The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-11-21
HINTS FOR THE SEASON.

season, and adding the remark that one
of his neighbors-an intelligent and sue
cessful til!cr of the soil-greatly desired
that some suggestions might be made on
the subject of seed corn, and the saving
of the crop of corn, particularly for this
year. From all we gather from our friends
communication, the following is the sub
stance of what his neighbor would say. 1t
accords with our own judgment, and we
are grateful for the hints.
I. There is a great deal of hoJf a7pen-
ed corn this year; ears of this character
should be carefully separated from the rest
of the corn, and fed out Immediately.
This will save the loss of the defective
ears themselves, and will prevent them
from rotting or injuring the whole pile or
crib of corr in which they might be
mixed.
II. The whole crop of corn is green
and damper this year than usual, in all
the region for fifty miles next south of
the Lake. This results in part from the
lateness OF the spring, in part from the
~lateness of the season, and in part from
the want of a dry, fine fall to ripen the
crop in the best tanner. Frost did not
do much injury to be sure. But eneed-
cd more dry weather about the time when
the corn ceased to grow. The result is,
that, while we have q large growth of
corn, the whole crop is more soft and
damp than usual. More than common
oora thoroforo ;c noodod RI prav.opt lose
The ways in which the corn may be saved
are the following Feed as much as you
proftably can to animals that are to be
b~utchered. The market is good this fall.
Meanwhile, spread the ears as thinly as
possible over q dry floor or loft where the
dry air can reach them. Turn them over
often. Or put the ears up in their cribs
not more than two feet thick, with open
spaces between two Stats for the free adj
mission of air. In one or all these ways
your corn may be saved.
III. A considerable quantity of corn
has this year been affected by what is
called smut. 1t is said, by good author
tiles, that it may be propagated by the
dust into which the smutty grains erumble.
If this be so, great care should be taken
to select ears of corn for seed, which are
entirely freed from smut. 1t will do no
harm to avoid everything of this sort, at
all events. By the way, we wish to repeat
what has been often said, that now is the
time to select and to lay aside the best
seed for lex year when it is not too late
to do So. Therefore we say,
". That it will be well to look out for
seed wheat for next year, before it is eaten
or sold. So of s~eed-potatoes, seed-corn
(as limited above,) of garden seeds of all
kinds, of bulbs that need to be kept from
the frost, and many others that will rcadi-
lily suggest themselves. We make this
suggestion, because so many forget these
matters at the proper time. Our hint is
too late for many things. But it may
help some of our friends in some things
enough to make it worth while. By look
ing into these things now, the expense of
buying the same kinds of seed may, in
most cases, be avoided, the very kinds
you need may be in your reach when you
want them, and the most plump and best
matured seeds may, by your personal at
~tention to the matter, be on hand for the
next years sowing or planting.
v. The spring is the time for placing
ashes or lime around peach trees, in order
to prevent the moth that produces the
peach borer, from laying its eggs. But
now is the time, (f it has not been done
BEFORE to dig out the grubs themselves.
Take your garden-trowel, or an old butcher
knife and dig about the tree just where it
meets the ground. If you discover gum,
look a little more closely, and you will
probably find some fine yellow powder,
like saw-dust. Examine the tree carefully
now, and you viii be likely to find a grub
of one-half an inch or a little more in
length, in the bark or under it within an
inch above or below the surface of the
ground. The cutting in the bark of the
tree should be done with q sharp knife,
and as little cutting should be done as is
possible to remove the grub. Kill the
grub of course. Several may be found
sometimes in the same tree. Sometimes
these grubs may be found at work at the
points where the limbs join the trunk Of
the tree. Young trees and old trees are
liable to attack. A friend informs us that
he just examined his peach trees in this
way, and has destroyed on an average one
in each young peach tree in his garden.
Next spring in May, put a shoyelful Of
Stacked lime about the tree at its roots.
This will prevent the moth from laying
its eggs.
; VI. The ravages of the apple borel
have not been as great this year as the
last. Still some injury has been done
We would advise our friends, on the sug.
gestion of the friend who told US about
! his peach trees, to examine their apple
trees, wherever there is decay on the
trunks or limbs, and extract whatever in.
sects they may find. If the decayed woof
is then removed, and the whole covered
: with grating wax, varnish, or o thicl
coat of paint, a good job will have beer
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