The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-08-15
FARM TOPICS.

County (Mich.) genealogical Society,
the secretary, In paper on the cultiva-
ton OF fruit trees, held the following In
relation to the peach:
This fruit requires two different sys-
TENS OF culture. That Ii, the bearing
trees must be differently treated from
those that are too young for bearing. II
Is the nature OF the young peach tree TO
keep on growing late into the fall. This
must not be permitted. II can be pre-
vented by stopping to stir the soil at
midsummer. The rest of the season is
required to harden up the young wood
for winter. To properly control the
growth, skill and experience are requir-
ed. In the month of August cultivating
for the young peach tree should stop.
Should the ground be very rich, and the
trees show determination TO keep on
growing, the leading branches may be
pinched in. After pinching, new
growth will often start, but then we
must pinch again. Ripening up thor
oughly the new growth OF the young
tree should be the aim Of the peach
grower. Where the soil Is poor, less
care is required in ripening the new
wood. The bearing peach tree can not
be cultivated too often. The soil must
at all times be kept loose. Cultivation
can be kept up till the fruit is ripe.
The new growth Of the wood in bear
ing tree ceases to grow early in the
season; and there is no danger in stim-
ulating late growth, for the fruit con-
sumes all the extra sap caused by cult
walton. Stirring the soil should be
thoroughly kept up, so that any time,
between the setting Of the fruit and its
being picked. you can run your hand
right into the soil and fill it with loose
earth. But In order TO grow large
peaches, and all Of large, uniform
size, the tree must have either its bear
ing branches shortened in, or the fruit
must be thinned out. Shortening in Is
probably the least expensive operation
Of the two. As long as you ship more
than one tenth Of second or medium
sized peaches, you are not master of
your occupation. l have grown the
Early Crawford so as TO run from two
TO three and half inches in diameter,
and after all were picked there was no
more than one-twentieth below the
size.
P0CLrRT RAISING. A contributor to
the Country Gentleman writes: In the
poultry business, and in every thing
else, we are looking for that which yields
us the greatest amount Of profit. There
Is without doubt much difference in
fowls, and care and keeping tell more
and with quicker results on some than
on others, yet the true groundwork Of
success lies with the owner or keeper.
II the attention be turned principally to
market chickens, they must be hatched
early to be profitable. To do this, we
must make preparations the previous
season, and when the chicks come have
warm, comfortable quarters. For this
purpose there Is no fowl quite equal to
the Light Braham. With q cross OF
Leghorn blood they are quite hardy,
and mature earlier than the pure-bred
The Leghorns feather early, and for the
first chickens Of the season this is an ad-
vantage that can not we'll be dispensed
with The hens require comfortable
place to sit in when the weather Is cold
They should not be allowed to sit on the
ground. A half-barrel or old cast -off
corn basket filed pretty we'll with fine
straw or hay forms . good nest for an
early sitter. The early sitter should be
Brahma, or cross with Cochin blood,
astbeir larger bodies and greater amount
OF soft feathers impart and retain
greater degree Of animal warmth
70 the eggs. The early sitters should
have place in some building
where they will not suffer from the an
noyance Of the layers. 1t Is better and
lessons the trouble to have the eggs all
set at one time. The sitters can be
trained to come OF at n certain period
Of the day, with little care and fore.
thought, and IS the eggs are apt to take
chill II left too long, the attendance Of
the keeper Is necessary to avoid mis-
takes. In warm weather the eggs may
remain uncovered for several hours and
take no harm, but when the mercury is |
considerably below freezing the case is
different. A larger percentage Of the
eggs hatch in warm weather than in
cold, for in spite Of every precaution
the outside ones will get chill. The
chicks should have warm, sunny COW
er, with gravel floor to run and scratch |
on. The first thought Of hen Is to
scratch for her brood. For sitters pull
lets are 70 be preferred. as they are
more tractable and easier Of manage
ment; besides they care better for the
chicks. There Is little danger II kept
we'll housed, fed and cared for. Medi-
um-sized docks are more successful \
than larger broods. There Is more
profit in small hocks well tended than
IN larger ones half neglected. When
the hens are crowded, half the profits
are lost. For layers the chicks should
come on early that the pullets may get
done growing and into laying before
cold col weather sets In; although for lay