The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-06-29
WORTH KNOWING.

THH VALUE OF AsHrs.-Experiment have
served to show that for the purpose Of tiilage,
leached ashes are just as good as unleached.
So that housewives may have all the use OF
their ashes for soap, and then emSloy them
in the garden. Leached ashes become better
by being exposed for some time to the open
air, absorbing from the atmosphere fertilizine
qualities (carbonic acid.
so valuable are ashes regarded in Europe
that they are frequently hauled by farmers
from twenty miles distance, and on Long
Island, and near New York and the Eastern
cities, they bring twenty-five cents bushel.
The ashes of different kinds of wood are,
of course, of very unequal value-that of the
oak, perhaps, the least, and that of the beech
the most valuable.
A coat of ashes may be laid in the spring
over the whole garden, and spaded in with
the barn yard manure.
They may be dug about gooseberry and
currant bushes with especial benefit.
They are excellent about the roots Of fruit
trees, as far as their fibers extend, spreading
the old each year, and renewing the deposit.
They may be thinly spread over the grass
Mat in the lawn or door yard, as they will
give vigor and deeper color and strength to
the grass.
We have usually added about one shoyel>
ful OF ashes TO every twenty, in making
compost for flowers, roses, shrubs, etc.
Ashes are peculiarly good for all kinds of
melon, squash, and cucumber vines This is
well known to those who raise watermeons
on burned fields, on old charcoal pits, etc.
We have seen statements of cucumbets being
planted upon peck Of pure leached ashes in
hole in the earth, and thriving with great
vigor. The ashes of vines show a great
amount of potash; and as wood ashes afford
this substance abundanty, its use would
seem to be indicated by theory as we'll as
confirmed by experiment.
Lastly, whenever ground is liable TO suffer
severely from drought, we would advise a
liberal use of ashes and salt.
The Practical Farmer says that table,
spoonful of coarse salt dropped on each hill of
corn soon after planting is far better 10 keep
OH cut worms than soaking the corn in gas
tar. The salt is carried down by the rain,
and acts as a fertilizer, besides destroying the
worm. Unless the season is very wet, il
thinks the coating of tar interferes with the
absorption by the corn of the necessary mois-
ture for termination.
PoTAro RoT.-A correspondent Of the Sor>
go Journal has succeeded in raising good
crops OF large potatoes, without rot, for the
last fourteen years. He scatters a table,
spoonful OF mixture of lime and salt-two
parts lime and one part salt--on each hill,
when the potatoes are six or eight inches
high. He hills up the potatoes only once
when the buds for bloom appear. Whe dug
he puts quart of salt to each fourteen bush
els of potatoes, and keeps them cool and
dry.
THE CRoP PRosPEcT. From the east TO the
west, and from the north to the SOUTH the
universal testimony is that the coming wheat
crop never looked better, and never was so
large. The only drawback is, that seed was
scarce and dear last fall this, in most of the
Southern and in some parts of the Northern
States, prevented sowing. Rye does not res
quire as good land es wheat indeed, il will
grow on land so poor that mach exhausted
soil 10 owing TO this fact. Oats may be ex>
pected to be beautiful, though 10 some few
localities rust has appeared. The hay crop,
owing to the wet weather, must be large
Grain is growing on all the Richmond
battle fields.
CURE FOR THE BIrK OF MAD DoG.-A
writer in the National Inteliigencer says:
"Spirits of hartshorn is certain remedy
for the bite of mad dog. The wound should
be bathed constantly with it, and three or
day. The hsrtshorn decomptaee chemically
the virus insinuated into the wound, and i'm
mediately alter and destroys its deleterious.
ness The gentleman who left this receipt
with us vouches for its efficacy. Indianapolis
Journal.
RAMIE" is a new Southern staple, from
Java. Il will grow in the Southern half of
Georgia, will yield five crops year of 500
II l. L~..- r. L..
cutit is laid in long bands of pure white floss,
once planted always planted, grows twenty
feet high, sells for twice the price. of cotton,
and is stronger and finer, will be exhibited ct
Paris and astonish the world, if only half az
true tIas - - isN - 1
To REMOVE THE TasrE FROM New Wood
A new keg, chnrn, bucket, or other wooden
vessel will generally communicate Z disa-
greeanle odor TO anything that il put in IT,
10 prevent this incouF en- fence, first scaldthe
vessel with iboiling water, letting the water
remain in 1t until it is cold. Then dissolve
some pearlash or soda in lukewarrn water,
adding little bit of lime to it, and wash the
vessel well with the solution. Afterward
scald it well with plain hot water, and rinse
it with cold water before you use it.
CURE FOR CoLIc IN HoRsEs.-The follows
ing is certain cure for colo in horses. We
have seen it tried dozens of times, and al
ways with success. We are sure it will cure
any horse if directions are followed: Dis
solve one pint of salt in pint of hot water,
then add quart of good vinegar, and pour
half the mixture down the horse throat. .If
the horse is not well in half an hour give him
the remainder, and you will soon find him all
right.