The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-12-13
:farmtr's department..


e' w "NN - w
inter care OF Fruit Trees.
EVERY healthy, vigorous tree or plant
supplied with an almost infinite num-
,r of fibrous roots, which penetrate .
very part of the sod and gather sap,
nd along with it supply oforganic and
,orpanic food. The expansion and
pntraction of the soil during the win
err, tear and break numbers of these
minute roots, majority Of which are
10 small as to be imperceptible to the
lnaided eye. Where there is a great
lumber of alterations of heat and cold,
10 many of these roots are broken as to |
leave the tree in sickly condition In |
the spring, and IL should be careful
study to protect them from such action
from frost. Should there be but u slight
degree of frost, not more than enough
to freeze water haitian inch to an inch
in depth, body of water around the
roots would doubtlessly act as preser-
yer, and from this fact probably the
ridiculous habit arose alluded to. But
in this climate we have to guard
against foot.deep instead of inch-deep
frosts.
A simple experiment will show the
difference between dry and wet soil
around the base of the tree. Take three
cups, each nine inches deep, fill each
one of them within one inch of the top
the first with water, the second with
earth saturated with water, and the
third with moist, but nearly dry earth,
and subject all three to cold enough to
freeze them solid. In the first, the
water in changing to ice, will so expand
as to fill up the entire measure. The
moist earth in the second will have ex-
banded nearly as much, while the COM
paratively dry earth will scarcely ex-
pand an eighth of inch.
The experiment, or the principle
which this illustrates, viz: that water
freezing expands but one eighth of Its
bulk, whilst dry solids do not thus ex
pand,ha direct bearing upon the win
ter treatment of trees. Instead of re
tanning water around them, it is better
to dig ditch lat sufficient distance t.
avoid cutting the roots,) to convey th'
water away and leave the soil dry.
1t is sometimes even advisable t.
bank up the earth eight or ten inches
high around the body of the tree, ant
slope it Off a few feet. This will botf
carry off the water and afford additiona
warmth to the roots.
Corn for stsck.
CORN for fattening animals, anC
maintaining animal heat, during colo
weather, excels all other grain. 1t re
quires strong digestive powers wher
fed in quantities; and for feed to al
kinds ofstock, at every age, is ill adapt
ed. AS food for young and CROWN!
animals, requiring diet rich in form
ing bone and muscle, it is bad economy
unless for market. Oats, Peas, an(
beans, promote growth and strength
and for this reason should form tn,
grain feed for growing animals. Oxc,
and horses can be made to perform
much more labor, and cows will yielt
more and richer milk, on generou
diet of corn meal but in the long rul
it effects their health. The i;;;1,jrse need
much richer food tnan inr Gs, and vii
bear it; yet corn, under all circumstan
ces, is not the grain. Some of the il
effects ofa course of high feeding tn
horse upon corn, are seen in dull eye
dry skin, and rough coat. To road
sters, particularly in warm weather
when liable to be overheated by exel
ton, it gives tendency to greater heat
and to laying on fat; when diet i
needed simply to repair waste muscle
Oats, dry hay, and carrots, are tn
most appropriate feed for fast drivin
horses. For draught horses, whose me
tions are slow, the bad effects Of mea
are not so apparent; still a mixture {
other grain, ground with corn is niue
better.-Rrai Americdn.
Frost Helps TIL. Farmer.
IN this climate winter rarely sets
until from frequent and heavy rains til
ground is pretty thoroughly saturate
with water. 1t would be a misfortur
to the agriculturist to have the so
freeze solid and permanently for II
season on the heels Of q drought. Well
and springs would fall in the wintt
time, and the action of frost could NJ
prove so beneficial to land as if large
quantities of water We're present in
Few take note of the actual effect
freezing and thawing upon all kinds
soisl, more especially on the heavy al
therefore retentive ones. These mo
need the action of the frost and natu
has provided for them to receive ii
a larger extent than naturally ligl
porous soils. The water is lispers'
all thro' the pores of the soil, and by
expansion when frozen it cracks, pl
vcrizes, lifts apart the particles fro
each other, to more minute degr
than it is possible to accomplish
any machinery, While this action
favorable to the extension of the roc
OI plants IL uOubtlcaS SelS ftc Hlu
plant food which is physically so col
bined as fertilizers. So the looscr {
soil is left before winter, the better W
be the action of frost upon it. On hea'
lands, spaded gardens and plow
fields late in autumn are, signs OF go
husbandry
Lime.
THE use Of lime as an application
the soil, it is believed by some, acts
two ways-one as a Stimuldnt that p
notes vegetation by causing the 5
with which it is mixed to exert itse
and the other, in promoting the grow
L.. II. L.. 4