The National tribune., 1883-08-09


in the bottom with fine river sand or half dry
garden earth pour gradually into the bottle
thick dung liquor until its contents are sa u
rated: the liquid that flows out at the hole in
the bottom appears almost odorless and color
less and pas entirely lost its original properties
Liebg states that water holding ammonia in
solution when poured upon clay ran through
deprived of that substance; and Professor May
found that water from field drainage differed
but little from pure water, showing that even
sand has the property Of attracting and absorb
ing matter, so that water which afterwards
passes through the soil is not able to remove
The matter thus absorbed by the soil.
This clearly shows the advantages possessed
by lands which have been drained. The
absorption of matter from the water as it passes
through the soil would be impossible in I'M
drained or merely surface drained soil, for the
water must then flow over the surface to the
lowest point, where it finds channel for escape
and, therefore, does not pass through the soil
at all.
drained soil acts as a collector and con-
denser OF gases and vaper from the air dry
soil absorbs more gaseous matter than wet
one; therefore, iii time of drouth, when there is
q want of moisture in the soil and consequent
available plant food. the absorbing and condens-
ing power Of the soil is the greatest, so that at
! such times more nutriment is taken from the
atmosphere than at any other. That is true not
Only a lew 1ilCitS Oh surface SOIl, UuJ OF tile
entire depth to which the soil has been drained.
SORGHUM REPORT.
| The National Academy of Sciences have been
WI, sting for several months with report on
/ sorghum sugar and as was foreseen it does
not amount to any value after all The prln-
cipal points which seem 10 be considered of I'M
/ pUrtance, embrace a few commonplace para
graphs containing nothing new. We are not
! disappointed, because not one Of the members
/ OF the Academy ever made any sugar from
sorghum, or probably ever had their attention
directed to the subject before they were called
upon 20 prepare tins report which has just been
published This report states that the plant
has sugar in ii when the sta k is ripe; that the
/ soil best adapted is a sandy loan; that TO pro-
duce sugar in paying quantities requires large
capacities of cane and machinery, with skilled
labor and ample capital: that the cane should
be pressed as soon as it is cut; that the ripe
sorghum sesd is a valuable feed crop for fatten-
! ing animals. and each ton of cane will produce
! from two and half TO four BUSINESS of seed !;
! that the begasse, when treated by a pulping-
machine, gives valuable paper stock, and
where fuel is scarce it may be used to generate
steam.
We presume that this report will neither
! forward nor retard sorghum culture; what OBJ
! iect the Academy had in view in preparing
/ this report is not very clear.
/ TREES AND RAINFALL.
This unusually wet season must be perplexing
70 those who wish 10 see large tracts planted with
| trees in order TO increase the rainfalls. There
are doubtless many thousands of farmers who
/ have been subjected 10 severe losses on account
of excessive rains and consequent floods. The
4 Michigan Farmer thinks that the heavy rains of
! this season must have drowned out those people
who wanted the forests preserved for fear of
! drouth; and, on the other hand. it presumes
hot
the rainfall, many farmers would be willing to
spend few weeks az that work The relations
existing between trees and rainfall, farm crops
and drouths as defined by forestry conventions,
are, like other weather predictions, liable TO
fail at times
TREATMENT OF THE STRAWBERRY.
With regard to this plant it may be remarked
| that two points of practice have lately become
more strictly enforced by the most successful
cuitivators; the first one is that all runners
should be removed from plants intended for
frultIng, and the second is that the soil should
not be cultivated near the roots during the late
! fail OF spring, and net until the fruit crop has
been removed in early summer Disturbing
! the surface roots during spring lessons the crop
/ OF berries. The time 10 cultivate is during the
summer and up till about September; after that
/ the ground should not ne disturbed. mulch
applied during winter viii always be profit
dbEt investment d. Ii prevents 10 bIe
surface roots from freezing and thawing, and
helps 10 keep the fruit clean and free from sand
and other impurities when it is ripening.
WATER FOR LIVE STOCK
Animals should always be able to reach
water whenever they are thirsty. When they
are only allowed to drink at intervals conyen-
/ lent TO the farmer, they will be likely TO drink
more than is good for them, or if they arc
driven away from the water they may suffer
! from their wants not being satisfied. There
| are probably few farmers who could not, and at
slight expense, arrange for the cattle helping
themselves TO water when they wanted it.
| Such method is economy In double sense
| liz the well-being of the cattle and in the time
of the owner Of them.
CORN AND DRoUTH.
The practical method of modifying the evil
effects of dry weather on the corn crop is to
| keep cultivating the soil No matter how dry
| the soil may be the frequent stirring Of it will
mitigate the bad effects of drouth Not only
do the dry particles of surface earth absorb
| moisture from the atmosphere but by opening
the soil we enable the moisture that is below
TO ascend by capillary attraction. If the cult
! yator cannot reach near enough to the plants
use the hoe for breaking up the surface crust
In dry times the salvation of the corn crop de-
ponds upon the cultivator and the hoe
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
Our Agricultural Editors Weekly Chat With HI.
Readers.
/ have a small lot, about an acre In extent q
portion of which is swampy and sometimes partially
covered with water. propose To tile it, and would
be Obliged If the editor would state whether the
round tiles with collars are best and what covering
IL the best for laying the pipes to prevent the
loose dirt from falling through the joints, Please
answer, and oblige, Tyro.
Ans. The round tiles are best without the
collars. II the bottom of the drain is soft and
spongy, lay a piece of board in the bottom
strips three inches wide of old boards laid in
the drain will preventsnkage of the tiles, which
are TO be laid on hestrips. The loose dirt will
not get into the pipe No sort of covering is