The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1869-09-01
CLOVER As MAsuRs roa WHEAF,=

tnorlty, In recent lecture says that If farm
ers can succeed in getting good crop of
clover, they are almost certain to get good
crop of wheat Sat first sight it seems
contradictory to say that you can remove a
very large quantity of mineral and organic
food from the soil, as in the case of clover
nevertheless it is fact that the larger the
amount ofHiiheral matter YOU remove In a
crop of clover, and the larger amount Of nj
trogeh that is carried off in crop of clover
hay, the richer the land becomes" An enor-
mount of nitro genous organic matter is left
In the land after the removal of the clover
crop, and this gradually decays and furnish
es ammonia, which, at first, during the cold
er months of the year, is retained by the |
we'll known absorbing properties which all
good wheat soils possess. Investigation
shows that ammoniacal salts in the soil are
rapidly transformed into nitrates. As am
monia is gradually formed by the decompo-
sition of clover, it is much better saved by
the large amount of vegetable mat
ter thus left in the soil So the benefit
derived from the growth of clover is very
much greater than can be secured by di-
rect application of nitrate of soda. The lat
ter is not retained in the land, not even in
clay soils, but passes through like sieve.
But while nitrate of soda may be readily
washed out of the soil, the principal advan-
tage of clover roots and leaves is, that in de-
caying they furnish continuous source from
which nitrates are produced for the use OF
growing plants. If some nitrates pass of,
there is an enormous accumulation of decay.
ing organic matter left. The clover roots
and leaves are not all at once changed into
ammonia, as there is a gradual but complete
series of chemical transformations, which is
highly conducive to the gradual develop
ment of fertilizers from the clover plant.
Whereas, by using nitrate of soda there is Q
risk of having it washed away. So there Is
more certainty of growing good crop of
wheat through the instrumentality of clover,
than through the direct supply of nitrate of
soda. ,a.f
PRUNING TREEs.-Set a green hand to
prune trees when limbs of any size are to be
removed, and the chances are, ten to one,
that he will commence at the top, and saw
through the limb, until 1t falls by its own
weight; tearing down the bark and wood,
inhicting great, ugly wound, which may
require years to heal, and which if not care
fully protected from the weather, will cause
such decay as to destroy the tree. The
method commonly recommended to prevent
such injury is to begin at the bottom, and
cut half way through, and then finish from
the top. or, with very large limbs, to have
them supported by a crotched pole or pitch
fork held by an assistant below; but we
have found a better plan, and quite as easy,
to be to make two cuts, the first at conve-
lent distance, say foot, from the point
where we wish the limb removed. This
short stump can, except in the case of very
large limbs, be easily held in one hand,
while the final cut is made with the other.
After large limb is sawed of, the sur
face should be pared smooth. and for this
purpose, we have frequently found COM
mon carpenters chisel, about two inches
wide, much more convenient than pruning
knife. To prevent decay there is nothing
better than one or two coats of good oil
paint; and it should he as near the color of
the bark as possible, so as not to disigure
the tree All tools used in pruning should
be of the best quality and kept as sharp as
possible; it is poor economy to use any
Others. Limbs are sometimes cut too close,
but for every such one there are hundred
not cut close enough. Every cut, large or
small, should be made in smooth, clean,
workmanlike manner; poor workman is
soon known by hacking off limb with a
dull knife, leaving as many faces as on a
multiplying glass-Journal of Horticulture.
BUTTER VS.. CHEEsE.-A writer in the
Aurora Beacon thus balances the account
Farmers wives usually make their butter;
yet think six cents per pound would be a
small reward for skimming the milk, churn-
ing, and keeping pans and utensils clean,
taking care of and marketing the butter.
The price of making cheese is two cents to
two and half cents per pound; the cost of
drawing the milk to the factory, and draw
ing home the whey, is from halt cent to
one cent per pound of cheese. With cheese
at twenty cents, and butter at forty cents
which is near the market value of each, we
will see how the account stands; two or
three -fourths pound of cheese at twenty cents
per pound, gives fifty-ive cents making
and drawing milk, three cents per pound,
gives eight and one-fourth cents net value
of milk, forty-six and three-fourth cents.
The same amount of milk would make one
pound of butter worth thirty-eight to forty
cents per pound; cost of making and mark
citing, six cents; leaving thirty two or thir-
ty-four cents for the milk, showing def
cheney II loss of twelve to fifteen cents on
each pound of butter. Will the butter maa
De any petter OH next summer, When ne sells
MS Dut1er ior twenty-nVe cents per pouna,
and pays twenty cents per pound for his
cheese :
GRAZING MEADOWS. 1t is great folly to
suppose that meaoows composed OF natural
grasses are injured py grazing. moving
annually VIII soon weaken any grassland,
Dut grazing win cattie anu sneep VIII
quickly improve 1t, II the coarse and sour
portions Oh the nelds are kept down, so as
not to have "a ton per acre lefr on It to pro
tect the roots next WINTER, as some people
recommend. 10 prevent the animals from
eating very bare In places and leaving other
parts untouched, some applcatlon wili De
aesiraoie' accorolng 70 she com mPosl1ion Oh
tne SOIL WHICH VIII INDUCE thep 70 eat up
the rough parts, II IL Is soWn on early In tne
season salt In moderate quantity Will
answer the purpose, and plaster VIII heip,
or asnes OF any kino WIN sweeten the navoT.
Alternate grazing anu moving Is an excel
lent plan on oio grass iano anu 10 Iot pe
afraid OF eating the roofs OF De Iooieo into
bnt when well and evenly grazed all over
the surface it il GOOD poliey to take the
stock @ off it yerv early in tho autumn. mar
ticularly when it is to be moved the next
vear.-Countrv Gentleman.
c..
Mr.. W. U. Strong, chairman oI tne Imt
committee OF the massachusetts E9rticuitu-
raj Society, well says, IN ms annual report !;
l served an apprentlceshlp OF twenty-iour
years In good old Oonnecncuf, and grew
and rpened as good peaches, pears grapes,
etc., as ever saw grown elsewhere 1t only
needs thought, knowledge OF SOIL, and adap-