The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-06-05
FARM AND GARDEN.

| IHE prospects for fruit along the
Hudson River Valley are excellent, boti
for peaches and small fruits. The ap
pie crop will be below the average O.
1876 and 1878, this being the ''off year.
for that fruit. ~
FARMER MECHI observes that sue
cessful horse breeders take great care
not to put their mares between shaft:
for at least five months before parturi
ton, but work them at plow or harrow
safely up to a late period, "the whiff1e-
trees preventing pressure on the body
A INDUSTRIOUS California ranch, in
Tehama County, owned and operated
by John FinnelI, contains $4,000 acres
of rich bottom, with front of 16 miles
on the Sacramento He has 81 teams al
work, six horses in a team Besides, he
has q supplemental field of 16, 900 acres
elsewhere, under q lease, which is now
covered with luxuriant crop of wheat
A PARKER CITY penn } correspond
ent of the Country Gentleman writes
"1f any of your correspondents want
something that will completely de
stroy any kind Of noxious weeds, Cana
da or bull thistle, crude petroleum will
do it. There is no vegetable grown
that it will not kill, when applied to the
roots. From one-half to one gill put on
will destroy them in 48 hours. Also,
when combined with tallow, it makes
an excellent lubricating oil. 1 have
used it On both hot and cold journals
for four years."
A BRITISH hen, four years old and
correspondingly tough, was killed last
month, picked at once, wrapped in vine
leaves and a napkin, buried in the
ground, dug up twenty-five hours after,
dressed for cooking, boiled, allowed to
cool, rewarmed the next day. served
hot, and the person who carved and as
sisted in eating her tells the London
LtUe Stock Journal that he never put
his knife or teeth in tenderer fowl or
one of better flavor.
E. H. HILYARD, California, writing
on the subject of pruning vines, says:
"The question of the time for pruning
is one that must be settled independent
~ for each locality. The most obvious
effect OF late as against early pruning
may be thus stated: The first onset of
the flow of sap in the spring always
tends to start first the buds furthest
from the stock. Hence, if left unpruned
those buds which in spur-pruning are
intended to form the bearing shoot will
be later in starting than is the case
when the cutting back has been done
before the sap movement begins. This
late pruning often carries the tender
shoots beyond the reach of late frosts
or cold weather, that might otherwise
have injured them. There is strong ev.
idence to the effect that the fruit of
-pruned vines will generally ripen as
early as that of the early-pruned and
that the quality is often superior"
WATERPROOF WHITEwAsH.-Whit
wash, practically and morally, covers a
multitude of defects and sins. At this
season there is a large demand for this
covering material, for fences and build
lngs at least, and the yearly repetition
OF the ancient receipt for preparing it is
in order. The so-called Government
which is used on light.
houses, and is, therefore, suitable for
exposed buildings, is made as follows:
Half a bushel of fresh lime is slaked
with boiling water, and kept covered
during the process; the liquid is strain
ed, and Z pounds of salt dissolved in
warm water, 8 pounds of ground rice
boiled to thin paste and kept boiling
hot; pound of Spanish white, and /
pound of glue dissolved in water are
added; gallons of hot water are then
mixed with it, and the whole is left to
,tand in barrel for few days. When
Used it must be kept hot in kettle. A
1lnt covers square yard.
LASTING EFFECTS OF ARTIFICIAL
tERTILIzERs.-The general opinion is
hat artificial fertilizers are very evanes-
cent in their effects, and are exhausted
n one year. 1t appears that this opin-
on Is unfounded, as might well be ex
)ected. II every thing that is soluble |
hould be carried from the soil by the
ain in on one year, the fields would
Don be barren. Where 600 pounds per
ere of potato fertilizer was sown on
potatoes last year, crop of rye, which
oiloWed the potatoes, is now in excel
ent condition, without any other ma
turing, and every spot where bag
TODD on the field, and around which
ONE of the fertilizer was spilled, can
low be seen very conspicuously by the
normous growth of the rye In these
,laces it is twice as high and thick as
isewhere, and if left to ripen would
lodge. 1t is to be cut for soil
ng cows, and will give heavy Weld.
'hus the investment made in this fer
lizer last season is giving now its sec.
nd dividend.
WHITEwAsH FOR TREEs.-An old
lew England practice was to apply a
God coat of whitewash to orchard and
hade trees every spring. This, to-
ether with the fashion of white paint
houses with green blinds, has been
,cklessly abused by modern reformers,
'ho have objected to paint on wood on
he inside of houses, and have advocated
he bare surfaces oiled and vanished as
eing more consistent with truth and
onesty of appearance. But lime wash
as other uses than for appearance sake,
nd 1t might have been spared for its
tlllty. 1t removes moss from trees.
ills bark lice and eggs of insects, de-
roys fungi, and renovates the appear.