far better4 ,let us try it and see2 if  
it is as good1 we may well be content1  
and can grace our tables with beautiful 
fruit4  ,there is another ,american     

species of raspberry 7,rubus            
occidentalis7 that is almost as dear to 
memory as the wild strawberry--the      
thimble-berry1 or black-cap4 ,i confess 
that the wild flavor of this fruit is   
more to my taste than that of any other 
raspberry4 ,apparently its seeds have   
been sown broadcast over the continent1 
for it is found almost everywhere1 and  
there have been few children in ,america
 whose lips have not been stained by the
 dark purple juice of its fruit4 ,seeds 
dropped in neglected pastures1 by fence 
and roadsides1 and along the edges of   
the forest1 produce new varieties which 
do not propagate themselves by suckers  
like red raspberries1 but in a manner   
quite distinct4 ,the young purple canes 
bend over and take root in the soil     
during ,august1 ,september1 and         
,october4 ,at the extreme end of the tip
 from which the roots descend a bud is  
formed1 which remains dormant until the 
following spring4 ,therefore the young  
plant we set out is a more or less thick

 mass of roots1 a green bud1 and usually
 a bit of the old parent cane1 which is 
of no further service except as a handle
 and a mark indicating the location of  
the plant4 ,after the ground has been   
prepared as one would for corn or       
potatoes1 it should be levelled1 a line 
stretched for the row1 and the plants   
set four feet apart in the row4 ,sink   
the roots as straight down as possible1 
and let the bud point upward1 covering  
it lightly with merely one or two inches
 of soil4 ,press the ground firmly      
against the roots1 but not on the bud4  
,the soil just over this should be fine 
and mellow1 so that the young shoot can 
push through easily1 which it will soon 
do if the plants are in good condition4 
,except in the extreme ,south1 spring is
 by far the best time for planting1 and 
it should be done early1 while the buds 
are dormant4 ,after these begin to grow1
 keep the ground mellow and free from   
weeds4 ,the first effort of the young   
plant will be to propagate itself4 ,it  

will sprawl over the ground if left to  
its wild impulses1 and will not make an 
upright bearing bush4 ,on this account  
put a stake down by the young sprout1   
and as it grows keep it tied up and away
 from the ground4 ,when the             
side-branches are eight or ten inches   
long1 pinch them back1 thus throwing the
 chief strength into the central cane4  
,by keeping all the branches pinched    
back you form the plant into an erect1  
sturdy bush that will load itself with  
berries the following year4 ,no fruit   
will be borne the first season4 ,the    
young canes of the second year will     
incline to be more sturdy and erect in  
their growth2 but this tendency can be  
greatly enhanced by clipping the long   
slender branches which are thrown out on
 every side4 ,as soon as the old canes  
are through bearing1 they should be cut 
out and burned or composted with other  
refuse from the garden4 ,black-caps may 
be planted on any soil that is not too  
dry4 ,when the plant suffers from       

drought1 the fruit consists of little   
else than seeds4 ,to escape this defect 
,i prefer to put the black-caps in a    
moist location2 and it is one of the few
 fruits that will thrive in a cold1 wet 
soil4 ,one can set out plants here and  
there in out-of-the-way corners1 and    
they often do better than those in the  
garden4 ,indeed1 unless a place is kept 
up very neatly1 many such bushes will be
 found growing wild1 and producing      
excellent fruit4  ,the question may     
arise in some minds1 ,why buy plants8   
,why not get them from the woods and    
fields1 or let ,nature provide bushes   
for us where she will8 ,when ,nature    
produces a bush on my place where it is 
not in the way1 ,i let it grow1 and pick
 the fruit in my rambles2 but the supply
 would be precarious indeed for a       
family4 ,by all means get plants from   
the woods if you have marked a bush that
 produces unusually fine fruit4 ,it is  
by just this course that the finest     
varieties have been obtained4 ,if you go

 a-berrying1 you may light on something 
finer than has yet been discovered2 but 
it is not very probable4 ,meanwhile1 for
 a dollar you can get all the plants you
 want of the two or three best varieties
 that have yet been discovered1 from    
,maine to ,california4 ,after testing a 
great many kinds1 ,i should recommend   
the ,souhegan for early1 and the        
,mammoth ,cluster and ,gregg for late4  
,a clean1 mellow soil in good condition1
 frequent pinchings back of the canes in
 summer1 or a rigorous use of the       
pruning-shears in spring1 are all that  
is required to secure an abundant crop  
from year to year4 ,this species may    
also be grown among trees4 ,i advise    
that every kind and description of      
raspberries be kept tied to stakes or a 
wire trellis4 ,the wood ripens better1  
the fruit is cleaner and richer from    
exposure to air and sunshine1 and the   
garden is far neater than if the canes  
are sprawling at will4 ,i know that all 
horticulturists advise that the plants  

be pinched back so thoroughly as to form
 self-supporting bushes2 but ,i have yet
 to see the careful fruit-grower who did
 this1 or the bushes that some          
thunder-gusts would not prostrate into  
the mud with all their precious burden1 
were they not well supported4 ,why take 
the risk to save a two-penny stake8     
,if1 just before the fruit begins to    
ripen1 a mulch of leaves1 cut grass1 or 
any litter that will cover the ground   
slightly1 is placed under and around the
 bushes1 it may save a great deal of    
fruit from being spoiled4 ,the raspberry
 season is also the hour and opportunity
 for thunder-showers1 whose great       
slanting drops often splash the soil to 
surprising distances4                   
,sugar-and-cream-coated1 not mud-coated1
 berries1 if you please4  ,in my remarks
 on raspberries ,i have not named many  
varieties1 and have rather laid stress  
on the principles which may guide the   
reader in his present and future        
selections of kinds4 ,sufficient in     

number and variety to meet the ,,needs  
of every family have been mentioned4    
,the amateur may gratify his taste by   
testing other sorts described in        
nurserymen's catalogues4 ,moreover1     
every year or two some new variety will 
be heralded throughout the land4 ,the   
reader has merely to keep in mind the   
three classes of raspberries described  
and their characteristics1 in order to  
make an intelligent choice from old and 
new candidates for favor4  ,it should   
also be remembered that the raspberry is
 a ,northern fruit4 ,i am often asked in
 effect1 ,what raspberries do you       
recommend for the ,gulf ,states8 ,i     
suppose my best reply would be1 ,what   
oranges do you think best adapted to    
,new ,york8 ,most of the foreign kinds  
falter and fail in ,new ,jersey and     
,southern ,pennsylvania2 the ,cuthbert  
and its class can be grown much further 
south1 while the ,turner and the        
black-caps thrive almost to ,florida4   
,raspberries1 especially those of our   

native species1 are comparatively free  
from disease4 ,foreign varieties and    
their hybrids are sometimes afflicted   
with the curl-leaf4 ,the foliage crimps 
up1 the canes are dwarfed1 and the whole
 plant has a sickly and often yellow    
appearance4 ,the only remedy is to dig  
up the plant1 root and branch1 and burn 
it4  ,a disease termed the rust not     
infrequently attacks old and poorly     
nourished black-cap bushes4 ,the leaves 
take on an ochreous color1 and the plant
 is seen to be failing4 ,extirpate it as
 directed above4 ,if many bushes are    
affected1 ,i advise that the whole patch
 be rooted up1 and healthy plants set   
out elsewhere4  ,it is a well-known law 
of ,nature that plants of nearly all    
kinds appear to exhaust from the soil in
 time the ingredients peculiarly        
acceptable to them4 ,skill can do much  
toward maintaining the needful supply2  
but the best and easiest plan is not to 
grow any of the small fruits too long in
 any one locality4 ,by setting out new  

plants on different ground1 far better  
results are attained with much less     
trouble4     ,,chapter ,,vi  ,,the      
,,currant   ,who that has ever lived in 
the country does not remember the old   
straggling currant-bushes that disputed 
their existence with grass1 docks1 and  
other coarse-growing weeds along some   
ancient fence8 ,many also can recall the
 weary task of gathering a quart or two 
of the diminutive fruit for pies1 and   
the endless picking required to obtain  
enough for the annual jelly-making4 ,nor
 is this condition of affairs a thing of
 the past4 ,drive through the land where
 you will in early ,july1 and you will  
see farmers mowing round the venerable  
,red ,dutch currants to give the        
women-folks a chance at 'em4 ,the       
average farmer still bestows upon this  
fruit about as much attention as the    
aborigines gave to their patches of     
maize4 ,this seems very absurd when we  
remember the important place held in the
 domestic economy by the currant1 and   

how greatly it improves under decent    
treatment4 ,if it demanded the attention
 which a cabbage-plant requires1 it     
would be given2 but the currant belongs 
to that small class of creatures which  
permit themselves to be used when       
wanted1 and snubbed1 neglected1 and     
imposed upon at other times4 ,it is     
known that the bushes will manage to    
exist1 and do the ,very best they can1  
no matter how badly treated2 and average
 human nature has ever taken advantage  
of such traits1 to its continuous loss4 
,the patience of the currant is due     
perhaps to its origin1 for it grows wild
 round the northern hemisphere1 its     
chief haunts being the dim1 cold1 damp  
woods of the high latitudes4 ,you may   
tame1 modify1 and vastly change anything
 possessing life2 but original traits   
are scarcely ever wholly eradicated4    
,therefore the natural habitat and      
primal qualities of the currant indicate
 the true lines of development1 its     
capabilities and limitations4 ,it is    

essentially a northern fruit1 requiring 
coolness1 moisture1 and alluvial soils4 
,it begins to falter and look homesick  
even in ,new ,jersey2 and one has not to
 go far down the ,atlantic coast to pass
 beyond the range of its successful     
culture4 ,i do not see why it should not
 thrive much further south on the       
northern slopes of the mountains4 ,from 
,philadelphia northward1 however1 except
 on light dry soils and in sunny        
exposures1 there is no reason why it    
should not give ample returns for the   
attention it requires4  ,i shall not lay
 stress on the old1 well-known uses to  
which this fruit is put1 but ,i do think
 its value is but half appreciated4     
,people rush round in ,july in search of
 health3 let me recommend the currant   
cure4 ,if any one is languid1 depressed 
in spirits1 inclined to headaches1 and  
generally out of sorts1 let him finish  
his breakfast daily for a month with a  
dish of freshly picked currants4 ,he    
will soon1 almost doubt his own         

identity1 and may even begin to think   
that he is becoming a good man4 ,he will
 be more gallant to his wife1 kinder to 
his children1 friendlier to his         
neighbors1 and more open-handed to every
 good cause4 ,work will soon seem play1 
and play fun4 ,in brief1 the truth of   
the ancient pun will be verified1 that  
the power to live a good life depends   
largely upon the ,,liver4 ,out upon the 
nonsense of taking medicine and nostrums
 during the currant-season6 ,let it be  
taught at theological seminaries that   
the currant is a means of grace4 ,it is 
a corrective2 and that is what average  
humanity most needs4  ,the currant1 like
 the raspberry1 is willing to keep      
shady2 but only because it is modest4   
,it is one of the fruits that thrive    
better among trees than in too dry and  
sunny exposures4 ,therefore1 in         
economizing space on the ,home ,acre it 
may be grown among smaller trees1 or1   
better still1 on the northern or eastern
 side of a wall or hedge4 ,but shade is 

not essential1 except as we go south2   
then the requisites of moisture and     
shelter from the burning rays of the sun
 should be complied with as far as      
possible4 ,in giving this and kindred   
fruits partial shade1 they should not be
 compelled to contend to any extent with
 the roots of trees4 ,this will ever    
prove an unequal contest4 ,no fruit can 
thrive in dense shade1 or find          
sustenance among the voracious roots of 
a tree4  ,select1 therefore1 if         
possible1 heavy1 deep1 moist1 yet       
well-drained soil1 and do not fear to   
make and keep it very rich4 ,if you are 
restricted to sandy or gravelly soils1  
correct their defects with compost1     
decayed leaves and sods1 muck1 manure   
from the cow-stable1 and other          
fertilizers with staying rather than    
stimulating qualities4 ,either by       
plowing or forking1 deepen as well as   
enrich the soil4 ,it is then ready for  
the plants1 which may be set out either 
in the fall or in early spring4 ,i      

prefer the autumn--any time after the   
leaves have fallen2 but spring answers  
almost as well1 while buds are dormant1 
or partially so4 ,it should be          
remembered that the currant starts very 
early1 and is in full foliage before    
some persons are fairly wakened to      
garden interests4 ,it would1 in this    
case1 be better to wait until ,october1 
unless the plants can be obtained from a
 neighbor on a cloudy day2 then they    
should be cut back two-thirds of their  
length before being removed1 and the    
transfer made as quickly as possible4   
,under any circumstances1 take off half 
of the wood from the plants bought4     
,this need not be thrown away4 ,every   
cutting of young wood six inches long   
will make a new plant in a single       
season4 ,all that is needful is to keep 
the wood moist until ready to put it in 
the ground1 or1 better still1 a cool1   
damp place in the garden can be selected
 at once1 and the cuttings sunk         
two-thirds of their length into the     

ground1 and the soil pressed firm around
 them4 ,by fall they will have a good   
supply of roots1 and by the following   
autumn be ready to be set out wherever  
you wish them to fruit4  ,currant-bushes
 may be planted five feet apart each    
way1 and at the same distance1 if they  
are to line a fence4 ,they should be    
sunk a few inches deeper in the soil    
than they stood before1 and the locality
 be such as to admit of good culture4   
,the soil should never be permitted to  
become hard1 weedy1 or grass-grown4 ,as 
a rule1 ,i prefer two-year-old plants1  
while those of one year's growth answer 
nearly as well1 if vigorous4 ,if in     
haste for fruit1 it may be well to get  
three-year-old plants1 unless they have 
been dwarfed and enfeebled by neglect4  
,subsequent culture consists chiefly in 
keeping the soil clean1 mellow1 rich1   
and therefore moist4 ,i have named the  
best fertilizers for the currant2 but if
 the product of the horse-stable is     
employed1 use it first as a mulch4 ,it  

will thus gradually reach the roots4    
,otherwise it is too stimulating1 and   
produces a rampant growth of wood rather
 than fruit4  ,under any circumstances  
this tendency to produce an undue amount
 of wood must be repressed almost as    
rigorously as in the grape-vine4 ,the   
secret of successful currant-culture is 
richness beneath1 and restriction above4
 ,english gardeners are said to have as 
complete and minute systems of pruning  
and training currants as the grape2 but 
we do not seem to have patience for such
 detail4 ,nor do ,i regard it as        
necessary4 ,our object is an abundant   
supply of excellent fruit2 and this     
result can be obtained at a surprisingly
 small outlay of time and money1 if they
 are expended judiciously4  ,the art of 
trimming a currant-bush1 like that of   
pruning a grape-vine1 is best learned by
 observation and experience4 ,one can   
give principles rather than lay down    
rules4 ,like the vine1 the currant tends
 to choke itself with a superabundance  

of wood1 which soon becomes more or less
 barren4 ,this is truer of some         
varieties than of others2 but in all    
instances the judicious use of the      
pruning-knife doubles the yield4 ,in    
view of the supposition that the leading
 shoot and all the branches were        
shortened in one-half when the plant was
 set out1 ,i will suggest that early in 
,june it will be observed that much more
 wood is forming than can be permitted  
to remain4 ,there are weak1 crowding    
shoots which never can be of any use4   
,if these are cut out at this time1 the 
sap which would go to mature them will  
be directed into the valuable parts of  
the forming bush4 ,summer pruning       
prevents misspent force1 and it may be  
kept up with great advantage from year  
to year4 ,this is rarely done1 however2 
therefore early in spring the bushes    
must receive a good annual pruning1 and 
the long shoots and branches be cut well
 back1 so as to prevent naked reaches of
 wood4 ,observe a very productive bush1 

and you will see that there are many    
points abounding in little              
side-branches4 ,it is upon these that   
the fruit is chiefly borne4 ,a bush left
 to itself is soon a mass of long1      
slender1 almost naked stalks1 with a    
little fruit at the ends4 ,the ideal    
bush is stocky1 open1 well branched1    
admitting light1 air1 and sun in every  
part4 ,there is no crowding and         
smothering of the fruit by the foliage4 
,but few clusters are borne on very     
young wood1 and when this grows old and 
black1 the clusters are small4          
,therefore new wood should always be    
coming on and kept well cut back1 so as 
to form joints and side-branches2 and as
 other parts grow old and feeble they   
should be cut out4 ,observation and     
experience will teach the gardener more 
than all the rules that could be        
written1 for he will perceive that he   
must prune each bush according to its   
own individuality4  ,for practical      
purposes the bush form is the best in   

which to grow currants2 but they can    
easily be made to form pretty little    
trees with tops shaped like an umbrella1
 or any other form we desire4 ,for      
instance1 ,i found1 one autumn1 a shoot 
about three feet long4 ,i rubbed off all
 the buds except the terminal one and   
three or four just beneath it1 then sunk
 the lower end of the shoot six inches  
into the soil1 and tied the part above  
the ground to a short stake4 ,the       
following spring the lower end took     
root1 and the few buds at the top       
developed into a small bushy head4      
,clumps of miniature currant-trees would
 make as pretty an ornament for the     
garden border as one would wish to see4 
,it should be remembered that there is a
 currant as well as an apple borer2 but 
the pests are not very numerous or      
destructive1 and such little trees may  
easily be grown by the hundred4  ,clean 
culture has one disadvantage which must 
be guarded against4 ,if the ground under
 bushes is loose1 heavy rains will      

sometimes so splash up the soil as to   
muddy the greater part of the fruit4 ,i 
once suffered serious loss in this way1 
and deserved it2 for a little grass mown
 from the lawn1 or any other litter     
spread under and around the bushes just 
before the fruit ripened1 would have    
prevented it4 ,it will require but a    
very few minutes to insure a clean crop4
  ,i imagine that if these pages are    
ever read1 and such advice as ,i can    
give is followed1 it will be more often 
by the mistress than the master of the  
,home ,acre4 ,i address him1 but quite  
as often ,i mean her2 and just at this  
point ,i am able to give the power      
behind the throne a useful hint4 ,miss  
,alcott1 in her immortal ,little ,women1
 has given an instance of what dire     
results may follow if the jelly won't   
jell4 ,let me hasten to insure domestic 
peace by telling my fair reader 7who    
will also be1 if the jelly turns out of 
the tumblers tremulous yet firm1 a      
gentle reader7 that if she will have the

 currants picked just as soon as they   
are fully ripe1 and before they have    
been drenched by a heavy rain1 she will 
find that the jelly will jell4 ,it is   
overripe1 water-soaked currants that    
break up families and demolish household
 gods4 ,let me also add another fact1 as
 true as it is strange1 that white      
currants make red jelly2 therefore give 
the pearly fruit ample space in the     
garden4  ,in passing to the             
consideration of varieties1 it is quite 
natural in this connection to mention   
the white sorts first4 ,i know that     
people are not yet sufficiently educated
 to demand white currants of their      
grocers2 but the home garden is as much 
beyond the grocer's stall as the home is
 better than a boarding-house4 ,there is
 no reason why free people in the       
country should be slaves to             
conventionalities1 prejudices1 and      
traditions4 ,if white currants ,,are    
sweeter1 more delicious and beautiful   
than the red1 why1 so they are4         

