The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1882-10-05
FARM AND FIRESIDE.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.

This is the season to prepare for planting
hardy bulbs, such as the tulip, hyacinth, mar
cissus. and crocus. October and November are
the two best months for setting these bulbs, so
that they may form plenty of roots before
freezing weather. Later planted bulbs Will
not as q general rule flower so perfectly as
those planted as above. All Of these bulbs will
succeed in any soil which is not wet. A sandy
loan. made rich, is the best of all. If the soil
is clayey. place a handful of sand in the
french and set the bulb on il. Plant in rows
and close together Much OF the beauty of a
hvacinth bed depends upon the fullness of the
bed; eight inches is ample space between the
bulbs. and cover with at least three inches of
soil above the top of the bulb.
Many people prefer tulips to hyacinths for
display of spring flowers. For merely decora-
tive purposes. we consider them superior. They
are cheaper to begin with, and, if not disturbed
they improve and spread from year TO year
while the hyaciuth soon deterorates. Tulips
nav be planted somewhat closer together than
recommended for hyacinths; otherwise their
treatment may be similar.
1t will enhance their Towering to some eX-
tent if the bulbs receive a covering Of leaves or
strawy matter to remain until spring.
SILK AND TEA.
A writer in the fertile Record remarks
"'Wherever the mulberry grows in profusion
there nature indicates a suitable spot for tea,
saws the Oriental proyerb. Tea and silk are
sister industries alike in their adaptedness TO
female labor and to climate, free from extremes
of temperature and moisture. When, there
fore. an American silk association shall seek to
establish model silk farm, let it be located in
that part of the Union which shall be indicated
as suited TO the production Of tea"
The above proverb may be good Oriental
saying. but it will not apply to this country.
We presume that silk culture can be prose
cuted wherever the climate viii admit of the
growth Of food plants for the worms and has
nothing whatever TO do with climates adapted
to tea culture. The tea plant will not stand
the winters north Of the Potomac, but it is not
to be supposed that silk culture is to be thus
restricted. Since it is asserted that the Usage
orange leaves make as good food for the worms
and as good silk as the best mulberry leaves.
the hardness of the Usage plant will be the
limit as far as climate is concerned; but the
white mulberry Will possibly flourish even TO
more northern sections.
GLADIoLUs.
We are not acquainted with any Towering
plant Of equal merit that is at once SO desira-
bic and SO easily attainable as the gladiolus.
They viii do well in any cultivated soil, and
produce great masses of flowers of an unusually
great range in regard to coors and markings.
They. like the great majority of bulbs prefer
sandy soil but TO produce the finest and most
cndurinc blooms, the soil must be rich. In
planting. they should be set from 4 TO inches
below the surface; when planted shallow their
flowers viii soon fade in dry weather.
They are not sufficiently hardy to stand
severe winters, and where these occur the
hui should be lifted in the fall, and, after
driving Tor two or three hours in the sun,
stored in bags or boxes, and placed in a dry
le- ..an. completely out Of the reach Of frost,
l.r the winter. Many small bulbets will be
ohSc-' cd attached to the old root when lifted;
tl,se vary in size from that of a garden pea
ugra.3. # these are carefully preserved and
sown 81 rows. like peas, in spring they Will
mostly attain the size of Towering bulbs the
following season.
FROST on LAND.
The valuable ameliorating influence of frost
in disintegrating and breaking down strong
clay soils IS not by any means recognized or
acted upon to the extent it deserves, or would
be if properly appreciated by the farmer.
When a strong stiff loan, or even an obstinate
= clayey soil, is broken up and left in a rough,
lumpy condition before winter, the freezngs
and thawings Of winter will have Thoroughly
pUlverized it and brought it down to a pow
derry condition for spring cropping. Land
which has received this treatment may be
worked to the best advantage and crops put in
while neighbOring lands of the same character
which have not been plowed till spring will
be turned up III huge Jumps, which viii be
come as hard as dried bricks in dry weather.
and require a vast amount Of labor in harrow
ing rolling and crushing down before it is
fitted for seeding, and, after all, will be rough
as compared with the fall-plowed portion, for
there are no mechanical appliances that can
compete with the silent but overpowering
action Of frost. Every advantage should there
fore be taken of this gratuitous auxiliary in
the cultivation of land.
GREEN MANUREs.
When land is not employed in producing
animal food or raw material for the manufac-
turer it should be employed in preparing
manure for the purpose of maintaining or in
creasing its fertility. This is effected by
growing some Of the numerous plants specially
adapted for blowing down i'll the green state
these again to be selected according to the
season and the purposes to which the land is
to be devoted. On lands where the crops are re-
moved in early summer the COW pea, buck
wheat, or any Of the rapid growing milIets
viii be available; and where the main crops
are not removed till fall, then the harder
grasses and rye will give the best results.
Certain kinds Of clay soils may receive more
benefit by thorough exposure to the freezings
and thawings Of winter than would be gained
by green covering to be used in spring as
manure; but it will be found that even on
clay lands growing crop prepares the surface
for early spring blowing and improves the
texture Of the surface, rendering it more friable
and more easily pulveri2ed, especially on lands
that are liable to retain moisture 50 as to re-
tard the period Of spring blowing.
EVERGREEN ORNAMENTAL HEDGES.
North of the Potomac and throughout the
Middle States the American arbOrvit;e makes
the best and easiest managed hedge for shelter
ing gardens, or forming a dividing line be-
tween the pleasure garden or lawn and the
fields but in more southern localities we think
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