The Portland daily press., 1874-04-16
Agricultural Items.
PLANTING STRAWBERRIES.

A writer in the Cottage Gardener describes
method by which he obtains early results
from planting Strawberries. He first allowed
the runners to form mass Of rooted plants.
These be took up with spade, three inches
deep. and in blocks nine inches square, the
work being neatly done by cutting them by
lines. In wellprepared bed these blocks
were set eighteen inches apart, in trenches
dug two feet apart. The roots not being in
jured in the least, the crop was excellent. We
have adopted a similar plan, cutting smaller
blocks, with single string plants to each.
They were set out in spring, and, the plants
being checked none, the bed Lore a fair crop
of ripe berries six weeks al, er setting. II the
operation is well performed, beds might be
set in autumn without danger of the plants
suffering by the freezing of winter, a slight
covering OF evergreens being given.
CHOOSING HATCHING EGGS.
A contemporary says eggs for Matching
should be chosen Of the fair average size usu-
ally laid by the hen they are from; any unus-
any large or sma being rejected. Some hens
lay immensely large eggs, and others small
ones. A tat hen will always lay small eggs,
which can only produce small and weakly
chickens, Absolute size in eggs is, therefoles
Of but little importance. Round, short eggs
are usually the best to select; very long eggs,
especially if much pointed at the small end,
alhOSG Always DiCCu DiuS WIFI SOue AVN
wardness in style or carriage. Neither should
rough-shelled eggs be chosen; they usually
show some arrangement OF the organs, and
are often sterile. Smooth shelled eggs alone
are proper for Matching. 1t is farce to sup
pose that the sex OF bird can be determined
by the shape of the egg.
COMPOST FOR FLOWERS.
In cleaning off the garden and flower bor-
ders, there is mt re OF less of leaves, litter,
ETC., that must be disposed of in some way.
Take it and make che basis for compost
heap for the winter empty all the coal and
wood ashes OF the house over it, as they ac-
cumulate from time to time; save all the
bones and refuse of the kitchen, and all the
greasy dishwaterf and the chamber lye, and
add them daily to the heap. Gather, il you
can, from the blacksmith shop or elsewhere.
ron filings or scales from the hamnering of
heated or rusty iron, TIE parings of horse
hoofs, and, with little of sharp, sandy soil.
add them to the heap. This well mixed, in
the spring, will form one of the cheapest fer
tilizers for all kinds of flowers in the open
border.-( Horticulturist.
BREAKING UP SETTING HEN.
A friend of ours told us, the other day, how
his wife cures hens of setting, and as it is
very novel way we will repeat il for the bene-
fit OF others who are bothered with inveter-
ate old settlers. Thi: lady had hen that
was beund to sit; the lady was bcsnd she
should not. She would shut up the old hen
one day, and when released back she would
go to her sitting. Patience final ly gave out.
Picking up some splinters from the chip yard
(some four or five inches long) she bouud
them firmly to the hen legs leaving only
the hip joints in working order. Bid die was
outwitted. Like the old Dutchms MS hen she
would have to sit standing up.