,therefore let us plant them abundantly4
  ,if there is to be a queen among the  
currants1 the ,white ,grape is entitled 
to the crown4 ,when placed upon the     
table1 the dish appears heaped with     
translucent pearls4 ,the sharp acid of  
the red varieties is absent1 and you    
feel that if you could live upon them   
for a time1 your blood would grow pure1 
if not blue4  ,the bush producing this  
exquisite fruit is like an              
uncouth-looking poet who gives beauty   
from an inner life1 but disappoints in  
externals4 ,it is low-branching and     
unshapely1 and must be forced into good 
form--the bush1 not the poet--by the    
pruning-knife4 ,if this is done         
judiciously1 no other variety will bear 
more profusely or present a fairer      
object on a ,july day4  ,the ,white     
,dutch has the well-known               
characteristics in growth of the common 
,red ,dutch currant1 and is inferior    
only to the ,white ,grape in size4 ,the 
fruit is equally transparent1 beautiful1

 mild1 and agreeable in flavor1 while   
the bush is enormously productive1 and  
shapely in form1 if properly trained and
 fertilized4  ,while the white currants 
are such favorites1 ,i do not undervalue
 the red4 ,indeed1 were ,i restricted to
 one variety1 it should be the old      
,dutch ,red of our fathers1 or1 more    
properly1 of our grandmothers4 ,for     
general house uses ,i do not think it   
has yet been surpassed4 ,it is not so   
mild in flavor as the white varieties1  
but there is a richness and             
sprightliness in its acid that are      
grateful indeed on a sultry day4        
,mingled with the white berries1 it     
makes a beautiful dish1 while it has all
 the culinary qualities which the       
housekeeper can desire4 ,if the bush is 
rigorously pruned and generously        
enriched1 it is unsurpassed in          
productiveness1 and the fruit approaches
 very nearly to the ,cherry currant in  
size4  ,i do not recommend the          
last-named kind for the home garden1    

unless large1 showy fruit counts for    
more than flavor4 ,the acid of the      
,cherry currant1 unless very ripe1 is   
harsh and watery4 ,at best it never     
acquires an agreeable mildness1 to my   
taste4 ,the bushes also are not so      
certainly productive1 and usually       
require skilful pruning and constant    
fertilizing to be profitable4 ,for the  
market1 which demands size above all    
things1 the ,cherry is the kind to grow2
 but in the home garden flavor and      
productiveness are the more important   
qualities4 ,fay's ,prolific is a new    
sort that has been very highly praised4 
,the ,victoria is an excellent late     
variety1 which1 if planted in a         
sheltered place1 prolongs the           
currant-season well into the autumn4    
,spurious kinds are sold under this     
name4 ,the true ,victoria produces a    
pale-red fruit with tapering clusters or
 racemes of berries4 ,this variety1 with
 the three others recommended1 gives the
 family two red and two white kinds--all

 that are needed4 ,those who are fond of
 black currants can1 at almost any      
nursery1 procure the ,black ,naples and 
,lee's ,prolific4 ,either variety will  
answer all practical purposes4 ,i       
confess they are not at all to my taste4
  ,from the currant we pass on naturally
 to the gooseberry1 for in origin and   
requirements it is very similar4 ,both  
belong to the ,ribes family of plants1  
and they are to be cultivated on the    
same general principles4 ,what ,i have  
written in regard to partial shade1     
cool1 sheltered localities1 rich1 heavy 
soils1 good culture1 and especially     
rigorous pruning1 applies with even     
greater force to this fruit1 especially 
if we endeavor to raise the foreign     
varieties1 in cultivating this fruit it 
is even more important than was true of 
raspberries that the reader should      
distinguish between the native and      
foreign species4 ,the latter are so     
inclined to mildew in almost every      
locality that there is rarely any       

certainty of satisfactory fruit4 ,the   
same evil pursues the seedling children 
of the foreign sorts1 and ,i have never 
seen a hybrid or cross between the      
,english and native species that was    
with any certainty free from a brown    
disfiguring rust wholly or partially    
enveloping the berries4 ,here and there 
the fruit in some gardens will escape   
year after year2 again1 on places not   
far away1 the blighting mildew is sure  
to appear before the berries are fully  
grown4 ,nevertheless1 the foreign       
varieties are so fine that it is well to
 give them a fair trial4 ,the three     
kinds which appear best adapted to our  
climate are ,crown ,bob1 ,roaring ,lion1
 and ,whitesmith4 ,a new large variety1 
named ,industry1 is now being           
introduced1 and if half of what is      
claimed for it is true1 it is worth a   
place in all gardens4  ,in order to be  
certain of clean1 fair gooseberries     
every year1 we must turn to our native  
species1 which has already given us     

several good varieties4 ,the ,downing is
 the largest and best1 and the ,houghton
 the hardiest1 most productive and      
easily raised4 ,when we remember the    
superb fruit which ,english gardeners   
have developed from wild kinds inferior 
to ours1 we can well understand that the
 true ,american gooseberries are yet to 
be developed4 ,in my work ,success with 
,small ,fruits those who are interested 
in this fruit will find much fuller     
treatment than is warranted in the      
present essay4  ,not only do currants   
and gooseberries require similar        
treatment and cultivation1 but they also
 have a common enemy that must be       
vigilantly guarded against1 or the      
bushes will be defoliated in many       
localities almost before its existence  
is known4 ,after an absence of a few    
days ,i have found some of my bushes    
stripped of every leaf4 ,when this      
happens1 the fruit is comparatively     
worthless4 ,foliage is as necessary to a
 plant as are lungs to a man4 ,it is not

 essential that ,i should go into the   
natural history of the currant worm and 
moth4 ,having once seen the             
yellowish-green caterpillars at their   
destructive work1 the reader's thoughts 
will not revert to the science of       
entomology1 but will at once become     
bloody and implacable4 ,i hasten to     
suggest the means of rescue and         
vengeance4 ,the moment these worms      
appear1 be on your guard1 for they      
usually spread like fire in stubble4    
,procure of your druggist white         
hellebore1 scald and mix a tablespoonful
 in a bowl of hot water1 and then pour  
it in a full watering-can4 ,this gives  
you an infusion of about a tablespoonful
 to an ordinary pail of water at its    
ordinary summer temperature4 ,sprinkle  
the infected bushes with this as often  
as there is a worm to be seen4 ,i have  
never failed in destroying the pests by 
this course4 ,it should be remembered1  
however1 that new eggs are often hatched
 out daily4 ,you may kill every worm    

to-day1 yet find plenty on the morrow4  
,vigilance1 however1 will soon so check 
the evil that your currants are safe2   
and if every one would fight the pests1 
they would eventually be almost         
exterminated4 ,the trouble is that1     
while you do your duty1 your next-door  
neighbor may grow nothing on his bushes 
but currant-worms4 ,thus the evil is    
continued1 and even increased1 in spite 
of all that you can do2 but by a little 
vigilance and the use of hellebore you  
can always save ,,your currants4 ,i have
 kept my bushes green1 luxuriant1 and   
loaded with fruit when1 at a short      
distance1 the patches of careless       
neighbors were rendered utterly         
worthless4 ,our laws but half protect   
the birds1 the best insecticides1 and   
there is no law to prevent a man from   
allowing his acres to be the            
breeding-place of every pest prevailing4
  ,there are three species of the       
currant-borer1 and their presence is    
indicated by yellow foliage and         

shrivelling fruit4 ,the only remedy is  
to cut out and burn the affected stems4 
,these pests are not often sufficiently 
numerous to do much harm4  ,i earnestly 
urge that virulent poisons like ,paris  
green1 ,london purple1 etc41 never be   
used on fruit or edible vegetables4     
,there cannot be safety in this course4 
,i never heard of any one that was      
injured by white hellebore1 used as ,i  
have directed2 and ,i have found that if
 the worms were kept off until the fruit
 began to ripen1 the danger was         
practically over4 ,if ,i had to use     
hellebore after the fruit was fit to    
use1 ,i should first kill the worms1 and
 then cleanse the bushes thoroughly by  
spraying them with clean water4  ,in    
treating the two remaining small fruits1
 blackberries and strawberries1 we pass 
wholly out of the shade and away from   
trees4 ,sunshine and open ground are now
 required4 ,another important difference
 can also be mentioned1 reversing former
 experience4 ,america is the home of    

these fruits4 ,the wild species of the  
blackberry abroad has never1 as far as  
,i can learn1 been developed into       
varieties worthy of cultivation2 and    
before importations from ,north and     
,south ,america began1 the only         
strawberry of ,europe was the ,alpine1  
with its slight variations1 and the     
musky ,hautbois4  ,i do not know whether
 any of our fine varieties of           
blackberries are cultivated abroad1 but 
,i am perfectly certain that they are   
worthy of the slight attention required 
to raise them in perfection here4  ,like
 the blackcaps1 all our best varieties  
are the spontaneous products of ,nature1
 first discovered growing wild1 and     
transferred to the garden4 ,the         
blackberry is a fruit that takes kindly 
to cultivation1 and improves under it4  
,the proper treatment is management     
rather than cultivation and stimulation4
 ,it requires a sunny exposure and a    
light1 warm soil1 yet not so dry as to  
prevent the fruit from maturing into    

juicy berries4 ,if possible1 set the    
blackberries off by themselves1 for it  
is hard to prevent the strong roots from
 travelling all over the garden4 ,the   
blackberry likes a rich1 moist1 mellow  
soil1 and1 finding it1 some varieties   
will give you canes sixteen feet high4  
,you do not want rank1 thorny brambles1 
however1 but berries4 ,therefore the    
blackberry should be put where it can do
 no harm1 and1 by a little judicious    
repression1 a great deal of good4 ,a    
gravelly or sandy knoll1 with a chance  
to mow all round the patch1 is the best 
place4 ,the blackberry needs a deep1    
loose soil rather than a rich one4 ,then
 the roots will luxuriate to unknown    
depths1 the wood ripen thoroughly1 and  
the fruit be correspondingly abundant4  
,let the rows be six feet apart2 set out
 the plants in the fall1 if possible1 or
 ,,early spring2 put two plants in the  
hills1 which may be four feet apart4 ,if
 the ground is very poor1 give the young
 plants a shovelful of old compost1     

decayed leaves1 etc4 ,any fertilizer    
will answer1 so that it is spread just  
over the roots to give the plants a good
 send-off4  ,as a rule1 complete success
 in blackberry culture consists in a    
little judicious work performed in ,may1
 ,june1 and ,july4 ,the plants1 having  
been set out as ,i have advised in the  
case of raspberries1 throw up the first 
season strong green shoots4 ,when these 
shoots are three feet high1 pinch off   
the top1 so as to stop upward growth4   
,the result of this is that branches    
start on every side1 and the plant forms
 a low1 stocky1 self-supporting bush1   
which will be loaded with fruit the     
following season4  ,the second year the 
plants in the hill will send up stronger
 canes1 and there will be plenty of     
sprouts or suckers in the intervening   
spaces4 ,when very young1 these useless 
sprouts can be pulled out with the least
 possible trouble4 ,left to mature1 they
 make a thorny wilderness which will    
cause bleeding hands and faces when     

attacked1 and add largely to the family 
mending4 ,that which a child could do as
 play when the suckers were just coming 
through the ground1 is now a formidable 
task for any man4 ,in early summer you  
can with the utmost ease keep every     
useless blackberry sprout from growing4 
,more canes1 also1 will usually start   
from the hill than are needed4 ,leave   
but three strong shoots1 and this year  
pinch them back as soon as they are four
 feet high1 thus producing three stocky1
 well-branched bushes1 which in         
sheltered places will be                
self-supporting4 ,should there be the   
slightest danger of their breaking down 
with their load of fruit1 tie them to   
stakes by all means4 ,i do not believe  
in that kind of economy which tries to  
save a penny at the risk of a dollar4   
,i believe that better and larger fruit 
is always secured by shortening in the  
side branches one-third of their length 
in spring4 ,fine varieties like the     
,kittatinny are not entirely hardy in   

all localities4 ,the snow will protect  
the lower branches1 and the upper ones  
can usually be kept uninjured by        
throwing over them some very light      
litter1 like old pea or bean vines1     
etc4--nothing heavy enough to break them
 down4 ,as soon as the old canes are    
through bearing1 they should be cut out4
 ,if the blackberry patch has been left 
to its own wild will1 there is nothing  
left for us but to attack it1           
well-gloved1 in ,april1 with the        
pruning-shears1 and cut out everything  
except three or four young canes in the 
hill4 ,these will probably be tall1     
slender1 and branchless1 therefore      
comparatively unproductive4 ,in order to
 have any fruit at all1 we must shorten 
them one-third1 and tie them to stakes4 
,it thus may be clearly seen that with  
blackberries a stitch in time saves     
almost ninety-nine4 ,keep out coarse    
weeds and grass1 and give fertilizers   
only when the plants show signs of      
feebleness and lack of nutrition4  ,a   

rust similar to that which attacks the  
black-cap is almost the only disease we 
have to contend with4 ,the remedy is the
 same--extirpation of the plant1 root   
and branch4  ,after testing a great many
 kinds1 ,i recommend the three following
 varieties1 ripening in succession for  
the family--the ,early ,harvest1        
,snyder1 and ,kittatinny4 ,these all    
produce rich1 high-flavored berries1    
and1 under the treatment suggested1 will
 prove hardy in nearly all localities4  
,this fruit is not ripe as soon as it is
 black1 and it is rarely left on the    
bushes until the hard core in the centre
 is mellowed by complete maturity4 ,i   
have found that berries picked in the   
evening and stood in a cool place were  
in excellent condition for breakfast4   
,to have them in perfection1 however1   
they must be so ripe as to drop into the
 basket at the slightest touch2 then1 as
 ,donald ,mitchell says1 they are       
bloated bubbles of forest honey4  ,i    
fancy the reader is as impatient to     

reach the strawberry as ,i am myself4   
,doubtless ,god could have made a better
 berry--but ,i forbear4 ,this saying has
 been quoted by the greater part of the 
human race1 and attributed to nearly    
every prominent man1 from ,adam to ,mr4 
,beecher4 ,there are said to be         
unfortunates whom the strawberry        
poisons4 ,the majority of us feel as if 
we could attain ,methuselah's age if we 
had nothing worse to contend with4      
,praising the strawberry is like        
painting the lily2 therefore let us give
 our attention at once to the essential 
details of its successful culture4  ,as 
we have intimated before1 this fruit as 
we find it in our gardens1 even though  
we raise foreign kinds1 came originally 
from ,america4 ,the two great species1  
,fragaria chilensis1 found on the       
,pacific slope from ,oregon to ,chili1  
and ,fragaria virginiana1 growing wild  
in all parts of ,north ,america east of 
the ,rocky ,mountains1 are the sources  
of all the fine varieties that have been

 named and cultivated4 ,the ,alpine     
strawberry 7,fragaria vesca71 which     
grows wild throughout the northern      
hemisphere1 does not appear capable of  
much variation and development under    
cultivation4 ,its seeds1 sown under all 
possible conditions1 reproduce the      
parent plant4 ,foreign gardeners        
eventually learned1 however1 that seeds 
of the ,chili and ,virginia strawberry  
produced new varieties which were often 
much better than their parents4 ,as time
 passed1 and more attention was drawn to
 this subject1 superb varieties were    
originated abroad1 many of them         
acquiring a wide celebrity4 ,in this    
case1 as has been true of nearly all    
other fruits1 our nursery-men and       
fruit-growers first looked to ,europe   
for improved varieties4 ,horticulturists
 were slow to learn that in our own     
native species were the possibilities of
 the best success4 ,the ,chili          
strawberry1 brought directly from the   
,pacific coast to the ,east1 is not at  

home in our climate1 and is still more  
unfitted to contend with it after       
generations of culture in ,europe4 ,even
 our hardier ,virginia strawberry1      
coming back to us from ,england after   
many years of high stimulation in a     
moist1 mild climate1 is unequal to the  
harsher conditions of life here4 ,they  
are like native ,americans who have     
lived and been pampered abroad so long  
that they find this country quite too   
rude1 you know--beastly climate4        
,therefore1 in the choice varieties1 and
 in developing new ones1 the nearer we  
can keep to vigorous strains of our own 
hardy ,virginia species the better4     
,from it have proceeded and will        
continue to come the finest kinds that  
can be grown east of the ,rockies4      
,nevertheless1 what was said of foreign 
raspberries is almost equally true of   
,european strawberries like the         
,triomphe de ,gand and ,jucunda1 and    
hybrids like the ,wilder4 ,in localities
 where they can be grown1 their beauty  

and fine flavor repay for the high      
culture and careful winter protection   
required4 ,but they can scarcely be made
 to thrive on light soils or very far to
 the south4  ,so many varieties are     
offered for sale that the question of   
choice is a bewildering one4 ,i have    
therefore sought to meet it1 as before1 
by giving the advice of those whose     
opinions are well entitled to respect4  
,dr4 ,hexamer1 who has had great and    
varied experience1 writes as follows3 ,a
 neighbor of mine who has for years     
bought nearly every new strawberry when 
first introduced1 has settled on the    
,duchess and ,cumberland as the only    
varieties he will grow in the future1   
and thinks it not worth while to seek   
for something better4 ,confined to two  
varieties1 a more satisfactory selection
 could scarcely be made4 ,but you want  
six or seven1 either being1 ,i think1   
about the right number for the home     
garden4 ,i will give them in the order  
of desirability according to my         

judgment--,cumberland1 ,charles         
,downing1 ,duchess1 ,mount ,vernon1     
,warren1 ,sharpless1 ,jewell4  ,the     
selection which places the ,cumberland  
,triumph at the head of the list is but 
another proof how kinds differ under    
varied conditions4 ,on my place this    
highly praised sort is but moderately   
productive and not high-flavored1       
although the fruit is very large and    
handsome4 ,i regard the list1 however1  
as a most excellent one for most        
localities4  ,the ,hon4 ,marshall ,p4   
,wilder's choice for the latitude of    
,massachusetts3 ,charles ,downing1      
,wilder1 ,hervey ,davis1 ,sharpless1    
,cumberland1 ,kentucky4 ,jewell is very 
promising4 ,a4 ,s4 ,fuller1 for latitude
 of ,new ,york3 ,charles ,downing1      
,sharpless1 ,miner's ,prolific1         
,wilson's ,albany1 ,champion4 ,p4 ,c4   
,berckmans1 for the latitude of         
,georgia3 ,wilson1 ,sharpless1 ,charles 
,downing1 ,triomphe de ,gand1 ,glendale4
 ,the ,hon4 ,norman ,j4 ,colman's choice

 for ,missouri and the ,west3 ,crescent1
 ,captain ,jack1 ,cumberland1 ,champion1
 ,hart's ,minnesota1 ,cornelia4  ,if ,i 
gave a hundred other lists1 no two of   
them probably would agree in all        
respects4 ,mr4 ,downing often said to   
me1 ,soil1 climate1 and locality make   
greater differences with the strawberry 
than with any other fruit4 ,this is far 
more true of some varieties than others4
 ,i believe that the excellent kind     
named after ,mr4 ,downing1 if given     
proper treatment1 will do well almost   
anywhere on the continent4 ,it will be  
noted that it is on all the lists except
 one4 ,i should place it at the head of 
garden strawberries4 ,it is a kind that 
will endure much neglect1 and it        
responds splendidly to generous1        
sensible treatment4 ,its delicious      
flavor is its chief recommendation1 as  
it should be that of every berry for the
 home garden4  ,i have tested many      
hundreds of kinds1 and have grown scores
 and scores that were so praised when   

first sent out that the novice might be 
tempted to dig up and throw away        
everything except the wonderful novelty 
pressed upon his attention4 ,there is   
one quiet1 effective way of meeting all 
this heralding and laudation1 and that  
is to make trial beds4 ,for instance1 ,i
 have put out as many as seventy kinds  
at nearly the same time1 and grown them 
under precisely the same conditions4    
,some of the much-vaunted new-comers    
were found to be old varieties re-named2
 others1 although sold at high prices   
and asserted to be prodigies1 were seen 
to be comparatively worthless when      
growing by the side of good old standard
 sorts2 the majority never rose above   
mediocrity under ordinary treatment2 but
 now and then one1 like the ,sharpless1 
fulfilled the promises made for it4  ,in
 my next chapter ,i shall venture to    
recommend those varieties which my own  
experience and observation have shown to
 be best adapted to various soils and   
localities1 and shall also seek to prove

 that proper cultivation has more to do 
with success than even the selection of 
favored kinds4  ,nor would ,i seek to   
dissuade the proprietor of the ,home    
,acre from testing the many novelties   
offered4 ,he will be sure to get a fair 
return in strawberries1 and to his      
interest in his garden will add the     
pleasure and anticipation which         
accompany uncertain experiment4 ,in     
brief1 he has found an innocent form of 
gambling1 which will injure neither     
pocket nor morals4 ,in slow-maturing    
fruits we cannot afford to make         
mistakes2 in strawberries1 one prize out
 of a dozen blanks repays for           
everything4     ,,chapter ,,vii         
,,strawberries   ,there is a very       
general impression that light1 dry1     
sandy soils are the best for the        
strawberry4 ,just the reverse of this is
 true4 ,in its desire for moisture it is
 almost an aquatic plant4 ,experienced  
horticulturists have learned to         
recognize this truth1 which the ,hon4   

