Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-04-18
AGRICULTURAL.

| WATER -CREss CULTURE.-Wherever
there is spring water running in open
bitches or small brooks water-cress may
be grown. The most favor able condI-
tions of its growth, says the TOronto
Globe, are gently flowing stream OF
water from three to six inches deep,
with grayeily bottom, underlaid with
| loan, and fed by springs of uniform
temperature. On a neighbOring farm
rises strong spring, in which, some
four or five years ago, water-cress seed
was sown. Now there is complete mat
OF plants, not near the sprin., only, but
all along the stream for mile or more,
pieces of branches and roots having Oc-
casionally been torn off and carried down
| by the current to some quiet places
! where they took root. In the sheltered
bays and hooks of this brook, when al
ternare layers of muck and gravel were
washed on, the plants seem TO luxuriate
the most.
Where similar conditions exist natur-
ally but little labor is necessary to es-
tablish a water-cress bed sufficient for
home use, but when more extensive
plantations, otherwise than along the
margin of brook. are to be made, con-
siderable labor may be required. 1t the
land to be devoted to this culture does
not contain enough gravel or coarse
sand, this element must be supplied be-
fore planting; covering of from three
10 four inches will be sufficient. Where
the land is entirely and constantly over
flowed all that is necessary is TO cut of
rooted branches of old plants and set
item out in places where the water is
about six inches deep, and TO place a
stone on each root TO prevent 1t from
being washed away. A small stream
running through marshy ground, how
ever, oilers the opportunity for large
plantation.
In this case bitches from three to four
feet wide and as many feet apart should
lie dug rectangularly from the water
cress as far as the water will follow.
The depth of the bitches mus. be ar
ranged according to the medium level
OF the stream, in such a manner that the
water in them stands at no season lower
than six inches. By means of dam
with sluiceway the water can readily be
kept at uniform level. At the bottom
of each ditch the cuttings are placed
about two feet apart each way. or closer
if enough roots can be had. Where old
plants are not attainable seed may be
sown in the shallowest parts of the
bitches, and the plants grown therefrom
used for propagation, but of course a
year more time will be required to
establish aplautation from seed than
from cuttings. The month of Sep
tember is the best time for sowing the
seed as well as for planting.
Mr.. STEWART, of buffalo, is an advo-
cate of soiiirg cattle. He finds that a
quarter of an acre of clover will sup
port a COW from l60 to $50 days. He had
lC0 acres, 80 of which was fair meadow
and Gu III corn fodder, oats and clover.
He put up twenty steers, three and four
years old, eight cows and six horses.
He began cutting the clover when eight
inches high, of which there were five
acres. Two acres were in oats, and
three in corn-fodder. which was fed as
needed, and grass cut from the ninety
acres; but there were sixty-five tons of
hay put into the barns. The grass was
cut with machine, raked with a horse,
and drawn to the barn in a cart, one
man being employed six hours each day
in cutting and feeding and about two
hours of horse labor. The total cost of
the extra labor amounted to $50 for the
season. The sixty-tive tons OF hay were
sold at the barn Tor 1912. The cost OF
cutting and putting this hay into the
barn was $3.50, which, taken from the
cash received Tor the hay, left a profit
in favor of solling over pasturing of
$3.50. The twenty steers sold for
$3.50, and the 100 loads of manure saved
Was worth double what it would have
been if left on the pasture.