Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-05-13
FARM AND FIRESIDE.

n II Ul n NA
Horses PULLING ON THE HALTER. Some
horses have habit of pulling back on the
halter and breaking it, or endangering their
necks 1t is very bad habit, and lessons
the value of any horse. 1t is vice, Eow-
ever, which can be cured There are several
ways to do this, and we will give some OF
them. Those of our friends who have tried
them say they are effective.
Take strong rope, long enough to doub-
lie; then put on the tail the same as crup-
per; now cross it over the back and pass
each end of the rope through the rings of
the bit !; then fasten to post or any other
firm substance. Now come up in front of
the horse with any object that will cause him
to 60 back As he settles back on the rope.
the strain comes on the tail, and he will
rush forward to get away from the hurt
Two or three times pulling by the tail will
effect positive cure.
Another cure is, to take strap with
two-inch ring buckle it around the ankle
of either of the hind legs; then use along
halter; run it through the hitching ring in
front, then back to the hind leg tie it in
the ring now 60 in front Of the horse >
let him pull back if he will As he settles
back, it will pull the foot out from under
him, His mind is directed to his foot, and
he will start forward to ease his foot Try
him again. Every time he pulls, his foot is
drawn forward, and in assshort time he sees
no fun in it, and he is cured.
The USE OF SALT.-One of our substan-
tial subscribers believes the earth needs salt
as much as man and other animals. He has
been in the practice of watering bis garden
once or twice week with weak brine
about half the ordinary strength-and has
seen most beneficial results therefrom Cab
bage, beets, turnips, in fact all his garden
vegetables grew wonderfully after the appli-
cation. In one instance he applied it twice
during the growing season, to several rows of
corn, leaving others along side upon which
no application of the brine was made, and the
rows that had received the salt water pro-
duced third more corn than those not 80
watered. l .ii
Another subscriber, most careful and
exemplary farmer, purchased last spring
large quantity of damaged salt for dressing.
1t was applied to grain and root crops at
the rate OF ten bushels to the acre, being
spread broadcast after the grain was sowed,
and narrowed in. Its beneficial effects were
quite marked, especially upon crop of
peas, although the gentleman informs US he
believed himself that he used a larger
quantity than was necessary. If other sub
scribers or correspondents have had any cx-
perience with salt as fertilizer, we should
be glad to hear from them. ---haine Fermer
THE AppLEE TREE BoRER.-At about the
end of May or the beginning of June, ac-
cording to the warmth of the weather, the
winged beetles Of the apple tree borer begin
to deposit their eggs on the bark of the tree.
They do this at night, dopositing only one
in place, selecting some times the forks of
the main branches, but more commonly the
trunk of the tree near the ground
If, then, at about the first of May the
whole of the trunk of the treo, up to and
including the forks of the main branches, be
thoroughly washed with cold made soft soap,
or we'll covered with whitewash, or even we'll
washed with solution of potash, the alkali
will kill the eggs, or the young grubs as
soon as they are Matched, if the female insect
should chance to deposit them on the tree.
But insects are all endowed with most won
derful instincts, and it is very doubtful
whether the parent beetle over deposits her
eggs on tree that is thus covered with a
strong alkali Those who have tried this
preventative unite in saying that the trees
thus treated are never attacked by borers of
any kind, but remain sound and safe.
The DEPTH OF TREEs.-There has re-
Gently sprung up some controversy as to the
proper depth that trees should be transplant
ed, and as is usual in controversies of this
kind among practical men, there is not the
least hope of their ever coming to common
opinion on the question. And this is ma
tural and perhaps as it should be. Differ
ent kinds Of trees frequently require differ
ent modes of culture, beginning with the
planting. For instance, dwarf pears should
be planted deep, two or three inches below
the union of the ounce with the pear in
all soils where dwarf pear ought to be
A fir or spruce should be planted shallow,
and so, as a rule, should standard pear as
we'll as apple trees. This exception should,
however, be made in light, porous soils
they may be gagged deeper than in clay
moulds. Thus the heavier the soils the
shallower should the trees be planted. Such
is our experience.
ASHES FOR FRUIT TREES. The editor of
the Horticulturist says: eve have known
quite number of instances-indeed, SO Of
ten as to make it quite a rule-that old
orchards apparently dying out have been
brought back again to fruitfuness by the
liberal use Of wood-ashes, also stirring the
soil. "F
Potash is the most important element in
the successful growth of all kinds of fruit
trees. An old gentleman told club, not
long ago, that he had known man to make
and preserve an orchard of apple trees IN
Aourishing and productive condition, origin
ally placed on very poor ground, by sprink-
ling every year around each tree, to the cir
conference of the extent of its branches,
half a bushel of ashes We consider this
very important item" II
PLANT SHADE TREES. An incidental
benefit of the practice of planting trees came
lately to the notice Of Canada farmer who
had been planting shade trees along his
roads and around his house, and up and
down his lanes. The climate previously
was so severe that he could raise little or no
fruit. but when his shade trees were grown.