Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1869 — Pruning and Thinning. [ARTICLE]

Pruning and Thinning.

in order everywherffi. t he many papers that have been tlie philosophy of pruning,” the naked question, ‘■WhallaYhtt best time to prune trees?” one-with which the gardener is continually bored. The keen-edged gardeners give the cutting reply, “any time when your knife is sharp;” but the more good-natured say, “It depends on what you want to cut for, 0 ” The street cutter “wants toA&ty the tree head low,” and “cuts down to make them ’ cutting in the wawfirffoes not have this effect, so unless one has some other object to combine with it, to clean the tree of Dark scutes, or the larva of insects, pt- the giving employment to some half-starv-ed tret|, R <»rp3»ter the work might as left undone. If you branch to pash BtrongljjiirfiV the poiht where you away, ‘prunx in - fyour tree has branched each other, or has branches, or to spoil the form oiwymmfctry .of your tree, prune .feut as a rule, the less-jugniug is done, the healthier will be your trees, for it may be Afloeptfed a ' rble in gardeni>g>, ! that all pruning, whether jn winter or summer, is a blow struclffit-tberiiallty of the Muntfir lv ‘ iJlk olFJI': L ’!<> —Hops are profitable only when tbMFS failure. When i»< fail j

' When. to Sell Grain.— of mi»d» hriWißSt to fnrmqrs. Whetlrer-toseH.now, tn* to ?|pld ■ :?yw.* wbefoer-wJtttatt W worth more next week or next* spring than it W now, are quo* ’ Unijs which hare pwraled the’ brain* of mai»y formers. A ! firmer writing**) an exchange ’ paper expresses his opinion as folfows:- T"" 7” “The better,way forfannere iS, sell when yoii are ready. Not oh.*, nor twice, nor one year! and another, but make it a rule. Trust not to your impulses; avoid l>eing influenced by your feelings. It is often grasping;: is not healthy: is not to be encouraged. “Many years-of observation has convinced us that this is the right course. Save your interest ami waste caused by mice and vermin; save yourself from losses by fire accidents. Be contentedL ns you will be if the responsibility is off your nJ nd. -Yon wiHlose, but you will gain also; your neighbor may triumph over you one year, or two; but your time is coming, and o.n the whole you are the gainer. This is expert' ence, this is the truth in selling grain; it is the clcaa satiafhcto:. ry thing.” Galls ox Horses. —Owing to defects in saddles, or a lack of seasonable attention in wet weather, the backs, breasts and shoulders of horses become badly galled. It is cruel to w ork them, in this condition, but in many cases it can hardly be avoided, especially ou the canal. In such cases the wounds should be thoroughly sponged daily with strong soap swls followed by a solution of saltpetre and spirits of turpentine. - Put onequarter of a pound of the farmer and a pint of the latter into a bottle and shake them well together and apply to the wounds with a feather two or three times a day, or oftener if circumstances will permit, till the healing process commences, when the application may be discontinued. — Ifachangz. —What to plant, if a new orchard is to be set out in the spripg, is worthy of serious consideration. Many think they have only to determine what are the best varieties and order ; them. The real question is, What are the best varieties you can grow ? Get the experience of neigh bora who grow fruit, or of the nearest intelligent and reliable nurseryman. If about to plant for market, recollect that productiveness, regularity showiness of fruity and ability to bear transportation, are all of as much or more importance than quality, Do not be taken with the highly-colored pictures shown by traveling salesmen. —Steam-plowin'g in Califor nia promises to be. a success. The machine is their own invention. It cuts furrows nine feet wide, and from nine to eight inches deep, pulverizing fine, travels six miles an hour, and weighs only seven tons. —— - —At Pembina, GOO miles north of St Paul, they raise GO bushels of wheat to the acre; there are beautiful prairiesand groves, and a summer day is three hours longer than at Cincinnati. —During the war the rebels made horse collars of bass-wood, and now they are recommended for general use, for they are light, they do not get heavy with rain, nor freeze, nor wear out nor gall. g; —A beet sugar farm of 5,000 acres is to be established in Buena Vista County, lowa. Near Clinton, in the same state, a farm of 260 acres is to be devoted to the growing of garden and flower seeds. —Brazil has a standingoffer of SB,OOO in gold for a receipt by which beef can be preserved and exported fresh, which is a good chance for our meat preservers. U —ln California, oats, barley, I rye anfl .buckwheat are as dear