The National tribune., 1882-06-10

SEAsoNABLE OPERATIONS AND HINTS.
Vegetable Gdrden.-Thinning, hoeing, and
cultiyating the growing crops, are now
the principal routine operations When
the ground becomes compacted by heavy,
dashing rains, it will be of vital benefit to
the growing crops to dig slightly be-
tween the rows with a digging fork, or if
arranged so that the horse cultivator can be
admitted it can be more economically broken
and pulverized, although not more effect
ually, by horse power. All kinds Of crops
should receive this treatment = carrots,
onions, cabbages peas, &c, and the drier
the season the more necessity exists for this
constant stirring of the surface soil. This
is fact seemingly but little understood.
Although the best farmers recognize it
fully with regard to corn, they some
times neglect to cultivate inferior crops, to
their great disadvantage and loss.
Now is a good time for observing the
superiority of lands which are either natur-
rally or have been artifcially well drained.
The continued vigor of plant growth upon
severe droughts. The most potent effects of
draining upon the soil would be more signifi-
cantly expressed by calling it underground
ventilation, for in this lies its greatest
efficiency. The roots of plants, except
acquatic, do not require to be constantly
immersed in water, but they require the
presence of moist air, and this can only
be secured in soil from which super
fluous water can readily escape. This i'm
portant mechanical condition Of soils is the
first consideration in plant culture, not
withstanding that it is wholly ignored by
the great host Of agricultural chemists
There will be great reaction one Of these
days in this matter; when laboratory farm
ers make the endeayor to apply their ana
lytical theories to the raising of crops on
the farm they will find that the great secret
Of plant nutrition has hitherto escaped their
observation.
When vacancies occur in the rows of
parsnips and beets, they may be filled by
transplanting from the thickly seeded por-
fions. These bear transplanting as readily as
cabbages and tomatoes, if the weather is
moist, but it is wise expedient to remove
most Of the leaves at the time of removal, in
order to lessen the risk of failure from
excessive evaporation from the leaves while
the roots are recuperating.
The striped bug is frequently on hand
just as young melon and cucumber plants
are at their most tender stage. We have
seen them completely routed by sprinkling
the leaves with liquid mortar of clayey
soil without any injury to the plants.
Blight On fruit trees may be prevented
by covering the bark with ordinary lime
wash, such as is employed in covering board
fences, with the addition Of one pound of
sulpher to two gallons of the wash. The
best method of introducing the sulphur is to
throw il On the lime before Stacking 1t will
then mix intimately and can be thinned
with water to the proper consistency. This
covering will only prevent blight from
attacking the portions of the tree to which
it is applied, as it acts mechanically in
preventing the blight fungus from reaching
the bark; but this viii not prevent blight
from attacking those branches and shoots
not so covered, yet when the stem and
main branches are insured, there need
be no total loss of the tree; but whenever a
shoot shows symptoms of blight it should
be removed and destroyed.
Amongst the many methods of preventing
the CurcuIio from punctuTing and destroying
the plum crop, the most simple of appIica-
tion, as also one of the most e1fectual, is to
syringe the tree with water in which quas-
sia chips have been stepped; a pound of
chips placed in a coarse muslin bag is
tAen STEPPED in bucket of water, which is
then thrown over the tree; one application
viii be sufficient unless shower Of rain