The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-06-08
FARMERS s. COLUMN.

PINoH1NG TOMATO VINEs.-We hear
much through agricultural papers about
"pinching in" tomato plants to make
them more compact, and the fruit ripen
earlier. Have never seen any lnstruc-
tions how this pinching IN is done Is
it not from the head of the vine that the
fruit mes?-E. J. BRIDGE.
The principal object sought in pruning
tomato plants is to check the growth of
the vine, and force out fruit buds. If
tomato vines are planted IN rich soil
they will usually grow vigorously, and
expend their strength during the early
part of the season in producing stems and
leaves, showing little fruit until the
plants have reached a large size, and
then only that which sets early will ripen
except IN very favorable locations. Eve
ry one who has cultivated tomatoes in the
Northern States and have allowed the
vines to grow unchecked must have no.
ticed that not more than one-half the
fruit uDon them reaches maturity, simply
because the season is not sufficiently long
to permit the plants to exhaust their
fruit-producing powers and ripen It is,
therefore, waste of time and soil to al
low vines to grow unchecked in Mort b,
ern localities and pinching may be prac-
ticed with benefit. AS soon as the plaDts
are foot high pinch off the top; this
will force out strong laterals on the stems
below, and these blossom and fruit will
soon appear. When the laterals are a
foot, or little more, in length, their end
should also be pinched off, checking the
growth of stems and leaves and throw
inc the whole strength of the plant into
the fruit, and hasten its maturity. 1t the
object is to produce ripe tomatoes instead
green ones, then allow no greater number
to start than is likely to mature, and this
will be much larger and better in conse-
Quence of the treatment it has received.
On poor, light, sandy soils. at the North
or in that which is rich or otherwise, In
the Middle or Southern States, pinching is
seldom advisable, because it will usually
weaken the plants so much as to cause the
fruit to become diseased, or scanned by be
ing exposed to the direct rays OF the sun
GoosEBERRY AND CURRANT CATER
PILLARs.-Until lately, cultivators OF the
red and white currants in the United
States were not much annoyed by the
csterpillars which are so destructive to
the foliage of these fruits in Europe
Unfortunately, they no longer possess ex
emption from the ravaees Of these pests.
Last year a considerable part of the
currant crop was destroyed by The
currant caterpillar. A similar insect
damages the foliage of the gooseberry
These pests are the larvae Of saw-f1ies,
which resemble the horse-fy; except that
they are slenderer, and the under part
of their bodies is redish brown. The eggs
are desposited on the backs of the leaves
being glued to the ribs. When the eggs
are Matched, the young caterplllers cut
through the leaf, and form numerous small
holes. IF the trunks are examined at the
right time, and the leaves containing the
young broods picked off and crushed,
there will be no further trouble; but If
the catcrpillars are allowed to spread over
the bushes, it will not be SO easy matter
to get rid of them. Powdered lime shak
en- over the foliage while the dew is on
will kill the caterpillars. Fresh wood
ashes are nearly as good as lime for this
purpose. Powdered hellebore is used by
some persons, withsuccess, but it is more
expensive than lime or ashes Operations
against these insects should be commenced
before they have done much damage to
the foliage, as when the leaves are des-
troyed, the fruit Wlthers and falls Off
tt
Wool MARKETS. THAT the stock of
wool throughout the country is, and has
been for sometime past, very low,is fact
generally admitted. In consequence of
this, the market is opening this spring at
a considerable advance over prices last
spring. It is claimed, and truthfully,
that manufacturers cannot afford to pay
high prices at the rates at which the
goods must be sold, and it is feared by
some-those too whose interests are with
the wool grower-that the opening prices
cannot be sustained.
We see no reason to believe that the
clip this year will be larger than that OF
last year. Starting with the old stock
we'll cleared ous there is no danger Of an
over supply Of wool if the mills continue
running and if importations are not much
increased. These facts have caused the
advance In prices. We do not think il
probable that prices will improve after
the trade fairly opens, and it is
possible they may fall--but this is, as yet,
simply matter of conjecture.
Washed fine wool is quoted,in Chicago,
at 40 to 44c in Milwaukee, at 40 to Acc
at Madison, at 40 cents.
The WATCH.-"Watch" is from g
Saxon word signitylng "to wake" AZ
first the watch was as large as a saucer