The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-05-06
.rARm. Garden AND HOUSEHOLD.
An interesting Agricultural Exper-
- ----.l II. iment. -n - IL

An Interesting Agr1cuitura1 E1peE-
..rrr5 .r- iment. j e. or
SHELLsBURe, Iowa, April 1870. Several
years since selected a plot Of new, rich,
alluvial prairie, with depth of near five
feet of black surface soil. For six years in
succession grew upon the plot such crops
/ as could remove almost completely by
root and branch, from the ground such
as crops of currant bushes and grape vines
from cuttings, Seeding apple trees, follow,
ed by beans, ruta bagas, etc. At the end
of six years of careful cleaning everything
from the soil, this plot, with the
land adjoining, EARNED IN the ordl-
nary way), WAS prepared, and In due
! time planted to corn. With the same eul-
ture, the contrast in the crops surprised ali
who-had not given this vegetable mold
| doctrine some study. Upon the side crop
ped in the ordinary way the growth OF
stalks and of large, well ripsned ears, were
above good average prairie crop Upon
the experimental plot the stunted looking
stalks and ears reminded one of the cobble
knolIs of New England
For the eighth year the cornstalks were
removed from the soil by pulling, and the
| land with that adjoining, was sown to bar
ley. Again we had the same contrast. On
the ono side streng, well-ripened growth
on the depleted portion growth of straw,
with half-developed head, too short to be
all cut by the reaper. ss r..a
No chemical analysis would detect IN
this rich, deep, alluvial soil at the end OF
the eighth year, any deficiency In the ele-
ments of plant growth, aside from its veg
etable mold By practice upon our rich
soils it is found that even dry cornstalks OF
stubble plowed into the ground year after
year, will hold the land measureably In
good condition. But perhaps ne portion
of the state viii be more benefited by al
ternating with clover than the great prai-
ries. Why? Simply because when the
great natural supply of humus, furnished
| by the virgin prairie sod, is exhausted, 1t
must be renewed.-JoS. L. Budd, In Ger
nlantOvn Telegraph
Avoidable InJuriss TO the Horse.
Many horses are made vicious from cruel
treatment.
More horses fall from WEAKNESS than from
anv other cause.
When horse falls, he is more frightened
than his rider.
A frightened animal cannot use its sense.
Alright; it must first be reassured by gentle
treatment TgfE t fr,er s=@
1t is speed that kills the horse.
Never strike an animal upon the head.
Careless application of the whip has blind.
ed many horses.
More horses are lamed from bad shoeing
than from all other causes together.
Never kick nor scream at horse, nor jerk
the bit in his mouth
Climbing Plants fer the Window.
The Massachusetts Ploughmen, in an ar
ticle on 'tHouse Plants" says:
Ivy may be trained about your picture
frames, to creep over the mantel and win
doWs, or to form a border of the paper
around the room close to the ceiling. The
most brilliant flowers do not give so pretty
an effect to room as thrifty climbing
ivy. Money, wandering Jew, myrtle, etc.,
grow well when hung In the window; and
the effect of the gracefully dropping sprigs
is extremely pleasing, both outside the
house and in it.. Turnips and carrots
scooped out, filed with canary seed or
chicken-weed, and suspended In the win
dow. are very pretty. The leaves sprout
from the root underneath, and the plants
spring from. the seed simultaneously. Be-
sides the pretty effect your birds, il You
keep them, can have feast through the
winter upon vegetation. H-.
Take common tumbler or fruit-can, and
fill it nearly full of soft water. Then tie a
bit Of coarse lace or cheese sacking over
il. and press down into the water, cover
with a layer of peas. In few days they
will sprout, the little thread like roots 60
ing down through the lace into the water,
and the vines can be trained up twine
around the window; or, what is prettier, q
frame may be made for the purpose.
- Narrowing Wheat. .sr
1t is the custom with many farmers to
SOW clover or grass seed in the Spring upon
their Winter grain. Before sewing the
seed, if an ordinary harrow with sharp
teeth is run over the wheat or other grain,
the crop will be materially improved by it,
and the ground at the same time viii be
put in much better condition to receive
the clover seed than if sown without har-
rowing. Some might Rpprehend injury to
the wheat by giving it o thorough tearing
with the harrow. But select a time as
early in the spring as the ground is just
dry enough to work lively, and good har-
rowing will prove as great benefit to the
crop as a thorough plowing or cultivatlHg
will to crop of growing corn. Ii you are
afraid to make the experiment on hun
dred acres, try it on ten, or even one acre,
and report TO US and the world the result.
Whether grass seed is to be soWn or not,
the narrowing will pay many times the cost
of the operation. If the work should hap
pen TO be done Just before shower Of rain
the effect is readily marked. We have
tried it and. know. --...--,
Grain on light, sandy land, will be i'm
proved by running roller over 1t instead
of the harrow. -
Pototoes-Light Seeding.
r. G. Benton, writing to the Prairie
| Farmer, says:
p after experimenting with light and heavy
seeding in potato culture, l am convinced
that light seeding produces most uniform
size and better quality of potatoes than
heavy seeding. What L call light seeding
ia medium sized potatoes. Cut one eye II
a piece. planting sixteen inches apart, II
drills four inches deep; drills three feet
apart, have tried forty varieties In thli
way, including all the modern varieties
and it is evident, IN my mind, that as
general thing, farmers use more seed thar
is necessary in planting potatoes.
CURE FOR BONE FELoN.-The following
recipe for the cure OF bone felon Is from
the London Lancet: Gas soon as the pull
sation which indicates the disease is fel
put directly over the spot a fly blister
about the size of your thumb nail, and le
it remain for six hours, at the expiration o
which time, directly under the surface Q
the blister, may be seen the felon, which
can be instantly taken out with the poin
i of q needle or q lancet ".--.e-4aa----.-.
|. KEEPING HAMS 20. D. asks in the Far
mer how to keep hams and bacon through
the summer. have for several years, af
ter smoking, put my hams down in salt and
have never failed in having them keep per
fectly. Itake barrel or box, and cover tn
bottom with salt; then put in the hami
and cover them well with salt so as to ex
clude the flies. Have had no troEble II
keeping hams all summer in that way.
keep them in my cellar. J.P. K.
STREET-CAR LEGERDEMAN.-The Hart
ford Courant has employed special com
missioner to investigate the subject o
politeness in street-cars, and the result o