CULTIVATING ORCHARDS.

There are still a considerable number of the owners

LETTER FROM CENTRAL INDIANA.

INDIANAPOLIS, IND., AUG. 15, 1864. MESSRS. L. TUCKER & SON-My farm record shows of orchards who think that plowing them up and the state of the weather (as to rain) since May 1st, as tearing the roots will kill them. There are, no doubt, follows: May 2d, heavy fall of snow and rain; 10th, instances where plowing an old orchard that has long wet and rainy; 14th, raining at sunset; 15th, 16th, stood to grass, has resulted in temporary or perma- 17th, 18th, variable and showery, considerable rain nent injury. We have never, however, met with such falling; 24th, rainy; 26th, heavy shower in P. M.; cases, and admit the accuracy of the statement only June 9th, rainy; 26th, fine shower in P. M.; July 9th, on testimony. On the contrary, we have witnessed a light shower this P. M., and 10th, light shower A. M., large number of cases where plowing and cultivating wetting in plowed fields about two inches; 31st, slight have produced the best results. We now speak of sprinkle-not enough to drip from roofs; Aug. 1st, apple orchards; for no one attempts to assert that the about as much rain as yesterday; 4th, slight sprinkle; peach will succeed for a series of years when growing 12th, fine shower, wetting about 24 inches in plowed on neglected ground or in grass. We have just ex-fields; 13th, very slight shower. amined a number of apple trees treated in three dif ferent ways, namely—the first growing in a thick sod; the second growing in a sod on one side, but the roots extending into cultivated ground on the other; the third standing on land the whole surface of which is kept mellow by the plow. The first named trees, namely those in grass ground, are about sixteen years old; the others in the plowed and half-plowed ground are twenty-four years old, and, of course, the apples

and

would be expected to be smaller on these older trees. But, during the present summer of severe drouth, the effect on early apples, especially the Early Harvest, has been eminently the reverse. The apples growing

in the grass lot were exceedingly affected by drouth; most of them fell from the tree before fully ripe, and before they had attained one-quarter of the usual size. The others hung better and grew much larger, although still much below the usual size in ordinary seasons. We have just weighed a number of the specimens for the purpose of reporting accurately the difference in effect between cultivated and grassground. Specimens from the cultivated tree (which was eight years older than the others,) were found to weigh on an average from two and a half to three and a half ounces; while those from the grass lot averaged only an ounce and a quarter to an ounce and a half. Those from the half-cultivated ground were intermediate between the two, or from two to three

ounces.

You will perceive that since May 26th we had but one fine shower (June 26th,) up to July 10th. We have had no rain since May 26th sufficient to wet more than three inches in plowed fields, and I may say that the average rain fall of three counties within my observation has been less than my record shows—many of the showers being very limited in extent. During a large part of the time since May 26th there was no dew fall, a dry northeast wind prevailing. As to effect of this weather on the crops: Wheat upon sandy mellow soils produced finely-the average yield in many neighborhoods being over 20 bushels per acre. On clay soils yield much lighter, but on the whole may be called average.

Corn has suffered, and all late corn (late planted, I mean,) will not yield more than quarter a crop. A large portion-over one-half-of the corn can be called late, as there were very few fields in my observation which did not suffer from poor seed, cut-worms, and moles-the latter working more vigorously than ever known before. On bottom lands, particularly overflowed lands, (under water on April 25th here,) where it was early planted, the yield will be good, but by no means as good as usual. On all high lands the yield very light, and many think my estimate of onethird an average crop too large.

