The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1876-04-22
Rural Topics.
WRITTEN FOR THE "UNIoN" BY ONE OF THR MOST
EXPERIENCED FARMERS, GARDENERS AND
FRUIT GROWERS IN THE UNITED
STATES.
PEAR CULTURE.

AL IH6 last meeting Oh Tue w cStcTu NSN vi n
Fruit Growers Association it was stated that one
orchard of a, 900 dwarf pear trees existed in the
vicinity, all in perfect health-that among the
sorts that had generally done best were Bartlett
Manning's Elizabeth, Duchess d'Angouleme,
Lawrence, Seckle, and Early Catharne These
varieties, probably, are all good for any section
of the country. Duchess, as it is usually called
the best late pear that exists but il is rather too
late for our extreme northern States 1t is Of
immense size and very delicious. No one can
make mistake in growing Bartctts, the best
variety for all climates that is known but it
does best as a standard. The most productive
dwarf variety was said, al the above meeting, to
be the Louise Boune de- Jersey, which is true -
Owing to the hundreds Of choice varieties of
pears that exist one is liable to be confused, and
not known which to purchase, hui it is hest to
grow bu, few kinds. For mild climates, The
three best are Duchess Louise Bonne de Jersey
las dwaris) and the Bartlett as II standard and
in the northern STATES merely substitute Flemish
Beauty ior Duchess
CHOICE APPLES.
Tue old Baldwin and Rhode Island Greeuing
stand at the heusi uiIhe i.s t '.'sro1g7 me Iaa
dreds OF new varietlrs, MS hne winter apples !;
and for sweet surt OF Tomans S"eeiing can
not be surpassed as cooking variety As good
autumn varieties, the Duchess of O!dpnburg.
Fall Pippin, Grave nsten, Mtiden's Blush, Jer
sey Sweet and Porter are amohg the best. Good
summer varieties are r d Astracdan, Early
Bough, (sweet), Early Strawberry, Golden
Sweetiug and Red June, fine variety for the
Middle and ,uthern Sta'es. 1t is not always
safe to purchase chrice varieties of apple trees for
IA locality, till il has been ascsraaed whether
they do well in that or abuu' that latitude as
it is quite too important matter TO set trees for
the use OF future generations, aud not have evil
dence Of their being adapted 10 your climate.
DEEP FLOWING
1t often happens that some theoretical writer
recommends dep piewing, wIlnsut stating the
whole case /; ana someImes iar.ners iujure their
lands, by following the advice OF these writers,
some of whom never puwed rod OF land 10
their lives; but as they otten admitted to The
columns of respectable ricaltursl papers, whose
editors are Eot practical farmers, their subscro-
ers are sometimes inclined 10 follow their instrue-
items, if not we'll posted in the matter, and often
to the injury OF their lands. 1t is sheer insani
ty so to speak !or "A arlDer to plow his land
foot deep where il has but three or feur inches
OF fertile soil, as the good soil is buried under
mass Of subsol that is as barren MS the sea shore.
The pilh OF the whole matter lies just here
never plow over two inches deeper at time than
your fertile surface soil extends. Then if you
put Oh u lllic anu Nau SVi SOOu
''catchr of red clever upon it, to be turned un-
der the second or third year, blowing two inches
deeper than before; and il you keep up this sys-
tenn of turning under crop of clover occasion
ally, the second crop Of the season, Saving the
first for hay, rolling it down fat attsr rain,
SO as TO be covered we'll, you can in - few years
obtain soil eight or twelve inches deep, where
but three or four inches before existed.
GOOD WALKS
When walk is made. it should be well done,
as it is for life time In the first place, procure
all the cobbe stones that will be needed to fill ia
eight or ten inches deep, and place them where
they can be easily reached with wheelharrow
Then excavate the walk foot deep and remove
the earth to some other place; then fill in with
The stones, topping off with small oues leaving
the top about an inch below the surface OF the
ground. Then procure enough coarse gravel TO
make the walk in the cestre about six inches
higher than the level of the adjoining ground
aud as you apply this gravel, rake of the coarser
parts as you proceed, so that the 6ner portions
shall lie on the surface. II short walk, wet it
with water pot as soon as finished, and roll II
with hand roller as soon as the ground is suffi-
GENTLY dry and for extensive walks, the roll
ing may be deue coos after "a rain Snch Il walk
will endure fer ages, and always be dry.
A GOOD WdlIEnASd.
The following described whitewash is very
durable and may be used on wood, stone or brick:
Sake half bushel Of un-slaked lime with boil
ng water, keeping it covered during the process
Strain it, and add a peck of salt, dissolved in
warm water, three pounds of ground rice put in
boiling water and boiled to thin paste; half
pound powdered Spanish whiting and pound
clear glue, dissolved in warm water; mix these
we'll together, and let the mixture stand for sew
,ral days Keep the wash thus prepared in a
Kettle or portable furnace, and when used put il
IN as hot as possible with either painters or
brushes
POULTRY IN LARGE NUMBERS.
About 100 hens are as many as a farmer can
Keep proitably, unless be gives special attention
o the business and then it is a very unsafe bus
ness, owing to the liability of the fowls to be-
,ome diseased. In no case has any person, eith-
n in the United States, or in England or France,
.ver kept 1000 fowls successfully in enc yard,
Or forage range; but it has been done by keep
ng them in lots of 100 to $50 i'll separate places,
over a number OF acres of land, each
OF having a separate roosting house 20to 80 rods
apart No man should attempt the keeping of
over 100 or 200 fowls, until be is thoroughly in
ormed in regard to all the difficulties in the bus
ness, as be would be sure to lose the most of the
money invested in it.