,marshall ,p4 ,wilder has suggested in  
the following piquant manner3 ,in the   
first place1 the strawberry's chief need
 is a great deal of water4 ,in the      
second place1 it needs more water4 ,in  
the third place1 ,i think ,i should give
 it a great deal more water4  ,while    
emphasizing this truth the reader should
 at the same time be warned against land
 whereon water stands above the surface 
in winter and spring1 or stagnates      
beneath the surface at any time4        
,moisture is essential to the best      
results2 good drainage is equally so4   
,the marvellous crops of strawberries   
raised in ,california under             
well-directed systems of irrigation     
should teach us useful lessons4 ,the    
plants1 instead of producing a partially
 developed crop within a few brief days1
 continue in bearing through weeks and  
months4 ,it may often be possible to    
supply abundantly on the ,home ,acre    
this vital requirement of moisture1 and 
,i shall refer to this point further on4

  ,my first advice in regard to         
strawberries is to set them out         
immediately almost anywhere except upon 
land so recently in grass that the sod  
is still undecayed4 ,this course is     
better than not to have the fruit at    
all1 or to wait for it ,a year without  
strawberries is a lost year in one      
serious respect4 ,while there is a wide 
difference between what plants can do   
under unfavorable conditions and what   
they can be made to do when their needs 
are fully met1 they will probably in any
 event yield a fair supply of delicious 
fruit4 ,secure this as soon as possible4
 ,at the same time remember that a plant
 of a good variety is a genius capable  
of wonderful development4 ,in ordinary  
circumstances it is like the mute1      
inglorious poets whose enforced         
limitations were lamented by the poet   
,gray2 but when its innate powers and   
gifts are fully nourished it expands    
into surprising proportions1 sends up   
hundreds of flowers1 which are followed 

by ruby gems of fruit whose exquisite   
flavor is only surpassed by its beauty4 
,no such concentrated ambrosia ever     
graced the feasts of the ,olympian gods1
 for they were restricted to the humble 
,fragaria vesca1 or ,alpine species4 ,in
 discovering the ,new ,world1 ,columbus 
also discovered the true strawberry1 and
 died without the knowledge of this     
result of his achievement4  ,i can      
imagine the expression on the faces of  
those who buy the sour1 crude1 half-ripe
 ,wilsons1 against which the poet       
,bryant inveighed so justly4 ,the market
 is flooded with this fruit because it  
bears transportation about as well as   
would marbles4 ,yes1 they are           
strawberries2 choke-pears and ,seckels  
belong to the same species4 ,there is   
truth enough in my exaggeration to      
warrant the assertion that if we would  
enjoy the possible strawberry1 we must  
raise it ourselves1 and pick it when    
fully matured--ready for the table1 and 
not for market4 ,then any man's garden  

can furnish something better than was   
found in ,eden4  ,having started a      
strawberry-patch without loss of time   
wherever it is handiest1 we can now give
 our attention to the formation of an   
ideal bed4 ,in this instance we must    
shun the shade of trees above1 and their
 roots beneath4 ,the land should be open
 to the sky1 and the sun free to        
practice his alchemy on the fruit the   
greater part of the day4 ,the most      
favorable soil is a sandy loam1 verging 
toward clay2 and it should have been    
under cultivation sufficiently long to  
destroy all roots of grass and perennial
 weeds4 ,put on the fertilizer with a   
free hand4 ,if it is barnyard manure1   
the rate of sixty tons to the acre is   
not in excess4 ,a strawberry plant has a
 large appetite and excellent digestion4
 ,it prefers decidedly manure from the  
cow-stable1 though that from the        
horse-stable answers very well2 but it  
is not advisable to incorporate it with 
the soil in its raw1 unfermented state1 

and then to plant immediately4 ,the     
ground can scarcely be too rich for     
strawberries1 but it may easily be      
overheated and stimulated4 ,in          
fertilizing1 ever keep in mind the two  
great requisites--moisture and coolness4
 ,manure from the horse-stable1         
therefore1 is almost doubled in value as
 well as bulk if composted with leaves1 
muck1 or sods1 and allowed to decay     
before being used4  ,next to enriching  
the soil1 the most important step is to 
deepen it4 ,if a plow is used1 sink it  
to the beam1 and run it twice in a      
furrow4 ,if a lifting subsoil-plow can  
follow1 all the better4 ,strawberry     
roots have been traced two feet below   
the surface4  ,if the situation of the  
plot does not admit the use of a plow1  
let the gardener begin at one side and  
trench the area to at least the depth of
 eighteen inches1 taking pains to mix   
the surface1 subsoil1 and fertilizer    
evenly and thoroughly4 ,a small plot    
thus treated will yield as much as one  

three or four times as large4 ,one of   
the chief advantages of thus deepening  
the soil is that the plants are insured 
against their worst enemy--drought4 ,how
 often ,i have seen beds in early ,june 
languishing for moisture1 the fruit     
trusses lying on the ground1 fainting   
under their burden1 and the berries     
ripening prematurely into little more   
than diminutive collections of seeds6   
,when ground has been deepened as ,i    
have said1 the drought must be almost   
unparalleled to arrest the development  
of the fruit4 ,even in the most         
favorable seasons1 hard1 shallow soils  
give but a brief period of strawberries1
 the fruit ripens all at once1 and      
although the first berries may be of    
good size1 the later ones dwindle until 
they are scarcely larger than peas4 ,be 
sure to have a deep1 mellow soil beneath
 the plants4  ,such a bed can be made in
 either spring or fall--indeed1 at any  
time when the soil is free from frost1  
and neither too wet nor dry4 ,i do not  

believe in preparing and fertilizing    
ground during a period of drought4  ,we 
will suppose the work has been done in  
the spring1 as early as the earth was   
dry enough to crumble freely1 and that  
the surface of the bed is smooth1       
mellow1 and ready for the plants4       
,stretch a garden line down the length  
of the plot two feet from the outer     
edge1 and set the plants along the line 
one foot apart from each other4 ,let the
 roots be spread out1 not buried in a   
mat1 the earth pressed ,,firmly against 
them1 and the crown of the plant be     
exactly even with the surface of the    
soil1 which should also be pressed      
closely around it with the fingers4     
,this may seem minute detail1 yet much  
dismal experience proves it to be       
essential4 ,i have employed scores of   
men1 and the great majority at first    
would either bury the crowns out of     
sight1 or else leave part of the roots  
exposed1 and the remainder so loose in  
the soil that a sharp gale would blow   

the plants away4 ,there is no one so    
economical of time as the hired man     
whose time is paid for4 ,he is ever bent
 on saving a minute or half-minute in   
this kind of work4 ,on one occasion ,i  
had to reset a good part of an acre on  
which my men had saved time in planting4
 ,if ,i had asked them to save the      
plants in the year of '#hf1 they might  
have struck4  ,the first row having been
 set out1 ,i advise that the line be    
moved forward three feet4 ,this would   
make the rows three feet apart--not too 
far in ground prepared as described1 and
 in view of the subsequent method of    
cultivation4 ,the bed may therefore be  
filled up in this ratio1 the plants one 
foot apart in the row1 and the rows     
three feet apart4 ,the next point in my 
system1 for the kind of soil named 7for 
light1 sandy soils another plan will be 
indicated71 is to regard each plant as  
an individual that is to be developed to
 the utmost4 ,of course only young      
plants of the previous season's growth  

should be used4 ,if a plant has old1    
woody1 black roots1 throw it away4      
,plants set out in ,april will begin to 
blossom in ,may4 ,these buds and        
blossoms should be picked off ruthlessly
 as soon as they appear4 ,never does    
avarice overreach itself more completely
 than when plants are permitted to bear 
the same season in which they are set   
out4 ,the young1 half-established plant 
is drained of its vitality in producing 
a little imperfect fruit2 yet this is   
permitted even by farmers who would hold
 up their hands at the idea of          
harnessing a colt to a plow4  ,the      
plants do not know anything about our   
purpose in regard to them4 ,they merely 
seek to follow the law of ,nature to    
propagate themselves1 first by seeds    
which1 strictly speaking1 are the fruit1
 and then by runners4 ,these slender1   
tendril-like growths begin to appear    
early in summer1 and if left unchecked  
will mat the ground about the parent    
with young plants by late autumn4 ,if we

 wish plants1 let them grow by all      
means2 but if fruit is our object1 why  
should we let them grow8 ,because nearly
 every one seems to do it1 would be1    
perhaps1 the most rational answer4 ,this
 is a mistake1 for many are beginning to
 take just the opposite course even when
 growing strawberries by the acre4  ,let
 us fix our attention on a single plant4
 ,it has a certain amount of root       
pasturage and space in which to grow4   
,since it is not permitted to produce an
 indefinite number of young plants1 it  
begins to develop itself4 ,the soil is  
rich1 the roots are busy1 and there must
 be an outlet4 ,the original plant      
cannot form others1 and therefore begins
 to produce fruit-crowns for the coming 
year4 ,all the sap1 all the increasing  
power of root and foliage1 are directed 
to preparation for fruit4 ,in brief1 we 
have got the plant in traces2 it is     
pulling in the direction we wish1 it    
will eventually deliver a load of       
berries which would surprise those who  

trust simply to ,nature unguided4  ,some
 one may object that this is a          
troublesome and expensive way of growing
 strawberries4 ,do not the facts in the 
case prove the reverse8 ,a plant        
restricted to a single root can be hoed 
and worked around like a hill of corn or
 a currant-bush4 ,with comparatively    
little trouble the ground between the   
rows can be kept clean and mellow4      
,under the common system1 which allows  
the runners to interlace and mat the    
ground1 you soon have an almost endless 
amount of hand-weeding to do1 and even  
this fails if white clover1 sorrel1 and 
certain grasses once get a start4 ,the  
system ,i advocate forbids neglect2 the 
runners must be clipped off as fast as  
they appear1 and they continue to grow  
from ,june till frost2 but the actual   
labor of the year is reduced to a       
minimum4 ,a little boy or girl could    
keep a large bed clipped by the         
occasional use of a shears or knife     
before breakfast2 and if the ground     

between the plants is free of runners1  
it can be hoed over in an hour4         
,considering1 therefore1 merely the     
trouble and expense1 the single-plant   
system has the facts in its favor4 ,but 
our object is not to grow strawberry    
plants with the least trouble1 but to   
have strawberries of the largest and    
finest quality4  ,in addition to ease   
and thoroughness of cultivation1 there  
are other important advantages4 ,the    
single narrow row of plants is more     
easily protected against winter's       
frosts4 ,light1 strawy manure from the  
horse-stable serves well for this       
purpose2 but it should be light and free
 from heat4 ,i have seen beds destroyed 
by too heavy a covering of chunky1 rank 
manure4 ,it is not our purpose to keep  
the beds and plants from freezing1 but  
from alternately freezing and thawing4  
,if snow fell on the bed in ,december   
and lasted till ,april1 no other        
protection would be needed4 ,nature in  
this latitude has no sympathy for the   

careless man4 ,during the winter of     
#ahhe1 in ,january1 and again in        
,february and ,march1 the ground was    
bare1 unprotected plants were badly     
frozen1 and in many instances lifted    
partly out of the ground by midday      
thawing and night freezing4 ,the only   
safe course is to cover the rows        
thoroughly1 but not heavily1 early in   
,december4 ,if then light stable-manure 
is not at hand1 leaves1 old bean-vines1 
or any dry refuse from the garden not   
containing injurious seeds will answer4 
,do not employ asparagus-tops1 which    
contain seed4 ,of course we want this   
vegetable1 but not in the strawberry    
bed4 ,like some persons out of their    
proper sphere1 asparagus may easily     
become a nuisance2 and it will          
dispossess other growths of their rights
 and places as serenely as a ,knight of 
,labor4 ,the proper balance must be kept
 in the garden as well as in society2   
and therefore it is important to cover  
our plants with something that will not 

speedily become a usurper4 ,let it be a 
settled point1 then1 that the narrow    
rows must be covered thoroughly out of  
sight with some light material which    
will not rest with smothering weight on 
the plants or leave among them injurious
 seeds4 ,light stable-manure is often   
objected to for the reason that         
employing it is like sowing the ground  
with grass-seed4 ,if the plants had been
 allowed to grow in matted beds1 ,i     
would not use this material for a winter
 covering1 unless it had been allowed to
 heat sufficiently to destroy the grass 
and clover seed contained in it4 ,i have
 seen matted beds protected with        
stable-manure that were fit to mow by   
,june1 the plants and fruit having been 
over run with grass4 ,no such result    
need follow if the plants are cultivated
 in a single line1 for then the manure  
can be raked off in early spring--first 
of ,april in our latitude--and the      
ground cultivated4 ,there is a great    
advantage in employing light manure if  

the system ,i advocate is followed1 for 
the melting snows and rains carry the   
richness of the fertilizer to the roots1
 and winter protection serves a double  
purpose4  ,we will now consider the     
proper management for the second year1  
when a full crop should be yielded4 ,i  
know that many authorities frown upon   
cultivation during the second spring1   
before plants bear their fruit4 ,i can  
not agree with this view1 except in     
regard to very light soils1 and look    
upon it as a relic of the old theory    
that sandy land was the best for        
strawberries4 ,take the soil under      
consideration1 a sandy loam1 for        
instance4 ,after the frost is out1 the  
earth settled1 and the winter covering  
raked off1 the soil under the spring sun
 grows hard1 and by ,june is almost as  
solid as a roadbed4 ,every one knows    
that land in such condition suffers     
tenfold more severely from drought than 
if it were light and mellow from        
cultivation4 ,perennial weeds that      

sprouted late in the fall or early      
spring get a start1 and by fruiting-time
 are rampant4 ,i do advocate ,,early    
spring cultivation1 and by it ,i almost 
double my crop1 while at the same time  
maintaining a mastery over the weeds4   
,as soon as the severe frosts are over1 
in ,april1 ,i rake the coarsest of the  
stable-manure from the plants1 leaving  
the finer and decayed portions as a     
fertilizer4 ,then1 when the ground is   
dry enough to work1 ,i have a man weed  
out the rows1 and if there are vacant   
spaces1 fill in the rows with young     
plants4 ,the man then forks the ground  
lightly between the rows1 and stirs the 
surface merely among the plants4 ,thus  
all the hard1 sodden surface is loosened
 or scarified1 and opened to the        
reception of air and light1 dew and     
rain4 ,the man is charged emphatically  
that in this cultivation he must not    
lift the plants or disturb the roots to 
any extent4 ,if ,i find a plant with its
 hold upon the ground loosened1 ,i know 

there has been careless work4 ,before   
digging along the row the fork is sunk  
beside the plants to prevent the soil   
from lifting in cakes1 and the plants   
with them4 ,in brief1 pains are taken   
that the plants should be just as firm  
in the soil after cultivation as before4
 ,let the reader carefully observe that 
this work is done ,,early in ,april1    
while the plants are comparatively      
,,dormant4 ,most emphatically it should 
not be done in ,may1 after the blossoms 
begin to appear4 ,if the bed has been   
neglected till that time1 the ,,surface 
,,merely can be cultivated with a hoe4  
,when the plants have approached so near
 to the fruiting1 the roots must not be 
disturbed at all4 ,,early cultivation   
gives time for new roots to grow1 and   
stimulates such growth4 ,where the rows 
are sufficiently long1 and the ground   
permits it1 this early loosening of the 
soil is accomplished with a             
horse-cultivator better than with a     
fork1 the hoe following and levelling   

the soil and taking out all weeds4  ,my 
next step during the second season is to
 mulch the plants1 in order to keep the 
fruit clean4 ,without this mulch the    
fruit is usually unfit for the table4 ,a
 dashing shower splashes the berries    
with mud and grit1 and the fruit must be
 washed before it is eaten2 and         
strawberries with their sun-bestowed    
beauty and flavor washed away are as    
ridiculous as is mere noise from musical
 instruments4 ,to be content with such  
fruit is like valuing pictures by the   
number of square inches of canvas6 ,in  
perfecting a strawberry1 ,nature gives  
some of her finest touches1 and it is   
not well to obliterate them with either 
mud or water4 ,any light clean material 
will keep the fruit clean4 ,i have found
 spring rakings of the lawn--mingled    
dead grass and leaves--one of the best4 
,leaves from a grove would answer1 were 
it not for their blowing about in an    
untidy way4 ,of course there is nothing 
better than straw for the strawberry2   

