The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1874-05-16
FARM AND GARDEN.


!, and the cal is reported as doing fine
Iy. though it has neither received nay
nor meal since he got it. He cuts the
hest and finest hay he has, about two
inches long and pours boiling water over
h lie sit stand until cooled to about
the heat of milk from the COW, when the
tea ia given to the calf and the hay to
the cow. Both calf and COW thrive on
their feed. We have fed great deal OF /
hay tea to calves, with good results.
GRowING THE SUNFLowER--Thee ui- |
tivation of the sunhower is said to meet |
with great favor from the planters IN |
British Guinea. These flowers, which |
flourish in marshy places, yield from |
eighty to one hundred bushels OF seed
to the acre and each bushel furnishes
from five to seven quarts of an oil which
is excellent for illuminating purposes,
beside being of use in the mixing of
paints. Its flavor gives it value IN
cooking, also. As food for poultry, the
dried seeds are said to be very fattening.
From the stalks fiber is obtained that
may be substituted for hemp the leaves
are relished as food by cattle and
the flowers furnish supply of rich hon
ey for bees. 1t will thus be seen that
those who choose TO undertake the ex-
pertinent of growing sunfowers start
ont with every promise OF rich return
with little labor.
ScRAPISG FRUIT TREEs.-Perhaps Oc-
tober and November are the two best
months of the year for scraping
and washing fruit trees apples and
pears. There is nothing better as
Is wash" with which to scrub the trees
than a preparation of one pound Of
whale oil soap TO large bucket of wa
ter, we'll dissolved. There is nothing
more nauseous to insects than this. 1t
will Law f" cold" everything that we
have tried it on but the curculio that,
however, cares no more for the mixture,
even though accompanied with sulphur,
lime water ard tobacco juice, than if il
were Il Pingerty dose of pure spring
water. But rose-bugs and the steel
blue grape-bugs surrender to its power
iRcontinently. Every farmer and gar
dener ought to have n supply of this
soap on hand for use whenever necessa-
~. Apple and pear trees, well scraped
and then washed with the preparation,
will not only be freed from some OF the
chief insects proving upon foliage and
frnit, but will sensibly feel its invigor-
ating effects.
ROLLING THE GROUND. On dry or
wet ground the effect of the roller is
found to be salutary. Plowed and pre-
pared for sowing, dry land IS much
helped by the roller The blades of
grass spring up sooner and retain a
frmer hold in the earth. In q season
of drought, rolling has saved the crop,
when without it the seed would have
never sprung from the ground. In wet
and heavy ground it is believed the
roller, smoothing and hardening the
surface, viii have the soil Immediately
beneath the surface in a better condi-
ton to generate the seed. On grass
ground that has been hesved by the
frost, the roller has an excellent effect
in fl dng the roots. Rolling the ground
is also good when the land has been
laid down unevenly the previous year
If the land is too dry, wait till Just af-
ter soaking rain, and it viii work cap
italy. 1t Is good idea TO roll plowed
sowed ground before narrowing, as it
presses down the burrows that would be
turned back, and makes the surface less
uneven, and the harrow pulverizes it
much.
BUrrrR woE1Sa-Tbe drudgerv of
+ butter working, which falls so heavily
upon farmers wives in dairy districts,
is in a fair way of being done away
with, if a western example shall be
generally followed. An establishment
has lately been started near Beloit, Wis,
for putting into marketable shape IN
washed and unsalted butter The but
ter Is purchased from the ueighboring
farmers just as it comes from the churn.
This, IN quantities o. from 500 TO 100
pounds, is put into vat made of two
inch PLANK, eight inches deep, twenty
four IN csilss broad and eight feet long
With wooden instrument the butter IS
then separated into small pieces, when
moderately cold water is LET in to cover
it, and then wooden hoe stirs the
whole thoroughly together. Then the
butter Is put into another box with a
wire screen bottom, through which 1t is
forced by means of lever, at the rate
of ], 900 pounds In less than five min
utes. Winter butter being white is
colored the salt is added, after which
1t is put through another machine, by
which the salt Is evenly distributed;
and thus two men can handle and pack,
ready for mal>set, from 5000 to 5, 600
pounds day, aud the butter is of uni
form quality, sound and sweet.
SENDING PLANTS By MAI1.-Tbe
cheapness and readiness with which
plants may be s mt through the mail
prompt these suggestions from the Ag-
riculturist as to the best method of
packing Many contrivances have been
made for packing, but none are better
than sphagnIm and oiled paper when
they can be had. Lay down a piece of
oiled paper of the proper size, spread a
thin layer of dry moss upon this; re-
move all the earth from the roots of the
plants by washing, lay them upon the
moss, and roll the whole tightly; then
enclose IN a strong wrapping paper with
ont sealing. Plants sent in this way
will remain in good condition for two
weeks at least. Where oiled paper can
not be had, the next best thing is a ci-
gar-box, as it is light. and may be had
almost anywhere. The moss must be
dampened as for sending by express, as
evaporation will be more rapid than In
oiled paper. When plants are sent
either by mail or express, a portion of
the leaves should be cut off, and they
arrive in better condition when large
part of the top is removed in the case
of all trees and shrubs, with the excep-
ton of everPreens. Herbaceous plants,
or those of leaves and stems of which
lie down, every fall, should be cut back
TO within two inches of the roots. Use
strong Irvine in tying the boxes, and do
not wrap in paper. Bulbs not in a
growing state must be packed in quite
dry moss or chaff of any sort. When
plants are sent out during cold weather
or In the fall or early spring. the moss
ought to be drier than that used during
the summer. Those sent to us from
California AMI the far west need rather
1ncro 11sosssnre, 41acy
so long. It should be borne in mind
that more plants are ruined by being
packed too wet than too dry.
A BTr OF RocK-woRK.-There is many
n shady nook and corner IN the vicinity
of country homes which might be beau
titled with very little expense-northern
exposures, where the sun seldom shines,
and which are left bleak and bare be-
cause grass and flowers refuse to grow.
Any time harness the old horse and
start for the woods to hunt up suitable
material for what our English friends
term ga pleasing bit of rock-work. "
An unusually roEgh stone, all over an
giles and uncouth projections, is prize;
let such form q load to begin with,
Next collect a supply of the unctuous
leaf mould which has lain buried be-
meath its covering for many years, until
it has become as dark and firm as the
most fastidious plant can require.
r.