The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-02-26
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Orchard and Garden Note..

insects, such as beetles or grubs,
MANURE FOR THE GARDEN A gener-
GUS supply of the best and finest of the
manure should be kept for the garden.
No other part of the farm pays so we'll as
this for 81 Q liberality. Half an acre of
well-kept garden will supply q large
family with vegetables and small fruits
the year round, and the money value of
this cannot be less than $500 in the year.
This source of income is rarely consider
ed in calculating the returns from the
farm, but it really amounts to ten per
cent, on the large sum of 80. 600: and
what farmer ever thinks of valuing his
garden at that sum of money.-EG.
PLANTING Old FRUIT CANS. .-Prac-
tical tests in the matter of irrigatiug
plants by means of old fruit cans
punotured with pin holes and sunk in
the earth near the roots of the growing
strawberry, tomato or rare Towering
plants, as the case may be, leave no
doubt of its success in small plots
which admit of the labor of sinking the
cans and keeping them filed with water
during times of drought. The holes in
the can are to be made of such size that
when the vessel is filled with water the
hUld can only escape into the ground
very slowly; thus a quart-can properly
arranged will extend its irrigation to the
plant through period of several days.
In fancy gardening, where O few choice
plants are in process of growing, the
fruit-can irrigation plan will be found
preferable to the ordinary methods of
watering on the surface of the bed
NeO York World.
BUDDING TREES, -" No specified time
can be given for budding fruit trees"
says an agricultural editor, "as the op.
Grafton must be performed when the
stocks are in proper condition. The
budding must be done when the stocks
have nearly but not quite finished their
summer growth, and while the bark on
them parts freely from the wood. If
budded too early, there is danger of the
bud being overgrown and smothered;
and if the operation is performed too
late, and after the sap has ceased flow
ing, the buds will not unite to the stock.
If the season is wet, and the stocks con-
tinue to grow vigorously until late in
the fall, the budding is deferred accord.
ingly; but the experienced nurseryman
can tell at a glance when the stocks are
in the best condition for budding, al
though it would be difficult for him to
impart the knowledge to others, except
in practical way, and on the ground
where the operation is to be performed.
PEACH ORCHARDS I have just ex-
amined two peach orchards containing
1000 trees each, planted four years ago
the coming spring out of the same lot
of trees. Orchard No. ! has been
planted in corn every year since it was
set, while No. 2 has been planted in
potatoes, beans and pumpkins. The
first orchard has made but a small
growth and the trees seem to lack
vitality, and from an experience of
many years should say that it will
never attain suff lent growth to pro-
duce a profitable crop. The other
orchard has made q splendid growth
and the trees are of sufficient size to
bear a large and profitable crop.
From twenty years experience as a
fruit grower, L have come to the con-
clusion that the size, health and value
OF fruit tree depends largely on the
treatment 1T receives during the first
four years after it is planted in the
orchard, and that this is particularly
true of the peach. I do not think a
peach tree which once becomes stunted
can ever be made profitable. - Waldo, in
Practical Farmer.
Choice Butter Dairy Cows
Choice butter dairy COWS are the
exception rather than the rule, though
it costs no more to keep good ones than
poor ones, and the former are eminently
more profitable. There are many who
cannot tell a good COW when they see it.
while others are very careless in the
matter. To improve your stock of COWS.
1t is necessary to constantly weed out
the poor or inferior ones, and breed and
keep only those which have proved
themselves to be worthy of your care.
Experience has, time and again, demon
strated that grade COWS have in many
eases proved better dairy animals than
pure-blooded ones, though this excel
ience is undoubtedly due to the admix-
ture of the blood of the thoroughbred
with that of the choice common stock,
the strength and stamina of the latter
increasing and intensifyiug- desira-
bic qualities of the former. This is not
derogatory to the merits of the thorough
bred, but rather in its favor, for without
it you could not so readily secure the
many advantages which are almost al
ways sure to result. The service of a
pure-bred bull of some better breed
costs but little compared to the benefits
secured, and all farmers should avail
themselves of it, even if they have but
two or three good COWS to be served,
remembering, however, that the calves
must have the best of care, food and
attention to fully develop the desirable
qualities.
Household Hints.
Keep your salt and pepper boxes on
little shelf back of or near the stove
and save your steps.
To bake potatoes quickly, pour boil.
ing water over them and let stand a
minute or so before putting into the
oven.
Glass vasaaJs in q cvIind y;oaI Fo,.,o No.,