The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-04-10
FARM, GARDEN, AND HOUSEHOLD.
when and where TO Apply Wood Ashes

Farmers now, as u rule, husband every
pound made on the farm and buy them
whenever they can be procured at rea-
sonable rate. The time has gone by for
exchanging ashes from good hard wood
fora few pounds of soap. "
Leached ashes, while less valuable,
contain all the elements of the unleached,
having been deprived only of a part of
their potash and soda. Ashes benefit all
they contain, and may be drilled in with
roots and grain, sown broadcast on
meadows OF pastures, OF mixed with the
muck heap.
The quantity of ashes to be applied to
the acre depends, as does that of all fer
tilizers, on the character of the soil and
crop cultivated. Crops which exhaust
the salts, as potatoes, turnips and all roots,
clover, lucern, peas, beans and the
grasses, are benefited by ashes. The
crops named thrive well under an appi-
cation of ashes with bohe-dust, and ther
effects are also strengthened when mixed
with gypsum. Light soils call for light
dressings, say from ten to fourteen
bushels of unleachcd and twice that
quantity of leached ashes per acre Rich
lands or clays bear heavier dressings.
Repeated dressings of ashes like repeated
W d
corresponding addition of vegetable or
barnyard manures are not admissible,
for they will eventually exhaust lands
when applied alone. Where the entire
surface of the soil is covered with vcgc-
table growth either ofthe three materials
mentioned acts with great effect. For
this reason ashes may be applied un-
mixed with other fertilizers TO meadow
lands for longer time than to any other
crop.
In reply to questions asked at the FL
mira On. Y y Farmers club in regard to
the value of leachcd ashes and the best
manner of applying them to general crops.
as corn, wheat and oats. the following
information was gained: Lcached ashes
vary so much in their character that no
made. Heavy clay is liable to he in
juriously compacted by liberal dressings
of ashes, leached or unleached, unless
the land is sod, in which case ashes
spread on the surface tend to increase the
crop of grass. The safest and best use OF
leached ashes on most kinds of soil
is spreading them on old meadow
or old pasture. Working them
into land on which potatoes are to be
planted in the same season is also Il good
way to use them. Good ashes make Il
valuable dressing for wheat land and for
corn, but the leached ashes are too I'M
certain in their character to recommend
for such use.
Coal ashes are inferior in quality to
those from wood and vegetables, but are
nevertheless of value and are to be ap-
piled to the soil in a similar manner, as
they tend with their abundance of Gin
ders to the mechanical division of soils.
Coal ashes are beneficial to heavy rather
than light soils.
Farmers, in consideration of the above
facts, cannot be too strongly encouraged
to follow the practice of collecting and
reducing to ashes all the rubbish of the
farm not otherwise available, such rs
brush, old wood, sods, rags-in fact
everything which cumbers the place as
useless matter. Burnt earth is not only
"A manure in itself, but is most useful to
mix with artificial fertilizers which can
not be easily distributed alone or too
strong to sow among seed unmiXed with
other material.
Remarkable Array of New Fruits.
The year 1878, it appears, has been
rendered memorable to American pomo-
logists by reason of the large number OF
new native fruits which were originated
OF introduced during that time. The list
of peaches especially has been greatly in
creased. In II paper read before the
Western New York Horticultural Society
by William G. Barry descriptions OF
thirty peach seedlings never before de-
Scribed were enumerated as having come
to the notice of this well-known nursery
man, while many more were fruitcd
which are not yet made known to the
public. According to Mr.. Barry the
State of New York offers several candi-
dates for popular favor. From the great
metropolis even come two new varieties
which apparently possess many valua-
bic qualities. In Western New, York
there are several seedlings which will
undoubtedly prove desirable. One of
them is believed to be the largest and
earliest of all the very early peaches.
Several excellent early and late varieties
have originated in Ohio. Passing over
u vast extent of country are found IL
number of new kinds in Missouri, Kan
sas and Nebraska. From Kansas comes
the information that the whole list OF
narly peaches known to the public, so
far as 'fruited in Kansas in 1878, is sur
passed both in carliness and size by ut
least fifty new seedlings of Kansas origin,
many of which bore their first fruit that
year. At the South, too, many promis-
ing new sorts are mentioned. Thus. as
if by magic, during the same year and in
various sections of country new peaches
have sprung up in such numbers as to
astonish and almost perpleX the fruit
culturist.
Touching upon the few new apples
brought to notice the past year, Mr..
Barry had word to say about the Rus
sian apples which have caused more or
less discussion. OF the varieties under
trial for some time several have given
evidence of value, and while they can
hardly be compared in quality to our
best apples, still they are fair and will
doubtless prove desirable in those locali-
ties where only hardy varieties succeed
What portion of the large number of
new straw berries introduced are worthy
of cultivation Mr.. Barry thought it diff
cult as yet to say. Another seasons eX-
perience will be required before definite
and reliable information, can be given
concerning many of them. OF number
which have been well tested the Sharp
less is given prominent place, as are the
Cumberland, Triumph and Crescent
Seeding. Among new raspberries the
Gregg was pronounced a decided i'm
provement on the older varieties of black
caps.-Ne,0 York World.
Early Corn.
A correspondent of Vicb's Magazine
gives the following directions for bring
ing corn to maturity early in the season,
adding that he picked corn last year in
side of sixty days from the time OF plant
inn. Of tho conditions &c tb q coil on1