Connecticut western news., 1878-11-13
FARM AND GARDEN,
PLANTING ORCHARDS.

oOOSAo grow. The depth of the covering should be regulated by the size of the seed. Small, delicate seeds may be sown almost on the surface, while large ones may be imbedded to the depth of four or five inches. The small seed re- quires but little moisture, and has but feeble force to penetrate covering, while the large requires more moisture and has force enough to push it's way up. When it is desired to obtain seed lings of particular variety, free from any cross, cultivators protect the flowers while in blossom to guard against foreign impregnation, and save seeds only from the large, perfect specimens :; the seeds should be plump and mature. MT. Knights mode of obtaining seed lings of the best varieties was to prepare stocks from some good sort that would strike from cuttings. These stocks he planted ln rich, warm soil, and grafted with the kind he wanted the seed from. The first season after grating he took them up, reduced the roots and planted again. In this way he succeeded in making them bear fruit in two years. He allowed only two specimens to re- main on each tree, and these, con- sequently, were very large, mature and in every way fine, and from these the seeds were taken. Barry suggests testing seedlings by budding or grating them on bearing trees. One may fruit apples and pears in this way in four or five years, when ten or fourteen would be necessary on their own roots. In the case of the plum, as disease is now so prevalent, it is generally recommended to have nothing to do with seedlings, unless grown from seed positively known to be the product of sound trees. With butternuts, as with all forest trees, follow nature as far as possible. Plant the nuts in the fall as soon as they drop from the trees. They may be planted In the spring, if more convenient. in which case they should be packed in shallow boxes of sand during the winter. The first years cultivation of nut-trees consists in keeping the soil loose and free from weeds. A good mulch is also of advantage; indeed, an application of well-rotted barn-yard manure per- ceptibly increases the growth both of butternut and black walnut trees. When possible, it is advised to plant the nuts in the place where the trees are desired. to avoid all risk and retarding of growth which accompany transporting nut trees. When local obstacles in the way of soil. undue exposure, etc., exist, the safest plan is to consult cultivator in the district and take advantage of his ex- perience as to best varieties.
 An Experiment yith Yen Coaoe.- Professor Stewart recently informed the American Dairymen's Association of the results of an experiment. with ten COWS. giving each three quarts of corn meal a day, fed alone. This was continued a month then three quarts, mixed with a peck of cut and moistened hay, were fed daily to each COW. By weighing, the result showed gain of twenty-five per cent. in favor of mixing the meal with cut hay. If the meal is fed alone, it is better to feed it dry, as this favors diges- tion. This food was given raw. If cooked, the fodder is brought back nearly to it's original green state. But it will not pay to cook for only five or ten ani- mals, as it requires the same labor to cook for ten as it does for forty. An experiment. was made to ascertain how much an acre of corn was worth. It was fed when in raw or roasting state to 104 COWS in October, and it lasted them four days. This is equal to feeding one COW 416 days. Professor Stewart recom- mends, as cheap way to cook corn, running ears and all through the cut ting machine, and then passing them to the steam tank mixed with water. This saves husking, shelling and grind ing.
 CAltivated Grasses.-We are apt to lose sight of the fact that all our cuIti vated grasses are tender when young. They need the best and most favorable conditions in the start; and they need season of growth to give them hardi- ness. For these reasons I am persuaded that late fall sowing is never advisable. and that there is little chance of success where the ground is already occupied by other crops. I have often said that wheat and other grain crops are hindrances to grass, although we seed with them. The grass, if catch is made, succeeds in spite of the grain crop--it is not aided by it. Orchard grass and blue grass, in the early stages of growth are more tender than timothy, and therefore less likely to get hold under discouragements. These grasses are espe cially tender. They need full season of growth to fit them for winter, so must say it would seem folly to SOW them now.-Mr. Ho6maa1a, Eln1iro, ". r
 FdU PloaOing.-I think we need not hesitate to blow land in the fall and otherwise prepare it for spring sowing. I am sure that it would have been five hundred dollars in my pocket if I had plowed all my land last fall that I was going to SOW to barley in the spring. I did blow some of it, and there I had capital crop. But on two other fields, that were not plowed until spring, the barley was seriously injured by the He's sian fly. If it had been sown week or ten days earlier I should have had a good crop-and this year barley will bring very high price. And so I fee! quite sure that I am safe in advising farmers generally to D1Ow and kae1, n1ovu