but this often costs as much as hay4    
,any clean litter that will lie close to
 the ground and can be pushed up under  
the plants will answer4 ,nor should it  
be merely under the plants4 ,a man once 
mulched my rows in such a way that the  
fruit hung over the litter on the soil  
beyond4 ,a little common-sense will meet
 the requirement of keeping the berries 
well away from the loose soil1 while at 
the same time preserving a neat aspect  
to the bed4 ,pine-needles and salt-hay  
are used where these materials are      
abundant4  ,make it a rule to mulch as  
soon as possible after the plants begin 
to blossom1 and also after a good       
soaking rain4 ,in this case the litter  
keeps the ground moist4 ,if the soil    
immediately about the plants is covered 
when dry1 the mulch may keep it dry--to 
the great detriment of the forming      
berries4 ,it is usually best to put on  
the mulch as soon as the early          
cultivation is over in ,april1 and then 
the bed may be left till the fruit is   

picked4 ,of course it may be necessary  
to pull out some rank-growing weeds from
 time to time4 ,if the hired man is left
 to do the mulching very late in the    
season1 he will probably cover much of  
the green fruit and blossoms as well as 
the ground4  ,after the berries have    
been picked1 the remaining treatment of 
the year is very simple4 ,rake out the  
mulch1 cultivate the soil1 and keep the 
plants free of weeds and runners as     
during the previous year4 ,before hard  
freezing weather1 protect again as      
before1 and give the plants similar     
treatment the following spring and      
summer4 ,under this system the same     
plants may be kept in bearing three1    
four1 and five years1 according to the  
variety4 ,some kinds maintain their     
vigor longer than others4 ,after the    
first year the disposition to run       
declines1 and with the third year1 in   
most instances1 deterioration in the    
plant itself begins4 ,i would therefore 
advise that under this system a new bed 

be made1 as described1 every third year2
 for1 it should be remembered1 the new  
bed is unproductive the first year4     
,this should never be forgotten if one  
would maintain a continuous supply of   
berries1 otherwise he will be like those
 born on the #bith of ,february1 and    
have only occasional birthdays4  ,if the
 old bed is just where you wish1 and has
 been prepared in the thorough manner   
described1 it can be renewed in the     
following manner3 ,when the old plants  
begin to decline in vigor--say the third
 or fourth spring--a line of            
well-decayed compost and manure from the
 cow-stable a foot wide may be spread   
thickly down between the rows1 dug under
 deeply1 and young plants set out just  
over the fertilizer4 ,the old plants can
 be treated as has already been         
described1 and as soon as they are      
through bearing1 dug under4 ,this would 
leave the young plants in full          
possession of the ground1 and the       
cultivation and management for three or 

more years would go on as already       
directed4 ,this course involves no loss 
of time or change of ground for a long  
periods4 ,if1 however1 a new bed can be 
made somewhere else1 the plants will    
thrive better upon it4 ,unless there are
 serious objections1 a change of ground 
is always advantageous2 for no matter   
how lavishly the plot is enriched1 the  
strawberry appears to exhaust certain   
required constituents in the soil4      
,continued vigor is better maintained by
 wood-ashes perhaps than by any other   
fertilizer1 after the soil is once      
deepened and enriched1 and it may be    
regarded as one of the very best tonics 
for the strawberry plant4 ,bone-meal is 
almost equally good4 ,guano and kindred 
fertilizers are too stimulating1 and    
have not the staying qualities required4
  ,as has been intimated before1 the    
strawberry bed may often be so located  
on the ,home ,acre as to permit of      
irrigation4 ,this does not mean         
sprinkling and splattering with water1  

but the continuous maintenance of       
abundant moisture during the critical   
period from the time the fruit begins to
 form until it ripens4 ,partial watering
 during a drought is very injurious2 so 
also would be too frequent watering4 ,if
 the ground could be soaked twice a week
 in the evening1 and then left to the   
hardening and maturing influence of the 
sun and wind1 the finest results would  
be secured4 ,i am satisfied that in most
 localities the size of the berries and 
the number of quarts produced might be  
doubled by judicious irrigation4  ,the  
system given above applies not only to  
sandy loam1 but also to all varieties of
 clay1 even the most stubborn4 ,in the  
latter instance it would be well to     
employ stable-manure in the initial     
enriching1 for this would tend to       
lighten and warm the soil4 ,care must   
also be exercised in not working clay   
when it is too wet or too dry4 ,mulch   
also plays an important part on heavy   
clay1 for it prevents the soil from     

baking and cracking4 ,one of the best   
methods of preventing this is to        
top-dress the ground with stable-manure1
 and hoe it in from time to time when   
fighting the weeds4 ,this keeps the     
surface open and mellow--a vital        
necessity for vigorous growth4 ,few     
plants will thrive when the surface is  
hard and baked4 ,nevertheless1 if ,i had
 to choose between heavy clay and light 
sand for strawberries1 ,i should much   
prefer the clay4 ,on the last-named soil
 an abundant winter protection is       
absolutely necessary1 or else the plants
 will freeze entirely out of the ground4
  ,the native strain of cultivated      
strawberries has so much vigor and power
 of adaptation that plenty of excellent 
varieties can be grown on the lightest  
soil4 ,in this instance1 however1 we    
would suggest important modifications in
 preparation and culture4 ,the soil1 as 
has been already shown1 must be treated 
like a spendthrift4 ,deep plowing or    
spading should be avoided1 as the       

subsoil is too loose and leachy already4
 ,the initial enriching of the bed      
should be generous1 but not lavish4 ,you
 cannot deposit fertilizers for         
long-continued use4 ,i should prefer to 
harrow or rake in the manure1 leaving it
 near the surface4 ,the rains will carry
 it down fast enough4 ,one of the very  
best methods is to open furrows1 three  
feet apart1 with a light corn-plow1 half
 fill them with decayed compost1 again  
run the plow through to mix the         
fertilizer with the soil1 then level the
 ground1 and set out the plants         
immediately over the manure4 ,they thus 
get the benefit of it before it can     
leach away4 ,the accomplished           
horticulturist ,mr4 ,p4 ,t4 ,quinn1 of  
,newark1 ,n4 ,j41 has achieved          
remarkable success by this plan4  ,it is
 a well-known fact that on light land   
strawberry plants are not so long-lived 
and do not develop1 or stool out1 as it 
is termed1 as on heavier land4 ,in order
 to secure the largest and best possible

 crop1 therefore1 ,i should not advise a
 single line of plants1 but rather a    
narrow bed of plants1 say eighteen      
inches wide1 leaving eighteen inches for
 a walk4 ,i would not allow this bed to 
be matted with an indefinite number of  
little plants crowding each other into  
feeble life1 but would leave only those 
runners which had taken root early1 and 
destroy the rest4 ,a plant which forms  
in ,june and the first weeks in ,july   
has time to mature good-sized fruit-buds
 before winter1 especially if given     
space in which to develop4 ,this1       
however1 would be impossible if the     
runners were allowed to sod the ground  
thickly4 ,in principle ,i would carry   
out the first system1 and give each     
plant space in which to grow upon its   
own root as large as it naturally would 
in a light soil1 and ,i would have a    
sufficient number of plants to supply   
the deficiency in growth4 ,on good1     
loamy soil1 the foliage of single lines 
of plants1 three feet apart1 will grow  

so large as to touch across the spaces2 
but this could scarcely be expected on  
light soil unless irrigation were       
combined with great fertility4          
,nevertheless1 a bed with plants        
standing not too thickly upon it will   
give an abundance of superb fruit4      
,strawberries grown in beds may not     
require so much spring mulching to keep 
the fruit clean1 but should carefully   
receive all that is needed4 ,winter     
protection also is not so indispensable 
as on heavier soils1 but it always well 
repays4 ,a thick bed of plants should   
never be protected by any kind of litter
 which would leave seeds of various     
kinds1 for under this system of culture 
weeds must be taken out by hand2 and    
this is always slow1 back-aching work4  
,when plants are grown in beds it does  
not pay to continue them after fruiting 
the third year4 ,for instance1 they are 
set out in spring1 and during the first 
season they are permitted to make a     
limited number of runners1 and prepare  

to fruit the following year4 ,after the 
berries are picked the third year1 dig  
the plants under1 and occupy the ground 
with something else4 ,on light soils1   
and where the plants are grown in beds  
instead of narrow rows1 new beds should 
be set out every alternate year4  ,in   
order to have an abundant supply of     
young plants it is only necessary to let
 one end of a row or a small portion of 
a bed run at will4 ,then new plants can 
be set out as desired4  ,while more     
strawberries are planted in spring than 
at any other time1 certain advantages   
are secured by summer and fall setting4 
,this is especially true of gardens     
wherein early crops are maturing1       
leaving the ground vacant4 ,for         
instance1 there are areas from which    
early peas1 beans1 or potatoes have been
 gathered4 ,suppose such a plot is ready
 for something else in ,july or ,august1
 the earlier the better4 ,unless the    
ground is very dry1 a bed can be        
prepared as has been described4 ,if the 

soil is in good condition1 rich and     
deep1 it can be dug thoroughly1 and the 
plants set out at once in the cool of   
the evening1 or just before a shower4   
,during the hot season a great advantage
 is secured if the plants are set       
immediately after the ground is         
prepared1 and while the surface is still
 moist4 ,it is unfortunate if ground is 
made ready and then permitted to dry out
 before planting takes place1 for       
watering1 no matter how thorough1 has   
not so good an influence in starting new
 growth as the natural moisture of the  
soil4 ,it would be better1 therefore1 to
 dig the ground late in the afternoon1  
and set out the plants the same evening4
 ,watering1 however1 should never be    
dispensed with during warm weather1     
unless there is a certainty of rain2 and
 even then it does no harm4  ,suppose   
one wishes to set a new bed in ,july4   
,if he has strawberries growing on his  
place1 his course would be to let some  
of his favorite varieties make new      

runners as early as possible4 ,these    
should be well-rooted young plants by   
the middle of the month4 ,after the new 
ground is prepared1 these can be taken  
up1 with a ball of earth attached to    
their roots1 and carried carefully to   
their new starting-place4 ,if they are  
removed so gently as not to shake off   
the earth from the roots1 they will not 
know that they have been moved1 but     
continue to thrive without wilting a    
leaf4 ,if such transplanting is done    
immediately after a soaking rain1 the   
soil will cling to the roots so         
tenaciously as to ensure a transfer that
 will not cause any check of growth4    
,but it is not necessary to wait for    
rain4 ,at five in the afternoon soak    
with water the ground in which the young
 plants are standing1 and by six o'clock
 you can take up the plants with their  
roots incased in clinging earth1 just as
 successfully as after a rain4 ,plants  
thus transferred1 and watered after     
being set out1 will not wilt1 although  

the thermometer is in the nineties the  
following day4 ,if young plants are     
scarce1 take up the strongest and       
best-rooted ones1 and leave the runner  
attached2 set out such plants with their
 balls of earth four feet apart in the  
row1 and with a lump of earth fasten    
down the runners along the line4 ,within
 a month these runners will fill up the 
new rows as closely as desirable4 ,then 
all propagation in the new bed should be
 checked1 and the plants compelled to   
develop for fruiting in the coming      
season4 ,in this latitude a plant thus  
transferred in ,july or ,august will    
bear a very good crop the following     
,june1 and the berries will probably be 
larger than in the following years4     
,this tendency to produce very large    
fruit is characteristic of young plants 
set out in summer4 ,it thus may be seen 
that plants set in spring can not       
produce a good crop of fruit under about
 fourteen months1 while others1 set in  
summer1 will yield in nine or ten       

months4 ,i have set out many acres in   
summer and early autumn with the most   
satisfactory results4 ,thereafter the   
plants were treated in precisely the    
same manner as those set in spring4  ,if
 the plants must be bought and          
transported from a distance during hot  
weather1 ,i should not advise the       
purchase of any except those grown in   
pots4 ,nurserymen have made us familiar 
with pot-grown plants1 for we fill our  
flowerbeds with them4 ,in like manner   
strawberry plants are grown and sold4   
,little pots1 three inches across at the
 top1 are sunk in the earth along a     
strawberry row1 and the runners so      
fastened down that they take root in    
these pots4 ,in about two weeks the     
young plant will fill a pot with roots4 
,it may then be severed from the parent1
 and transported almost any distance1   
like a verbena4 ,usually the ball of    
earth and roots is separated from the   
pot1 and is then wrapped in paper before
 being packed in the shallow box        

employed for shipping purposes4 ,a      
nurseryman once distributed in a summer 
throughout the country a hundred        
thousand plants of one variety grown in 
this manner4 ,the earth encasing the    
roots sustained the plants during       
transportation and after setting        
sufficiently to prevent any loss worth  
mentioning4 ,this method of the         
plant-grower can easily be employed on  
the ,home ,acre4 ,pots filled with earth
 may be sunk along the strawberry rows  
in the garden1 the runners made to root 
in them1 and from them transferred to   
any part of the garden wherein we       
propose to make a new bed4 ,it is only a
 neater and more certain way of removing
 young plants with a ball of earth from 
the open bed4  ,some have adopted this  
system in raising strawberries for      
market4 ,they prepare very rich beds1   
fill them with pot-grown plants in ,june
 or ,july1 take from these plants one   
crop the following ,june1 then plow them
 under4 ,as a rule1 however1 such plants

 cannot be bought in quantities before  
,august or ,september4  ,as we go south1
 ,september1 ,october1 or ,november1    
according to lowness of latitude1 are   
the favorite months for planting4 ,i    
have had excellent success on the       
,hudson in late autumn planting4 ,my    
method has been to cover the young      
plants1 just before the ground froze1   
with two or three inches of clean earth1
 and then to rake it off again early in 
,april4 ,the roots of such plants become
 thoroughly established during the      
winter1 and start with double vigor4    
,plants set out in ,,late autumn do best
 on light1 dry soils4 ,on heavy soils   
they will be frozen out unless well     
covered4 ,they should not be allowed to 
bear the following season4 ,a late-set  
plant cannot before winter in our       
climate become strong and sturdy enough 
to produce much fruit the following     
season4 ,i make it a rule not to permit 
plants set out after the first of       
,october to bear fruit until a year from

 the following ,june4  ,in setting out  
plants1 the principle of sex should be  
remembered4 ,the majority of our        
favorite varieties are bisexual2 that   
is1 the blossoms are furnished with both
 stamens and pistils4 ,a variety with   
this organization1 as the ,sharpless1   
for instance1 will bear alone with no   
other kind near it4 ,but if one set out 
a bed of ,champions--another fine       
variety--well apart from any staminate  
kind1 it would blossom profusely1 but   
produce no fruit4 ,when ,i was a boy1   
,hovey's ,seedling was the great        
strawberry of the day1 and marvellous   
stories were told of the productiveness 
of the plants and the size of the       
berries4 ,how well ,i remember the      
disappointment and wrath of people who  
bought the plants at a high price1 and  
set them out with no staminate varieties
 near to fertilize the pistillate       
blossoms4 ,expectations were raised to  
the highest pitch by profuse blossoming 
in ,may1 but not a berry could be found 

the ensuing ,june4 ,the vigorous plants 
were only a mockery1 and the people who 
sold them were berated as humbugs4      
,to-day the most highly praised         
strawberry is the ,jewell4 ,the         
originator1 ,mr4 ,p4 ,m4 ,augur1 writes 
me that plants set two feet by eighteen 
inches apart1 ,august #a1 #ahhd1 in     
,june1 #ahhe1 completely covered the    
ground1 touching both ways1 and averaged
 little over a quart to the plant for   
the centre patch4 ,all runners were kept
 off1 in accordance with the system     
advocated in this paper4 ,at ,boston a  
silver medal was awarded to this variety
 as the best new strawberry introduced  
within five years4 ,people reading such 
laudation--well deserved1 ,i            
believe--might conclude the best is good
 enough for us1 and send for enough     
,jewell plants to set out a bed4 ,if    
they set no others near it1 their       
experience would be similar to that     
which ,i witnessed in the case of       
,hovey's ,seedling thirty odd years ago4

 ,the blossom of the ,jewell contains   
pistils only1 and will produce no fruit 
unless a staminate variety is planted   
near4 ,i have never considered this an  
objection against a variety2 for why    
should any one wish to raise only one   
variety of strawberry8 ,all danger of   
barrenness in pistillate kinds is       
removed absolutely by planting staminate
 sorts in the same bed4 ,in nurserymen's
 catalogues pistillate varieties are    
marked ,p41 and the purchaser has merely
 to set out the plants within a few feet
 of some perfect flowering kind to      
secure abundant fruit4  ,as a result of 
much experience1 ,i will now make some  
suggestions as to varieties4 ,in a      
former paper ,i have given1 the opinions
 of others upon this important subject1 
and one can follow the advice of such   
eminent authorities without misgiving4  
,the earliest strawberry that ,i have   
ever raised1 and one of the best        
flavored1 is the ,crystal ,city4 ,it is 
evidently a wild variety domesticated1  

and it has the exquisite flavor and     
perfume of the field-berry4 ,it rarely  
fails to give us fruit in ,may1 and my  
children1 with the unerring taste of    
connoisseurs1 follow it up until the    
last berry is picked4 ,it would run all 
over the garden unchecked2 and this     
propensity must be severely curbed to   
render a bed productive4 ,keeping       
earliness and high flavor in view1 ,i   
would next recommend the ,black         
,defiance4 ,it is not remarkably        
productive on many soils1 but the fruit 
is so delicious that it well deserves a 
place4 ,the ,duchess and ,bidwell follow
 in the order of ripening4 ,on my       
grounds they have always made enormous  
plants1 and yielded an abundance of     
good-flavored berries4 ,the ,downing is 
early to medium in the season of        
ripening1 and should be in every        
collection4 ,the ,indiana is said to    
resemble this kind1 and to be an        
improvement upon it4 ,miner's ,prolific 
is another kindred berry1 and a most    

excellent one4 ,among the latest berries
 ,i recommend the ,sharpless ,champion1 
or ,windsor ,chief1 and ,parry4 ,if one 
wishes to raise a very large1 late1     
showy berry1 let him try the            
,longfellow4 ,the ,cornelia is said to  
grow very large and ripen late1 but ,i  
have not yet fruited it4 ,as ,i said    
fifteen or twenty years ago1 if ,i were 
restricted to but one variety1 ,i should
 choose the ,triomphe de ,gand1 a       
foreign kind1 but well adapted to rich1 
heavy soils4 ,the berries begin to ripen
 early1 and last very late4 ,the        
,memphis ,late has always been the last 
to mature on my grounds1 and1 like the  
,crystal ,city1 is either a wild        
variety1 or else but slightly removed4  
,the ,wilson is the great berry of      
commerce4 ,it is not ripe when it is    
red1 and therefore is rarely eaten in   
perfection4 ,let it get almost black in 
its ripeness1 and it is one of the      
richest berries in existence4 ,with a   
liberal allowance of sugar and cream1 it

