FARM AND GARDEN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4455, 27 June 1893, Page 2

FARM AND GARDEN.

Proper-Pruning of Trees B& forß.flanting.ytjM

It is a lamentable fact that a great many of the trees, shrubs and vines planted every spring and fall never' , grow, or live only a few years, to dio ' dwarfed and worthless) and this for the sole reason that they have not received proper care when planted, There is no diflloulty in learning to prune a tree correctly before planting it. Nurserymen try to demonstrate clearly every detail to the buyers of trees, that the stock sent out'may . make a handsome and thrifty growth. , But buyers continue to demand the i largest trees, as if such trees could be removed from the nursery without destruction of a part of the roots/and , as if a large tree with mutilated.roots were worth more than a small', but i perfeot one. Having obtained their trees, many persist in planting them, , without a semblance of prnjAe, often by proxy, trust the WortfWkin^ of the. little tree, and not release \mj til the entire pruning of root and • branch is completed, Nothing equals: . a sharp knife, not even the nursery ; shearß, although these are permissible . for the branches. When cutting .off , o root, let tho edge of the knife enter t the bark on its other side, and emerge r on the upper leaving the wound faoa . down. In this position water will not | remain upon the out . vent I domwise,to'cut a root thatinrmH i jurerJ. This rulo does not hold good, , however, with the top, which must , bo shortened materially with all , apple, and some other trees; in special cases reducing them to mere whips. 'The reason for this is that i the head, supported by the roots of r a growing tree, cannot be sustainecl f when those roots are removed .from. , the soil. The .top must be out back to a point where root support is possible, and it is better to do more I than sufficient work with theknifa , than not to remove enough of the , top. Younger trees will have still less top in proportion to root," ; Sometimes a tree that has had its i roots badly broken or wholly destroyedmay be saved, if not too dry, , by summary and severe top pruning, leaving nothing but a portion i of tho trunk, cutting this ' off i above the place from which the ' second limb was removed. The , scarred stump of a root remaining will, of course, be carefully smoothed . i with a sharp knife. Several things should be noted about the. correotl system of pruning. First, , that is noticed upon the trunkCj \ve leave the perfect roojpJMf' glance toward the first, low however futuie turi^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H tj^^^^^^^^^l^^^H 'hie tbo where the open space is to btPK] Length of branch is of less hfy: ance than position of buds upon the branch, provided that it is not left too long.—Hollisier Sage, \ Feuer in Cows. If the season goes on as it has been going, I shall expect to hear of heavy losses by milk fever among dairy cows in a few months' time. There was an interesting article on the subject in one of your contemporaries last week, I think, but the writer did not, to my mind, clearly point out what steps were necessary to deal with the question, Having been a loser myself in times past; aud been compelled to try and find a way out of the trouble, may I be excused if I gisemy viejs as to the best method your cows are in high edition before , calving, and are heavy milkers, and there is plenty of grass, get them into a bail a week before calving and ■■ drench them with the following mixture;—lib Epsom salts, 20Z3 ; sulphur, loz saltpetre, and loz ground ginger, mixed up with about a pint of porridge, Mix up altogether in a bucket and pour with a cup or. pan* uikin into one of those wido-mouthed bottles in which preserved fruits are bottled, and which are the' very best; things, I believe, that you dan use for the purpose. Repeat the drench after calving/ I believe the above! treat-.' meat will be found-.to scarcely ever'-W fail in securing immunity from attack. ', If a cow is aotually-bowled oyer, I '' : believe aconiteHo be only thing' that willjayjihejlifew: Uißf6vriirftian4 '"

dangerous poison, to he obtained only from a oheniiat who will presoribo the dose. If your cow spine lino morning short y after casing, inatend of filling the buck'l gives only a very little, be oh your guard and watch her closely ; tho probiibiliiy is that an nttaolc of milk-fever is upon her, and that immediate treatment alone will save her. 13ut prevention is bolter than curp, bo don't begrudge tho shilling or two, but drench your cow in tirao. It will help her inother ways.—HaweraStar.