Middletown transcript., 1876-07-01
Agritnltural.

S9rnullnraI
Written for the TRANsoRIPr by one Of the
most experienced farmers, gardeners and
fruit growers in the United States.
THE COOLING MOTH.
The codling moth, or apple worm.
destroys q great deal Of fruit in many
orchards. In some States it is esti-
mated that one-third Of the apple crop
is destroyed. There has been no COM
plete remedy for the depradations Of
this insect. Some farmers whose
orchards are extensive have adopted the
plan of turning their hogs into their
orchards, when worm eaten fruit begins
to fall freely; and others keep large
drove Of swine in their orchards all
summer. They deyour the fallen ap-
pies, and the worms in them. This
lessons their numbers greatly. If there
are more wormy apples than'ths hogs
can eat, sometimes flock of sheep are
turned in for day or two at time to
eat the apples. In orchards that are
not very extensive, the fallen apples
may be picked up daily. and when
enough have been gathered to make
few barrels Of cider, it is made, and
vinegar is made Of it. If bands Of
coarse paper. or made Of hay ropes. be
placed around the trunks Of the trees,
two or three feet from the ground, the
worms that leave the apples will 60
under these to form their cocoons, or
to "~ind up" as it is called, and many
can be destroyed by removing the bands
once in ten days. Some persons claim
that this is the only remedy that need
be practiced.
SCIENCE IN FARMING.
The word s'science" in farming is not
. popular expression among the masses
Of our farmers, because hundreds Of
theoretical writer's, after having obtained
a little knowledge Of agricultural chem
istry, have thought that they were able
in few articles to revolutionize our
system of farming. Some 25 years ago
it was stoutly contended by these hum
bug teachers of scientific agriculture,
that every farmer should have the soils
of his different fields snalyzed, 50 as to
know what particular fertilizer to apply.
These chemists felt a wonderful interest
in the subject; and offered to analize
gill Of earth, and give "a letter Of ad-
vice" for $40! Then the world was
excited over what Prof. Liebig, the
great German agricultural chemist
claimed to have discovered-which was.
in brief, that every crop grown required
special fertilizer and to ascertain
what this fertilizer should be, take the
dry straw, stalks &c., Of crop to an
agricultural chemist to be burned. and
their ashes when analised would show
from their chemical constituents just
what kind of q commercial fertilizer
each crop should receive. To be brief,
l was going to say, that'the true science
Of farming lies in being well read, and
thoroughly "posted" on practical agri-
culture in !. all its ramifeations. No
man canafally understand bis business,
in these progressive times, without
reading at least one good agricultural
paper. He will, Of course. find much
in such paper that is Of no value;
but in the end it will pay to read such
a publication. by discarding the chaff
and storing up the wheat against the
day to bring it into use.
DON'T OMIT THE TURN1ps.
Turnips are q profitable crop. if
grown on rich land. Five hundred
bushels to the acre are often grown at
cost Of about $15, including gather
ing and putting them in cellar. root
house, Or burying them. making the
cost only three cents q bushel. Some
varieties may be sown in July, the fiat
variety in. particular, which is frequent
ly sown among corn, Immediately after
the last hoeing. Care should be taken
not to SOW the seed too thick, as thin
ming out is not generally practiced when
grown in this way; nor is any weed
ing done. This is decidedly the cheapest
way that crop Of turnips can be grown.
Cover the seed by brush drag drawn
between the rows of corn. Some farm
ers object to growing turnips to feed
to cows. on account Of giving the milk
an unpleasant flavor but this is obviated
by feeding the turnips. either when
milking in the morning, Of immedi-
atelyafter milking. and no bad flavor is
impaired to the evenings milk.
A ROOT CELLAR OR HOUSE.
In building a barn good large root
cellar should be built under it. But
where no such cellar exists, one can be
made at small COST Suppose your
barn is near hill facing the East or
the South 1t would be very easy to
dig out cellar on the side Of the hill,
walling it up. and placing some timbers
across the top, upon which place cheap
two inch pine, chestnut, or other dur
able planks to support the earth roof ~
The door should be thick. and made to
shut very tight; and then no frost
would enter. such cellar, unless in a.
very cold climate, where two doors
would be necessary # no such side
bill exists near your barn root house
can be built on level ground, If you
can dig down two Or. three feet. and can
drain the house by laying drain pipe so
much the better. In this case you 60
down say two feet. lay your walls and
bank four feet outside all around ex-
eepting where the door is to 60. Put
a double pitch roof on it, shingled, and
across the plates lay joists to support a
floor. In the gable end. over the door.
Q small door should be made to admit
hay or straw to gil the space well
packed. The bank around the build
ing should be sodded up in the spring
and you will have root cellar, frost
proof, and not uusightly. Such eel
lar should be made in summer after
having as Won can SPARE time.