Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-06-01
HOME, FARM AND GARDEN.


"A correspondent Of Tilton's journal
says that a liberal top-dressing of old
leached ashes produced "a magical effect
on his bed of young strawberry plants set
some months before, and they grew finely
after having been long stationary from
drouth.
--B. F. TuIley writes the Rural Nfp
Yorker that the best time to kill trees and
bushes is to "cut them in the dark of the
moon in July or August, when the sign is
in the heart. There will be no trouble in
killing any kind of tree or shrub. This
year the days to be chosen should be the
18th and 10Th days of July. speak from
experience; have killed the black locust
with a single stroke of the ak"
strawberry Short Cakes.-Into three
pints Of flour rub, dry, two teaspoons
heaping full of cream tartar; add halt a
tea-cup of butter, little salt, one teaspoon
full of soda dissolved in pint of milk and
water. Mix quickly and thoroughly, roll
to an inch in thickness, and bake twenty
minutes in quick oven. Take quart OF
strawberries, and add cream and sugar to
make a sauce. For this purpose small.
sized, rather acid berries with sprightly
flavor are preferable. When the short
cake is done, divide it in three layers, but
ter them, and snread the strawberries be-
tween. Eat while warm.
A correspondent Of the Nec England
Farmer says that having lived on several
farms, and finding on each of them, old,
and apparently useless apple trees, 1t be-
came matter Of no small importance TO
devise method by which they could be
brought into bearing condition. After
trying various experiments, he took a
bushel of leached ashes and spread it
under two trees. To his great surprise,
these trees were loaded with excellent
fruit the next season Repeated applica-
tons of wood ashes around apple trees that
had previously borne but little fruit has
convinced him that no investment of so
small an outlay produces more satisfactory
results.
"A New Jersey correspondent Of the
Journal Of the Farm says that to grow
water melons he takes fallow land and
throws two burrows together ten feet
apart, the same as for corn, then with a
chain marks across to save leveling the
ridge The plots will be ten feet apart,
when the planting is done. There should
be no manure under the seeds. He takes
DdTu ydTu ulduuTc hLu pa cdus III thC iui
row each side of the hill. The quantity
is regulated by the amount he has To spare.
When the blowing is finished, the land is
narrowed level, and is then mellow 50 that
the roots can run from hill TO hill. tie
gets excellent crops by this mode. The
vines never die until the frost kills them
and the quality Of the fruit is first rate.
Don't whitewash the bark upon the
bodies of fruit and ornamental trees. We
are at loss to know for what purpose
some persons thus coat the bark of fruit
and shade trees about their premises with
lime, unless il is to make them look nice
1t certainly does them more harm than
good, as it serves to obstruct the respi-
ratory organs and in measure prevents a
thrifty growth. Should the bark become
diseased and rough, or covered with moss
scrape it thoroughly with hoe or scraper
of some suitable description, after which
wash thoroughly with strong solution OF
soap and water. If this is done properly
every season, it will prove great benefit
by destroying the insects which prey upon
the bark, and otherwise promoting a
healthy condition thereof, and increasing
the vigor and vitality of the tree.-Farn'
,I0urn1L