Potatoes, unless we have soaking rains soon, will be almost a total failure. Fall plowing has not comIt is proper to add that the older orchard had stood menced, the ground being too baked to permit its bein grass for many years when in the hands of a forming even fairly done. Besides 1 fear the unexampled success of the last fall's seeding “in corn," may lead er occupant; after which it was plowed up deeply to more of the same slovenly practice. I know fields without any preceptible injury whatever. No manure which were sowed "in corn" the last week of Octohas been applied to either of the portions of the orber, 1863, which yielded over 20 bushels per acre. chard. There is no doubt that if the grass in an With us in this immediate vicinity, the wheat crop is orchard were kept closely grazed, with an occasional larger than I ever knew it before, and nearly all was top-dressing of manure applied in autumn, and a sowed "in corn." Bowing of lime or ashes at the rate of fifty bushels or Hay was a light crop, and owing to scarcity of labor, more per acre, it would have an excellent effect, and much was harvested too ripe, and much not harvested in some measure compensate for the want of a pul- at all. The latter, at the expense of ruining the verized surface. Fertile portions of the West may meadows for machine-cutting, will help eke out the grow orchards to the best advantage in this way. scanty subsistence of stock this winter, in open weather. Cultivators must modify their treatment with circum-Prices rule high, except in stock. So many are selling stances; if, for example, (as we stated on a former to save from starvation this winter, it is low. Wages occasion,) the annual shoots are not a foot in length, high, and labor scarce. There is no prospect of any the owner may be sure that the trees need higher thing being lower the coming farm year. The surculture. If, on the other hand, the growth exceeds a foot and a half or two feet in a bearing orchard, we may be satisfied with its vigor, and take no farther pains to increase it as long as this state of vigor continues.

plus is out of the country, the general crop not more coming scarcer, I do not see how prices of produce can than sufficient for home consumption, and labor be

decline.

I have written more fully than I intended, but am too much hurried with work to be more concise. H.

How to Distinguish Ripe from Unripe Apples. | slight seething noise when the fruit is in motion, in When we were picking our apples last season, I was addition to which the seeds in some sorts are partly a good deal amused by the account given by the child-loose and add to the effect. But in green or growing ren of the antics and manipulations of a German apples, the sap or moisture in the seed cavity shuts out neighbor in handling an apple or two given him by the air, and precludes such seething noise when the fruit is shaken; and the same facts explain why ripe them when coming home with a load. On further reflection, however, I found the Dutchman knew what apples make a rustling noise in the hand, when green he was about, and in fact could distinguish a ripe ap- tioned the German on the subject, but thought I might or unripe ones afford no such results. I never quesple better than I could. as well indulge a few reflections as herein stated. Green Lake Co., Wis.

Said the children in giving an account of it: "He took a Seek-no-further in his hand and rubbed it, and turned it; then lifted it to his ear, and shook it. Then he said it was ripe. I wonder how he knew that, as the apples did not appear ripe ?" My answer was, "bring me an apple or two, and let us see if we can find out why he rubbed and shook those you gave him."

When a ripe apple is turned and rubbed lightly in the hand, a slight rustling noise is made, similar to the rustling of dry leaves or old paper; and when shook opposite the ear, a hollow, half-hissing noise may be recognized somewhat like that from turning the fruit in the hand, and similar to the seething noise of the air in the sea shell when the child lifts it to his ear.

I afterwards cut open a number of apples, partly to confirm what I knew before, namely, that the seed cavity of ripe specimens is always larger and drier than in unripe ones, but more especially to ascertain the reasons why the German could so readily detect the ripe from unripe fruit. I may as well say here, that by ripe, I mean the condition of full and complete growth, not that mellowness of touch and changed color which indicate the first stages of decay, but which are usually called signs of ripeness. Maturity is perhaps a better term than ripe to distinguish completion of growth, as distinguished from an eatable condition.

J. W. CLARKE,

MAPLE SUGAR IN WILMINGTON VT.

MESSRS EDITORS-Having seen within a few months past numerous accounts of the amount of maple sugar manufactured in different shool districts, towns and counties, I will present a statement of the amount of maple sugar manufactured in this town the past spring. The statistics of the number of pounds of sugar made by each person or family, and the number of trees from which the sugar was made, are given in the following table by school districts in the order in which they were taken :

No. of Dis.
No. 1..

No. of pounds of No. of Trees
Sugar made. tapped.

18,757

5.775

2..

This makes an aggregoge of 260,653 pounds of sugar made from 74,751 trees, which makes an average of a little over 34 pounds, made from each tree tapped. The whole amount made divided by the number of school districts, gives a fraction over 1,629 lbs. to each district. It also gives about 180 pounds to each in

Calling the price of sugar 15 cents per pound at the

largest or the smallest average number of pounds of sugar made from the different sugar orchards, but one statement will show the different yields of sugar obtained from different lots.

