Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1875-02-05

MUST DRAIN TO SUCCEED.-About three-fourths
of the complaints tha. reach us of the misbe-
havior of fruit trees and the failure of vegetable
crops, and the unsatisfactory blooming of roses
and many other things, have one common
origin-the want of drainage. We see people
laboring away at the surface, raising the level
By additions of soil, manuring literally, remov-
ing plants that have not prospered, and planting
others in hope of better luck and We can tell
them, when all is done, that until they secure
the first essential OF success rapid removal of
surplus water-there can be no success to their
efforts, manure and plant as they may. At this
time of year you have but to open a hole one
spade deep, and in less than ten minutes that
hole will be filled with water, which proves that
the whole surface soil is saturated, and that any
cavity, tunnel, or opening would Immediately
draw of the surplus water, according to the ca
paeity of the opening, and that therefore very
simple and inexpensive means would suffice to
enable the soil to get rid of the water which is
in excess of its power of absorption. A two or
three inch pipe, laid at a regular fall at about
three feet beneath the surface, will effectually
drain breadth from twenty to one handred feet
in width, according to the nature of the soil and
its relative level. Generally speaking, the drains
should be three feet deep and twenty-four feet
apart. In districts where there is any apprehen-
sion of the disturbance of the drains by moles,
one inch pipe should be used. On very fat land
fall in one of fifty will suffice to keep the water
moving; but rapid fall is preferable if the out
let is low enough to- admit of it, as in times of
sudden heavy rainfall, quick removal is very
desirable. OF course we can not here enter into
the details of the subject but as this is good
time to drain land that requires it, we again re.
mind our readers that good drainage promotes
the warmth and fertility of the soil ; and, on the
other hand, water-logged soil is almost poison
Gus to every kind of plants that come under the
care of gardeners.-GardeHsr's NagGzins.
| IN-DOoK CULTURE OF ToMAToEs.-The London
Gardeners CsrosieIs describes method of rails
ing tomatoes within doors which t says has
been successful and is worthy of general adop-
tion. The seed is sown about Christmas, and
by the first week in March the plants are set out
against the back wall of the lean-to wineries, in
a good compost, with ample root-room. Here
they make rapid and vigorous growth, and in
the course of the season attain to height Of
from 10 to IL feet, and produce successionaI
crops of fruit with great profusion until past
Christmas. In this manner early and late toma-
toes are obtained from the same plants. As a
matter, of course, the plants can hardly be kept
too moist, and good dressing of crushed bones
is occasionally given. The border in which the
tomatoes are planted is only about Is inches in
width. The plants must be well fed, but the
wonderful crops they bear is the best testimony
to the advantage of a liberal treatment. The
weight of fruit obtained from one plant in q
season is something remarkable and many OF
them attain a great size.
Ten RULES FOR FARMERS. Take good
| papers and read them.
2. Keep an account of farm operations.
8. Do not leave implements scattered over the
farm, exposed to snow, rain and heat.
4. Repair tools and buildings alta proper time,
and do not suffer subsequent three-fold expcadi-
ture of the same money.
5. Use money judiciously, and do not attend
auction sales to purchase all kinds of trumpery
because it is cheap.
6. See that fences are we'll repaired, and cattle
not grazing in the meadows, or grain fields, or
orchards.
Z. Do not refuse to make experiments, in a
small way, of many new things.
s. Plant fruit trees well, care for them, and of
course get good crops.
9. Practice economy by giving stock shelter
during the Winter; also good food, taking out
all that is unsound, half rotten or mouldy.
10. Do not keep tribes of cats and snarling
dogs around the premises, which eat more in 3
month than they are worth in a lifetime
FEEDING CATTLE AND Hoes ToGETHER.-k
correspondent of st. Henry, Ohio, in the Wsstsr1s
Rural, replies to the inquiry, ''What Ais Our
Cattle 2'' as follows ''A farmer near this place
| had also queer disease in his cattle, and as he
solved it at last will tell you what the people
think it was. Mr.. R., of this place, had lot
of cattle, and he also Fed them in the same YARD
with some hogs, and they (the cattIe) died one
after another, until an old farmer told Mr.. K.
not to feed hs cattle and hogs together in the
same place. Mr.. r. separated the hogs and cat
tie, and that stopped the disease"