The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-07-07


autumn than winter wheat. We have sue
end of November, and hence the facility
with which the above mentioned change is
made.
Dr.. JOHN A. WARDER, President of the
American Forestry Association, claims for
the catalpa a durability and power of re-
sistance to the influences of the elements
possessed by no other wood. 1t is of an
elastic nature, but not so soft and light as
cottonwood. A Western exchange believes
that the railway ties of the future will be
of this wood. The Fort Scott Texas and
Gulf Railroad has planted a large area in
this tree so has the Iron Mountain Rail-
road.
A CORRESPONDENT of the Baltimore Sun
thus describes filter which he says he
uses with perfect success for all the water
his family requires. 1t is a gallon-glass
funnel with small piece of sponge in the
bottom, and on which rests half dozen
slender sticks to facilitate the percolation,
then placed at intervals all around and
beneath piece of muslin a foot or so
square The muslin is filed with, say. a
pint of closely powdered charcoal. Through
this he filters the water. At first little of
the charcoal passes through, but it soon
becomes perfect filter.
PETER HENDERSON does not believe that
the so-called insectivorous plants derive
any more nourishment from their victims
than the hemlock, which destroys millions
of gnats on its resinous exudations, or the
sgt1a h,rr 10
butterflies, moths and bumble-bees on their
spines. In the summer of 1873 he and w.
l. TAFT made two experiments, using 100
plants in each test, those chosen being the
well-known Carolina fy-trap. The plants
which received no insects were just as
vigorous as those which had been treated
to the supposed animal diet.
Mrs. w. C. Gilbert, of Lake County, o.,
gives us the following valuable recipe: Il
have used the following preparation sue
cessfully for years, and can highly recon-
mend it for the destruction of bugs on
squash and cucumber vines Dissolve a
tablespoonful of saltpetre in pailful Of
water. Put one pint of this around each
hill shaping the earth SO that it will not
spread much, and they are safe. Use more
saltpetre if you can afford it. 1t is good
for vegetables, but death to animal life.
The bugs burrow in the earth at night and
fail to rise in the morning"
My rule for preventing borers is to get a
pint of crude carbolic acid, costing twenty
five cents, and sufficient for twenty gallons
of the wash. Take tight barrel and put
in four or five gallons of soft soap, with as
much hot water to thin it, then stir in the
pint of carbolic acid, and let it stand over
night or longer to combine. Now add
twelve gallons of rain water and stir well ;
then apply to the base of the trees with a
short broom or brush, taking pains to- wet
the inside of all crevices This will pre-
vent both peach and apple borers. II
should be applied the latter part of June in
this climate, when the moth and beetles
usually appear. The odor is so pungent
and lasting that no eggs will be deposited
where it has been applied, and the effect
will continue till after the insects have
done flying. If the crude acid cannot be
obtained, one-third of the pure will answer
but it is more expensive.-Fdrmer.
always have geranium blossoms from
September to September. 1 start my
winter blooming plants in pots in May, nip
ping off the buds as fast as they appear; in
| September take them in the house and
water once week with copperas water.
My geraniums look as if they had grown
out of doors, so strong, dark, and healthy
they look, and the zone is almost black.
have only common window in which te
place my plants.
My Gala has not been free from blossom.
and buds since November. 1 received il
from California on the second day of No
vember and on the same day took a clear
| pot that will hold gallon, put in a few
! pieces of broken bricks, then a handful O.
leaf mold, garden soil, and sand mixed ant
sifted. put in my bulb and filled in t.
the depth of three inches with rotted hors'
manure, and covered lightly with sifteC
soil then 1 sprinkled tablespoonful O
pulverized copperas on the top of the dirt
and after pouring on boiling water stoot
the pot in the south window. In thre
days had two leaves, and in six weeks
had three blooms and two buds on it. l
was a curiosity to every one. Once a weel
it gets liberal supply of copperas, and no
water every morning. The plant looks a
if it was standing in a swamp.-Mrs. G. N
H. Pa,o Pa,o, Mich in Vick's Magazine.
Farming was the first occupation of man
and consequently ought to be better under
stood than it is. Instead of this, we hea
even the older men complaining that the,
do not know how to farm proftably. w
admit that successful farming is difficult
but the numerous failures are not so mucl
due to intrinsic difficulties, as to the fac
that most farmers study the true nature g
farming too little and give too much atter
ton to things which do not concern them
This is fast age. We need not expect t
make enough at farming to pay for tn
adulterations that we buy in all the foo
necessary for life, and at the same tim
study politics. We give too much hearin
to things of no use. Where a man decide
upon farming as his vocation of life,
must learn that the subject of chemistr
etc., is of far more use to him than juri
prudence. The Omnipotent never intende
complex vocations in life.
Many farmers do not make farming
success because they loiter too much
burning the golden moments of time wit
the fire of idleness, when they could maE
such worth at least S. a day by saving Il
homemade fertilizers" which are fir
quently SO plentiful on the farm. Anoth
weighty reason is that they experimel
too little. In this age experience is Fl
ahead of theory, although even this m,
be abused if INDUCED in too expensive
) at first. If you are farmers learn yol
business, and let every body else lear
theirs.
A great many articles in the columns
some agricultural journals seem to be i
; serted merely to fill up space; and in son
instances do great injury. A case in poir
Having noticed an article going the roun
of the press to the effect that lone pint
salt placed in the hole when setting O
young peach trees, where old trees h
been removed, would make them gre
better" etc. l tried it this spring on son
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