Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1878-07-04
AGRICULTURAL.
THE CULTURE or C1NTE-
LOUPE.y.

The culture OF inns 1rulC, uneI uuIeu
we think by any other grown, we are
glad TO see it becoming more general.
Almost every person having a garden
of any size. is beginning to try his
hand at it, and it can be done with
almost as much success as raising n
crop of corn. The ground should
always have a warm exposure and be
friable-clay mould not being adapt
ed-the hill should be dug out eight
or ten inches, two feet in diameter,
and filled with well.rooted manure.
rich soil and sand-turnpke DIRT is
excellent as substitute for the latter.
Five or six seeds should be put at
equal distances about an inch in
depth, and the hill should be even
with the other soil, except the season
is wet when they should be raised
They should be about six feet apart
each way and the plants when they
have passed all danger, should be
thinned out to two or three in a hill.
The, beds mnst be kept clear Of all
weeds and grass, and when The vines
commence running they should not
be disturbed as the rootlets connect
ed with the vine and by which it is
largely supplied with nourishment
will be broken. The ground as the
vines commence to extend, should be
gone over with u heavy rake especi-
ally after heavy shower, to loosen
stand give these rootets chance to
take hold. The seed should be plant
at the time Of corn planting.
Sowing round the hill, u few inch
es distant, early radish seed ; will
generally protect the young plants
from the bugs and will always be
more or less beneficial. Should bugs
appear sprinkling Of whale soap and
water, or of carbolic acid soap and
water will soon send them adrift.
The best variety OF santeloupes to
plant in this section is the "Citron, "
the "Jepny-Iind," "White Japan, "
and the "Casaba.' The nutmeg is
too late for us.
There is no reason why all our far
mers should not have patch Of can
teloupes for family use. A plot OF
ground 10 by 20 feet would be enough
for a moderate sized family. They
can raise far superior fruit to any
found in the city markets. CONAN
torn Telegraph.
Pruning GRArES.--Some years
ago everybody summcr-pruned their
OUT door grapes to death. They hard
ly leltleaves and shoots enough TO keep
the vine growing. The consequence
was the grapes badly widowed, ma
ny fell off, the branches diminished.
the berries became permaturcly ripe,
with loss of size and quality.
Whereupon the grapo-srowers took
the alarm, and the council resolved
on little or no summer-pruninS-some
advocating none at all, and some ia
voring The vines to run up trees al
libitum But it was soon found that
this was running to the other extreme
and moderate pruning was recon-
mcndcd.
The truth is, the pruning Of grapes
is like everything done upon the
premises. 1t should be varied accord.
ing to circumstances. Some rampant
growers like the Concord, most of
Rogers hybrils, the Telegraph, &c,
should be pruned in the fall or win
ter sharply, and al the beginning of
June have their great wondering lead
or considerably Topped off and re-
duccd to a decent size. When udi-
ciously this adds to the size Of the
fruit. The other variety is slow grow
ers, should be chi y moderately Topped
or rather "pinched' in accordance
with their habits Of growth.
There is little or no doubt when
this pruning in both winter and sum
mer, IS performed carefully and with
Judgment, it will add to the general
success of the grape culturc.-Gcr-
mntoarn Tc1cWuph.
poTATOES "A flor n whiln Wo Sha |