The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-03-26
HOUSE, FIELD AND Farm.


Items OF Interest 10 People In the
Country.
An Illinois correspondent Of the Ger
mantown telegraph writes as follows:
Hoping to induce some one would it
were many to provide their family with
an abundant supply ofone of the finest
fruits, a few hints are offered on straw
berries. Early spring Is the time to set
them in this section Of country, as ordin.
arily our fall seasons are to dry for the
successful planting Of them. Many in
this vicinity have planted enough for fami.
ly use, taken tolerable care Of them the
first season only, and Of course in year
or two more their strawberries had run
out" 1t should be impressed upon the
buyers OF plants by those who supply
them, that they need certain amount Of
care through each season, as much as any
crop OF the kitchen garden or farm, for
which they pay amply. They require
mulchipg here on the first solid freezing OF
the ground in fall or early winter. 1t is
advisable, when loosening up the mulch
after severe freezing weather Is over in the
spring, to leave slight covering until our
usual light frosts about the middle OF May
are past. Growers ofplants for sale might
offer shorter lists OF highly recommended
varieties, greatly to the benefit OF their
customers. A catalogue OF this class be-
fore me gives adetailed account ottwenty-
Eve varieties, which from the descrip.
tons, q novice would not be willing TO
dispense with one Of them. In my own
experience OF thirty-fye years here in
their culture, making tia point to test
new varieties OF high reputation, q very
small part OF them prove 10 be valuable in
my grounds. The much.lauded Jacunda
has been obtained several times, and Is
not worth anything in any soil l can give
4, when comared with Charles Downing,
Green Prolific or Old Necked Pine.
ADour BEEs.-A correspondent OF the
New York Erening Post, in speaking oil
bees, says that they are divided, as is well
known, into three distinct classes-the
queen, the worker and the drone. The
first is Matched in sixteen days, the sec
ond in twenty-one days, and the third in
Itgenty.iour days. The workers are the
smallest, aud perform all the labor. The
workers Matched in the autumn should live
eight or nine months bat those in spring
or summer seldom survive beyond three
months. The working bees collectively
regulate the affairs Of the hive, there being
no head or centre OF government. The
queen is not ruler, but merely the moth
er OF the swarm, and her removal causes
the greatest CONSERVATION in the family.
FODDER CRoPs.-It has been proved re-
peatedly that one acre Of good green fodder
will feed two cows during the summer
Fodder crops must be put in early. A
mixture of oats and peas is the best croE
for early cutting, to come in after the first
clover, which follows the rye. The two
sown together will yield, on one acre,
about as much as II sown separately on
two acres. This may be doubted, but 1t !:
true. Tall growing leafy oats, and tai
peas, yield the most fodder; the "Black
eve Marrowiat' pea, grown in Canada as
la field crop, is the best for our use, thu
seed being free from weevil. For sec
ond crop, the earliest small Canada Gray
pea may be sown. The fodder is in the
best condition for cutting when the pea
are in full blossom.
CLOVER AND GRASS sEED-Clover may b.
sown this month. When the ground Il
lifted and cracked by light FROST the seec
may be sown with good effect. But thu
preferable method is to SOW as soon as tn,
soil is dry enough, and then run over thu
ground with light smoothing harrow
and spread $50 pounds Of fertilizer imme
diateiy. Orchard grass is most valuable
kind 10 SOW with clover; 1t is early and late
and is unsurpassed for cutting, for soilini
or for hay. Three bushels OF seed pc
acre is not too much, as close seeding II
needed, to prevent the grass from forming
large clumps or tools.-Ameriean Agrieliltttr
it.