The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-06-09
FARM AND GARDEN.


Under this heading, D. II. Jacques, Esq
contributes to the .SeDH. 7ropjrai W0gaZ'ae
some timely hints io agricuiuris's, from
which We make TIE following extracts:
Watering as 10 merely wet the surface
OF the ground ofteL does more harm than
good. The roots ofthe plants are thereby at.
tracted 20 the surface. thus temporarily mos.
tened; but as II soon becomes ms dry as be.
fore, and harder than ever, the young roots
perish in the intervals of watering, and the
plant is weakened rather than strengthened,
and not infrequently killed outright. The
ground should be well soaked and the water
ing not frequent In the case Of trees, shrubs
and large herbaceous plants, it Is we'll to
draw away the surface earth from them to
the depth of two or three inches, doing it
carefully, so as not to iniure the roots, apply
the water, and then return the dry soil. This
prevents Immediate evaporation and gives
the roots the full benefit of the water without
exposing them to be burned up by the hot
sun. When this is not Tracti cablc, as among
small plants, holes may be made near them
with a dibble or sharp stick, and the water
poured into them from the nozzle of a water
ing pot The plants may atterward be Sigh
ly sprinkled from the nose of the pot and the
ground stirred with the prongoe.
Saltpeter, a tablespoonful or more to a
tuIhSt VI "dicl, Is al cACpIItUl NCCdSlOutl
application to most kinds of garden plants,
being at the same time fertilizer and an in
sect destroyer. Many grubs and bugs may
be destroyed by cop:ous water!ngs with this
solution.
To keep plants bearing: The production Of
seed is an exhaustive process, and, as rule
its completion Is signalized either by the
death OF the plant, il an annual, or by the
temporary suspension Of the process of growth
il a biennial or perennial. The immediate
end for which nature has sustained it has been
attained. If we are cutivaing IT for seed,
our object Is the same, and we should not in
tertere with natures processes; but if, as in
the case of the okra, the cucumber and the
summer squash, we make use of the imma
ture fruit and desire to increase and prolong
its production, we must carefully cut off, be-
tore maturity, all that is produced, whether
we can make use of them or not, so as to en-.
courage abnormal production. Also, where
root or bulb is the object of cultivation, as
in the Irish potato or the onion, we should
remove the flower stems. If seeds are desir-
ed, certain plants should be set apart tor their
production, and the earliest and hest fruit be
allowed to ripen. The same rule applies to
the flower garden. If we desire continued
bloom, the plants must not be allowed to ma.
ture seeds
Moss for pOtted plants: 1t is beneficial at
this season, to cover the earth around plants
in pots and baskets with layer offresh moss,
to be changed rs It becomes dry and dead.
1t Keeps the moisture from evaporatng, Sc
cures greater uniformity of temperature,
and improves the looks Of the plant.
TRANSPORTING: Tomatoes, peppers and
egg plants should be transplanted rs reQuir-
ed TO keep up a succession of fruit choosing
shOwery weather for the operation, or water
ing and shading as heretofore directed. In
light, porous SOILS, transplanting becomes
work of some deicacy and difficulty, as the
summer advances, especially when the rains
are light and infrequent, as is often the case
at this season. See previous hints on this
subject.
Flower garden work: In the flower garden
the operations Of the month are mainly the
same as in the vegetable garden Stir the
soil, kill all weeds, transplant, shade, and wa
ter. Liquid manure is here fully as effective
as in the kitchen garden, giving wonderful
size and brilliancy to the flowers. Rose and
other bushes will be much benefited by top
dressing of pulverized charcoal and ashes
compostcd with rotten muck or surface soil
from the woods-Scieatifc 1mericaH.