Connecticut western news., 1880-08-04
FARM AND GARDEN.
OUR MANY USES FOR MUCK.

Obnor 0lom6nGS OI plduG-AOOOy A0o UAO least of which are its crumbling shells and fragments of petrefactions. Have we cuttings or root-grafts to protect from drouth or frost, we apply muck, not fearing to cover them from sight have we new strawberries from each plant of which we expect hundreds of new plants, we cover the earth with muck; have we rare grapes, or rasp- berries, from which extraordinary growth IS desired, bushel or more of muck compost is worked in the soil about them :; have we quinces or dwarf pears, the roots of which forage near home, we mulch with muck have we an old or chard that we wish to reiuvenate we apply muck broadcast; have we newly planted trees, we guard against drouth with muck have we flower beds, or rose hedges, we apply muck ; have we manure in the stable or poultry yard, or wastes of the house that might poison the well and spring if buried have we ashes in the pit, or bonedust ill the bin, by con- posting with muck we guard against loss of the better parts, and greatly enhance their fertilizing capacity. Fearing my friend J. J. Thomas may charge me with quackery, hasten to add that do not prescribe muck under all circumstances and conditions. Our clayey loam, liable to harden after heavy storms, cries out loudly for muck how soils of different character might be affected I cannot state from experience.-Chas. 4. Green, Monroe Co.,, ~. y.
 RICH SOIL vs. THE HEssIAN FLY.
 The Hessian fly is feeble insect when 1t first comes into life, and light frost will destroy it. This often happens, both in spring and fall, about the time the insect is transformed into the fly, which seems the only cause for escape of the wheat plant from universal attack both in spring and autumn. A sharp frost at the right time, when the fly is in its feeble state, will so decimate them that several years will pass before they again appear in such numbers as to be damaging. I have never known any remedy against the ravages of the insect after the fly has deposited the egg. The ova soon finds itself encased within the leaves of the plant, near the root, where it cannot be reached without destroying the plant. The only aidthe wheat plant can have when attacked by the fly, is strong and vigorous growth, which will enable it to overcome the enemy by throwing out new tillers as the old stalk is destroyed. On a rich, strong soil, and in moist-growing season we fre- quently harvest full crop when the insect has done much damage in the fall On light or weak soils, the fly is always destructive. The use of fsuperphosphate applied at the time of seeding, has proved very beneficial in giving astronger growth to overcome the attack of the insect. I have also seen 8 heavy and healthy growth of wheat where rich manure was applied, when on other portions of the same field not manured the crop was de- stroyed by the Ay.-F 7. Root, Monroe Co.,, ~. y.
 PROFITABLE STRAWBERRY CULTURE. MT. Hathaway Golf, of Providence, R. L, ius this season on twenty square rods of land, or one-eighth of an acre, raised twenty crates of strawberries, each crate containing one bushel, or thirty-two quart boxes. The variety was the "Monarch of the West" For the first which he sold he obtained forty three cents per quart, and the average price was seven teen and half cents per quart. For the entire lot he obtained SIP, or at the rate of 1869 per acre. MT. Golf culti- vated about three acres and half of strawberries, the whole crop averaging about ten cents per quart. He sold the most of his berries in the Providence market. On two occasions he, was in- duced to ship berries to New York, but the boat arriving late each time, he did not realize more than half as much as he would had he sold them in Provi- | dence.
 VALUE OF SWAMP MUcK.-Some time ago we remarked that an acre of swamp muck of good quality, three feet deep, was actually worth $25, 1000. No doubt such statement is surprising. So was the statement of Dr. Lawes, of England, that ton of bran fed to COWS returned more than it's cost in manure. Swamp muck free from sand, contains two per cent. or forty pounds of nitrogen in 8 ton. Nitrogen is worth in the market twenty-five cents per pound, so that 8 ton of swamp muck is actually worth $10 for the nitrogen in it. All that is needed is to work up the muck, so as to make the nitrogen available. An acre of swamp muck three feet deep contains 2,5OO tons, and would require eight months to draw out, at ten loads day. Few persons realize the value of the fer. tilizing elements of common waste mat ters which lie under their feet, and the innumerable tons of matter that may be available for fertilizing purposes, and that much of the idle and neglected ma terials represent avast amount of wealth. |-Anoerica7a 11gricatltaWist.
 PROFITS OF FARMING.
 One item of proof of the possible profit of farming is afforded by the fact that comparatively few who follow it reach bankruptcy, notwithstanding wastes that would bring ruin to any other business conducted with equal lack of attention to what are mistakenly re- garded as "little leaks." This point was illustrated by the Rev. M. R. Leon ard at 8 meeting of the Waltham Club, as reported in the Massachusetts Plough man: "I see how the fertilizers oi