The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1874-07-25
NO.. g..
Farm Column.

ing interesting trial with sweet pn-
tatOeS:o
Sin ISL l cut tho vines from tho
POTATOES Of all but one row, before
SIM up, tie morning Of tho first frost.
dug and housed the potatoes the same
day, spreading tlIinly on planks. The
received row ,=aas dug after the m"is
ture had apparently dried from the
vine tnot yet cut from the potato);
potatoes housed alongside Of first lot.
| neither weighed nor measured, but
exaI,incd daily, aud concluded that
onc-eighth Of the first lot rottcd be-
fore freezing weather, and not one
per cent. of the last dug. The crop
Of 1872 was similarly treated, and
very similar results were being OBJ
tanned, when open doors allowed tho
whole to freeze and rot.
)"My experiment Of 1873 was as
follows: - pounds dug before frost;
"a pounds dug attcra partially killing
frost; Il pounds dug after the vines
had dried up; II pounds dug after
the ground had been twice frozen.
On December III, first lot weighed IL
pounds; second lot, IL pounds l..
ounces; third lot, L. pounds ~
ounces fourth lot, 10 pounds iouu-
ccs.
"Tle above deficit includes the dry
ing Of the sound potatoes, also No. 3
shows gain in weight, probably by
one potato falling from lot Mo-. OF
course that dctracts from tho minute
completeness of the experiment (xs
10 one can claim that il potato can
increase in weight, no matter when
lug), but before weighing had, from
daily examination and removal of rot
ten potatoes, concluded that No. l
s'aprobably keeping the best, No.. !
second best, if not equally VOL with
No. l, No. 9 third best, and No.3
rotting most, while the general crop
rotted but little. l am still strength
ened in my opinion that frost-killed
vines do not injure the potatoes, if
left attached until they dry. .lu my
experiment have not properly test
ed potatoes dug befbre any frost.
81 will add that the vines oi those
potatoes dug after freezing, wl'e!o
Looming the potato, were filled with
natural milky sap, apparently sweet
POULrRY.RAls1NG FOR LADIES'
One young country girl, Miss Annie
Kirk, of Bethel, Pa, is entitled td
the praise Of being the best lady
lpoultryist on record. In 1872 sho
cleared $3.50, after paying for all til"
feed, freight, etc. She commenced
with eighty fowls-CMl'in, Chinas,
BrahInas and other varieties-;,nd
found the Cochin and Brahmas tho
most profitable, being healthier and
Of speedier growth for the market:
She feN from seven to ten bushels Of
corn per week, and the young ones
with cracked corn. She is also keep
ing an account Of stock this year-am
account which shows every itcn,.of
expense and proft-and expects to
realize as much, If not more, than last
year. When attacked by the pre-.
vailing poultry disease, last year, Miss
Kirk speedily checked its spread by
the free use Of lime, scattering it ali
about and giving lime water t. drink.
An mple was given last year Of u
lady at Concord, Mass, who raised u
gross value of $3.50 worth from Dom
iniques and common breeds; but this
was exceeded by Miss Kirk, whose
profits alone are $3.50. Such efforts
as these on tho part Of our ladies ara
creditable in tho highest degree, and
arc worthy Of general cmulation.--
Exchange.
RAISING CLOVER SEEp.-A very
intelligent farmer, born and raised III
a district where clover seed is Il lead
ing crop, writes to the Country Gen
tlcnIaD:
A point here is worthy OF special
remark: Where the land was rich,
plaster used, and the season grow
ing one, 20 that tho clover grew rank
aud lodged badly, the seed did not
seem to suffer, but yielded q good
crop. The only objection was tho
moving. This trouble, however, only
happened when plaster was used. It
seemed to add vitality aud give har-
dincss to the plant. There was moro
substance" it was thonght-cer-
tainly more seed. The yield was
generally from two to five bushels per
acre and upward, depending much
upon the thickness of tue stand and
the nature Of the season. Those who
did not spare their seed (in sowing)
were the fortunate ones. Those VIII"
had thin stand, and neglected SOW
ing their plaster in time, or omitted it
altogether, were among tic unfortu-
nate ones.
The medium clover has almost su-
perseded the large. Instead Of pas
turing the land, it often, with tho
medium, has a crop taken for hay; this
lis done in time to have the field clear
at the proper pe,iod-about the goth
of June. Pastuling, however, seems
to be best; but it wants tn be close,
which ia navor an a6vauta,v n Il, rfncl