When apples are still in a growing condition, and consequently immature, the seeds, as is well known, are pale in color; but when growth is finished, the seeds change to a dark brown color. This is all gen-habitant of the town. erally found in the books. Not so, however, as to some other points immediately involved. For in- time it was made, and it would amount to the sum of $39,097.95. This would give a little more than $2,stance, the seed cavity of growing apples contains 443 to each school district, and a fraction less than more or less moisture, and is much smaller than in ripe $27 to each inhabitant of the town. Not having the ones; while the cavity in ripe ones is much larger-original statistics at hand, I am unable to give the in soft sorts like the Yellow Bellflower, about twice as large-than when they are still growing rapidly. My idea is, that the seed cavity serves as a reservoir to contain a supply of nutriment for the growing fruit, and when the demand for nutriment ceases, the residue of water is dissipated by evaporation; the cavity enlarging in consequence of the extraction of mois ture from it, or more correctly perhaps, because moisture is no longer conveyed into it from the roots and leaves. In any event, the two different facts that distinguish ripe from unripe applies, namely, the drier and larger air chamber about the seeds in ripe, and the smaller sap reservoir or water chamber at the core of the growing apples, may be considered undeniable; Many other interesting facts might be elicited from and in this distinction consists the reason of the Ger- the subject, but enough has been already written to man's manipulations, of his means of so quickly de-show the comparative value and importance of the ciding between the ripe and unripe, without reference the maple sugar crop in those places where the manufacture of the article is thoroughly and successfully prosecuted, Wilmington, Vt. C. T. ALVORD.

to texture or color of the fruit.

The air in the seed cavity of ripe apples causes a

One man informed me that he set two hundred tubs in his lot, and from these trees he made between ten Another man, and eleven hundred pounds of sugar. whose farm joins this, set about 600 tubs, and only made about the same quantity of sugar that the other man made-the yield of sugar in one lot being over five pounds to the tree, and in the other lot being leas than two pounds per tree. This difference in the yield of sugar orchards, is mainly owing to the difference in the quantity of sap produced by the different orchards, and also to the greater or less saccharine strength of the sap produced.

TOP-DRESSING OLD MEADOWS.

The best piece of grass we have cut, and about the best we have seen in this season of unusual drouth, when the rays of the sun glow out with heat like a furnace, and the moon pursues her course dry and red like a globe of fire, when meadows are parched, and pastures are barren as though December frosts had blighted

their verdure, was taken from a piece of upland meadow that has not been plowed for twenty-one years, during all which time the meadow has in no instance failed to produce a heavy crop of choice hay.

How was it Managed?

whether performed in spring, or at any time after a crop is taken off in late summer or autumn, or on the snows or frozen ground of winter.

In many sections of country, meadows are suffering severe injury from the drouth of the present season. verely injured. Unless something is done to help such Many of the grass roots are killed, and more are semeadows, they cannot recover to give good crops in is impracticable, if not impossible. We can think of one or two years. Plowing and re-seeding them all nothing that appears to warrant quick and sure restoration, quite as good as thorough top-dressing. It is not important that this should be given entirely from the barn-yard or stable. Any good mellow compost that will fill the interstices which are so common

growth, though the nearer the material applied is related to the produce of the farm-yard, the better.

The year previous to seeding down it was planted to potatoes, manured, according to an established custom of those days, in the hill, with litter or coarse ma-around grass roots, will protect them and help their nure. The potatoes were plowed out and well hoed twice. The crop of course was good, for the potato rot was almost unheard of then, and a sure crop was pretty sure to follow planting and good clean culture. The following spring the ground was deeply plowed, sowed to oats, and harrowed until mellow enough for any garden purpose. It was stocked previous to the last harrowing with clover and timothy, mixed in proportion of a half bushel of grass seed to the acre. The oat crop was well enough-pretty good I suppose, and the stocking was magnificent.

Farmers in this region are getting more attentive to top-dressing their meadows every year, and as they say, find it one of the best paying investments of their manure; besides, it is a great object in this day of mowing machines, when the meadow is once laid smooth and cleared of stones, to keep them in that condition as long as possible. *. July 24, 1864.

