Connecticut western news., 1882-07-26
FARM AND GARDEN,
Hints About Work from the Ameri-
 can Agriculturist for August.


 CARE OF THE RooT CRoPs.-Sugar beets and mangels if early sowed, will need little care. They ought not to stand too thick, however, and it would certainly pay to go through the rows, thinning out all superfuous plants, whether beets or weeds, leaving the plants six or eight inches apart. If the leaves are not so large as to forbid horse hoeing, this should be done and the crop 'laid.by." No root crop should ever be left after horse hoeing, without man going through immediately after, to lift and straighten up any plants which may have been trodden upon, covered with earth or injured in any way. Ruta-bagas, and any turpips in drills, need the same general culture. One of the great advantages of the in- troduction of roots into the rotation is, that when properly treated. no weeds ripen seeds. Even Red Sorrel and Snapdragon succumb to two or three years cropping with Mangels or Swedes. This advantage is often lost by care less cultivators, and nothing offers surer evidence of needless farming. The crop itself may be very fine, but if kept clear of weeds, it would be enough better to pay for the trouble, and the weeds would then be where they will make no more trouble forever.
 Turnips may be sown as late as the middle of August, but the land should be in good heart, and good tilth. Swed. ish turnips (Ruta-bagas) sown as late as the first of August, will usually make a crop delicious for the table, and though small, bring good price. Thus they are often used to follow early potatoes by market gardeners, though by them usually regarded as farm crop.
 A HINT ABOUT WEEDS. In harvesting Indian corn and wheat, we cut them long before the grain-the seed, is ripe.
 When the grain in either is fully formed, the stalks are cut i; experience has shown that the ripening process goes on; the stalk contains sufficient nutriment to perfect the grains, and it does this after the plant Is cut away from the root. Indeed, the grain thus treated, often comes to greater perfec tion, than if the plant were left un til the seed is fully ripe. What takes place with these crop plants, also occurs with weeds. Many weeds, if cut up while in flower, still have nutriment enough in their stems and leaves, to perfect and ripen crop of seeds. It often happens that the mere cutting up of many weeds and leaving them to dry upon the ground, does little toward their extermi nation. The common Purslane-or "Pussley," for example, has remark able vitality, it's very succulent stems will remain alive for weeks, and even continue to grow after they have been deprived of the root. It is one thing to cut up the weeds with the boe; it is equally important, and it should always be done in gardens, to gather up the weeds by the use of 8 rake, and carry them to brush heap, where they will ultimately be burned.
 FARM-YARD MANURE. E.-~The compost tion of the manure made in tho barn. -I yard, is determined by the character ol the animals. and the food which they receive. In case of full grown animal
 that IS neither gaining or losing in weight, the manure will contain the same amount of nitrogen, and ash con. stituents, as were present in the food consumed. The animal is like machine for the conversion of the principal fer
 tilizing constituents of the fodder, into , a more available form for plant food. |
 an. n.,animal IS gaining in flesh, producing milk, or growing wool, etc., its manure
 will be less valuable. The character O
 food affects the quality of manure. A diet of straw can give only poor ma nure, while if the animal has gooG supply of rich food, as oil-cake and bran it's manure will be correspondingIy ricf in nitrogen and ash constituents. Asid, from the animal and the food it gets the value of manure is governed great , ly by the treatment it receives after be , ing dropped. Save the urine.
 z KEEPING OFF INSECTS. s.-"T. B.,
 Wilkesbarre, Pa., says that he has fo , years used aud still uses the following for keeping insects from his beans
 squashes, tomatoes and other plants . When the seeds are put in the ground or the plants are transplanted, he put 8 few lettucs seeds in the hill, or put some lettuce plants there. He say that this will keep eff the bugs, 'ant no mistake" Probably this gives tn insects tender and acceptable food; the, eat the lettuce, and let the other plant alone.
 LIME APPLIED TO SoI1s, naturally des titute of it, supplies an essential ele !, ment of plant food. In most cases, how ever, the good effects of this substance is due to the chemical acton which i exerts in the soil. It renders availabl the plant food ill the soil, without sup plying it. Liming is therefore stimu lsting process, and can only be prac ticed with success upon soil that Is al ready rich in plant food. Freshly burned lime is the most effective, as it quick, and thoroughly reduces organic matte
 to an available form. Ground lime stone, so highly recommended, is of nt special value, except on clay soils, O.
 those destitute of lime, where it acts a direct fertilizer, and not as reducing agent.
 f Not a Pleasant Place. \