Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1877-12-20
Ac7lC JLTuR Al.
CULTIVA TING ORCHARDS

AS Ill llSh0hN0 NJ Ssso 9o~~
Of cultivation upon the productiveness
of orchards, the Vermont mirror
aa'l Farmer" notes the following );
w. D. Williams, Of Tompkins county
N. Y, has an apple orchard Of three
acres and half, which gave him in
1875, 5000 for the fruit, and thisyear
he expects about $40O worth Of Bald
win and Tompkins County King. His
trees are twenty years old, one-half
bearing one year, and the other the
,xt Except the King, which bears
every rear. lie had no success with
his crop until he commenced cultivat-
ing the ground twelve years ago. 1t
is plowel, and one half sowed to corn
fodder, and the other half planted
with potatoes. The trees are pruned
slightly every year, and manure at the
rate Of about twenty. five lo0ds to the
acre ia applied every alteanate year.
---.S~-
IVIN7ER.-The beautiful sum-
mer, with its flowers and grain, and
tho golden autumn. glorious with
crimson fruit and painted woods, have
faded away into the dreary winter,
that farmer who can sit by his cheer
full fire listening to the roar OF the
storm, knowing that any animal OF his
il exposed to its pitiless fury, should
suffer the pangs Of a guilty conscience.
II all are comfortable in barn and
shed. in poultry-house and ETY., his
dreams are sweet, though the snow ls
drifting deep over the hedges and on
the slope of the hills. He has done
his duty not only to them but to him.
self, for in adding to their comfort ne
is accommodating treasure. Winter Is
the time for study and for thought
the plans for the coming season of out
door labor should be considered and
matured-tle mind should be enrich
ed by tie teachings Of the masters,
and the exchange Of ideas with intel.
ligent neighbors. Many little instru,
ments Of great use to the farmer may
be obtained at a trifling expense, al
fording not only instruction but
amusement. Prof. Seymour, presl-
dent Of the American Dsirymens as
ISOLATION, speaking Of the microscope
as farm tool, says: ut is one of the
greatest mistakes Of the farmer that as
a rule, they suffer the buyer to know
more about the quality and value Of
farm produce than is known by those
whose labor makes them. The buyer
has tests which the farmer does not
have. notice that when the wool
buyer comes around he takes out his
microscope, sees at a glance the strnct-
ure of tho article in hand, and knows
more about it than he who toi.ed
year in it's production. The same is
true Of seeds.
The magnifer is applied to pork to
see if it is infested with trichina. I
think it is true, as q rule, that the
buyers of farm products know more
about them than the producers. The
man who knows the most always gets
the best of the bargain. 1t is certain
that knowledge is power in making
trade. 1t can be safely set down as
q rule that a man who, from natural
or artificial reasons, can see hundred
times as much as his neighbor will
know the markets. -
Another instrument Of The greatest
use to the farmer is the barometer.
If meadow is to be mown, or a wheat
field harvested, IL e storm glass is con-
suited, and its predictions govern his
actions. By following this infaliible
indicator, the intelligent husbandman
safely houses his crops in good condi-
ton, while another, without its aid, ,
suffers annoyance ard loss. The win
ter is the time to think over the fail
urea of the departed " and to pre-
pare for success wien the birds come
back from the south. The best agri-
cultural magazines and papers should
be stupied during the long winter
nights, and food for profitable thought
treasured up for future use. The
management Of the previous season
should be criticised and corrected
wherever an error is detected. Win.
is the night Of the year-the vegeta-
bic world is asleep, and man should
acquire real KNOWLEDGE while the sea-