Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-04-18
Farm and Garden.
THE ARTIFICIAL PROTECTION OF FRUIT AND
CROPS.
From the New York Herald.

AS Gn6 present stormy spring al
vances the annual fears for the fruit
crop increase. The horticultural in
terests of some sections are the vital
interests, and it has become important
| to all classes, the producing and con-
Stunning alike, to save the luscious fruit
crop from the desolating breath of
March frosts. Among the late and
valuable results of meteorologic in
quiry is a very simple method of as
certaining on any particular night
whether frost will occur. This is done
by first ascertaining the dew point or
temperature at which, at the given
time and place, the atmosphere will
part with its vapor, and this vapor be
deposited as water. A simple little in
strument of recent invention, known
as Edson's hygrodeik, indicates to any
observer at a glance, and without any
calculation, the dew point. Where it
is exposed-and if the latter be con-
siderably above the freezing point of
fresh water-no danger need be ap.
pretended; whereas, if the dew point
indicated by the hygrometer is under
thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit, frost
may be predicted with certainty, and
no time is to be lost in shielding the
tender plant from it's nipping effects.
Unless the wind veers during the night
from point of cold to one of warmth,
or vice Uersa, the hygrodeik's indications
are very reliable; and in this country,
by reference to the daily weather re-
ports and predictions of the Signal Ser
vice, the horticulturist or farmer may
almost invariably learn whether the
wind will veer.
Taken in connection with this scien-
tific expedient for predicting frost, an
American meteorologist proposes an
1 T. IL IL
fetal protection of fruit and vegetables,
after it becomes known that the frost
will occur. The winds, which some
times in a single night destroy the
finest prospects of the husbandman,
usually come from the north or north
west, and it is, proposed to protect the
largest orchards by one or both of two
ways: First, to kindle fires on the
windward side of the orchard, which,
from his knowledge of the local pc
ouliarities, the farmer is generally
good Judge, and to rely upon the veil
of smoke spread over the trees to shield
them. It is claimed that such a smoke
curtain oYerhanging the exposed area
will serve effectually to arrest the ra-
diation of solar heat from the earth and
from the wood of the trees, and thus to
keep the dew point above the freezing
point. Or, where it is possible and
convenient, to evaporate water in large
boilers ranged on the windwal side of
the fruit, which, it is thought, will
prove even better preventive of
deadly frosts arising from the radiation
of heat, not only from the soil of the
earth, but from the fbers of the plant.
The ascensional movement of air over
the fires or large boilers would, it is
contended, serve to divert above the
tree tops the current of frigid and
frost bearing air. In the longitudinal
valleys of Switzerland it has been found
that the coolest currents descend close
upon the ground, and the Swiss vii
lagos are generally built on eminences
rising out of the sides of the noun
tains, and bounded on both sides by
gorges and ravines, into which the
coldest descending currents turn aside.
In the mountainous parts of our coun-
| try this fact might be taken advantage
of in the artificial protection of fruit
by the means suggested. The efficacy
of these means is attested by the dis
tinguished physicist Bousingault, who
states that in the plains of Cusco, in
Peru, especially on still, clear evenings,
the Indians set fle to heaps Of wet
straw or brush, and by this means raise
clouds of smoke, which prevent frost
the smoke acting as a mantle to the
earth, enabling it to retain its warmth
during the night. It is also we'll known
that the peasants of Chamouni, in
| Switzerland, do the same precisely if
their crops have not ripened toward the
end of the season, burning green wood
on the two sides of the inclosing noun
tains of their valley, the smoke of
which, forming in the middle a cloudy
canopy, efectually obstructs the radia-
ton of heat into free space and protects
the growth of the summer. The Signal
Service, if properly developed and
extended, as the people are now
demanding of Congress, will afford all
the information necessary for the i'm
mense agricultural and horticultural in
terests of the country. and prove of as
| great and incalcuiable benefit to them
Eas.it has already proved to the mercan-
tile and shipping interests.
TO MEASURE CORN IN THE CRIB.
Add the width of the bottom of the
crib in inches to the width across the
corn in the upper part, also in inches
| divide the sum by two, and multiply it
by the height and length of the corn
in the crib, also in inches, and divide
the product by 2,750. The result will
| give the heaped bushels of ears, two of
which will make a bushel of shelled
corn. By multiplying the average
width, height, and length, in inches,
together, the cubic contents in inches
is found, and 2,75O cubic inches make
a heaped bushel.
| SULPHUR FOR FOWLS.
Sulphur mixed with soft food and
given to fowls two or three times a
month, has very beneficial effect. 1t
seems to permeate through the system
of the fowl, promoting health and pre-
venting disease. 1t also has a tendency
to rid poultry of vermin. Mix with the
feed intended for ten or dozen fowls.
about two dessert spoonfuls Of pulver-
| lied sulphur and give as directed, and
the beneficial results thereof will be
seen in very short time.
SOWING CLOVER SEED.
Farmers who grow clover seed ale
recommended by writer in the Rural
World to SOW the seeds in the chaf
without hulling, since it is actually
worth more and will bring better crop
than the same quantity of seed will if
| hulled. He says many of the seeds are
injured by hulling, and the chaft is
protection to the young and tender