 makes a dish much too good for an      
average king4 ,it is also the best      
variety for preserving4  ,it should be  
remembered that all strawberries1 unlike
 pears1 should be allowed to mature     
fully before being picked4 ,many a      
variety is condemned because the fruit  
is eaten prematurely4 ,there is no      
richer berry in existence than the      
,windsor ,chief1 yet the fruit1 when    
merely red1 is decidedly disagreeable4  
,the reader can now make a selection of 
kinds which should give him six weeks of
 strawberries4 ,at the same time he must
 be warned that plants growing in a     
hard1 dry1 poor soil1 and in matted     
beds1 yield their fruit almost together1
 no matter how many varieties may have  
been set out4 ,under such conditions the
 strawberry season is brief indeed4     
,while ,i was writing this paper the    
chief enemy of the strawberry came      
blundering and bumping about my         
lamp--the ,may beetle4 ,the larva of    
this insect1 the well-known white grub1 

has an insatiable appetite for          
strawberry roots1 and in some localities
 and seasons is very destructive4 ,one  
year ,i lost at least one hundred       
thousand plants by this pest4 ,this     
beetle does not often lay its egg in    
well-cultivated ground1 and we may      
reasonably hope to escape its ravages in
 a garden4 ,if1 when preparing for a    
bed1 many white grubs are found in the  
soil1 ,i should certainly advise that   
another locality be chosen4 ,the only   
remedy is to dig out the larvae and kill
 them4 ,if you find a plant wilting     
without apparent cause1 you may be sure 
that a grub is feeding on the roots4    
,the strawberry plant is comparatively  
free from insect enemies and disease1   
and rarely disappoints any one who gives
 it a tithe of the attention it         
deserves4  ,there are many points in    
connection with this fruit which1 in a  
small treatise like this1 must be merely
 touched upon or omitted altogether4 ,i 
may refer those who wish to study the   

subject more thoroughly to my work1     
,success with ,small ,fruits4           
,,chapter ,,viii  ,,the                 
,,kitchen-,,garden   ,the garden should 
be open to the sky1 and as far as       
possible unshaded by adjacent trees from
 the morning and afternoon sun4 ,it is  
even more essential that the trees be   
not so near that their voracious roots  
can make their way to the rich loam of  
the garden4  ,now for the soil4 ,we     
should naturally suppose that that of   
,eden was a deep sandy loam1 with not   
too porous a subsoil4 ,as we have       
already seen again and again1 such a    
soil appears to be the laboratory in    
which we can assist ,nature to develop  
her best products4 ,but ,nature has a   
profound respect for skill1 and when she
 recognizes it1 lends a hand in securing
 excellent crops from almost drifting   
sand or stubborn clay4 ,she has even    
assisted the ,hollander in wresting from
 the ocean one of the gardens of the    
world4  ,we must again dwell on the     

principles already emphasized1 that     
soils must be treated according to their
 nature4 ,if too damp1 they must be     
drained2 if of the fortunate quality of 
a sandy loam resting on a clay subsoil1 
they can be abundantly deepened and     
enriched from the start1 if of a heavy  
clay1 inclined to be cold and wet in    
spring1 and to bake and crack in summer1
 skill should aim to lighten it and     
remove its inertia2 finally1 as we have 
shown1 a light1 porous soil should be   
treated like a spendthrift4 ,all soils1 
except the last-named1 are much the     
better for being enriched and deeply    
plowed or forked in ,october or         
,november4 ,this exposes the mould to   
the sweetening and mechanical action of 
frost1 and the fertilizers incorporated 
with it are gradually transformed into  
just that condition of plant food which 
the rootlets take up with the greatest  
ease and rapidity4 ,a light soil1 on the
 contrary1 should not be worked in      
autumn1 but be left intact after the    

crops are taken from it4  ,in one       
respect a light soil and a stiff1 heavy 
one should be treated in the same way1  
but for different reasons4 ,in the first
 instance1 fertilizers should be applied
 in moderation to the surface1 and rains
 and the cultivation of the growing     
crops depended upon to carry the        
richness downward to the roots4 ,the    
porous nature of the earth must ever be 
borne in mind2 fertilizers pass through 
it and disappear1 and therefore are     
applied to the surface1 to delay this   
process and enable the roots to obtain  
as much nutriment as possible during the
 passage4 ,equal and even greater       
advantages are secured by a top-dressing
 of barnyard manures and composts to the
 heaviest of clay4 ,the surface of such 
soils1 left to ,nature1 becomes in hot1 
dry weather like pottery1 baking and    
cracking1 shielding from dew and shower1
 and preventing all circulation of air  
about the roots4 ,a top-dressing        
prevents all this1 keeps the surface    

open and mellow1 and supplies not only  
fertility1 but the mechanical conditions
 that are essential4  ,if we are now    
ready to begin1 let us begin right4 ,i  
have not much sympathy with finical1    
fussy gardening4 ,one of the chief      
fascinations of gardening is the endless
 field it affords for skilful sleight of
 hand1 short-cuts1 unconventional       
methods1 and experiments4 ,the true     
gardener soon ceases to be a man of     
rules1 and becomes one of strategy1 of  
expedients4 ,he is prompt to act at the 
right moment4 ,like the artist1 he is   
ever seeking and acting upon hints from 
,nature4 ,the man of rules says the     
first of ,july is the time to set out   
winter cabbage2 and out the plants go1  
though the sky be brazen1 and the       
mercury in the nineties4 ,the gardener  
has his plants ready1 and for a few days
 watches the sky4 ,at last he perceives 
that rain is coming2 then he sets out   
his plants1 and ,nature's watering      
starts them1 unwilted1 on their new     

growth4  ,at the same time ,i protest   
against careless1 slovenly              
gardening--ground imperfectly prepared1 
crooked rows1 seed half covered1 or     
covered so deeply that the germs are    
discouraged long before they reach      
light4 ,one of the best aids to success 
is a small compost-heap composed equally
 of manure from the horse-stable1 the   
cow-stable1 and of leaves4 ,this should 
be allowed to stand so long1 and be cut 
down and turned so often1 that it       
becomes like a fine black powder1 and is
 much the better for being kept under   
shelter from sun and rain4  ,all who    
hope to have a permanent garden will    
naturally think first of asparagus--one 
of the vegetables that have bee a       
longest in cultivation1 and one which is
 justly among the most valued4 ,it was  
cultivated hundreds of years before the 
,christian era1 and is to-day growing in
 popular esteem among civilized peoples4
  ,in the matter of preparation ,i shall
 take issue with many of the            

authorities4 ,i have read and known of  
instances wherein extraordinary expense 
and pains have been bestowed upon the   
asparagus-bed4 ,the soil has been dug   
out to the depth of two or more feet1   
the bottom paved1 and the homely1 hardy 
roots1 accustomed to roughing it the    
world over1 set out and tended with a   
care which1 if given to a potato1 would 
make it open its eyes4 ,there are few   
more hardy or widely distributed species
 of vegetables than asparagus4 ,it is a 
native of the sea-coasts of various     
countries of ,europe and ,asia4         
,according to ,loudon1 it is abundant on
 the sandy steppes in the interior of   
,russia4 ,in ,southern ,russia and      
,poland the horses and cows feed upon   
it4 ,it grows freely in the fens of     
,lincolnshire1 and is indigenous to     
,cornwall4 ,on the borders of the       
,euphrates the shoots are so            
extraordinarily large and vigorous that 
,thompson thinks it would be to the     
advantage of gardeners to import roots  

from that region4 ,these facts may      
indicate that too much stress may have  
been laid on its character as a marine  
plant4 ,yet it is true that it grows    
naturally on the coast of ,holland1 in  
the sandy valleys and on the downs1     
while off ,lizard ,point it flourishes  
naturally on an island where1 in gales1 
the sea breaks over the roots4 ,in this 
country also it has escaped cultivation1
 and is establishing itself along our   
coasts1 ,the truth is that it is a plant
 endowed with a remarkable power of     
adaptation to all soils and climates1   
and does not need the extravagant       
petting often given it4 ,on different   
portions of my place chance seeds have  
fallen1 and annually produce almost as  
fine heads as are cut from the garden4  
,nature therefore teaches what          
experience verifies--that asparagus is  
one of the most easily grown and        
inexpensive vegetables of the garden4   
,from two small beds we have raised     
during the past eight years twice as    

much as we could use1 and at the cost of
 very little trouble either in planting 
or cultivation4  ,in my effort to show1 
from the hardy nature of the asparagus  
plant1 that extravagant preparation is  
unnecessary1 let no one conclude that ,i
 am opposed to a good1 thorough         
preparation that accords with           
common-sense4 ,it is not for one year's 
crop that you are preparing1 but for a  
vegetable that should be productive on  
the same ground thirty or forty years4  
,what ,i said of strawberries applies   
here4 ,a fair yield of fruit may be     
expected from plants set out on ordinary
 corn-ground1 but more than double the  
crop would be secured from ground       
generously prepared4  ,when ,i first    
came to ,cornwall1 about twelve years   
ago1 ,i determined to have an asparagus 
bed as soon as possible4 ,i selected a  
plot eighty feet long by thirty wide1 of
 sandy loam1 sloping to the southwest4  
,it had been used as a garden before1   
but was greatly impoverished4 ,i gave it

 a good top-dressing of barnyard manure 
in the autumn1 and plowed it deeply2    
another top-dressing of fine yard manure
 and a deep forking in the early spring4
 ,then1 raking the surface smooth1 ,i   
set a line along its length on one side4
 ,a man took a spade1 sunk its length in
 the soil1 and pushed it forward        
strongly4 ,this action made an almost   
perpendicular wedge-shaped aperture just
 back of the spade4 ,the asparagus      
plant1 with its roots spread out        
fan-shape1 was sunk in this opening to a
 depth that left the crown of the plant 
between three and four inches below the 
surface4 ,then the spade was drawn out1 
and the soil left to fall over the crown
 of the plant4 ,rapidly repeating this  
simple process1 the whole plot was soon 
set out4 ,the entire bed was then raked 
smooth4 ,the rows were three feet apart1
 and plants one foot apart in the row4  
,a similar plot could scarcely have been
 planted with potatoes more quickly or  
at less expense1 and a good crop of     

potatoes could not have been raised on  
that poor land with less preparation4 ,a
 few years later ,i made another and    
smaller bed in the same way4 ,the       
results have been entirely satisfactory4
 ,i secured my object1 and had plenty of
 asparagus at slight cost1 and have also
 sold and given away large quantities4  
,a bit of experience is often worth much
 more than theory4  ,at the same time it
 is proper that some suggestions should 
follow this brief record4 ,the asparagus
 bed should be in well-drained soil2 for
 while the plant will grow on wet land1 
it will start late1 and our aim is to   
have it early4  ,again1 with asparagus  
as with nearly everything else1 the     
deeper and richer the soil1 the larger  
and more luxuriant the crop4 ,listen to 
,thompson1 the great ,english gardener3 
,if the ground has been drained1        
trenched1 or made good to the depth of  
,,three feet1 as directed for the       
kitchen-garden generally 61 that depth  
will suffice for the growth of          

asparagus4 ,we should think so2 yet ,i  
am fast reaching the conclusion that    
under most circumstances it would in the
 end repay us to secure that depth of   
rich soil throughout our gardens1 not   
only for asparagus1 but for everything  
else4 ,few of the hasty1 slipshod       
gardeners of ,america have any idea of  
the results secured by extending root   
pasturage to the depth of three feet    
instead of six or seven inches2 soil    
thus prepared would defy flood and      
drought1 and everything planted therein 
would attain almost perfection1         
asparagus included4 ,but who has not    
seen little gardens by the roadside in  
which all the esculents seemed growing  
together much as they would be blended  
in the pot thereafter8 ,yet from such   
patches1 half snatched from barrenness1 
many a hearty1 wholesome dinner results4
 ,let us have a garden at once1 then    
improve it indefinitely4  ,i will give  
in brief just what is essential to      
secure a good and lasting asparagus bed4

 ,we can if we choose grow our own      
plants1 and thus be sure of good ones4  
,the seed can be sown in late ,october  
or ,,early spring on light1 rich soil in
 rows eighteen inches apart4 ,an ounce  
of seed will sow fifty feet of drill4   
,if the soil is light1 cover the seed   
one inch deep2 if heavy1 half an inch2  
pack the ground lightly1 and cover the  
drill with a good dusting of that fine  
compost we spoke of1 or any fine manure4
 ,this gives the young plants a good    
send-off4 ,by the use of the hoe and    
hand-weeding keep them scrupulously     
clean during the growing season1 and    
when the tops are killed by frost mow   
them off4 ,i should advise sowing two or
 three seeds to the inch1 and then when 
the plants are three inches high1       
thinning them out so that they stand    
four inches apart4 ,you thus insure     
almost the certainty of good strong     
plants by autumn2 for plants raised as  
directed are ready to be set out after  
one season's growth1 and by most        

gardeners are preferred4  ,in most      
instances good plants can be bought for 
a small sum from nurserymen1 who usually
 offer for sale those that are two years
 old4 ,strong one-year-olds are just as 
good1 but under ordinary culture are    
rarely large enough until two years of  
age4 ,i would not set out three-year-old
 plants1 for they are apt to be stunted 
and enfeebled4 ,you can easily calculate
 how many plants you require by         
remembering that the rows are to be     
three feet apart1 and the plants one    
foot apart in the row4  ,now1 whether   
you have raised the plants yourself1 or 
have bought them1 you are ready to put  
them where they will grow1 and yield to 
the end of your life probably4 ,again ,i
 substantiate my position by quoting    
from the well-known gardener and writer1
 ,mr4 ,joseph ,harris3 ,the old         
directions for planting an asparagus bed
 were well calculated to deter any one  
from making the attempt4 ,i can         
recollect the first ,i made4 ,the labor 

and manure must have cost at the rate of
 a thousand dollars an acre1 and1 after 
all was done1 no better results were    
obtained than we now secure at one-tenth
 of the expense4  ,if the ground        
selected for the bed is a well-drained  
sandy loam1 is clean1 free from sod1    
roots1 stones1 etc41 ,i would give it a 
top-dressing of six inches of good      
barnyard manure1 which by trenching or  
plowing ,i would thoroughly mix with the
 soil to the depth of at least two feet4
 ,if the ground is not free from stones1
 roots1 and sod1 ,i should put on the   
manure1 as directed1 in the autumn1 and 
begin on one side of the prospective bed
 and trench it all over1 mingling the   
fertilizer through the soil4 ,the       
trencher can throw out on the surface   
back of him every stone1 root1 and weed1
 so that by the time he is through there
 is a sufficient space of ground amply  
prepared4  ,on all soils except a wet1  
heavy clay ,i prefer autumn planting4   
,during the latter part of ,october or  

early ,november put in the plants as    
explained above1 or else make a straight
 trench that will give room for the     
spreading of the roots1 and leave the   
crowns between three and four inches    
below the surface4 ,then level the      
ground1 and cover the row with a light  
mulch of stable-manure as you would     
strawberries4 ,if more convenient to set
 out the plants in spring1 do so as soon
 as the ground is dry enough to crumble 
freely when worked4 ,in the spring rake 
off the mulch1 and as early as possible 
fork the ground over lightly1 taking    
pains not to touch or wound the crowns  
of the plants4 ,the young1 slender      
shoots will soon appear1 and slender    
enough they will be at first4 ,keep them
 free of weeds and let them grow uncut  
all through the first year2 mow off the 
tops in late ,october1 and cover the    
entire bed with three or four inches of 
coarse barnyard manure4 ,in spring rake 
off the coarsest of this mulch1 from    
which the rains and melting snows have  

been carrying down richness1 dig the bed
 over lightly once 7never wounding the  
roots or crowns of the plants71 and then
 sow salt over the bed till it is barely
 white4 ,let the tops grow naturally and
 uncut the second year1 and merely keep 
clean4 ,take precisely the same action  
again in the autumn and the following   
spring4 ,during the latter part of      
,april and ,may a few of the strongest  
shoots may be cut for the table4 ,this  
should be done with a sharp knife a     
little below the surface1 so that the   
soil may heal the wound1 and carefully1 
lest other heads just beneath the       
surface be clipped prematurely4 ,cut    
from the bed very sparingly1 however1   
the third year1 and let vigorous foliage
 form corresponding root-power4 ,in the 
autumn of the third and the spring of   
the fourth year the treatment is        
precisely the same4 ,in the fourth      
season1 however1 the shoots may be used 
freely to1 say1 about ,june #bj1 after  
which the plants should be permitted to 

grow unchecked till fall1 in order to   
maintain and increase the root-power4   
,every year thereafter there should be  
an abundant top-dressing of manure in   
the fall1 and a careful digging of the  
ground in the early spring4 ,light1     
sandy soil1 clear of stones1 is well    
adapted to asparagus1 but should be     
treated on the principles already       
indicated in this work4 ,there should be
 no attempt1 by trenching1 to render a  
porous subsoil more leaky4 ,it is       
useless to give the bed a thorough      
initial enriching4 ,put on a generous   
top-dressing every autumn and leave the 
rains to do their work1 and good crops  
will result4  ,if1 on the contrary1 a   
cold1 heavy clay must be dealt with1    
every effort should be made to          
ameliorate it4 ,work in a large quantity
 of sand at first1 if possible2 employ  
manures from the horse-stable1 or other 
light and exciting fertilizers1 and     
there will be no failure4  ,in regard to
 the use of salt1 ,mr4 ,harris writes3  

