The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1874-03-31
FARM AND GARDEN.

"A good coat of tar or ink around the
trunks Of fruit trees will protect them from
insects.
Straw should be cut short before be-
ing thrown into the barn-yard for manure,
as it will the more readily absorb the
liquids and rots much sooner. Short
straw. makes better bedding than long
straw.
Now is the time to prepare for garden
work. Get your seeds selected and ready
for use. Mark out your plans for the va.
rious kinds intended to be used. Get the
rubbish off your garden that all may be in
readiness to p,ow and prepare the ground
for the seed thus you will be enabled to
get seeds in early and realize an early yield
Of vegetables.
Bran or shorts are more valuable for
feed than hay. While timothy is worth
twenty-eight dollars per ton, shorts are
worth eighteen. The manure from a ton
Of bran is worth fifteen dollars that from
timothy or corn is worth seven dollars:
that from o ton of clover, ten dollars that
from ton of straw, two or three dollars.
The farmer can readily calculate the differ
ence.
Mr.. 7. B. Rogers, of Wethersfeld, re-
produced 600 eggs during the month of
February, which is l5S more than the same
fowls laid in January, and February is a
short month 10. Mr.. Rogers hopes to
make the number 900 for March. Mid
dletoacn Constitution.
The agricultural makeup of the Pal
mer (Mass.) Grange is peculiar. The mas
ter is horny-headed lawyer; the steward
is connected with carpet company the
assistant steward is druggist; the over
seer is doctor; the chaplain is dry
goods merchant; the treasurer dentist; ;
the secretary hardware dealer. The gate
keeper and his brother are the only original
members about whom the odor of new
mown hay has ever fingered.
Farmers and gardeners should not
delay moment to hunt and destroy the
insects that infest the orchard and garden.
Tent caterpillar's eggs are more readily
removed than the young after Matching.
The female canker worm ascen0s the tree
on mild days to deposit her eggs. Any.
thing fastened around the tree properly
will prevent the worm from ascending,
such as strips Of paper with tar or printers
ink Troughs containing petroleum will
prove an effectual barrier.
M. j. B. says he has horse that is
subject to a hacking cough, and wants to
know what to do for it. The best remedy
is good care, good old oats and old hay !;
careful and regular exercise, but not sweat
ing the horse if it can be helped, and cool
ing out carefully, if sweated, so as not to
take cold If medicine is needed, give
twenty grains Of iodine of sulphur in two
d,achms of powdered gentian in his food,
daily, for couple of weeks; and then
once or twice week afterwards for a
month or two, and the cough gradually
gives way.
Indian meal as fertilizer is enthusiasts
tically recommended by a New Jersey farm
err. He says it is superior to Peruvian
guano and not half so costly. He has
tested its properties on potatoes, grass,
and wheat with excellent results, and re-
commends farmers generally to try it for
themselves. Applied in hills of corn it
had remarkable effect in stimulating
growth, the same as guano, and like the
latter it had killed the corn when in con-
tact with the gsywing germ. The stimula-
ting effects of Indian meal must be owing
to the heterogeneous elements contained in
it. Its consistence in fine powder rem
ders it speedy of decomposition and quick
in action.
"A simple and efficacious plan to utilize
lieh manure is to gather some peaty soil.
dry it thoroughly in the sun, and store it
away in a dry place. With this, dust the
house floor well two or three times week,
and once week sweep it out clean, and
store in dry place. You can thus pre-
vent the manure from emitting any often
sive smell, keep the hen house perfectly
sweet, and have very valuable manure.
Treat the stable in similar manner, ex-
cept that it be cleaned out daily, and
sufficientis put down to absorb the urine,
a very important item, usually not only
lost, but allowed to become nuisance to
man and beast.
Rhodes IL Server, produce commission
merchants, 2G Whitehall street, New
York, issue the following advice to pro-
ducers: ''d'he main objection to the su.
gar coming to this market is that it is
black and dirty looking, caused by SCOT
falling in it when boiling, and dust and
leaves falling in the sap while under the
trees. How can this appearance be
avoided without adulterating the sugar?
The remedy is simple and will surprise
you when tried, viz: When the sap has
boiled to about half the consistency of
syrup, add to quantity required to make
pound of sugar, a tablespoonful Of new
sweet milk let it boil five or ten min
utes, and strain through coarse linen
cloth. The milk collects all the fine par
ticles of dust and SCOT, and causes some
to remain in the cloth. In 'sugar-
ing off," if scum arises it should be
carefully SKINNED off. During the whole
time the syrup is boiling, after it begins
to bubble. and after being taken from
the fire, until cool enough to pour into
the moulds, il should be briskly stirred.
Small cakes and squares weighing pound
each sell best Sassafras spiles should
always be used in tapping the trees. Don't
use sumac. lin pans are best to catch
the sap into if these cannot be obtained,
wildwood troughs may be used.