The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1876-07-19

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The careful p~omologist will see whena
tree is sending out young branches
which in progress of time are likely to
interfere with each other; these are to
be taken out SO early that the term
pruning, in its ordinary sense, does
not apply to the operation. Some
hOrtiCulturists tear out the middle
limbs to let the sun shine in, some cut
she roots to promote bearing and the
early ripening of the fruit. Nor is it
to be denied that the object is gained
in both cases. But that is not the
whole question. The purpose is, or
ought to be, to grow a tree in its great
est perfection, and to last for its natu-
raj life. Of course, there is such a
thing as aiding nature-it is, in fact,
about all there is in horticulture or
medicine but giving good conditions
does not by any means imply amputa-
ton, either for tree or man. IT will
probably be found in the long run
that extra forcing and heroic cutting
are alike Objectionable. Had we time
and taste, the rubbing off of the bud
of the likely to be uncouth limb would
suffice for all trimming. Old trees,
like old folks, do not rapidly form
new graces, and are sure to be hurt
when even bad but accustomed habits
are rudely hewn a~way.-PrOwdence
JON nal.
Cows for the Farm,
The Prairie Farmer sums thus up
the matter Of what sort Of COWS to
have on the farm The particular
breed best suited for general farm pur-
poses may be Il matter of opinion, but
whatever breed may be selected, there
is still a material distinction to be OBJ
served between the form Of a cow in
tended for the dairy and that of one
intended for ~fattening. While the lat
ter should possess as nearly as possible
all the points of the best oxen, the
mich cow should, on the contrary, be
thin and hollow in the neck, narrow
in the breast and point of shoulder,
and altogether light in the fore-quar-
ters, with little dew-lap, and neither
full-heshed along the chin, nor show
ing in any part much indication, the
hair fine and the tail small. But es-
pecially the udder should be full and
round, yet thin to the touch, and
should be of equal size and substance
throughout. If it shows more behind
than it does before it is deemed q sign
of the milk falling off soon after calv-
ing, and if it feels coarse and lumpy
the bag will be found not to contain a
large quantity the teats should stand
square at equal distances, and should
neither be very large nor very thick
towards the udder, but nearly equal
yet ending in a point.
Wasting Fertilizers,
A great many collect all the weeds,
grass, border clippings, rakings and
sweeping Of lawns and walks and
dump the accumulations in the street,
or in some %unoccupied corner, where
they aid in promoting the more luxu-
RANT growth of large weeds or worth
less grass. All such collections are
the cream Of the soil. This is particu-
larly true in respect to grass and leaves.
Both leaves and grass contain a gener-
Gus proportion of potash, silica and
other valuable fertilizing substances,
which, if allowed to decay on Cultivat-
able ground, would improve its pro-
auctions in proportion to the quantity
applied. Leaves will yield a larger
percentage of potash than grass. If
leaves and grass, and all other aceu-
mutations of ones yard asd walks were
spread around fruit trees of any SORT.
or around berry bushes, the decayed
vegetable material will not only pro-
mote a healthy growth of wood, but
will improve the size and fairness of
the fruit. All fruit trees, berry bushes
and grape vines need q large supplyof
potash. If the soil near them is COW
cred every season with leaves and
grass, the mulching will operate on the
productiveness of trees and vines SINH
lar to an application of potash. The
practice ofremoving all such accumu-
lations is prompted by the erroneous
impression that grass and weed, If left
on the ground, will TAKE. root immedi-
ately and grow. IF cast into u heap,
not one will take root, unless the
weather be wet and lowery and the soil
unusually moist.
More About Boot Crops,
Colman's Rural World says if any
farmer will try the experiment Of feed
ing a few roots daily TO his cattle, in
addition TO their regular feed of corn
and hay, he viii find that his cattle will
fatten one-third faster than they-other-
wise would. But few crops yield q
larger amount Of food to the acre than
a crop of ruta bagas. These may he
sown any time from the middle Of May
to the Middle of June, in either Mis-
souri,, Kentucky, Tennessee or Arkan-
sas, and further south they may be
put in at a date considerably later.
Of the root crops usually raised al
feed for stock the common turnip
ripens or comes to maturity earliest.
Following this comes the ruta baga /;
then the most profitable of sill where
it cau be made a success, the mangel-
wurzel beta rtdgaris). These are all
broad leaved plants, such as derive a
very large per cent. OF their substance
from the atmosphere. When once
we'll established, they withstand
drought remarkably well, andare then
less subject to the attacks Of insects
than almost any other crop.
The Rural Worlds plan Of putting
in rout crops IS, after getting the land
in good condition, to lay it out iutn a.
succession of low ridges, which are
thirty inches apart. IL may be we'll,
previous 10 sewing the seed, To- turn
the harrow over, and drive once over