Preparing for Fall Crops---“ Skimming." MESSRS. EDITORS-There is one saying-there is Since then it has been mowed every year, and has nothing new under the sun-which has often appainvariably produced a good crop, with no other help rently some truth. My faith in it, however, was badly than a top-dressing of manure or occasionally an ap- shaken on reading the interesting communication of plication of plaster. Last April we gave it a top-dress-"L." of Prussia, and your remarks on the same, (p. ing of horse manure, fresh from the stable, but free 25.) It is somewhat strange that the system recomfrom litter, at the rate of twelve loads of thirty bush-mended by him was neither practiced nor preached els each to the acre, which was spread from the wagon in America before. Its merits are so apparent after as evenly as possible, after which it was gone over its examination, as to lead to the supposition that it is and all lumps broken and evenly spread. Several too good to be new. The operation of "skimming," as snows fell upon it, which, with the few rains that dictated by "L.," seems peculiarly adapted to precede have followed, not only prepared its nutritive quali- the usual preparation of the soil for fall crops, or for ties for the roots of the plants, but settled the remain-fall-plowing as practiced in this country. It will be der of the substance closely around them as a protec- found as efficient, perhaps, as ordinary manuring, es ́tion from hot sunshine and drouth, so that in mowing pecially if we consider it as a mulch. The burial of there was no hard dry lumps to interfere with the the stubble, grass, &c., just sufficient to promote its operation or to clog the rake in bringing the hay to- decomposition, would form a mulch for efficiency sugether. perior to heavy manuring—thus judiciously disposing of the stubble, &c., which has hitherto been considered as a nuisance, and which would otherwise be was ted on the "desert air." And here let me make a remark on your observation respecting experiments to ascertain the merits of this system. There are generally so many circumstances likely to have an effect should be considered, as to almost preclude the possi on an experiment of this kind-so many details that bility of arriving at anything like a true result. There is, fortunately no necessity of experimenting to demonstrate the merits of this theory, (if it can be so called ;) its advantages will be at once sufficiently ob vious to any experienced mind.

Here is a point in the operation which often causes failure in dressing lands. The compost or manure applied is heedlessly spread, and the work is left unfinished, with lumps to dry and remain incumbrances instead of helps to the growth of plants. They do not readily soak in the rains, and it requires a long time for them to become incorporated with the soil 'and a protection to the roots it is so fully adapted to benefit. We have full confidence in the good effects of top-dressing, either in fall, winter, or early spring, but cannot warrant success unless the work is finished by reducing and spreading all lumps, so that the surface is as smooth as before the operation.

Farm of Millwood, L'Original, C. W.

J. F. C.

How to Relieve Choked Animals. MESSRS. L. TUCKER & SON-I have long been a subscriber to your valuable paper, and have often seen receipts for relieving animals when choked, but nothing, to my estimation, is equal to the following:

Our course is, after the manure is as evenly spread from the wagon as can be, to go over the ground with a long handled mallet to reduce the lumps and a hoe to spread them, by doing which we get the thing done just right. It is labor to do so we know very well, and involves rather more pains-taking than many far. When you ascertain a creature is choked, pour mers are willing to adopt. But it is the labor in which pint of oil or melted lard down its throat. Let it have its liberty, and it will soon relieve itself. I have tried there is profit, and any one will find it so. By pursuit several times, and always with success. ing this course, top-dressing will give good results,

Delafield, Wis.

A. G. G.

A

Philosophy of Pruning Trees and Shrubs.

There is no part of hedging which requires the exercise of so much good judgment, as is necessary in clipping and pruning correctly. In fact, the entire success of a hedge, in one sense, depends on the manner of pruning, and the period of time when it is done. A few random slashes at an improper time, in a certain stage of the growth of a hedge, or at a particular time in the year when the hedge did not require clipping, would be followed by injury not readily repaired. Clipping and pruning is the life and beauty of hedges and plants; and it is no less their ruin and destruction, when done at an improper time and in an improper manner. To tell on paper when is the proper time to clip a hedge or not to clip it, or to prune a tree or not to prune it, under all circumstances, would be a task which has never as yet been done, and which I do not expect to tell in this place. But it is not difficult to state what effects usually follow clipping or pruning at a given period, when different parts of a tree or plant are pruned.

The leaves of a tree are its lungs, and there must be leaves on a tree in proportion to the sap that is sent upwards by the roots. When there are not leaves enough to elaborate the sap, stagnation of the sap ensues in some trees and shrubs; while in others, numerous buds from the body of the tree will start, and long slender sprouts will, if allowed to grow, soon form a heavy top, But the tyro must bear in mind that clipping and pruning must not be continued, except to a very limited extent, during the growing season. It must be remembered also, that a young tree or plant may be destroyed in one or two seasons, by not allowing the roots to gain strength by the growing of the top. If the buds be all pinched off just as they begin to unfold, a tree cannot grow; and if leaves are not allowed to form, and to come to maturity, the roots cannot possibly survive but a short period of time.

