The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1875-05-08
Farm and Household Column.
The Golden Rule of Agricul'
ture.

The Golden Rule Of Agricul'
ture.
I Plants live 4 double life. They
have two fold nutrition-mineral
and organic. Their mineral food il
derived from the soil and tho organic
from the air. While the organic con :
stituents Of plants are generally mi
form, BY \ strict analysis Of their
ashes it is discovered that the differ.
ent classes arc marked by the preva-
lence Of certain mineral elements.
Some abound in potash, others III
silica. Different parts Of the samo
plant h""" o,s" their prenontleratin9
elements. Thus It appears that tn"
reason why all crops are not snite.l
t0 tho same soil is II variation of the
mineral elements. All crops IRE not
suited to tho same soil, and mainly
because it is deficient in certain min
eG'l elements, or they exist N too
large quantities. ~. @-
The fertilization Of soils is the ad-
t1ition I" the soil Of suitable pabnlun.
for the g,owth and development OF
plants. If allowed sufficient time;
plants can extract organic materials
from the surrounding atmosphere to
attain a vigorous growth; yet it We
apply to their roots mannres Welding
ammonia, carhonic acid, nitrogen,
otc., We supplement tho atmospheric
supply and hasten their levelopn;ent.
Liquid manures are, therefore, ri
high value, az their action il in.me,'i
ate and powerful. But if this policy
is long continued it will exhaust tho
soluble mineral elements in the soil
and render it comparatively worth
less. Hence, in all permanent sys-
TENS of agriculture, mineral fertiii-
zers eau no more be dispensed witt,
than organic. 90 IAN -s
Long.continued cropping removes
from the soil all the available mine
raj constituents Of plants food, nm
less we restore to the soil in the shape
of Imanures exactly what is lost in
tho crop. This, then, is the golden
rule Of agriculture. BY failing to
heed this important principle millions
Of acres Of the choicest land have
become worthless, and millions moro
are now undergoing the same ruin
Gus process: s'''> s'::'1 ..l'2, aa7'''i
We should economize every source
of fertility. Manure heaps should
all be sprinklcl with sO.ne absorbent,
such as gypsum or diluted su'phnric
acid, to prevent tho escape Of ammo
mia, liquid excretions. preserved in
tanks that none If it may he wasted,
ashes saved and spread on the fields.
Compost heaps should be formed
where all retuse-Aanimal or vegeta-
ble-may he utilized; and while the
accumulation If ti!th and noisomo
edors is prevented, the soil is enrich
ell and farming made remunerative.
With fertilizers the careful farmer
can accomplish much; without them
he can accomplish notl,ing.-Cor.
American Farm Journal.
i Care Of Oil-Cloths.-An oil.cloth
requires careful treatment and should
never be scrubbed with brush, but,
after being swept with the long. hand
led hair brushes that are made for tho
purpose, it shoull he carefully wash.
ell with large, soft cloth Dipped in.
to milk and water-half-and-h half:
or, if the milk is not obtainable, te.
pil water without soap. The latter
ruins "il-cloth by taking off the
brightness Of the paint, and it should
never be applied to it. .s.E5.
Looking. Glasses Spotted Ivy SIM.
does not seem tn I've vcvy
generally understood that tho ANAL
gam Of tinfoil with mercury which
is spread on glass plates to make look
ing.glasses il very readily crystalli-
zcd by actinic solar rays. "a mirror
hing where the sun can, shine on it
is usually spoiled; IL takes granu-
lated appearance familiar to, house.,
keepers, though they may not liz: ac-
quainteh with the cause Of tho change.
In such q state the article il nearly
tho continuity of tho sur
face is destroyed, and 1T will not, re-
l'ect outlines with any approach to
precision. H''e'a' AIS $50
DR.. Hurshy says, in tho Western
Planter, that he protects trees from l.
rabbits by putting on Tho botlica.a
made from, Stacked liz.
aud soft soap, brought to the ceusia.e
tency Of ordinary raint, with CON-
mon flour paste added to make It adj
hesive. To keep winter pears, have
them in rooms where tho mercury
does not go below s degrees. in u
tight barrel or box. They will 70
main hard until January, when, by
them ont into a warm room, ID
they will tipen.-Frnit Recorder. 1t
Sponge Caks.-Take half n pound
Of sittrd loaf sugar, break five eggs
over it, and beat all together for fall
half an hour wit,-a steel fork. Pre-.
vi"asly take the weight If two -sss
and half, in their shells, in -four.
After you have lea'en the eggs anil
sugar together for the time specified.
CRATE into them tho PEEL of q lemon.
and add the juice ii approved. Stir /
the flour into this mixture, and pou r
It iuto tin. Put it instantly into n
cool oven. Time. th1ee-quarters of
nm hour to one hour. SO Va
A hnsbandman says: "As the leaves
fall they are swept by the winds into