Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-10-06
The Farm, Garden, Kitchen & Shop,

IOeS Jne moment Incy are III lOr ndr-
vesting, and | think every reason
Let US canvass those reasons. In the
first place, it is doubtless the highest
style of farming to pay strict atten-
ton to every crop, cultivate it thor
oughly in its season, and then as soon
as mature, secure it, and not have it
left to any accident. Let US see how
this holds in regard to potatoes, par
ticularly. And first the rot. When
this prevails it often strikes all of the
crop that is affected by it at once
Suddenly in one hour, in muggy Au-
gust afternoon, a whole section of
country, all its potatoe fields, is smit-
ten by blight. Those potatoes which
are already harvested escape, while
those which are yet in the fields, and
Of kinds liable to rot, are affected.
The safest course is, as soon as the
tubers are so ripe that they will not
wither, out with them, even if the tops
are not entirely dry, and if possible
before the tops and tubers are bathed
in the August rains. Then they 90
into the potatoe pile, or the cellar, dry
and sound. Some think that pota-
toes keep better to let them lie in the
ground until there is danger of their
freezing up in the winter. But | have
never found any difficulty in keeping
them well if put away properly in a
dry cellar as soon as they are fit to
dig. The good keeping kinds have
always kept well and come out sound
and solid in the spring. | consider
this, like so many other maxims that
are common, just the child of pure la
ziness, an excuse for representation
or shiftlessness. If preferred, the
crop might be put into the potatoe pile.
and covered up with straw and earth
till late in the fall. and then removed
into the cellar or left in the field over
winter.
By digging early, you can have
your potatoes dry and clean, and SO
nice to handle, nice to keep. and nice
for the housewives use. | have new
er found potatoes to keep better by
being crusted with mud, but | have
found them to rot better with the wet
mud on them.
BY harvesting potatoes promptly,
you can keep the ground clean, 1t is
not considered best to disturb the
ground in the hills while the potatoes
are setting. But the moment that the
crop is made, then at the weeds again.
Secure the crop, and clean off the
ground. Ifyou do nothing more, take
scythe to the weeds that have es-
capped the hoe. But there are ways
OF cultivating even potatoes that will
make even the weed crop, at harvest
ing, like some potatoes, "small and
few in Z hill" The attentive and wise
farmer knows how that is done.
And then your ground is ready for
further Improvement. A crop of ear
ly grown potatoes got out of the way,
then the pillow and manure wagon, if
. necessary, can be sent in, and turnips,
wheat or rye put in, and the ground
and yourself all the better for it. Or,
being cleared off seasonably. and kept
clean at a suitable time before the
winter sets in. it can be ridged. at
which time also the manure might go
in, and next spring would find it al.
ready half titled for the coming sea
son.
A gardener out West makes tOads
useful He puts boards, with strips
of wood under them, between the rows
of vines as a shelter for the toads il
the day time. At night they sally
forth and gobble up all the bugs abou
the premises.
POTATOEs.-Now that potatoe-dig
ging time has arrived, every farme
should remember that in their pres
ervation it is of the first importanc
that they be excluded from light
They should be placed in complet
darkness the day they are taken fror
the ground. A good way is to fl
barrels or boxes with potatoes, an
then pour on dry sand till covered
For seed they are better to be e.
posed to the air few days.
1t is said that tan-bark place
around peach trees free from worm
will prove protection against tbel
for many succeeding years. All fru
trees may be benefited by like a.
plication.
The California Farmer is lookin
ahead. Three years hence a stea
pillow is to run there, blowing and see,
ing sixty acres of wheat per day, viii
a steam harvester is to gather an
sack an equal number of acres in tt
same time.
How TO RAISE ONIoNs.-The que
ton has been hereabouts, how to rails
onions? A man at West Concor
thinks he has this year solved tt
problem. He did not SOW the see
until the 10Th of June, and he b;
raised fine crop. His theory is thi
the maggot fly, which is the cause {
the failure Of the onion crop in a
these years, does not work after a ce
tain time, and that if onions are n,
sown before the middle of June the
will escape the ravages of this fly
1t is worth trying.-CaIedonian.
SALT FOR GRAss.-A corresponds
writes the American Institute FarI
ers' Club on this subject, as follow
when | was in Australia motto,
that the tracks made by the dra
loadad with colt hidao maro o1ua