In fruit growing, remember that fruits are like grain and vegetable crops, in this, that they must have manure to keep up the fertility. Unlike vegetables and grain, however, their feeding roots are mostly at the surface. It is best, therefore, annually to top-dress fruit trees. If manure cannot be had, any fresh earth from ditches or roadsides, spread a half inch or so under the trees, will have a wonderful effect. Indeed, we do not know but that for the pear tree a thin layer of road sand is one of the best of manures. We have seen apples thrive amazingly with a coating of coal ashes.

Whitewashing the stems of orchard trees has a very beneficial effect in clearing away old bark and destroying the eggs of innumerable insects. The white color is bad; throw in a little soot or some other matter to make it brown. In greenhouses sulphur has been found of benefit in keeping down mildew. Possibly if mixed with the whitewash in tree dressing, it might do good against fire blight, and such like fungoid troubles.

Whatever may be said of birds and their evils when the fruit is ripe, there can be but one opinion about their value now. They have nothing but insects to live on, and they eat them by the millions. Insects are a far greater scourge to the fruit grower than birds; it will be wise to encourage the birds. The English sparrow is now fully naturalized in this country. Great complaints of its graminivorous propensities are heard every year; but this can be better guarded against than the attacks of insects.

Many kinds of raspberries, especially in dry soils, have a tendency to throw up innumerable suckers. These should be thinned out. Three or four canes are enough to leave in a "hill." We like, however, to grow raspberries in rows, where each cane may have a chance to enjoy an independent existence of about a square foot of soil for itself.

Deep rich soil, now so generally condemned for fruit gardens, is of the first importance here. Soil cannot be too deep or too rich, if we would have good vegetables. It is indeed remarkable, that in many respects we have to go very differently to work to get good fruits, than we have to perfect vegetables. While, for instance, we have to get sunlight to give the best richness to our fruits, our vegetables are usually best when blanched or kept from the light. So also as we keep the roots as near the surface as we can, in order to favor the woody tissue in trees, we like to let them go deep in vegetables, because this favors succulence.

It is best not to sow tender vegetables too soon, they get checked, and the last will be first. Asparagus is one of the earliest crops to set out. It was at one time believed that the varieties of this would not come true from seed, and that there was but one best kind. We are not so sure of this now. Many plant them too deep and fail: four inches is enough; rows 20 inches, and plants one foot apart, will do. Make the soil particularly rich.

Celery for the main crop will do about the end of the month, but a little may be sown now. We have never been able to make up our mind whether there is such a thing as an absolutely solid variety of celery; or whether pithiness in any degree depends on soil or culture. Certainly we buy all the most approved "solids" every year, and never yet found one satisfactory throughout. We cannot say which is the best of the many candidates.

Where new asparagus beds are to be made, now is the time; the ground should be rather moist than dry, and be trenched two feet deep, mixing in with it a good quantity of stable dung, and, if the ground be inclining to sand, add some salt; the beds should be marked out four feet wide, and the alleys about two feet. If pegs are driven down at the corners of the beds permanently, they will assist operations in future years. Having marked the positions of the beds and procured a stock of two-year-old plants, place them on the soil nine inches apart in rows one foot asunder, making three rows in each bed; then cover the whole with soil from the alleys and rich compost a couple of inches.

It has been noted that the grape-vine thrives amazingly when it gets into an asparagus bed. These are generally elevated, and are thus dry; while the rich soil necessary for asparagus is also good for grapes.