Connecticut western news., 1880-02-25
FARM AND GARDEN.
SUGAR BEET PULP.

Ahu uhll0 u LOW pEdCtlCal A0cu1uB b0SG6s in disposing of it at g per ton, as fast as made, and toward the last several or ders could not be filled. Among re- ports of general satisfaction with results secured from it's use is that of MT. 0. H. Hayes, Portsmouth, N. H., as given not long since in M5lzer's Weekly "We are now," he says, "feeding car load every ten days to COWS and steers. The milk is showing larger percentage of cream than from any other feed we have ever used, and the steers, of which we put in twenty four for the purpose of giving the pulp fair trial, are do- ing finely, gaining at the rate of over a hundred pounds per pair month, on pulp and corn-stalks and straw, without aparticle of hay or ahy other feed. Seven calves also in one pen, from three to six mon hs old, we feed entirely on pulp and rowen. We have never had 8 lot do any better their hair is glossy, they are fat, bright, and all right. You know that the raising of stock is one of our specialies, and that we feed high al- ways, believing that the only way to get good COW is to feed for this from a calf up and when see stock growing and looking as we'll as these all do on beet pulp, it is conclusive evidence to my mind that it is going to be the feed for farmers to use, that are situated so they can procure it."
 POTATOES AND FOREST TREES.
 A year ago you published "straw culture of potatoes" by F. D. Curtis, who gave so plain and practical direc- tions for this process that I knew how to do it as well as if I had always grown them thus. I thought so much of the statement that saved it for my scrap book and the past season gave the same treatment to two turf bound groves, which wonderfully increase their growth and foliage. It was mainly for the trees instead of potato crop that I applied the mulch, just as Colonel Curtis did. and although the potatoes grew we'll enough, it was of the greatest advant- age to the trees, proving that by fol- lowing natures example in mulching the ground we give the best possible culture. I will lnclose the article re- fer1ed to, thinking that in view of it's exceptional value, and the thousands of new subscribers who have never seen it, you may be willing to reprint it. It is as follows:
 "The baby's nut grove was a mass of tough soil and grass. It was big job to spade it all over and keep it clean. The young trees needed to have the grass subdued, and we wanted to get rid of 50 much manual labor. An cid mow of straw had been a refuge for rats long enough, so putting this and that together, we got an idea to plant pota- toes on the grass and cover them with straw. The potatoes were cut into small pieces and dropped right into the grass about foot apart. The straw was carted out and spread all over the patch as near six inches deep as we could get. In due time the potatoes came up and rapidly spread out until the vines cov- cred the surface. Here and there a tuft of grass would show itself early in the season, but that spot was easily hood by placing on it small forkful of new straw. A few thistles forced them selves up through the straw, and they were pulled up by the roots. This was all the care the crop had except to sprinkle it twice with Paris green.
 "We had the incest crop of potatoes in the neighborhood. It was fun to rake off the straw and uncover the little punches of potatoes all in heap and as clean as if washed. The sod is all dead and the ground is as clean ss if it had been summer-fallowed. We used mostly oat straw, but on portion buckwheat straw was put. The potatoes came up equally we'll through both, yielded as well under one as the other, We shall raise another crop with straw-cuIture on the same ground next year, but it will not require more than half the thick ness of straw, as the grass is all dead. Rye straw is the best, and can be very evenly distributed. It will pack down more readily than oat, and need not be placed so thickly. We have several stubborn places around tbe grounds we shall treat with potatoes and straw
 The quince orchard is very weedy and
 grassy, and this treatment will cure
 both effectually. We shall try it. It ii
 the best purgative we know of."
 While Ire es are young we want tho
 use of the ground for other purposes
 so we plant and hoe it, and this gives a,
 artificial mulching of fine surface soil
 but after trees have grown enough tt
 occupy the land, whether they are fores
 or fruit trees, believe there is noth ing better for forest trees than olG > straw or brueh or any such thing, bu for fruit trees, surface maturing or { top. dressing composed of muck anc
 lime and coal ashes. leaves or any { thing the like of these, and plenty of it While advise farmers and horticul
 turists favorably c1rcumstanced to try Colonel Curtis's plan, it would probably be best not to do so very extensively fol ) the simple purpose of raising potatoel until after giving it 8 practical trial.-
 HI. V. Ives, Geneses Co.,, N. Y.
 MORE HEMP WANTED.
 During the first ten months of las year over 1900 tons of raw hem1 : fibre were imported into this country, at 8 cost of nearly $2,O0O, ,0OO, and we
 exported something over the value oi half that sum in cordage and othel