,it is a popular notion that common salt
 is exceedingly beneficial to asparagus4
 ,i do not know that there is any       
positive proof of this1 but1 at any     
rate1 salt will do no harm1 even if     
applied thick enough to kill many of our
 common weeds4 ,salt is usually sown    
broadcast1 at the rate of ten bushels to
 the acre4  ,until recently ,i have     
grown asparagus without salt4 ,hereafter
 ,i shall employ it in sufficient degree
 to kill all weeds except the strongest4
 ,i shall sow it every spring after the 
bed is dug until the ground is as white 
as if a flurry of snow had passed over  
it4 ,i think salt is a good manure for  
asparagus1 and many other things4 ,at   
any rate1 we secure a great advantage in
 keeping our beds free of weeds4  ,i    
have written thus fully of asparagus    
because when a man makes a bed as       
directed he makes it for a lifetime4 ,he
 can scarcely find another investment   
that will yield a larger return4 ,we    
have asparagus on our table every day1  

from the middle of ,april to ,july #a2  
and the annual care of the crop is far  
less than that of a cabbage-patch4 ,i do
 not advise severe cutting1 however1    
after the middle of ,june1 for this     
reason3 it is well known that the most  
pestiferous perennial weed can be killed
 utterly if never allowed to make       
foliage4 ,as foliage depends upon the   
root1 so the root depends on foliage4   
,the roots of asparagus may therefore be
 greatly enfeebled by too severe and    
long-continued cutting4 ,avarice always 
overreaches itself4  ,in some localities
 the asparagus beetle destroys whole    
plantations4 ,thompson1 the ,english    
authority1 says3 ,the larvae1 beetles1  
and eggs are found from ,june to the end
 of ,september4 ,picking off the larvae 
and beetles1 or shaking them into       
receptacles1 appears to be the only     
remedy4  ,peter ,henderson1 in his      
valuable book1 ,gardening for ,profit1  
figures this insect and its larvae      
accurately1 and says3 ,whenever the eggs

 or larvae appear1 cut and burn the     
plants as long as any traces of the     
insect are seen4 ,this must be done if  
it destroys every vestige of vegetation4
 ,he and other authorities speak of the 
advantage of cooping a hen and chickens 
in the bed4 ,most emphatically would ,i 
recommend this latter course1 for ,i    
have tried it with various vegetables4  
,active broods of little chickens here  
and there in the garden are the best of 
insecticides1 and pay for themselves    
twice over in this service alone4  ,we  
will next speak of the ,,onion1 because 
it is so hardy that the earlier it is   
planted in spring the better4 ,indeed1  
,i have often1 with great advantage1    
sown the seed on light soils the first  
of ,september1 and wintered over the    
young plants in the open ground4 ,nature
 evidently intended the onion for       
humanity in general1 for she has endowed
 the plant with the power to flourish   
from the tropics to the coldest limit of
 the temperate zone4  ,while onions are 

grown in all sorts of careless ways1    
like other vegetables1 it is by far the 
best plan to select a space for an      
annual and permanent bed1 just as we do 
for asparagus4 ,unlike most other crops1
 the onion does not require change of   
ground1 but usually does better on the  
same soil for an indefinite number of   
years4 ,therefore ,i would advise that  
upon the ,home ,acre the onion1 like the
 asparagus bed1 should be made with a   
view to permanence4  ,not much success  
can be hoped for on rough1 poor land4   
,the onion1 like the asparagus bed1     
should be made and maintained with some 
care4 ,if possible1 select a light1     
well-drained1 but not dry plot4 ,make   
the soil rich1 deep1 mellow1 to the     
depth of twenty inches1 taking out all  
stones1 roots1 etc42 cover the land with
 at least six inches of good strong     
barnyard manure4 ,this should be done in
 the autumn4 ,sow the ground white with 
salt1 as in the case of asparagus1 and  
then mingle these fertilizers thoroughly

 with the soil1 by forking or plowing it
 at once1 leaving the surface as rough  
as possible1 so that the frost can      
penetrate deeply4 ,just as soon as the  
ground is dry enough to work in the     
spring1 fork or plow again1 breaking    
every lump and raking all smooth1 so    
that the surface is as fine as the soil 
in a hot-bed4 ,you cannot hope for much 
in heavy1 lumpy ground4 ,sow at least   
three seeds to the inch in a shallow    
drill one inch deep1 and spat the earth 
firmly over the seed with the back of a 
spade or with your hand4 ,in subsequent 
culture little more is required than    
keeping the ,,mere ,,surface stirred    
with a hoe1 and the rows clean of weeds4
 ,onions are not benefited by deep      
stirring of the soil1 but the surface1  
from the start1 should be kept clean and
 scarified an inch or two deep between  
the rows during the growing season4 ,i  
prefer to have my onions growing at the 
rate of one or two to every inch of row1
 for ,i do not like large bulbs4 ,i     

think that moderate-sized onions are    
better for the table4 ,those who value  
largeness should thin out the plants to 
three or four inches apart2 but even in 
the market there is less demand for     
large1 coarse onions4 ,when the tops    
begin to fall over from their own       
weight1 in ,august or ,september1 leave 
them to mature and ripen naturally4     
,when the tops begin to dry up1 pull    
them from the soil1 let them dry        
thoroughly in the sun1 and then spread  
them thinly in a dry loft till there is 
danger of their freezing4 ,even there   
they will keep better1 if covered deeply
 with straw1 hay1 etc41 than in a damp  
cellar4 ,wherever the air is damp and a 
little too warm1 onions will speedily   
start to grow again1 and soon become    
worthless4 ,after the crop has been     
taken1 the ground should be treated as  
at first--thoroughly enriched and       
pulverized late in autumn1 and left to  
lie in a rough state during the winter1 
then prepared for planting as early as  

possible4 ,i prefer ,march sowing of the
 seed to ,april1 and ,april1 by far1 to 
,may4 ,in ,england they try to plant in 
,february4 ,indeed1 as ,i have said1 ,i 
have had excellent success by sowing the
 seed early in ,september on light      
soils1 and letting the plants grow      
during all the mild days of fall1       
winter1 and early spring4 ,by this      
course we have onions fit for the table 
and market the following ,may4 ,in this 
latitude they need the protection of a  
little coarse litter from ,december #a  
to about the middle of ,march4 ,only the
 very severest frost injures them4 ,most
 of us have seen onions1 overlooked in  
the fall gathering1 growing vigorously  
as soon as the thaws began in spring4   
,this fact contains all the hint we need
 in wintering over the vegetable in the 
open ground4 ,if the seed is sown late  
in ,september1 the plants do not usually
 acquire sufficient strength in this    
latitude to resist the frost4 ,it is    
necessary1 therefore1 to secure our main

 crop by very early spring sowings1 and 
it may be said here that after the      
second thorough pulverization of the    
soil in spring1 the ground will be in   
such good condition that1 if well       
enriched and stirred late in autumn1 it 
will only need levelling down and       
smoothing off before the spring sowing4 
,onions appear to do best on a compact  
soil1 if rich1 deep1 and clean4 ,it is  
the ,,surface merely that needs to be   
stirred lightly and frequently4  ,if    
young green onions with thin1 succulent 
tops are desired very early in spring1  
it will be an interesting experiment to 
sow the seed the latter part of ,august 
or early in ,september4 ,another method 
is to leave a row of onions in the      
garden where they ripened4 ,when the    
autumn rains begin1 they will start to  
grow again4 ,the winter will not harm   
them1 and even in ,april there will be a
 strong growth of green tops4 ,the seed 
stalk should be picked off as soon as it
 appears in spring1 or else the whole   

strength will speedily go to the        
formation of seed4  ,it should be       
remembered that good onions can not be  
produced very far to the south by sowing
 the small gunpowder-like seed4 ,in our 
own and especially in warmer climates a 
great advantage is secured by employing 
what are known as onion sets4 ,these are
 produced by sowing the ordinary black  
seed very thickly on light poor land4   
,being much crowded1 and not having much
 nutriment1 the seed develop into little
 onions from the size of a pea to that  
of a walnut1 the smaller the better1 if 
they are solid and plump4 ,these1       
pressed or sunk1 about three inches     
apart1 into rich garden soil about an   
inch deep1 just as soon as the frost is 
out1 make fine bulbs by the middle of   
,june4 ,for instance1 we had in our     
garden plenty of onions three inches in 
diameter from these little sets1 while  
the seed1 sown at the same time1 will   
not yield good bulbs before ,august4    
,there is but little need of raising    

these sets1 for it is rather difficult  
to keep them in good condition over the 
winter4 ,any seedsman will furnish them1
 and they are usually on sale at country
 stores4 ,three or four quarts1 if in   
good condition1 will supply a family    
abundantly1 and leave many to be used   
dry during the autumn4 ,insist on plump 
little bulbs4 ,if you plant them early1 
as you should1 you will be more apt to  
get good sets4 ,many neglect the        
planting till the sets are half dried   
up1 or so badly sprouted as to be       
wellnigh worthless4 ,they usually come  
in the form of white and yellow sets1   
and ,i plant an equal number of each4   
,the chief insect enemies are onion     
maggots1 the larvae of the onion fly4   
,these bore through the outer leaf and  
down into the bulb1 which they soon     
destroy4 ,i know of no remedy but to    
pull up the yellow and sickly plants1   
and burn them and the pests together4   
,the free use of salt in the fall1 and a
 light top-dressing of wood-ashes at the

 time of planting1 tend to subdue these 
insects2 but the best course is         
prevention by deeply cultivating and    
thoroughly enriching in the fall1       
leaving the ground rough and uneven for 
the deep action of frost1 and by sowing 
the seed ,,very early in spring4 ,i have
 found that the insect usually attacks  
late-sown and feeble plants4 ,if the    
maggot were in my garden1 ,i should use 
the little sets only4  ,some special    
manures have been employed in attaining 
the greatest success with this          
vegetable4 ,in ,england1 pigeon-dung and
 the cleanings of the pigsty are        
extensively employed4 ,in this country  
the sweepings of the hen-roost are      
generally recommended4 ,it should be    
remembered that all these are strong    
agents1 and if brought in contact with  
the roots of any vegetable while in a   
crude1 undiluted state1 burn like fire1 
especially in our climate4 ,what can be 
done in safety in ,england will not     
answer under our vivid sun and in our   

frequent droughts4 ,these strong        
fertilizers could be doubled in value as
 well as bulk by being composted with   
sods1 leaves1 etc41 and then1 after     
having been mixed1 allowed to decay     
thoroughly4 ,then the compost can be    
used with great advantage as a          
top-dressing directly over the drills   
when either sets or seeds are planted4  
,the spring rains will carry the        
richness from the surface to the roots1 
and insure a very vigorous growth4 ,when
 the compost named in the early part of 
this paper is used1 ,i sow it thickly   
,,in the drill1 draw a pointed hoe      
through once more1 to mingle the        
fertilizer with the soil1 and then      
forthwith sow the seeds or put in the   
sets one inch deep2 and the result is   
immediate and vigorous growth4          
,wood-ashes and bone-dust are excellent 
fertilizers1 and should be sown on the  
surface on the row as soon as planted1  
and gradually worked in by weeding and  
cultivation during the growing season4  

,manure from the pigsty1 wherein weeds1 
litter1 sods1 muck1 etc41 have been     
thrown freely during the summer1 may be 
spread broadcast over the onion bed in  
the autumn1 and worked in deeply1 like  
the product of the barnyard4 ,the onion 
bed can scarcely be made too rich as    
long as the manure is not applied in its
 crude1 unfermented state at the time of
 planting4 ,then1 if the seed is put in 
very early1 it grows too strongly and   
quickly for insects to do much damage4  
,varieties4--,thompson in his ,english  
work names nineteen varieties with many 
synonyms2 ,henderson offers the seed of 
thirteen varieties2 ,gregory1 of        
seventeen kinds4 ,there is no need of   
our being confused by this latitude of  
choice4 ,we find it in the great        
majority of fruits and vegetables       
offered by nurserymen and seedsmen4     
,each of the old varieties that have    
survived the test of years has certain  
good qualities which make it valuable1  
especially in certain localities4 ,many 

of the novelties in vegetables1 as among
 fruits1 will soon disappear2 a few will
 take their place among the standard    
sorts4 ,in the case of the kitchen1 as  
well as in the fruit1 garden1 ,i shall  
give the opinion of men who have a      
celebrity as wide as the continent for  
actual experience1 and modestly add     
occasionally some views of my own which 
are the result of observation4  ,as a   
choice for the home-garden1 ,mr4        
,henderson recommends the following     
varieties of onions3 ,extra ,early ,red1
 ,yellow ,globe ,danvers1 ,white        
,portugal or ,silver ,skin1 and         
,southport ,yellow ,globe4 ,mr4 ,joseph 
,harris1 the well-known and practical   
author3 ,yellow ,danvers1 ,extra ,early 
,large ,bed1 and ,white ,globe4 ,mr4 ,j4
 ,j4 ,h4 ,gregory3 ,new ,queen1 ,early  
,yellow ,acker1 ,yellow ,danvers1 ,early
 ,red ,globe ,danvers1 ,large ,red      
,wethersfield4 ,they all recommend onion
 sets4 ,the ,queen onion is quite       
distinct4 ,for the home table1 where    

earliness1 as well as quality1 size and 
quantity is desired1 ,i think the ,queen
 deserves a place4 ,it is admirably     
fitted for pickling4 ,i have tried all  
the varieties named1 with good success1 
and grown some of the largest kinds to  
six inches in diameter4     ,,chapter   
,,ix  ,,the ,,kitchen-,,garden          
7concluded7   ,in the last chapter ,i   
dwelt somewhat at length on two         
vegetables for which thorough and       
enduring preparation is profitable4     
,there is one other very early garden   
product which requires our attention    
during the first warm days of           
spring--rhubarb2 sold in some instances 
under the name of wine-plant4 ,wine is  
made from the juicy stalks1 but it is an
 unwholesome beverage4 ,the people call 
rhubarb pie-plant2 and this term        
suggests its best and most common use1  
although when cooked as if it were a    
fruit1 it is very grateful at a season  
when we begin to crave the subacid in   
our food4  ,its cultivation is very     

simple4 ,those who propose to produce it
 largely for market will find it to     
their advantage to raise this plant from
 the seed2 but for the ,home ,acre      
enough plants can be procured1 at a     
moderate cost1 from almost any          
nurseryman4 ,in this instance1 also1    
thorough preparation of the soil is     
essential1 for the rhubarb bed1 under   
good care1 will last eight or ten years4
 ,a rich1 deep1 clean1 warm soil is the 
chief essential4 ,it belongs to that    
class of vegetables known as gross      
feeders4 ,during the first year1        
however1 ,i would apply the fertiliser  
directly to the hills or plants4 ,these 
are obtained by dividing the old roots1 
which may be cut to pieces downward so  
as to leave a single bud or eye         
surmounting a long tapering portion of  
root4 ,each division will make a new1   
vigorous plant1 which should be set out 
so that the bud or crown is three inches
 below the surface in light soils1 and  
two inches in heavy soils4 ,the plants  

should be four feet apart each way1 and 
two or three shovelfuls of rich compost 
worked into the soil where the plant is 
to stand4 ,you cannot make the ground   
too rich2 only remember that in this1 as
 in all other instances1 light1         
fermenting manures should not be brought
 into immediate contact with the roots4 
,plant in either autumn or spring4 ,in  
this latitude and southward ,i should   
prefer autumn2 northward1 perhaps spring
 is the best season4 ,keep the          
intervening ground clean and mellow1 and
 pull no stalks the first year1 unless  
it be in the autumn if the plants have  
become very strong4 ,in the fall1 when  
the foliage has died down1 cover the    
crowns with two or three shovelfuls of  
rich manure--any kind will do in this   
instance--and work in a heavy           
top-dressing all over the ground early  
in spring4 ,unless seed is required1    
always cut down the seed-stalks as soon 
as they appear4 ,the best early variety 
is the ,linnaeus4 ,the ,victoria is a   

little later1 but much larger1 and is   
the kind that ,i have usually grown4    
,radish-seed may be sown one inch deep  
as soon as the ground is dry enough in  
spring1 and if the vegetable is a       
favorite1 the sowing may be repeated    
every two weeks4 ,a common error is to  
sow the seed too thickly4 ,a warm1      
,,rich soil is all that is necessary to 
secure a crop4  ,what has been said     
about radishes applies equally to early 
turnips1 with the exception that the    
plants when three inches high should be 
thinned so as to stand four inches      
apart4 ,the ground for these vegetables 
should be very rich1 so as to secure a  
very rapid growth2 for otherwise they   
are attacked by a little white worm     
which soon renders them unfit for use4  
,mr4 ,harris recommends the following   
varieties of early radishes1 and his    
selection coincides with my own         
experience3 ,bound ,scarlet ,turnip1    
,french ,breakfast1 ,rose               
7olive-shaped71 ,long ,scarlet          

,short-top4 ,winter radishes3           
,california ,mammoth ,white1 and        
,chinese ,rose4 ,for spring sowing of   
turnips1 ,mr4 ,henderson recommends     
,red-top ,strap-leaf1 and ,early ,flat  
,dutch4 ,the earlier they are sown the  
better4  ,beets--a much more valuable   
vegetable--require similar treatment4   
,the ground should be clean1 well       
pulverized1 and very rich4 ,i prefer to 
sow the seed the first week in ,april1  
unless the soil is frozen1 or very cold 
and wet4 ,the seed may be sown1 however1
 at any time to the first of ,july2 but 
earliness is usually our chief aim4 ,i  
sow two inches deep and thickly1        
pressing the soil firmly over the seed4 
,let the rows be about fifteen inches   
apart4 ,referring to the manure which   
had been left to decay in a sheltered   
place until it became like fine dry     
powder1 let me say here that ,i have    
always found it of greater advantage to 
sow it with the beet-seed and kindred   
vegetables4 ,my method is to open the   

drill along the garden-line with a      
sharp-pointed hoe1 and scatter the      
fertilizer in the drill until the soil  
is quite blackened by it2 then draw the 
pointed hoe through once more1 to mingle
 the powdery manure with the soil and to
 make the drill of an even depth2 then  
sow the seed at once4 ,this thoroughly  
decayed stable-manure has become the    
best of plant-food2 it warms the ground1
 and carries the germinating seed and   
young plants with vigor through the     
first cold1 wet weeks4  ,in the home    
garden there are several reasons for    
sowing beet-seed thickly4 ,unfavorable  
weather and insects will be less apt to 
cause a thin1 broken stand of plants4   
,in order to produce good roots1        
however1 the plants should be thinned   
out so as to stand eventually three or  
four inches apart ,i do not advise very 
large1 coarse roots for the table4 ,for 
home use ,i think only three varieties  
are essential4 ,the ,egyptian ,turnip   
,beet is the best very early variety1   

and can be planted closely1 as it has a 
small top2 the ,bassano is next in      
earliness1 and requires more room2 the  
,early ,blood ,turnip is the best for a 
general crop and winter use4 ,the beet  
is a root which deteriorates rapidly    
from age2 ,i therefore advise that the  
seed of the winter supply be sown the   
last of ,june or first of ,july in our  
latitude4  ,parsnips should be sown at  
the same time with early beets and in   
the same way1 with the exception that   
the seed should be covered only an inch 
deep4 ,i doubt whether there are any    
marked distinctions in variety1 and     
would advise that only the ,long ,smooth
 or ,hollow-crowned be sown4  ,the      
carrot is not quite so hardy as the     
parsnip1 and the seed may be sown a week
 or two later1 or indeed at any time up 
to the middle of ,june4 ,its culture and
 treatment are precisely like those of  
the parsnip2 but the roots should be    
gathered and stored before a severe     
frost occurs4 ,for home use a short row 

of the ,early ,horn will answer2 for the
 general crop1 sow the ,long ,orange4   
,vegetable-oyster1 or salsify1 is       
another root-crop which may be treated  
precisely like the parsnip1 and the seed
 sown at the same time4 ,the seed should
 be sown in a deep1 rich1 mellow soil1  
which is all the better for being       
prepared in autumn4 ,plant1 as early in 
,april as possible1 in the same manner  
as described for beets1 thin out to four
 inches apart1 and keep the soil clean  
and mellow throughout the entire season2
 for this vegetable grows until the     
ground freezes4 ,there is only one      
variety4  ,the pea is another crop which
 may be put into the ground as soon as  
the frost is out--the earlier the       
better1 if the smooth1 hardy varieties  
are sown4 ,there are so many varieties  
that the novice to-day may well be      
excused for perplexity in choice4       
,thompson1 the ,english authority1 gives
 forty kinds1 and one hundred and       
forty-eight synonyms4 ,mr4 ,gregory     

recommends the ,american ,wonder1       
,bliss's ,abundance1 ,bliss's           
,ever-bearing1 ,mc,lean's ,advancer1    
,yorkshire ,hero1 ,stratagem1 and       
,champion of ,england4 ,mr4 ,henderson's
 list includes ,henderson's ,first of   
,all1 ,american ,wonder1 ,bliss's       
,abundance1 ,champion of ,england1 and  
,pride of the ,market4 ,mr4 ,harris in  
his catalogue marks first and best1     
,american ,wonder1 and also says1 ,for  
the main crop there is nothing better   
than the ,champion of ,england4 ,my own 
experience would lead me to plant the   
,tom ,thumb either just before the      
ground froze in the fall1 or as early in
 ,march as possible4 ,it is almost      
perfectly hardy1 and gives me the       
earliest picking4 ,i should also plant  
,henderson's ,first of ,all as soon as  
the frost was out1 on a warm1           
well-drained soil4 ,for second crops1   
,american ,wonder and ,premium ,gem2 and
 for the main and most satisfactory crop
 of all1 ,champion of ,england4 ,the    

