The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-06-28
FARM AND F1RESIDE.

FARM AND F1REsIDE.
PLUMs BY THE AID OF FowLs.-Many |
q time have we advised persons who de-
sired to raise plums in regions where the
plum curculio abounds, to plant their
trees in yard where fowls were con-
fined in summer. We have known fine
crops to be raised under such
conditions and to encourage further ex-
periments in this direction we copy the
following from the Scientific Farmer:
Can plums be successfully grown in
the older portions of the country not
withstanding the strongly intrenched
curculio? My success in this direction
has far exceeded my expectations; but
it extends over SO few years that I am
not ready to give an emphatic afirma-
tive to the foregoing query. Upon my
farm was standing large plum tree
which was annually clothed in robes of
snowy whiteness, which soon gave place
to numerous small plums. At this stage
I was always doomed to be disappointed,
for the saucy little Turk was always ready
to nip nay hopes-if not in bud, in the
unripe fruit. Nature seemed to struggle
so against such odds in her vain efforts to
give US crop OF fruit, that l deter
mined to help her.
I know well that fruit growers would
tell me to jar the trees and destroy the
curculio as they were caught upon sheet
spread beneath the tree; but one who
has large farm to attend to would
quite likely neglect it just in the "nick
of time" and thus lose the crop.
therefore decided to make trial in
another direction. About eight years ago
set an orchard of twenty-five plum trees,
cultivated them well fer two years, and
a hen house among them. About fifty
hens were confined within the inclosure.
and from that time enocultivation has been
required, as the hens allow no vegetation
to grow among the trees. And now for the
result: Two years ago one tree gave a
good crop of plums last year two of them
| did the same; and this season twelve to
fifteen of the trees produced crops that
entirely beggar description. Many peo-
pie came to look at them as the fruit
covered the trees, and it was the unani-
nous exclamation "Never saw such a
sight before" Branches foot in length
were packed with plums, like grapes in
clusters. fear that my indiscretion in al;
lowing so large an amount to remain and
mature has jeopardized my prospect fol
crop this coming year, for think the
trees must be much exhausted after such
an effort of production, the crops being
not only numerically large but the fruit
was individually large; at least, so ii
looked to me, as my eyes had never looked
upon such sight before. In size all the
way from that of an ordinary Damson tt
a fair hens egg. Color, from nearly
white, to green, red, pink, light ane
dark purple. Time of ripening, Angus
20 to October 20.
In production of eggs the hens pay .
good profit, in cultivation they saw
hand work, in destruction of Curculi'
they have saved the plums and thus hav
fulfilled their mission. think it woul'
not be wise to attempt to utilize hen labo
unless they were confined, as they ar
not particularly fond of Curculio, an
probably would not destroy them if a
lowed to roam where more paiatable in
J sects were to be had. I have thrown tn
Curculio to a lot of hens; the first pickle
up and dropped it, the second did like
J wise, but the third come along and pu
the little fellow beyond the reach {
plums.
INSECT LAw.-It said that there is a
: old law on the statute books of Franc
!, dating from 1896, which requires lant
! owners to destroy the caterpillars foun
: on their premises. It is now proposed
extend tLis law so that it shall includ
all noxious insects of other orders. W
: have contended that similar law shoul
be passed in this country; and then laz,
+ indolent farmers would not be permitte
, to breed all kinds of insect pests wit
: impunity, but would be compelled
;, clear their own fields while neighbel
f were doing the same. Last year we sa
. acres of potatoes planted, and perha]
after cultivating once they were left 1
. their fate. The potato beetles appeared
f great numbers depositing their eggs upo
|, the plants, where they Matched al
:, passed through their various transform
:. tions, reaching the beetle state by tt
l. time the supply of food gave out; the
r r, they passed over neighboring fields, tt
9 owners of which had destroyed the eg
;e and Larvae found upon the plants ear
n in summer. But this invasion of m
" lions of full grown beetles was discor
aging, and they gave up the fight, al
II Il what otherwise would have been GO
r crop was totally destroyed by these pes
&c Under these circumstances the questi
a. a arises, has man moral right to bre
es or feed pestiferous insects to invade
n neighbors' fields and destroy the Gro
W W therein? If he has no moral rig hit to
e. this, why should we give him legal righ
IN A free government is all very well in
y. way, but there is a possibility of givi
III too much freedom, especially when