Middletown transcript., 1876-05-20
Agritnltural.
Written for the TRANSCRIPT by one OF the
most experienced farmers, gardeners and
fruit growers 10 the United States.

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written for the TRANSCRIPT by one Of the
most experienced farmers, gardeners and
fruit growers 10 the United States.
ssEDLING STRAWBERRIES.
The way to obtain seeding straw
berries is as follows: When the ber-
ries are fully ripe take the variety you
desire to experiment on (and the poor
est may produce as good seedlings as
the best, % like does not produce like"
10 this easel and mash the fruit in just
enough dry .fps sand to separate the
seed, so that they can Be sown sand
and I'll. Prepare small bed made
rich with well fotted manure. and thor
oughly mixed with the soil !; and if not
in shady place it must be- protected
from the rays Of the sun in some way.
Sow your seed IN . broadcast way. and
cover with finely pulverised soil about
an eighth Of an inch deep, packing
down the earth with the back OF
spade. For i quart Of berries mashed
in sand bed three feet square would
be large enough. In about two weeks
the plants viii come up, and the bed
must be kept constantly moist and
shaded III the fall the plants will re-
ouire careful protection for winter and
the next spring they should be set in
beds where they viii bear fruit the
third year, Every plant will be
distinct variety; and You may, per-
haps, get one or two very superior
kinds ID several hundred plants.
GROWING DROPS IN ORCHARDS.
It is decidedly advisable to cultivate
apple orchsrds for the first Eve or six
years, manuring we'll, and keeping the
ground free Of grass and weeds around
the trunks of the trees. Potatoes are
one offhS best crops that can be grown
10 young orchard. Corn is also good
while the trees are small Some farm
ers crop their old orchards to advan-
tage, plowing rather shallow near the
trees, 10 sssNnot to disturb the roots
but as general rule old orchards
should be kept in grass and orchard
grass is very good for such places. as
It grows we'll 10 the shade. An old
farmer says; II have an apple orchard
Of seven and quarter acres that has
been set seventeen years and is most Of
il in very fine, healthy condition. and
| have plowed and cultivated it every
year, | think, but two since it was
planted; those two it was seeded to
clover and timothy. and yielded two
good crops Of hay each Of the two years.
Tho trees have now become so large
that the crops sowed Or planted in the
orchard do not amount to very much,
but takingahe time from the first plant.
ing Of - -. think l have raised
as lars 90 VI crops On the land
occupied By the orchard as on any
equal number Of acres Of my farm " 4
SMALL FRUITS IN GARDENS.
But few people seem to know the
value Of small fruits to family when
grown in their own gardens. You
commence with strawberries; they con
tinue about month. You pick. per-
haps from six to twelve quarts day.
You have them on your table as des-
sert. if you please, at noon, and your
tea table is loaded with them at evening.
and you want little else but your bread
and butter. Your family consume in
one way or another about eight quarts
aday, and while they last no medicines
for bodily ailments are required, as q
quart Of strawberries daily will gener-
ally dispel all ordinary diseases not set
tied permanently in the system. After
strasberFies, raspberries come to con-
tiaus about Tires weeks then we have
blackberries where the climate is not
too cold for the cultivated varieties
then the currants ripen, which remain
till the early grapes mature; and TAX
ing the season through any family with
. half acre Of land in garden can grow
small fruits that make country life
delightful, and 1T the same time hun
dreds Of dollars can be saved in the
supply Of the table, as the writer knows
from 40 years. experience.
CORN CULTURE
If one we're to try to grow the great
est possible crop Of corn per acre. be
should apply the manure spread upon
the land: fhe more the greater the crop.
then manure literally in the hill. Pro-
badly the bill system, rows about three
and half feet apart, and bills the
same distance. or a little less apart.
cannot be Improved The land should
be plowed according to its condition.
Asward turned over six inches deep
and laid fat will bear good crop. A
deep rich soil not in sward should not
be plowed deeper than pair Of horses
can easily do at smart walk, while
light soils, with I barren sub-soil. should
never 60 into the sub-soil, except when
the land is we'll dressed with barnyard
manure, and then only an inch or two
Of it should be turned up.T Chemicals
fertilizers may be worth their cost and
they may be frauds; consequently, the
barnyard manure is the only safe reli-
auce. The following are some ofthe best
chemicals Sulphate Of ammonia, sui
phate Of potash, German potash, salts
and nitrate sof potash These articles
may be applied to any crop singly, or
mixed. They should be mixed with
soil. according to their bulk and
strength, and handful put in hill Of
whatever is planted; bat they are pro-
ftable only when bought Of Wholesale
dealers at the lowest market prices.
PLANTING MELONS.
Hog manure, when we'll decomposed
with its attendant litter. is the best
fertilizer for melons. squasbes and
cucumbers. When that is not to be
had. use the best we'll rotted barnyafd
manure that you have. Put two shovel
fuls ID = bill. mixed thoroughly with
Al..s~.-s1 y Al r.. u