,champion requires brush as a support1  
for it grows from four to six feet high2
 but it is well worth the trouble4 ,i   
plant the other kinds named because they
 are much earlier1 and so dwarf as to   
need no brush2 they are also productive1
 and excellent in quality if not left to
 grow too old4 ,for the dwarf kinds the 
soil cannot be too rich1 and the warmer 
the ground and exposure1 the earlier the
 crop4 ,for the tall late sorts the soil
 may easily be made too fertile2 they   
should also be planted in cooler1       
moister1 and heavier ground4 ,in the    
case of the dwarfs ,i put a fertilizer  
in with the seed as ,i have already     
explained4 ,cover the dwarfs about two  
and a half inches deep1 and the tall    
late sorts from three to four inches    
according to the nature of the soil4    
,plant the ,champion of ,england every  
ten days until the middle of ,june1 and 
thus secure a succession of the best of 
all4  ,we all know how numerous have    
been the varieties of potato introduced 

into this country of late years--many   
kinds sent out at first at the rate of  
one or more dollars per pound4 ,i amuse 
myself by trying several of these       
novelties 7after they become cheap7     
every year1 and one season raised very  
early crops of excellent potatoes from  
the ,vanguard and ,pearl of ,savoy4 ,the
 ,early ,rose and ,early ,vermont have  
long been favorites4 ,they resemble each
 other very closely4 ,i have had        
excellent success with the ,beauty of   
,hebron4 ,it is a good plan to learn    
what varieties succeed well in our own  
neighborhood1 and then to plant chiefly 
of such kinds2 we may then add to our   
zest by trying a few novelties4  ,not   
only much reading on the subject1 but   
also my own observation1 and the general
 law that like produces like1 lead me to
 indorse the practice of planting large 
tubers cut into sets containing one or  
more eyes1 or buds4 ,the eye of a potato
 is a bud from which the plant grows2   
and the stronger backing it has1 the    

stronger and more able is the plant to  
evolve new fine tubers through the      
action of its roots and foliage4 ,a     
small potato has many immature buds1    
which as a rule produce feeble plants4  
,the potato will grow on almost any     
soil2 but a dry1 rich1 sandy loam gives 
the best1 if not the largest1 yield4 ,i 
do not think the potato can be planted  
too early after the ground is fit to    
work4 ,one spring ,i was able to get in 
several rows the #aeth of ,march1 and ,i
 never had a finer yield4 ,i observe    
that ,mr4 ,harris strongly indorses this
 plan4  ,nearly every one has his system
 of planting4 ,there is no necessity for
 explaining these methods4 ,i will      
briefly give mine1 for what it is worth4
 ,i prefer warm1 well-drained soils4    
,plow deeply in autumn1 also in spring2 
harrow and pulverize the ground as      
completely as possible2 then open the   
furrows with the same heavy plow1       
sinking it to the beam1 and going twice 
in the furrow4 ,this1 of course1 would  

make too deep a trench in which to place
 the sets1 but the soil has been        
deepened and pulverized at least        
fourteen inches4 ,a man next goes along 
with a cart or barrow of well-decayed   
compost 7not very raw manure71 which is 
scattered freely in the deep furrows2   
then through these a corn-plow is run1  
to mingle the fertilizer with the soil4 
,by this course the furrows are         
partially filled with loose1 friable    
soil and manure1 and they average four  
or five inches in depth4 ,the sets are  
planted at once eight inches apart1 the 
eye turned upward1 and the cut part     
down4 ,the sets are then covered with   
three or four inches of fine soil1 not  
with sods and stones4 ,when the plants  
are two or three inches high1 they      
receive their first hoeing1 which merely
 levels the ground evenly4 ,the next    
cultivation is performed by both        
corn-plow and hoe4 ,in the final working
 ,i do not permit a sharp-slanting slope
 from the plants downward1 so that the  

rain is kept from reaching the roots4   
,there is a broad hilling up1 so as to  
have a slope inward toward the plants1  
as well as away from them4 ,this method1
 with the deep1 loosened soil beneath   
the plants1 secures against drought1    
while the decayed fertilizers give a    
strong and immediate growth4  ,of course
 we have to fight the potato1 or        
,colorado1 beetle during the growing    
season4 ,this we do with ,paris green   
applied in liquid form1 a heaping       
teaspoonful to a pail of water4  ,in    
taking up and storing potatoes a very   
common error is fallen into4 ,sometimes 
even growing tubers are so exposed to   
sun and light that they become green4   
,in this condition they are not only    
worthless1 but poisonous4 ,if long      
exposed to light after being dug1 the   
solanine principle1 which exists chiefly
 in the stems and leaves1 is developed  
in the tubers4 ,the more they are in the
 light1 the less value they possess1    
until they become worse than worthless4 

,they should be dug1 if possible1 on a  
dry day1 picked up promptly and carried 
to a dry1 cool1 ,,dark cellar4 ,if      
stored on floors of outbuldings1 the    
light should be excluded4 ,potatoes that
 are long exposed to light before the   
shops of dealers are injured4 ,barrels1 
etc41 containing them should be covered2
 if spread on the barn-floor1 or in     
places which can not be darkened1 throw 
straw or some other litter over them4   
,there is no occasion to say much about 
lettuce4 ,it is a vegetable which any   
one can raise who will sow the seed a   
quarter of an inch deep4 ,i have sowed  
the seed in ,september1 wintered the    
plants over in cold-frames1 and by      
giving a little heat1 ,i had an         
abundance of heads to sell in ,february 
and ,march4 ,for ordinary home uses it  
is necessary only to sow the seed on a  
warm1 rich spot as soon as the frost is 
out1 and you will quickly have plenty of
 tender foliage4 ,this we may begin to  
thin out as soon as the plants are three

 or four inches high1 until a foot of   
space is left between the plants1 which1
 if of a cabbage variety1 will speedily 
make a large1 crisp head4 ,to maintain a
 supply1 sowings can be made every two  
weeks till the middle of ,august4 ,hardy
 plants1 which may be set out like      
cabbages1 are to be obtained in ,march  
and ,april from nurserymen4 ,henderson  
recommends the following varieties3     
,henderson's ,new ,york1 ,black-seeded  
,simpson1 ,salamander1 and ,all the     
,year ,round4 ,i would also add the     
,black-seeded ,butter ,lettuce4  ,we    
have now1 as far as our space permits1  
treated of those vegetables which should
 be planted in the home garden as early 
in spring as possible4 ,it is true the  
reader will think of other sorts1 as    
cabbage1 cauliflower1 spinach1 etc4 ,to 
the professional gardener these are     
all-the-year-round vegetables4 ,if the  
amateur becomes so interested in his    
garden as to have cold-frames and       
hot-beds1 he will learn from more       

extended works how to manage these4 ,he 
will winter over the cabbage and kindred
 vegetables for his earliest supply1    
having first sown the seed in           
,september4 ,i do not take the trouble  
to do this1 and others need not1 unless 
it is a source of enjoyment to them4 ,as
 soon as the ground is fit to work in   
spring1 ,i merely write to some         
trust-worthy dealer in plants and obtain
 twenty-five very early cabbage1 and    
twenty-five second early1 also a hundred
 early cauliflower4 ,they cost little1  
and are set out in half an hour as soon 
as the ground is fit to work in spring4 
,i usually purchase my tomato1 late     
cabbage1 and cauliflower1 celery and    
egg-plants1 from the same sources4      
,cabbages and cauliflowers should be set
 out in ,,rich warm soils1 free from    
shade1 as soon as the frost is out4     
,after that they need only frequent and 
clean culture and vigilant watchfulness1
 or else many will fall victims to a    
dirty brown worm which usually cuts the 

stem1 and leaves the plant lying on the 
ground4 ,the worm can easily be found   
near the surface the moment it begins   
its ravages1 and the only remedy ,i know
 is to catch and kill it at once4 ,in   
this latitude winter cabbage is set out 
about the fourth of ,july4 ,i pinch off 
half the leaves before setting4 ,good   
seed1 deep plowing or spading1 rich     
soil1 and clean culture are usually the 
only requisites for success4 ,experience
 and consultation of the books and      
catalogues enable me to recommend the   
,jersey ,wakefield for first early1 and 
,henderson's ,summer ,cabbage and       
,winningstadt as second early4 ,as a    
late root ,i ask for nothing better than
 ,premium ,flat ,dutch4 ,the ,savoy is  
the best flavored of the cabbage tribe4 
,henderson recommends the ,netted       
,savoy1 which may be treated like other 
late cabbage4  ,the cauliflower is      
ranked among the chief delicacies of the
 garden1 and requires and repays far    
more attention than cabbage4 ,even the  

early sorts should have a richer1       
moister soil than is required for very  
early cabbage4 ,i advise two plantings  
in spring1 of first and second early2 ,i
 also advise that late varieties be set 
out on ,,rich ground the last of ,june4 
,as with cabbage1 set out the plants    
from two and a half to three feet apart1
 according to the size of the variety1  
from trial ,i recommend ,early          
,snowball1 ,half-early ,paris1 and      
,large ,late ,algiers4  ,spinach thrives
 in a very rich1 well-drained1 fine1    
mellow soil4 ,i prefer a sunny slope2   
but this is not necessary4 ,sow the seed
 from the first to the fifteenth of     
,september1 so as to give the plants    
time to become half grown by winter4    
,cover the seeds--three to an inch--two 
inches deep1 and pack the ground well   
over them2 let the rows be three inches 
apart4 ,when the plants are three inches
 high1 thin out to three inches apart1  
and keep the soil clean and mellow about
 them4 ,just before hard freezing       

weather1 scatter about three inches of  
straw1 old pea-vines1 or some light     
litter over the whole bed4 ,as soon as  
the days begin to grow warm in spring1  
and hard frost ceases1 rake this off4   
,the hardy vegetable begins to grow at  
once1 and should be cut for use so as to
 leave the plants finally six inches    
apart1 for as fast as space is given1   
the plants fill it up4 ,by those who are
 fond of spinach it may be sown in      
spring as soon as the frost is out4 ,it 
quickly runs to seed in hot weather1 and
 thinnings of young beets may take its  
place where space is limited4 ,the      
,round or ,summer is good for fall or   
spring planting4  ,those who need much  
instruction in regard to bush-beans     
should remain in the city and raise cats
 in their paved back yards4 ,we shall   
only warn against planting too          
early--not before the last of ,april in 
our region4 ,it does not take much frost
 to destroy the plants1 and if the soil 
is cold and wet1 the beans decay instead

 of coming up4 ,if one has a warm1      
sheltered slope1 he may begin planting  
the middle of ,april4 ,as a rule1       
however1 bush-beans may be planted from 
the first of ,may till the middle of    
,july1 in order to keep up a succession4
 ,cover the first seed planted one inch 
deep2 later plantings two inches deep4  
,i think that earliest ,red ,valentine1 
,black ,wax or ,butter1 ,golden ,wax1   
and the late ,refugee are all the       
varieties needed for the garden4  ,the  
delicious pale ,lima bean requires and  
deserves more attention4 ,i have always 
succeeded with it1 and this has been my 
method3 ,i take a warm1 rich1 but not   
dry piece of ground1 work it deeply     
early in spring1 again the first of     
,may1 so that the sun's rays may        
penetrate and sweeten the ground4 ,about
 the tenth of ,may ,i set the poles     
firmly in the ground4 ,rough            
cedar-poles1 with the stubs of the      
branches extending a little1 are the    
best4 ,if smooth poles are used1 ,i take

 a hatchet1 and beginning at the butt1  
,i make shallow1 slanting cuts downward1
 so as to raise the bark a little4      
,these slight raisings of the bark or   
wood serve as supports to the clambering
 vines4 ,after the poles are in the     
ground ,i make a broad1 flat hill of    
loose soil and a little of the black    
powdery fertilizer4 ,i then allow the   
sun to warm and dry the hill a few days1
 and if the weather is fine and warm1 ,i
 plant the seed about the fifteenth1    
merely pressing the eye of the bean     
downward one inch4 ,if planted lower    
than this depth1 they usually decay4 ,if
 it is warm and early1 the seed may be  
planted by the fifth of ,may4 ,after    
planting1 examine the seed often4 ,if   
the beans are decaying instead of coming
 up1 plant over again1 and repeat this  
process until there are three or four   
strong plants within three or four      
inches of each pole4 ,let the hills be  
five feet apart each way1 hoe often1 and
 do not tolerate a weed4 ,the ,long     

,white ,lima and ,dreer's ,improved     
,lima are the only sorts needed4  ,the  
,indians in their succotash taught us   
long ago to associate corn with beans1  
and they hit upon a dish not surpassed  
by modern invention4 ,this delicious    
vegetable is as easily raised as its    
hail-fellow well met1 the bean4 ,we have
 only to plant it at the same time in   
hills from three to four feet apart1 and
 cover the seed two inches deep4 ,i have
 used the powdery fertilizers and       
wood-ashes in the hill to great         
advantage1 first mingling these         
ingredients well with the soil4 ,we make
 it a point to have sweet-corn for the  
table from ,july #a until the stalks are
 killed by frost in ,october4 ,this is  
easily managed by planting different    
varieties1 and continuing to plant till 
well into ,june4 ,mr4 ,gregory writes3  
,for a succession of corn for family    
use1 to be planted at the same time1 ,i 
would recommend ,marblehead ,early1     
,pratt's1 ,crosley's1 ,moore's1         

,stowell's ,evergreen1 and ,egyptian    
,sweet4 ,mr4 ,harris names with praise  
the ,minnesota as the best earliest1 and
 ,hickox ,improved as an exceedingly    
large and late variety4 ,mr4            
,henderson's list is ,henderson ,sugar1 
,hickox ,improved1 ,egyptian1 and       
,stowell's ,evergreen4 ,let me add      
,burr's ,mammoth and ,squantum ,sugar--a
 variety in great favor with the        
,squantum ,club1 and used by them in    
their famous clam-bakes4  ,the cucumber1
 if grown in the home garden and used   
fresh1 is not in league with the        
undertaker4 ,the seed may be planted    
early in ,may1 and there are many ways  
of forcing and hastening the yield4 ,i  
have had cucumbers very early in an     
ordinary hotbed4 ,outdoors1 ,i make     
hills in warm soil the first of ,may1   
mixing a little of my favorite          
fertilizer with the soil4 ,after leaving
 the hill for a day or two to become    
warm in the sun1 ,i sow the seed in a   
straight line for fifteen inches1 so    

that the hoe can approach them closely4 
,the seed is covered an inch deep1 and  
the soil patted down firmly4 ,it is     
possible that a cold storm or that      
insects may make partial planting over  
necessary2 if so1 this is done promptly4
 ,i put twenty seeds in the hill1 to    
insure against loss4 ,for a succession  
or long-continued crop1 plant a few     
hills in rich moist land about the last 
of ,may4 ,the young plants always run a 
gauntlet of insects1 and a little       
striped bug is usually their most deadly
 enemy4 ,these bugs often appear to come
 suddenly in swarms1 and devour         
everything before you are aware of their
 presence4 ,with great vigilance they   
may be kept off by hand1 for their stay 
is brief4 ,i would advise one trial of a
 solution of white hellebore1 a         
tablespoonful to a pail of water4 ,paris
 green--in solution1 of course--kills   
them2 but unless it is very weak1 it    
will kill or stunt the plants also4 ,my 
musk and watermelons were watered by too

 strong a solution of ,paris green this 
year1 and they never recovered from it4 
,perhaps the best preventive is to plant
 so much seed1 and to plant over so     
often1 that although the insects do     
their worst1 plenty of good plants      
survive4 ,this has usually been my      
method4 ,when the striped bug           
disappears1 and the plants are four or  
five inches high1 ,i thin out to four   
plants in the hill4 ,when they come into
 bearing1 pick off all the fruit fit for
 use1 whether you want it or not4 ,if   
many are allowed to become yellow and go
 to seed1 the growth and productiveness 
of the vines are checked4 ,the ,early   
,white ,spine and ,extra ,long ,white   
,spine are all the varieties needed for 
the table4 ,for pickling purposes plant 
the ,green ,prolific on moist rich land4
 ,the other varieties answer quite as   
well1 if picked before they are too     
large4  ,the cultivation of the squash  
is substantially the same as that of the
 cucumber1 and it has nearly the same   

enemies to contend with4 ,let the hills 
of the bush sorts be four feet apart    
each way1 and eight feet for the running
 varieties4 ,the seed is cheap1 so use  
plenty1 and plant over from the first to
 the twenty-fifth of ,may1 until you    
have three good strong plants to the    
hill4 ,three are plenty1 so thin out the
 plants1 when six or seven inches high1 
to this number1 and keep the ground     
clean and mellow4 ,i usually raise my   
running squashes among the corn1 giving 
up one hill to them completely every    
seven or eight feet each way4 ,early    
bush sorts3 ,white ,bush ,scalloped1    
,yellow ,bush ,scalloped4 ,the ,perfect 
,gem is good for both summer and winter1
 and should be planted on rich soil1 six
 feet apart each way4 ,the ,boston      
,marrow is one of the best fall sorts2  
the ,hubbard and ,marblehead are the    
best winter varieties4  ,when we come to
 plant musk-melons we must keep them    
well away from the two above-named      
vegetables1 or else their pollen will   

mix1 producing very disagreeable        
hybrids4 ,a squash is very good in its  
way1 and a melon is much better2 but if 
you grow them so near each other that   
they become 'alf and 'alf1 you may      
perhaps find pigs that will eat them4   
,the more completely the melon-patch is 
by itself1 the better1 and the nearer   
the house the better2 for while it is   
liable to all the insects and diseases  
which attack the cucumber1 it           
encounters1 when the fruit is mature1 a 
more fatal enemy in the predatory small 
boy4 ,choose rich1 warm1 but not dry    
ground for musk-melons1 make the hills  
six feet apart each way1 and treat them 
like cucumbers1 employing an abundance  
of seed4 ,as soon as the plants are     
ready to run1 thin out so as to leave   
only four to fruit4 ,henderson          
recommends ,montreal ,market1           
,hackensack1 and ,netted ,gem4 ,gregory3
 ,netted ,gem1 ,boston ,pet1 ,bay ,view1
 ,sill's ,hybrid1 ,casaba1 and ,ward's  
,nectar4 ,he also advocates a remarkable

