The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1869-04-16

Cultivation Of Ehsibarb,

~ IL generally considered better
to prepare the gronnd for this crol
in the fall than in the spring, Al
there is more time to do the work
properly then, than during the lat
ter season. The soil should be
deeply filled and we'll manured. II
the soil should be trenchcd two
spades deep, the return would fully
repay for all the additional labor
and expense. The best time to set
ont plants is when the leaves have
fallen. Divide the stools so as to
leave only one or two strong buds
on each bunch of roots.
Great care should be taken in
pulling the stalks for market or do
mestic use. as in many cases great
damage is done in gathering rhu-
barb, tbroughs Ignorance and. sare-
EleSsnesss 3Donot pun on "a stalk
roughly for in so doing the crown
is fractured or removed altogether.
Move the leaf carefully from side to
side, phil it gradually, and it will
soon come away without injuring
the crop. Do moi. follow the prac.
tice Of pulling off'the leaves as fast
ashley appear, as it prevents the
roots from extending, and also in
jures it's vitality for future seasons.
No one can expect tohave strong,
healthy plants unless they provide a
sufficient number to admit some of
them having rest while the others
are used. ~%1lsflfE
Rhpbarb may be cultivated for
several years in young orchards,
without damage to the trees that
is, if the ground has been previous
y properly dcepened and MANFRED
for the reception Of fruit trees.
When grown in young orchard the
large leaves of the rhubarb keep the
ground cool and prevent weeds from
growing up,rat the. same time ;shaa-
ing the :rootso of the trees and the
lowsr partsof thestrurks from the
suns rays. Then, ia gain, the mulch
or'manure which is applied to the
rhubarb in the fail, in a great mea-
sure protects the roots of the trees
during the winter season, and also
enrichcso and strengthens them in
the spring and in return the crowns
Of the rhubarb arc protected during
The winter 7seasonv BY, the, fallen foil
age Of the trees, Which is much Bet
ter for a covering than either dung
or compost.
There are several varieties of
rhubarb, and during the past twen-
ty or thirty years, great improve
ments have been effected both in
sizel and quality . Myatt's Vic
toria, !" we'll known for it's large
size, flavor and productiveness, is
largely cultivated, although some
what later than other varieties.-
''Myatt's Lineus - is now largely
cultivated, as it, yields a heavy crop
and is of Inequality it's skin being
SO thin that it is not necessary to
remove it in cooking, Z Another va
riety, called "DoWniug' Colossal,
is cultivated to a large extent it
possesses superior flavor, is of large
size, and has very little acid.
Citrus OF F1iE n U fMNEad MELON.
The Rural World says: Plant
i'm bills about six feet apart Two
or three plants to the hill will be
sufficient. The soil cannot be too
we'll prepared by deep. and Thorough
culture. If you wish to obtain par
ticularly fine melons, dig out the
earth for the hills foot and a-half
deep by about sthreefeet in breadth,
and mix liberal quantity of the
best decop1pcsed stable manure with
the soil, and return to the place
where the seed are to DO planted
Alittle elevation of the hills ad-
visahlG particularly in ground liza
BILE to be moist They should not
be sownsuntil the weather has be-
como settled and warm-say till
about the middle Of April. The
soil should afterwards be mellow and
clean from weeds and melons. that j
will make your mouth water will be
the result. The melon likes warmth |
and the seeds will rot if planted in
a cold and wet spell. Late plant
ing is FIJI preferable to'early plant
ing on this account.