Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-09-18
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/ that plant Whilst we are doomed to an insect
war, 1t is encouraging to know that seed time
and harvest shall not fail, By which we under
| stand that it is possible to render insects so
harmless that our crops may be rlatured. There
Is cut-worm that destroys much corn If is an
easy matter to prevent his doing damage. Coat
ing seed-corn with tar is sure remedy. net iii
rectly by the tar, but the tar prevents the crow
from pulling the corn, while if he is allowed to
! come into the fields he will eat all the worms.
Fytte'ght geaTs' experience 1oarra5,ts this Peach
tree borers Will be sufficiently checked By pIaeino,
two or three quarts of wood-ashes around. e,cb
tree near the stem. each spring ard autumn.
Try it.
Inc Farmer having garden near his house.
the most eifectual check 10 insects is to have a
few ceOps OF chickens placed around his garden
when young; they will destroy insects whilst
getting much Of their living. If he has three or
! iour acres under cultivation near the bensrv-
older hens may run with safety much of tb..
time. The cabbage and turnip. with perbaps
leW other plants, should be grown at a distance
from the heuery. The safety of grown fowls is
thuS accounted for with a number Of cultivated
acres, the fowls will start and wall, over tho
grounds, picking up bugs which they like 90
We'll, and after going over the field they co-oe
oack TO the feed-trough, which should always
contain corn, and taking few kernels they rest
awhile, then start again, which is continued nj
intervals through the dag. In this way they
/ scarcely stop to search at all In three score
years have not picked from NV vines 4
hundred bugs. The fowls did the work.
There is Il worm, we call it the muck-worm
winch eats the roots Of corn at the time of its
filling out the ear. Ifthere are skunks on vour
farm they viii take care of all these worms be-
sides this they viii drive woodchueks from their
burrows, aud prevent much Of the damage that
would otherwise be done.
Is reasonable to suppose that we NAV with
close observation ascertain the habits of animals
| ana insects to such degree of certainty as to
/ render them comparatively harmless. But if
they do eat and destroy a small amount. the
good they do Outweighs it many times. In somc
sections the mole viii exeavate whole acres the
damage is trihing while the benefit is nearly
equal to turning over and reseedfng. and q rreat
expense is saved. The common house-dv. which
Is such an annoyance, and IS hunted in so many
ways is after ali the best sclvenger known. al
ways the most numerous where the most cor
ruptible matter is lying around.
It is pleasant and profitable to follow ont these
thoughts In the vegetable life it is as wonder
ful as in the animal. The grass crop which
took the place Of destroyed forests had in turn
to give way to seemingly worthless weeds. and
these were DESTROYED by we'll cultivated corn
crops, which fitted the ground for wheat and
other grains. Thus there is a continued rotation
going on.-Geyma1lto@s TsleqrGDB
CEoPs AND PGIc-s.-The general tone Of crop
reports from ali parts Of the country is good. ey-
cept that corn 8ill probably 20 a little below an
average crop, taking the whole country into con-
siderati3n, and tobacco very much below the
average. Foreign reports show q full ayerage
wheat crop in England, nearly as good a crop in
france, and an abundant crop in GERMANY
Southern Russia reports 4 goo. crop also. These
reports have tended to reduce prices little. but
Ihe TACT That there is months deficit in stocks
on hand, more than usual at this time of the
year, prevents any great fall in price. Other
gram crops are generally reported ayerage. ex
cept That rye is ten per cent. below in GERMANY.
All feedmS grains are in small supply and prices
are maintained. Some damage from rain to
grain In shock is reported in England and
France. Barley is in short supply and prices
are fully maintained. The London Farmer esti-
mates that the ''season" for the grain crops Of
1874 viii cover period OF thirteen months On
account Of short stocks on hand, aud that even
a large yield cannot reduce prices very nlueh be-
low the present ones.- CultiUa,3r
ne 4gTicults3ist also says: Generally the
-. eat crop has yielded well, and has been
-" cheaply and in good CONDITION.. mere
~, - marke: for it. Crops in Europe are
o;a- ,--nrage, and there are vast defcien-
-! :" '.oeN9 ~ made up. Besides, our
/ spring crops VII! be d~.ir, e,r;,o, ,ybs,t i
Il comparative failure in n. -
surplus of the fall crop will be a.o, -
meet this deficiency. Oats and corn VIZ -,
low the average, and hay is short in the ~,
although plentiful in the East. Prices tberefors
VIII oe satisfactory on the whole, if grain is not
I sacrificed, and there is no good reason wbv
farmers should hasten to put their grain into the
hands of spectators that they may hold il for n
rise. The outlook is favorable to steady prices
I if not to some advance"
STRAWBERRY BEDs.-A yolny cu,tiva tor ,v;,,,
es several questions answered. First. "a tn the
! quantity OF Strawberries which may be raised
I from an acre. Everything depends on good cpr-
tiyation, and much on selectngthe right sorts
! Ii has not been very unusual to set two hundred
! bushels per acre Of the Wilson, Sut one bpp-
dred Is more common, even from tie best man.
agement Many years ago, a neighbo- raised on
twO-thirds Of an acre which We sold him, at the
rate of four hundred bushels per aer. The
Wilson might have Possessed more vico and
productiyeness at that time than at present. We
estimated that line of quart boxes might hve
been placed in contact between rows and haze
been filed from them. Second question-Wha
IS the best mulch for strawberries in fruit? An
swer-Rye straw, which is straight, smooth, and
keeps its place. Other stiff, clean straw answers
well. Fine cut grass Eots too soon. Third Gues-
tion-Do YOU cut The runners Answer-The
best way is TO cut them. Sons sorts, as Triomphe
de Gand, for instance, will not do well without
with Wilson it IS less important market garden
ers generally adopt the matted row system,
keeping them well cultivated between the rows.
and weeds and grass carefully cleaned out in the
row as soon As berry season has passed. Cut
ting the runners gives heavier crops and larger
berries, and in markets where prices vary with
quality they are most profitable. Fourth ques-
tion-When do You remove the winter mulching!
Auswer-As soon as We wish TO cultivate the
ground, usually in April. Make the rows clean,
and then replace the mulch as soon as the berries
begin to form, to protect them from the SOIL
Co77thy Gentleman.
kEEP THE CELLAR CLEAN.-DuriIg these sui
try days it is particularly healthful to keep the
basement rooms of the dwelling house clean, dry
and the air pure. Old boxes, barrels. and what
ever rubbish there may be which is not needed.
should be carried out, and the floor, walls and
ceilings carefully swept, and all the loose dirt
from the bins where vegetables have chen stored .
should also be taken away to the stable or
garden. Have one or more windows open near
" all the time. Pure air is rs neediul in the
cellar as in the other rooms of the house. The
causes of many of the diseases prevalent at this
c1SOu NAV undoubtedly be traced to the nprIect