 novelty known as the ,banana4 ,harris3 
,early ,christiana and ,montreal        
,market4  ,water-melons should be       
planted eight feet apart2 but if one has
 not a warm1 sandy soil1 ,i do not      
advise their culture4 ,the time of      
planting and management do not vary     
materially from those of the musk       
variety4 ,the following kinds will      
scarcely fail to give satisfaction where
 they can be grown3 ,phinney's ,early1  
,black ,spanish1 ,mammoth ,ironclad1    
,mountain ,sprout1 ,scaly ,bark1 and    
,cuban ,queen4  ,the tomato has a       
curious history4 ,native of ,south      
,america like the potato1 it is said to 
have been introduced into ,england as   
early as #aeif4 ,many years elapsed     
before it was used as food1 and the     
botanical name given to it was          
significant of the estimation in which  
it was held by our forefathers4 ,it was 
called ,lycopersicum--a compound term   
meaning wolf and peach2 indicating that1
 notwithstanding its beauty1 it was     

regarded as a sort of ,dead ,sea fruit4 
,the ,italians first dared to use it    
freely2 the ,french followed2 and after 
eying it askance as a novelty for       
unknown years1 ,john ,bull ventured to  
taste1 and having survived1 began to eat
 with increasing gusto4 ,to our         
grandmothers in this land the ruby fruit
 was given as love-apples1 which1       
adorning quaint old bureaus1 were       
devoured by dreamy eyes long before     
canning factories were within the ken of
 even a ,yankee's vision4 ,now1 tomatoes
 vie with the potato as a general       
article of food1 and one can scarcely   
visit a quarter of the globe so remote  
but he will find that the tomato-can has
 been there before him4 ,culture of the 
tomato is so easy that one year ,i had  
bushels of the finest fruit from plants 
that grew here and there by chance4     
,skill is required only in producing an 
early crop2 and to secure this end the  
earlier the plants are started in       
spring1 the better4 ,those who have     

glass will experience no difficulty     
whatever4 ,the seed may be sown in a    
greenhouse as early as ,january1 and the
 plants potted when three inches high1  
transferred to larger pots from time to 
time as they grow1 and by the middle of 
,may put into the open ground full of   
blossoms and immature fruit4 ,indeed1   
plants started early in the fall will   
give in a greenhouse a good supply all  
winter4 ,tomatoes also grow readily in  
hot-beds1 cold-frames1 or sunny windows4
 ,we can usually buy well-forwarded     
plants from those who raise them for    
sale4 ,if these are set out early in    
,may on a sunny slope1 they mature      
rapidly1 and give an early yield4 ,the  
tomato is very sensitive to frost1 and  
should not be in the open ground before 
danger from it is over4 ,throughout ,may
 we may find plants for sale everywhere4
 ,if we desire to try distinct kinds    
with the least trouble1 we can sow the  
seed about ,may #a1 and in our climate  
enjoy an abundant yield in ,september1  

or before4 ,in the cool1 humid climate  
of ,england the tomato is usually grown 
en espalier1 like the peach1 along sunny
 walls and fences1 receiving as careful 
a summer pruning as the grape-vine4     
,with us it is usually left to sprawl   
over the ground at will4 ,by training   
the vines over various kinds of         
supports1 however1 they may be made as  
ornamental as they are useful4 ,the     
ground on which they grow should be only
 moderately fertile1 or else there is   
too great a growth of vine at the       
expense of fruit4 ,this is especially   
true if we desire an early yield1 and in
 this case the warmest1 driest soil is  
necessary4  ,but comparatively a few    
years ago the tomato consisted of little
 more than a rind1 with seeds in the    
hollow centre4 ,now1 the only varieties 
worth raising cut as solid as a mellow  
pear4 ,the following is ,gregory's list 
of varieties3 ,livingston's ,beauty1    
,alpha1 ,acme1 ,canada ,victor1         
,arlington1 ,general ,grant4 ,i will add

 ,trophy and ,mikado4 ,if a yellow      
variety is desired1 try ,golden ,trophy4
  ,if the tomato needs warm weather in  
which to thrive1 the egg-plant requires 
that both days and nights should be hot4
 ,it is an ,east ,indiaman1 and demands 
curry in the way of temperature before  
it loses its feeble yellow aspect and   
takes on the dark green of vigorous     
health4 ,my method is simply this3 ,i   
purchase strong potted plants between   
the twentieth of ,may and the first of  
,june1 and set them out in a rich1 warm 
soil4 ,a dozen well-grown plants will   
supply a large family with egg-fruit4   
,of course one can start the young      
plants themselves1 as in the case of    
tomatoes2 but it should be remembered   
that they are much more tender and      
difficult to raise than is the tomato4  
,plants from seed sown in the open      
ground would not mature in our latitude1
 as a rule4 ,the best plan is to have   
the number you need grown for you by    
those who make it their business4       

,eggplants are choice morsels for the   
potato-beetle1 and they must be watched 
vigilantly if we would save them4 ,there
 is no better variety than the ,new     
,york ,improved4  ,the pepper is another
 hot-blooded vegetable that shivers at  
the suggestion of frost4 ,it is fitting 
that it should be a native of ,india4   
,its treatment is usually the same as   
that of the egg-plant4 ,it matures more 
rapidly1 however1 and the seed can be   
sown about the middle of ,may1 half an  
inch deep1 in rows fifteen inches apart4
 ,the soil should be rich and warm4     
,when the plants are well up1 they      
should be thinned so that they will     
stand a foot apart in the row4 ,the     
usual course1 however1 is to set out    
plants which have been started under    
glass1 after all danger from frost is   
over4 ,henderson recommends ,new ,sweet 
,spanish and ,golden ,dawn1 ,the ,large 
,bell is a popular sort1 and ,cherry    
,red very ornamental4  ,from the okra is
 made the famous gumbo soup1 which ever 

calls to vision a colored aunty         
presiding over the mysteries of a       
,southern dinner4 ,if ,aunt ,dinah1 so  
well known to us from the pages of      
,uncle ,tom's ,cabin1 could have left   
her receipt for this compound1 her fame 
might have lasted as long as that of    
,mrs4 ,stowe4 ,the vegetable furnishing 
this glutinous1 nutritious1 and         
wholesome ingredient is as easily raised
 as any product of the garden4 ,we have 
only to sow the seed1 from the first to 
the tenth of ,may1 two inches deep1 and 
let the plants stand from two to three  
feet apart each way1 in order to have an
 abundant supply4 ,the new ,dwarf       
,prolific is about the best variety4    
,fall turnips are so easily grown that  
they require but few words4 ,they are   
valuable vegetables for utilizing space 
in the garden after early crops1 as     
peas1 beans1 potatoes1 etc41 are        
removed4 ,the seed of ruta-baga1 or     
,swedish turnips1 should be planted     
earliest--from the twentieth of ,june to

 the tenth of ,july in our latitude4    
,this turnip should be sown in drills   
two feet apart1 and the plants thinned  
to eight inches from one another4 ,it is
 very hardy1 and the roots are          
close-grained1 solid1 and equally good  
for the table and the family cow4 ,the  
,yellow ,aberdeen is another excellent  
variety1 which may be sown ,,early in   
,july1 and treated much the same as the 
foregoing4 ,the ,yellow ,stone can be   
sown on good ground until the fifteenth 
of ,july in any good garden soil1 and   
the plants thinned to six inches apart4 
,it is perhaps the most satisfactory of 
all the turnip tribe both for table use 
and stock4 ,the ,bed-top ,strap-leaf may
 be sown anywhere until the tenth of    
,august4 ,it is a general custom1 in the
 middle of ,july1 to scatter some seed  
of this hardy variety among the corn3   
hoe it in lightly1 and there is usually 
a good crop4 ,every vacant spot may be  
utilized by incurring only the slight   
cost of the seed and the sowing4 ,it may

 be well1 perhaps1 to remember the      
advice of the old farmer to his son4 ,he
 said1 ,stub your toe and spill half the
 seed before sowing it2 for scattered   
broadcast it is usually much too thick4 
,if this proves true1 thin out the      
plants rigorously4 ,this turnip is good 
for table and stock as long as it is    
solid and crisp2 but it grows pithy     
toward spring4 ,there are other kinds   
well worth a trial4  ,perhaps no        
vegetable is more generally appreciated 
than celery4 ,like asparagus1 it was    
once1 and is still by some1 regarded as 
a luxury requiring too much skill and   
labor for the ordinary gardener4 ,this  
is a mistake4 ,few vegetables in my     
garden repay so amply the cost of       
production4 ,one can raise turnips as a 
fall crop much easier1 it is true2 but  
turnips are not celery1 any more than   
brass is gold4 ,think of enjoying this  
delicious vegetable daily from ,october 
till ,april6 ,when cooked1 and served on
 toast with drawn butter sauce1 it is   

quite ambrosial4 ,in every garden       
evolved beyond the cabbage and potato   
phase a goodly space of the best soil   
should be reserved for celery1 since it 
can be set out from the first to the    
twentieth of ,july in our latitude2 it  
can be grown as the most valuable of the
 second crops1 reoccupying space made   
vacant by early crops4 ,i find it much  
easier to buy my plants1 when ready for 
them1 than to raise them4 ,in every town
 there are those who grow them in very  
large quantities1 and1 if properly      
packed1 quickly transported1 and        
promptly set out in the evening         
following their reception1 and watered  
abundantly1 they rarely fail4  ,there   
are decided advantages1 however1 in     
raising our own plants1 especially if   
midsummer should prove dry and hot1 or  
the plants must be long in transit4     
,when they are growing in our own       
garden1 they can be moved with very     
slight check to their growth4 ,in       
starting the seed there is no necessity 

for hot-bed or cold-frame4 ,it may be   
put in the ground the first week of     
,april1 and the best plants are thus    
secured4 ,much is gained by preparing a 
warm but not dry plot of ground in      
autumn1 making it very rich with short1 
half-decayed stable-manure4 ,this       
preparation should be begun as soon as  
possible after the soaking ,september   
rains4 ,having thoroughly incorporated  
and mixed evenly in the soil an         
abundance of the manure described1 leave
 the ground untouched for three weeks4  
,the warm fertilizer will cause great   
numbers of weed-seeds to germinate4     
,when these thrifty pests are a few     
inches high1 dig them under and bring up
 the bottom soil4 ,the warmth and light 
will immediately start a new and        
vigorous growth of weeds1 which in turn 
should be dug under4 ,if the celery seed
 bed be made early enough1 this process 
can be repeated several times before    
winter--the oftener the better2 for by  
it the great majority of weed-seeds will

 be made to germinate1 and thus are     
destroyed4 ,the ground also becomes     
exceedingly rich1 mellow1 and fine--an  
essential condition for celery seed1    
which is very small1 and germinates     
slowly4 ,this thorough preparation does 
not involve much labor1 for the seed-bed
 is small1 and nothing more is required 
in spring but to rake the ground smooth 
and fine as soon as the frost is out4   
,the soil has already been made mellow1 
and certainly nothing is gained by      
turning up the cold earth in the bottom 
of the bed4 ,sow the seed at once on the
 sunwarmed surface4 ,the rows should be 
nine inches apart1 and about twelve     
seeds sown to every inch of row4 ,the   
drills should be scarcely an eighth of  
an inch deep4 ,indeed1 a firm patting   
with the back of a spade would give     
covering enough4 ,since celery          
germinates so slowly1 it is well to drop
 a lettuce-seed every few inches1 to    
indicate clearly just where the rows    
are4 ,then the ground between the rows  

can be hoed lightly as soon as the weeds
 start1 also after heavy rains1 so as to
 admit the vivifying sun-rays and air4  
,of course when the celery plants are   
clearly outlined1 the lettuce should be 
pulled out4  ,if the bed is made in     
spring1 perform the work as early as    
possible1 making the bed very rich1     
mellow1 and fine4 ,coarse manures1 cold1
 poor1 lumpy soil1 leave scarcely a     
ghost of a chance for success4 ,the     
plants should be thinned to two inches  
from one another1 and when five inches  
high1 shear them back to three inches4  
,when they have made another good       
growth1 shear them back again4 ,the     
plants are thus made stocky4 ,in our    
latitude ,i try to set out celery1      
whether raised or bought1 between the   
twenty-fifth of ,june and the fifteenth 
of ,july4 ,this latitude enables us to  
avoid a spell of hot1 dry weather4      
,there are two distinct classes of      
celery--the tall-growing sorts1 and the 
dwarf varieties4 ,a few years ago the   

former class was grown generally2       
trenches were dug1 and their bottoms    
well enriched to receive the plants4    
,now the dwarf kinds are proving their  
superiority1 by yielding a larger amount
 of crisp1 tender heart than is found   
between long coarse stalks of the tall  
sorts4 ,dwarf celery requires less labor
 also1 for it can be set on the surface 
and much closer together1 the rows three
 feet apart1 and the plants six inches  
in the row4 ,dig all the ground         
thoroughly1 then1 beginning on one side 
of the plot1 stretch a line along it1   
and fork under a foot-wide strip of     
three or four inches of compost1 not raw
 manure4 ,by this course the soil where 
the row is to be is made very rich and  
mellow4 ,set out the plants at once     
while the ground is fresh and moist4 ,if
 the row is ten feet long1 you will want
 twenty plants2 if fifteen1 thirty      
plants2 or two plants to every foot of  
row4 ,having set out one row1 move the  
line forward three feet1 and prepare and

 set out another row in precisely the   
same manner4 ,continue this process     
until the plot selected is occupied4 ,if
 the plants have been grown in your own 
garden1 much is gained by ,,soaking the 
ground round them in the evening1 and   
removing them to the rows in the cool of
 the morning4 ,this abundant moisture   
will cause the soil to cling to the     
roots if handled gently1 and the plants 
will scarcely know that they have been  
moved4 ,when setting ,i usually trim off
 the greater part of the foliage4 ,when 
all the leaves are left1 the roots1 not 
established1 cannot keep pace with the  
evaporation4 ,always keep the roots     
moist and unshrivelled1 and the heart   
intact1 and the plants are safe4 ,if no 
rain follows setting immediately1 water 
the plants thoroughly--don't be         
satisfied with a mere sprinkling of the 
surface--and shade from the hot sun     
until the plants start to grow4 ,one of 
the chief requisites in putting out a   
celery plant1 and indeed almost any     

plant1 is to press the soil ,,firmly    
,,round1 ,,against1 ,,and ,,over ,,the  
,,roots4 ,this excludes the air1 and the
 new rootlets form rapidly4 ,neither    
bury the heart nor leave any part of the
 root exposed4  ,do not be discouraged  
at the rather slow growth during the hot
 days of ,july and early ,august4 ,you  
have only to keep the ground clean and  
mellow by frequent hoeings until the    
nights grow cooler and longer1 and rains
 thoroughly moisten the soil4 ,about the
 middle of ,august the plants should be 
thrifty and spreading1 and now require  
the first operation1 which will make    
them crisp and white or golden for the  
table4 ,gather up the stalks and foliage
 of each plant closely in the left hand1
 and with the right draw up the earth   
round it4 ,let no soil tumble in on the 
heart to soil or cause decay4 ,press the
 soil firmly1 so as to keep all the     
leaves in an upright position4 ,then    
with a hoe draw up more soil1 until the 
banking process is begun4 ,during       

,september and ,october the plants will 
grow rapidly1 and in order to blanch    
them they must be earthed up from time  
to time1 always keeping the stalks close
 and compact1 with no soil falling in on
 the developing part4 ,by the end of    
,october the growth is practically made1
 and only the deep green leaves rest on 
the high embankments4 ,the celery now   
should be fit for use1 and time for     
winter storing is near4 ,in our region  
it is not safe to leave celery          
unprotected after the tenth of          
,november1 for although it is a very    
hardy plant1 it will not endure a frost 
which produces a strong crust of frozen 
soil4 ,i once lost a fine crop early in 
,november4 ,the frost in one night      
penetrated the soil deeply1 and when it 
thawed out1 the celery never revived4   
,,never ,,handle ,,celery ,,when ,,it   
,,is ,,frozen4 ,my method of preserving 
this vegetable for winter use is simply 
this4 ,during some mild1 clear day in   
early ,november ,i have a trench ten    

inches wide dug nearly as deep as the   
celery is tall4 ,this trench is dug on a
 warm dry slope1 so that by no          
possibility can water gather in it4     
,then the plants are taken up carefully 
and stored in the trench1 the roots on  
the bottom1 the plants upright as they  
grew1 and pressed closely together so as
 to occupy all the space in the         
excavation4 ,the foliage rises a little 
above the surface1 which is earthed up  
about four inches1 so that water will be
 shed on either side4 ,still enough of  
the leaves are left in the light to     
permit all the breathing necessary2 for 
plants breathe as truly as we do4 ,as   
long as the weather keeps mild1 this is 
all that is needed2 but there is no     
certainty now4 ,a hard black frost may  
come any night4 ,i advise that an       
abundance of leaves or straw be gathered
 near4 ,when a bleak ,november day      
promises a black frost at night1 scatter
 the leaves1 etc41 thickly over the     
trenched celery1 and do not take them   

off until the mercury rises above       
freezing-point4 ,if a warm spell sets   
in1 expose the foliage to the air again4
 ,but watch your treasure vigilantly4   
,winter is near1 and soon you must have 
enough covering over your trench to keep
 out the frost--a foot or more of       
leaves1 straw1 or some clean litter4    
,there is nothing better than leaves1   
which cost only the gathering4 ,from now
 till ,april1 when you want a head or   
more of celery1 open the trench at the  
lower end1 and take out the crisp white 
or golden heads1 and thank the kindly   
,providence that planted a garden as the
 best place in which to put man1 and    
woman also4  ,,garnishing ,,and ,,pot   
,,herbs  ,there's fennel for you2       
there's rue for you4 ,strange and       
involuntary is the law of association6  
,i can never see the garnishing and     
seasoning herbs of the garden without   
thinking of the mad words of distraught 
,ophelia4 ,i fancy1 however1 that we are
 all practical enough to remember the   

savory soups and dishes rendered far    
more appetizing than they could         
otherwise have been by these aromatic   
and pungent flavors4 ,i will mention    
only a few of the popular sorts4  ,the  
seeds of fennel may be sown in ,april   
about three-quarters of an inch deep1   
and the plants thinned to fifteen inches
 apart4 ,cut off the seed-stalks to     
increase the growth of foliage4         
,parsley1 like celery seed1 germinates  
slowly1 and is sometimes about a month  
in making its appearance4 ,the soil     
should therefore be made very rich and  
fine1 and the seed sown half an inch    
deep1 as early in spring as possible4   
,when the plants are three inches high1 
thin them to eight inches apart4        
,sweet-basil may be sown in early ,may1 
and the plants thinned to one foot      
apart4 ,the seeds of sweet-marjoram are 
very minute1 and must be covered very   
thinly with soil finely pulverized2 sow 
in ,april or ,may1 when the ground is in
 the best condition4 ,sage is easily    

raised from seeds gown an inch deep the 
latter part of ,april2 let the soil be  
warm and rich2 let the plants stand     
about one foot apart in the row4 ,thyme 
and summer-savory require about the same
 treatment as sage4 ,i find that some of
 the mountain mints growing wild are    
quite as aromatic and appetizing as many
 of these garden herbs4  ,,the ,,end