The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1882-12-01
AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

and shrubs, the simplest we nave
found is sheet-zinc cut in the shape
of a long triangle. Let it be six or
eight inches long, an inch at the
broad end, and taper to a point
Write upon 1t, near the large end,
with common lead pencil; coil the
small end around a twig; it will ex-
pand without injuring the tree, and
last for 20 or more years.
Professor Beal furnishes a state
ment to the Rural New Yorker, that
a neighbor who was poor cnltiva-
tor had ripe tomatoes two weeks be-
fore some of his neighbors, simply
because his soil was poor and had not
been manured, while the neighbors
had rich soil, which kept the plants
growing with more luxuriance, with
later ripening of the fruit.
Observations show that castor
oil plant having been placed in q
room infested with flies, they disap-
peared as if by enchantment. Search
ing for the cause there were soon
found under the castor.oil plant
rumber of dead flies, and large
number of bodies had remained cling
ing to the under surface of the leaves
of the plant, which gave out an es-
sential oil on some toxic principle
possessing very strong insecticide
qualities.
A correspondent OF Virginia pa
per states that tires may be kept on
wheels by the following process"
ironed wagon some years ago for
nv own use and before putting OH
the tires filed the felloes with lin
seed oil, and tires have worn ont and
were never loose. / also ironed
buggy for my own use seven years
ago, and the tires are as tight as
when put on. My method of filing
the felloes is as follows: use a long
cast iron heater made for .he purpose.
The oil is brought to boiling heat,
and the wheel is placed on stick so
as to hang in the oil. An hour is
sufficient for common sizad felloe,
of which the timber should be dry,
as green wood will not take oil. Care i.
should be taken that the oil does not
get hotter than the boiling heat, else
the wood might be set on FIRE and
burned. Timber filled with oil IS
not susceptible to water and is much
more durable"
A farmer of my acquaintance,
whose business is chiefly raising hogs,
had one acre Of artichokes, two or
three years ago; he now has SIX acres,
and talks of planting FOUR more. He
says that in some years one acre OF
artichokes is worth three OF corn,
and that small! piece, according to
the number of hogs, will any year he
, worth more than the same area of
corn. Some use the tops as green
, feed: horses and cattle both seem to
relish them.
1t is said that an acre OF wheat
, will sustain three and half indiyid-
uals for one year. An acre of pota-
. toes will sustain ten persons tor ore
: year. In ireland the introduction OF
the potato has been followed by a
decline of every Irish industry ex-
cept agriculture. The small amount
, of labor required for obtaining sus-
t tenance from the potato is taken as
+ the measure of necessary labor, and
the time gained is not profitably spent
> in developing other industries, but
is apt 20 be passed in idleness. 1t is
= SO the world over, where the earth
!, Yields of its abundance almost with
| out toll.
h Thoroughly scald out your barrels
s and the cutter, tubs, etc., to be used
!. in making sauerkraut. Strip off the
n outer leaves of the cabbagea, halve
y them. remove tie heart and cut as
r fine as necessary. Pu. some clean
g leaves in the bottom of the barrel,
;. sprinkle over thsm handful of salt,
e fill in half bushel of the. cut cab
: bage and stamp gently with pestle
: until the juice appears in it, and then
j add another handful Of salt and more
n cabbage, as before. Proceed until
), the barrel is full; then cover with
e cabbage leaves and press down with
9 board just fitting inside the top OF
9 the barrel weighted with twelve or
II fifteen pound stone. Set away in q
: cool place and remove to . cellar
when danger of hard freezing is nigh.
In six weeks the kraut is fit for use
N and the barrels may be headed 70,
market.