The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-07-26
AGRICULTURE.


wide and two feet long; put legs sawed
from boards under each corner; then
take a stick three inches square and
three feet long, or, what is better, q
limb of tree that has small branches
or knots on it.; fasten this to the centre
of your board brace 1t from the cent? G
Of each side Of your base; on the TOP
place an empty fish kit. Trim the
edges Of the base and outside of the fish
kit with grape vine and small knots
give the whole Il coat of varnish. Be-
fore the varrish becomes quite dry give
1t Il sprinkling Of fl osting such as pain
ters use on signs, which will make it
glisten like diamonds. On the base
Will be room for four large pots to
stand. Fill the vase with dropping
vines, geranium In the center, and
YOU will find it a very handsome and
cheap ornament. Another method.
The materials are such as are to be
found around almost every house, 50
the cost need be nothing but the labor.
The stand is made of boxes of common
boards, such rs soap boxes to be
found at most country stores. a peach
basket makes tho vase. For such 4 bas-
kcC the first base should be a square
box, the sides OF which measure about
Il foot, with depth Of three or four in
ches. On this place the second base, Il
box with seven and a half inch sides,
and two and q halfinches deep. Now,
above these set up n square column
made out of box about six inches
high, with sides of, say, four or four
and half inches, and the stand is
ready for tho basket. Holes must DO
bored through the bottom of the basket,
as well rs through the boxes, to secure
proper drainage. When all arc proper
ly fastened together, paint them any
color to suit the taste, and you will
then have Il pretty imitation OF an OK
pensive iron vase. The basket must be
lined with moss to prevent the earth
getting out. Now, for tho plants. a
Gamma which you can raise from seed
(only you must first soak them twenty
four hours in warm water to hasten
germlnation) will make pretty center
piece, and around this you can plant
petunias, which fl ON their dropping
habit will run over the sides. Then
there is sweet alyssum, with its pretty
snow-white fragrant flowers, and san-
vitalia, with Its little yellow ones.
Maurandia, too, as n dropping vine,
comes in here with excellent results.
All these are ANIMALS, cheap, and easily
grown. a pretty aquarium can be
made in this woy: Take al old tub, or,
better, washing-machinc, oblong in
shape; bank to within al inch Of the
top with rich earth and stones. Plant
In the earth vincs-moncy vine, cats
paw, ferns and wild plants. Make an
arch of wire or grapevine. Plant the
vine seeds or Madeira tubers to cover
the arch place small hanging basket
In top of the arch, allied with cinquefoil.
Arrange in bottom bright colored
o1, lnb
With one or two watcr-plantS and half
Il dozen minnows you have "a thing Of
beauty and JOY" all summer. a
pretty method Of making rustic chains
to hang from porches, verandas or gar
,len arches, to support the delicate
creops and vines, is much in vogue In
Belgium. They arc made by taking
branches Of trees Of from one or two
inches IN diameter and saving them
into lengths of from three to six in
ches; then cutting willow rods of about
half an inch in diameter to about the
same length; splitting them and bend
ing onc-half Of ono so as to form Il
semi-circlc around the end of one of the
longer sticks and fastening 1t securely
by brad nails. Through this loop the
bent split-willow rod to be fastened to
1.-The next bit of stick Is passed before
being nailed the second time; and so
on until the chain Is made rs long as
may be required: The kinds Of wood
which show to the best advantage in
this work are those that have Il rough
bark, like the Norway spruce. These
chains will form very graceful curves,
und when covered with Il balloon vine
or maurandias or morning glorics, will
attract much attention. Always water
plants with Il sponge. Get the large.
coarse kind and you will save yourself
much annoyance and splattercd walls.
WHAT CREATURES NOT TO KILL.
The French minister Of finance has
done good deed In causing a placard
to be posted, which 1t would be wise
for citizens of all countl les to have be-
fore their eyes. 1t tells farmers, sports
men, boys and others what creatures
not to kill, as follows: Hedgehog
Lives mostly Oh mice, small rodents,
slngs, and gr4bs-animals hurtful to
agriculture. Don't kill the hedgehog.
Toad-Farm assistants; he destroys
twenty to thirty insects per hour.
Don't kill the toad. Molc-ls contin,l-
ally destroying grubs, larvae, palmer
worms, and Insects injurious to agricul-
ture. No trace of vegetation Is ever
found In it's stomach. Don't kill the
mole. Birds-Each department loses
several millions annually through in
scots. Birds are the only enemies able
to contend against thcm vigorously.
They are the great caterpillar killers
and agricultural assistants. Children
don't disturb their nests"
THE octagon form Is esteemed by
many as best suited for barn. a 90
IT. octagon barn has M outside wall of
20sIls cubic feet, while each side ia but
81 feet, 81 inches long This barn
will comfortably stable Ill head Of cat
tie In the basement, and has capacity
with 25-feet posts, and a 14-feet floor
through the second story-of l5l ,305
cubic feet for storing hay, grain etc.
This would be equal to two tons Of hay
and 5000 bus. grain in tho straw. An
obloEg barn having the Same capacity
would need to be 40xS0 fcat, with tho
same height Of posts, and having the
same capacity for stabling and storage
for crops. This barn would have q
circumference Of 40 feet, or an ontsilc
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