The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-10-11
FARM AND GARDEN.

| LAVENDER CULTURE-Compara
ly few persons are aware to how large
an extent the culture of lavender, for
commercial purposes, is carried on with
in a radius of thirty miles from London.
In the county of Surrey alone there are
nearly three hundred and fifty acres of
land devoted to its growth, and the total
extent of the lavender fields in the
London district cannot fall far short of
five hundred acres. When three years
old, the plant is at its best; and when
it reaches the age of seven ears, it has
made so much wood that it is more
profitable to uproot it and set fresh
plant. The harvest-time depends much
on the state of the weather, but it usu-
ally commences about the first week in
August. The flowers are cut with a
sickle, bound up in small sheaves, and
Immediately carried to the distillery.
There the stalks are cut off, leaving but
little more than the flowers, by which
the bouquet of the oil, afterward ex-
tracted, is much improved, though the
quantity of the oil is sensibly dimin-
ished. Much care is needed on the
part of those who handle the sheaves
in the distilling house to guard against
being stung by the bees which remain
attached to the flowers. The temper
ance, industry, and providence of these
insects are proverbial; yet their behavior
in lavender fields, especially towards
the end of the season, when the flowers
are fully developed, cannot be too Sc
verely reprobated. So careless are they
of the good reputation they have earn
ed that they refuse to leave their lus-
cious feast even when it is laid on the
trimming bench, and hundreds are
thrown into the still, notwithstanding
the efforts to dislodge them, in state
OF helpless intoxication. When the oil
is first distilled, it has peculiar en-
pneumatic odor, but by being kept in
bottles for twelve months it loses much
of its harshness. 1t is still, however,
unfit to be used as a perfume in its
natural state. In order to convert the
essential oil into what is known as law
underwater, it is mixed with from
twenty to forty times its bulk of spirit,
and with just trace of neroli, or other
essential oil, according to the taste of
the compounder.-Harper's Bazar.
GRAPEVINE TIEs.-A string may be
a very good thing for tying young vines,
but there will always be one difficulty
with it as long as "time is money" In
other words, it takes too much time to
do the tying and the string-cutting. 1
think there is a better article, which is
very light wire. ( have forgotten the
number, but it is quite small, and being
small, pound will go good ways in
a vineyard. Perhaps wire manufac-
turers can recommend some good and
cheap implement for cutting it into the
required length; but in the absence of
one, l take an old axe, turn it edge up,
fasten it into carpenters wise, lay the
wire over the edge, and with hammer
and one light blow, can cut the wire
into any required length-usually about
four inches-and do it very rapidly, al
most as fast as can give the blows.
The trellis being of wire. the wire
pieces used for tying are fastened to it
by tapping one end, the new growth of
the vine brought up to it, encircled by
it, and the small wire Tapped again
about the trellis wire. All this is done
very rapidly, and serves just as good
purpose as a string. Occasionally, if
there is much strain on the vine, be-
cause of change in its position, the
wire may cut it, but this does not hap
pen very often. The wires remain in
place through the season and the next
winter, and very large part of them
will still be in place even after the win
ter pruning. when they may be used a
second time simply by loosening one
end, and then drawing tie young cane
to it and fastening as before.-Country
Gentleman.
GREAsING BUGGIEs AND WAGONS
Greasing buggies and wagons is of more
Importance than some imagine. Many
a wheel is ruined by oiling too plenti-
fully. A well-made wheel will endure
constant wear from ten to twenty years,
if care is taken to use the right kind
and proper amount of oil; but if this
matter is not attended to, the wheel
will be used up in five or six years, or
it may be sooner. Lard should never
be used on a wagon, for it will pene-
trate the hub and work its way around
the tendons of the spokes and spoil the
wheel. Castor oil is a good material
for use on an iron axle; just oil enough
should be applied to spindle to give
it light coating; this is better than
more, for the surplus put on will work
! out at the ends and be forced by the
shoulders and nut into the hub around
outside of the boxes. To oil the axle
tree, first wipe the spindles clean with
cloth wet with turpentine, if it won't
wipe without it. On buggy or car
riage, wipe and clean off the back and
front ends of the hubs, and then apply
a very small quantity of castor oil, or
more especially prepared lubricator near
the shoulders point.
Autumn -transplanted trees have the
| advantage of those Dlanted in snrinp