Connecticut western news., 1877-03-02
AGRICULTURAL.

WHY PLANTS SHOULD Nor BE KEPT IN BEDROOMS BY NIGHT.-About One-half the dry weight of plants is carbon, and this is all obtained from the carbon di- oxide-or carbonic acid-of the air, which constitutes only .0OO4, or 1-2500 of its volume. It was once scientifically, and is still popularly, believed that plants, in respiration reverse the pro cess of fanimals-thati is, that they inhale carbonic acid and exhale oxygen. It is quite true that vegetation, as resultant of it's processes of life, does evolve OXy- gen and absorb carbon dioxide; 1; but this is not in consequence of respiration. Plants, like animals, inhale oxygen, and yield up to the air nearly equal vol ume of carbon dioxide: this chemical decomposition is performed by all the growing cells, and at all times alike. In addition to this, the chlorophyl cells have the property, under the controll- ing power of sunlight, of absorbing car bon dioxide from the outside air, of de- composing it into it's constituent elements, of appropriating the carbon for the building up of tissue, and of liberating the now free oxygen. This is process of assimilation rather than of respiration. The formation of carbon diOxide at the expense of the atmos- pheric oxygen, like our breathing, goes on continuously and gently, while the reverse process, analogous to the feed ing of animal life, though continuous and powerful under the influence of light, ceases instantly when that is withdrawn. During the day the assimi- lative process by which carbon is ab- sorbed and oxygen liberated is so pow erful as to mask completely the gentler process of breathing; but at night, when assimilation ceases, respiration may be easily detected. For this Ieason plants by day purify, and by night viti
 ate, the air, A number of experiments made by the French scientist, Boussin- gault, prove that, as final result of vegetation,' far more oxygen is liber- ated than is consumed.-Scribner.
 BUY SMALL TREES. = Nurserymen usually describe trees on their cata- logues as "second class" ''medium," 'stirst class" and :sextra." The differ ence in these classes is principally, if not wholly, in the size and height of the trees; and as most farmers desire the best, they suppose that the large ''extra" trees merit that description, and hence order them. The fact is, however, that small tree will grow faster and (if 8 fruit tree) come into bearing condition sooner than large one; and, as the Neao Engldnd Homestead states, in half a dozen years the tree that was small when planted will be larger and finer than the other. The larger the tree, the larger the roots which it has, and the larger the roots the less flores there will be upon them. A tree that has p,1a pf i Tyr if proper care is used in transportation {; but. no amount of skill can coax tree to five and flourish which is destitute of these little flores. The roots of large trees are always more or less mutilated in the process of taking up, while small trees sustain little injury from this source. Dealers in trees assert that ex- perienced men buy small, thrifty trees, while those who are just starting are anxious for the largest to be had. Those who are to set trees the coming season will do we'll to learn from the experience of those who, at considerable loss to themselves, have demonstrated that small trees are the ones to buy.
 PETROLEUM ON SHINGLES. regard to applying petroleum to shingles to preserve them, writer says: "It enters the pores of the wood at once, and as it hardens makes it more compact in tex ture, and rather less liable to take fire. The petroleum also prevents the surface of the shingles from rising in downy flores or s'fuzZ" and it is, on the whole, not so liable to fire from sparks when treated with it.. We have tried the ex- pertinent with shingles oiled some time previously, and find they are not so oo i1v1i hwy %os &ra oI% when once burning, they will, of course, produce more flame than the wood with out the petroleum" Petroleum is also very good to apply to the iron work and steel of farm implements to prevent their rusting when not in use. The crude article costs but $3 or $4 per bar rel-the price may be higher at present and it is useful to keep on hand. When any outbuilding, or even your dwelling house, is to be painted, one half the expense may be saved by apply ing coat of petroleum with a fine whitewash brush, let it dry several weeks, and then put on one coat of paint, and by so doing a second coat of paint is rendered unnecessary.
 PROTECTING PEAR-TREEs.-A corres- pondenG from Pittsford, New York, asks: ''Would it be advisable to thatch young pear-trees during the winter? I have some choice dwarfs that were put out last spring, and are now about 31155 feet high. They are located on a knoll or plateau where they get the full force of the northwest winds, which, blow ing off our lakes, are quite severe dur ing the winter.' In case the trees have started an early growth, and the young wood is fully matured, there is no necess- ity for protecting the pear-trees by matching. A late succulent growth of wood is often winter-killed; but when the wood is ripened, there is no danger from this cause in Monroe County. It would be good policy to plant some rap- idly growing evergreens in the spring, such as Norway spruce or white pine, in line ten or fifteen feet apart on the west side of the orchard. By the time the pear-trees come into bearing, this row of evergeens will be large enough
 to break the force of the wind, and save the fruit from being whipped off the trees. Thatching young pear trees in that locality seems an uncalled-for labor and expense.-Scribner' Magagine.
 SALTING COws.-My practice, says an old dairyman, is to give my cows all the salt hay they will eat, three times a week, during the summer season. The amount consumed by them is greater while in flush feed than short. The amount of milk returned by the cows is from quarter to third more than when salted but once week. It may be that some soils are deficient in salt, and tbat stock require it in large quan- titles to equalize the system. If so, they will eat less; they are the best judges. The effect Of salt is to increase the de- sire for both food and drink. Hence the materials for milk. More salt is con- sumed by my stock when fed on clean grass patch, where they can mix salt and grass, than if in shed. A strong