Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-08-10
FARMER AND GARDENER.

FARMER AND GARDENER.
Timely Hints to HusbandInen.
Germantown Telegraph.
Que of the best spring vegetables is
spinach. 1t is very hardy and before the
snow is gone il gives us an agreeable taste
Of the coming vegetables. Like tue tur-
nip it requires rich ground to do very well.
1t is best to sow it broadcast, raking it in
when sowD, and if possible in 4 garden,
rollin, it. It will soon come up and reach
s me considerable size before frost.
When frost comes the spinach bed should
b. covered with straw, or some other
The plant is hardy enough with
ject is carly vegetables, the earliness
is assisted by this covering. There is at
least two weeks of difference in the value
of crop covered and one left to take its
chances. The covering need not be deep.
1t may bc laid over SD that the earth can
be seen hero and there through it. II the
heaviest Of the sun is shut out, that is all
that is wanted for it is the sun in winter
pouring it's rays on tho frOst-coycred
plants that seems to do the harm, so it is
as much tho shade us the straw that brings
the benefit. By sowing the latter part
of this month or the beginning of Scptem
Der it will produce an autumn crop but
for spring uso it should be sown the latter
part of September or tie lirst week in
October.
Vegetable Seeds to Sow soon.
How many people who possess plenty of
room in their gardens, Or ought to have
plenty, deprive themselves of some Of our
choicest vegetables large portion Of the
time by merely ncglecting to take advan-
tagc of the season to prepare i few small
beds and sow the seeds? II you go into
their gardens and on looking' around and
seeing, ut the latter end Of September. no
lettuce Or radishes growing. and ask where
they are the reply is, owe never raise
them at this time Of the year; We didu't
know they would do,' Sc. The fact is,
lettuce can now DO sOwn with certainty
in drills, to head late in autumn and il
transpianted into cold frames, we can have
heads at Christmas and generally through
the winter. The China and Spanish
radish should he SOwn now for winter use,
and bury in small pits rs VIC do beets.
For carly spring use, Lettuce seed
should bc sOwn the lifst cr second week in
October, and when the plants arc we'll
started, transplant in a sheltered place,
forming ridges six to eight inches high,
and setting them about foot apart balf
way up the ridge. When cold weather
approaches cover the rows lightly with
straw, and place Il few bean poles upon the
straw t. keep it in its place. If wei! at
tended to there will DC plenty of good
solid heads at the beginning Of April, and
some can be cut in March before heading.
Coming at tbese periods, this vegetable is
very acceptable and wholesome.
Food Speculations.
This being the season of harvest in
America, We have advices from the city Of
Chicago Of the usual huge corGerinS Opcr-
atiOns of tho wheat market in that great
emporium. AS in all former cases of the
same kind this speculation seems to have
been organized by a singl le daring operator
who has amasscda great fortune by similar
operations III former years. On this OcCa-
sion, however, lie is said to have lost his
point, for practically the Garner is broken.
Nevertheless, it seems to be pretty clear
that these great specuiations iu American
brcadstuffs, instead of being uBmiXcd
evils, have really been productive q! actual
strength to the American trade in
grain, and have enriched the wheat f,.lm
ers of the Northwest to an extent that
would otherwise have been impossible,
while they have undoubtedly saved the
country from suffering the evils of Il scar
city of food in years when the crops in
Europe had failed, or those OF our own
country were below the average. Last
year, for example, all our national food
crops were very much shorter than was
believed at the time by any bnt great
Spectators in New York, Chi
cago and st. Louis. Statements
were made publicly enough 10 that
effect, but they were universally be-
licyed to be intended for speculative pur-
poses. Nevertheless, the great operators
held tenaciOusly to their stocks of wheat
at prices far above tho range of the mar
ket in New York and London, and the re-
suit was that the export trade in bread
stuffs was cilcctually arrested, and has
never since been resumed, rs would have
been the case if the American crops bad
rot been far below their average. Here
then is case in which the Chicago wheat
Spectators did really serve the country in
a very useful way, for had it not been for
the utter stagnation because of the extra
ordinarily high prices, breadstuils Instead
of being boarded would have been recls-
less!y shipped off to Europe, leaving all
tho country virtually unprOvided with an
adequate supply for the ensuing year.