Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1870-09-01
RURAL & DOMESTIC.
From iowa Homestead
Iowa Agricultural College.

NV 60NJo - WIN ~ UVO
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From iowa Homestead.
Iowa Agricultural College.
We have received from President
WEIGH tie following rerorts OF the
operations OF the pomolog,cal aud
Botanical Departments for the month
OF July:
PHYSIOLOGICAL.
Zion. n. s. WelcA, President Io,ca
State -4Syicxlt9ral College,"
DEAR SIR I'll have the honor to
submit my report for July 1870.
This month has been marked by the
same difficulties in culture that have
pressed 50 severely upon rs during
the entire season, and which have
been referred to in my former re.
ports. The only wonder is, that
during such an extreme drouth rs
we have passed through, we have
been enabled to save anything trans
planted IN the spring. But our diff
culties, failures, and successes, have
suggested their sons-important
ones too, and furnished us very
clear indications OF what We may
accomplish in an ordinary season.
Last year and the present, we have
experienced two extremes of the
weather, unprecedented IN the his.
tory Of Iowa, and I think we may
reasonably hope that TOR few years
to come, there will be return Of tho
usual productivcness, and remunera.
ton Of labor, in the field, and garden,
the vineyard and the orchard.
I think may safely say that in
this particular locality, there has not
been at any time since spring set in
ram enough to wet the potatoes 0,
the corn roots, till last Monday night
list inst.,) when there was very
good shower, which, com NC as it did
in caring time, will increase the yield
of corn quite largly, over what il
would have been had the dry wealth
er continued a few days longer, while
the same beneficial results will be ex
perlenced in every other depas tmen,
on the College Farm.
have carefully examined and not
ed the losses up to the present time
OF cur transplanting last spring, and
find that they are not SO great as !
feared they would be, and am able
to say, that in regard to the most i'm
portant matters, success has been tal
better than l expected. / will here
after give you full statement on the
subject. l think it too earl,
in the season yet, to do SO satisfac
torily in every particular. BY Sep
TENDER or October, can communi
cate details in regard to the fruit De
partment, as we'll as in tree culture
generally.
Among the experiments of tn,
season, l will allude to one which
may, after final results are developed
be interesting to all who are cultivat
ing fruits.
In the old orchard, which l under
stood was planted about eleven O
twelve years ago, found many tree
in such diseased aud unsound con
dition, as to be only an incumbrance
md therefore had them cut down
There are about thirty left standing
which appear to be in reasonable con
ditlon, but which am informed. Xix,
the others, have never yielded an,
fruit, or but few specimens, though
thing most Of them are Of varietie
that generally yield well, amongs
which | think l recognize Talmar
Sweet, Rawle's Janet, and Red June
l also learn that they have bloomed
well for several years.
Instead OF root pruning to bring
these into bearing, concluded to try
the effects OF ringing" or taking off
portion of the bark from the main
trunk, remedy which has recently
been highly recommended by some
practical and successful culturists
From about the Goth to the 10Th
of June, l peeled eff a strip around
the trees of about six or seven inches
wide. / used no shade or protection
to the part exposed, but what was
afforded by the tops. So as to be
able to Judge correctly of the effects,
I.operated in this way on only about
one half the trees standing. Ol
course nothing can be determined
during the present year, unless q,
some affirm, the process might pro
duce immediate injury or death K
the trees.
! I can only say IN reference to thi.
that up to the present time, Angus,
9Th. the subjects of the experiment,
look as green and thrifty as any Of
their neighbors of tie Pyrxs Malu,
family, aud that a new and brlgh,
bark has grown over all the wounds
aud il now about two thirds as thicl
as the old Que.
This is all I can say now. Result
will commence to speak out by mex
year, and shall be duly reported.
Respectfully submitted,
JAMES MATHEWS.
| Zines, -4ugust Q, 1870.
! THE GARDEN.