On the contrary, when we wish to make a tree, or shrub "grow low," and extend its lateral branches in every direction, as much as possible, we pinch off the tip ends of the leading, vertical stem, and thus inThose who know nothing practically of pruning duce the sap to flow more abundantly in the lateral plants, in order to make them assume a certain form branches. When vertical stems are disposed to grow when growing, cannot have failed to notice that most upward too rampantly, the top bud must be pinched trees send up one shoot, which is usually in the mid- off, in order to produce greater strength of stems. dle of the sprouts and limbs, which is disposed to grow Young grafts, or inoculates, often shoot up two or three faster than all the rest; and if three or four sprouts, feet, if allowed to grow long and slender, and fragile, of equal size, height, and vigor, are standing on the and liable to be destroyed by the first strong wind, unsame parent stem, one of them will soon lead off be-less they are supported by a stake. But those who unyond the others, and attain, many times, a rampant derstand the philosophy of pruning, know that by growth, while its fellows will grow but little, if any; pinching off the terminal bud, the upward, rampant and sometimes the sprout which takes the lead in growth will be checked: and the shoot will begin to growing, draws so much of the nourishment from the enlarge in thickness, and to increase in strength, and roots that one or more of its twin sprouts will dle in to send out lateral shoots, where nothing but buds one season, for want of the proper nourishment which existed. The true reason for this phenomenon is, the the plant of rampant growth has appropriated to its sap is now distributed more equally among the other own growth. Now if we protect and cherish this branches, which was before strongly attracted to the sprout in its ascendancy over the others, it will short-leading stem. ly push upwards with so much rapidity as to always maintain the ascendancy. And if it is our aim to make a tall tree, by promoting the growth upwards, we have only to cut off the lateral branches all round this leader, and thus induce as much of the sap to feed the leading sprout as is possible. But there is great danger of cutting off too much of the lateral branches. It would by no means be attended with the best results in promoting the growth of a tree upwards, to trim it to a bare steam, leaving but a small bush near the top. If all the lateral branches are cut off close to the leading stem, and a very small top only left, if there be a strong healthy root, that very small top cannot use up all the sap, and a reaction will follow; and sometimes such a reaction is attended with deleterious consequences to the tree. On this point thousands of young farmers, in their eagerness Blight in Apple Trees.-The apple tree blight to promote the upward growth of their young fruit has recently made its appearance in this locality, and it trees, by trimming small trees to a single stem, with destroys portions of young apple trees, in a very rapid nothing but a few buds or branches of leaves near the manner. The limbs-the wood and not the leaves-are top, have found that their trees grew very slowly, first attacked, and a portion of it a few inches long, be. comes withered, dried, and dead as a dry dead stick when every thing—aside from this excessive pruning during the day; and still the leaves and the wood above -favored a rampant growth. The truth is, if a tree the blight will be alive, and show no signs of withering has a healthy, strong root, the leading stem will grow for a day or more, when they both die, and appear as it upwards much faster by clipping off the ends of the they had been exposed to an intense heat. It is quite lateral branches-unless it has a very heavy top-different from anything that we have ever before witthan it will to cut off most of them close to the stem. nessed. S. EDWARDS TODD. Auburn, N. Y., July 28.

This is the great advantage of pruning in summer when the sap flows most abundantly; and this is one grand end to be attained in hedging to make the plants grow low and thick, and having a broad base. But wisdom dictates that it is many times infinitely better for a tree or a hedge, to allow it to grow at random during the first season, in order to allow the roots to get a good start. Then the next season the entire top may be cut off, when a new top will be formed, which will in some instances be larger at the end of the second season than it would have been had the top not been cut off.

Young farmers must read and think, and think and read, and make inquiry and observations on this subject for years, before they will be prepared to cut and prune correctly. S. E. T.

It, however, sometimes happens that order and neatñess are neglected because everything is not thought of at the right time. To obviate this difficulty, every owner or manager of a farm should carry a small An Aged Pony.-The London Field announces the memorandum book in his left pantaloons pocket, death of "the well known veteran pony belonging to where it will always be at hand whether he throws | Mr. Dampier, at the extraordinary age of sixty years."