Daily Kennebec journal., 1877-04-02
NO. 79.
AGRICULTURE, &c.

FERTILIZE TIE SOIL OF THE ORCHARD AND
UIT-GARDEN.
There is considerable difference of opin-
ion among fruit-growers on the subject of
cultivating orchards or keeping them in
grass, but on the subject of manuring, all
are agreed that the soil must be fertilized
by the annual application of manure. At
the recent meeting Of the fruit-growers of
Western New York, at Rochester, barn.
yard manure was highly recommended
for orchards. One orchardist spoke very
highly of leached wood-ashes, he had used
many thousand bushels of this manure on
his orchard with the most satisfactory re-
suits. His grapes had been wonderfully
benefited by this fertilizer. He had used
800 bushels per acre on his vine yards.
the same also ON his orchard. Another
iruit-grower had received great benefit
from 500 pounds per acre, of nitrate of
soda, spread on his orchards early in
spring. Every frut-grower should ma
nure his orchard annually.
BARE SPOTS UNDER TREES.
To preserve handsome, rich lawn, the
trees must not be SO close and dense as to
exclude entirely the suns rays from the
grass beneath them. But where the fo-
liage is so thick or abundant as to cause
bare spots, the difficulty may be variously
obviated. Orchard grows well in shade,
but 1t is too coarse for lawns. June grass,
or Kentucky blue grass, on the contrary.
makes fine, soft, beautiful turf, and will
also grow we'll in moderate shade after
it has once obtained foothold. which it is
rather slow to do, requiring two or three
years. The periwinkle (Vinca) will
make dense growth, green both in win
ter and summer, the objection to it being
its tendency to spread. Perhaps best OF
all is the ivy, which, if thickly planted.
will soon cover the surface, layering as
sistance In the operation. In the Northern
portion of the Union. where the ivy is
killed by winter on the sides of walls, it
will remain green on the surface of the
ground, where ii derives warmth from
the earth.
NARROWING AND ToP-DREssING WINTER
WHEAT IN SPRING.
When sowing winter wheat in the fall, it
Is not advisable to make the surface of the
ground too fine and smooth, and thus ex-
pose the young plants to the cutting winds
OF winter and early spring. A moderately
rough surface not only affords shelter to the
young plants at the most critical period OF
their existence, but it retains snow, which
is at the same time manure and protec-
ton from the cutting winds and alternate
freezing and thawing which is so hurtful
to young plants Of every kind. 1t improves
winter wheat wonderfully to break the
crust of the soil, pulverize Jumps and de-
stroy annual weeds by narrowing and ROLL
ing at the right time in spring, and the
right time occurs generally in April or
early in May. when the wheat plants have
taken strong hold Of the soil, and the
seeds of annual weeds have vegetated. A
top-dressing of some suitable manure
should be applied before the narrowing.
If clover or grass seed is to be sown, it
should be spread after the narrowing and
before the rolling.
TEMPER OF THE HORSE.
1t is recommended that in purchasing
horse it should be borne In mind that there
is direct relation between the horses fore
head and his disposition and qualities. The
face must be very broad between the eyes.
but it should tapera little as it approaches
the ears. If the breadth is carried all the
way upwards, the top of the head will be
too wide, the ears ill set, and the horse
probably sulky. As ip the human being,
so in the horse. a great deal of the ex-
preston of the countenance depends on the
eye. 1t is most marvellous index to the
working of the mind within. A glance
will often reveal the benevolent feeling,
the sulky disposition or the vicious propen-
sity that is about to manifest itself. The
reason OF this must be most obvious, when
we remember that it is in direct communi-
cation with the brain-the material instru-
ment through which the mind operates.
The eye of the horse should be kindly,
strong, bold, and fiery, yet gentle-looking.
1t should not show much white, as that
often indicates vicious disposition. A
horse that is looking back so far as to ex-
pose the white of his eye is generally on the
alert for mischief, and is not to be trusted
with his heels. The eye gives strong in
dication both of the temper and tempera-
ment of the animal and it is easy to judge
from it whether activity or sluggishness
prevails most.