Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-04-15
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

maerciol: Every lover of the fine arts
OF farming, which may be found in the
culture of the garden and orchard, is
now casting about to see what he shall
use to produce the most rapid growth.
and hurry forward the most succulent
vegetables and secure them best flavor
ed and finest grained.
Dame Nature is model economizer.
She turns all castoff things into use,
and by magic touch converts the vile
and castoff articles of the farm and gar
den into richest, rarest produce. The
market gardeners have gone on the the
ory that the viler the fertilizer the bet
ter the vegetables, and the more of them.
Science has come to the aid of the con-
sumner, and we can now learn something
of the true nature of fertilizers if we
wish. That manures do effect the quail
lty OF vegetables all must admit. The
gardener claims that the richer the ma
nure the better results and the finer
vegetables.
Chemicals and minerals have come
into competition with stable manures
and sewerage. Experience has shown
marked difference between vegetables
and grain grown on soil fartilized by
chemicals and minerals, in comparison
with those produced on sells where sta
BILE manure has been employed. The
former are less watery, more solid, of
better quality, finer texture and higher
flavor.
The manure from the pig-stye is so
pungent as to taint tobacco leaves to
such degree that the tobacco is unfit
for smoking.
Where sewerage has been used in
England for fertilizing pastures, the
QotfIa anA hox
with disease similar to typhoid fever.
1t has been asserted by persons CONVEX
SAINT with experiments made-that cat
tie turned into pastures where part had
been treated in barn-yard manure, and
a portion to chemicals and minerals,
and part had not received either, the
cattle would Craze Oh the second portion
in preference.
Potatoes are greatly affected by the
soil and the fertilizer. New barn ma.
nures make immense top growth, wat
cry, rough shaped tubers, and the pota-
toes are more likely to rot or blight.
Barn-yard fertilizers should be tho
roughly rOtted before using on soil in
tended for potatoes, or any vegetable
where the root is the valuable part.
Since science has brought to eur aid
the valuable list of chemicals and min
eral fertilizers, it is the part of enter
prise at least to examine their merits.
The gardeners of Long Island have
used stable manures so long on many
spots that they have damaged their light
soils for gardening purposes. The bot
tom lands do not need the mechanical
effect of barn-yard manures. The tough
clay soils demand that, and retain the
salts and gases generated by decomposi-
ton. The chemicals and minerals act
more promptly, and will be boon to
our gardeners on river bottoms il they
will adopt them. Their adoption will
save an immsnse amount of labor and
litter, and save the roads and the public
from the anneyances and Oders that Of
fend tho olfactories, drive which way
one will.
The gardens of our suburban friends
who do not keep cows, horses or pigs,
need ne longer go in poverty. They
may be made rich with the minerals
and chemicals specially prepared to
meet the wants of the plant to be pro-
duced
The highest, rarest garden luxuries
may now be raised without offending
the eye or the nose, or setting the imag-
ination in arms against the succulent
things that flourish only in the dense
richness of many vile odors.
GARDENS-WHERE Does THIS HIT
AND F'IT?-A correspondent, whose
name and locality we omit by request,
writes: II have been locking about
and figuring up, with this result:
Around me there are about twenty
farms, averaging over 100 cultivated
acres each, and not bad farms either. Ex-
Guiding the patches of early corn and
potatoes, the total amount Of space de-
voted to house gardening is less than
one acre On the whole twenty farms
not one acre in 1000 On two farms
there are good gardens on some hardly
an apology for one......I have for the first
time succeeded in getting up small
club of subscribers for the Anerican
Agricultess'ast Can't you stir them up
on this garden question ?" This is a
pretty hard report, but it partly applies
in far too many localities. Still we can
see that, though it goes on slowly, the
past ten years have shown an improve
ment, and we trust to see it more mark
ed in the future. AT all events we shall
work to this end.-Anaerican Agricul-
tsrist for Ao''H.
| CHICKEN CHEEsE.-Boil two chick
ems Ia meIely WALeT enough 10 MAKE
them tender take them out when done
remove all the bones; mince the meat
very fine; season with salt, pepper, and
butter, and return them to the water In
which they were boiled; cook until the
liquid Is nearly gone; pour into deep
dish lay plate over it; put a weight
and set away in cool place. When
ready to be eaten, cut it in slices and il
will DO as firm as cheese, and is very
nice for tea.
"A man ought never to get rid of his
childhood. He may put away childish
Things and yet retain what is sweet and
beautiful in childhood. There is a sim.
pie faith in innocence and liberty ol
chlldhood which should be carried uI
into and become the boon of our man.
hood. We are timid Of the man whose
life brings with it none of the fragrance
of boyhood, who can not be boy again
whenever the burdens of mature years
may bs laid aside.