The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-12-20


growth they need light and water, but not IN
I'll then.
To an inquiry regarding the variegated CO.
lens as suited for window culture, il may be
stated that the whole tribe of eoIeus are very
tender and require TO be kept quite warm to DO
well in winter; they should also be kept rather
dry; they cannot be commended for ordinary
window decoration. The semi-double scarlet,
and different colored geraniums, afford much
satisfaction as winter-fowering plants, if pot
ted early in autumn so as to DO in vigorous
health when taken indoors.
HOW TO PLANT TREES IN STRAIGHT ROWS.
The Country Gentleman lately published the
following easy method of planting trees in
straight rows. We can indorse IT, having prac-
tised it for more than thirty years:
The orchard is first laid ont with lines, plae-
ing small stake wherever a tree is to be set.
Then take a board six or eight inches in width
and about ten feet in length and bore hole
in each end and cut notch in the middle OF
the board just large enough 70 admit the stem
of the tree. When ready to dig a hole for the
tree, this board is laid down ON the surface so
that the notch in the middle fits the stake
marking the position of the tree; small pegs
are then thrust in the holes at the ends of the
board. The board is then removed and the hole
dug. Then replace the board on the end-pegs,
and the notch in its center viii show exactly
where the tree is to be placed. This viii bring
the trees in exact straight rows, and be more
satisfactory than by trying to straighten them
by ranging and sighting with the eye. Fence
posts can be set in the same manner with far
less trouble and labor than by the usual method
Of sighting them, and with greater accuracy"
THE CORN CROP.
The United States Agricultural Department
estimates the average yield of corn throughout
the country this year to be . bushels per acre,
or a bashel and half per acre less than last
year Much of the corn In the frost belt is very
poor, and cannot be marketed TO any advantage.
The whole crop, however, is estimated at about
the same as last year, the increased acreage
bringing the total up to about the usual stand
ard. Kansas has the largest yield per acre, 36.7
bushels The South does not get much Of a
yield none of the southern states, except Mary
land, Tennessee and Texas running over -
bushels per acre, and South Carolina, Georgia
! and Florida falling below 10 bushels per acre.
The average yield of buckwheat is placed at
/ about IL bushels per acre and the total
crop about 10000, ,000 bushels. The yield Of
| potatoes is placed at SO bushels per acre, and
| the total yield at nearly 200, 100000 bushels
MULcHISG ORCHARDS WITH sE6-wEED.
A writer in The Home Farm states that some
| persons consider that mulchiRg fruit trees with
/ rock weed is injurious, but he knows that many
| farmers mulch their trees with sea-weed and
| saltgras5, and he is confident that it IS beneh-
| eial to the trees. Trees that have been
| mulched annually with this material for TWEEN
| ty-fye years, have produced an average OF three
hundred bushels of apples three years in sue
/ cession. This mulching with sea-weed not
/ only enriches the soil about the trees and fur
nishes the required salt, but is said 70 be sure
| preventive of the apple-tree borer. he states
! that in an orchard composed OF 200 trees be
failed to discover one b0rer the past season, and
has not killed adozen borer5 the last ten years,
while orchardists who are unable to obtain sea
| weed have their orchards very much infected.
| This would indicate that salt may be supplied
with good results in orchards.
GRASSES AND FORAGE FOR DRY CLIMATES.
The johnson grass (Sorghaw kalape1sseJ is
becoming popular for making hay in warm eli
mates. Being of strong growth, it must be cut
/ when young and succulent; frequent cuttings
can be made during the season. The Bermuda
grass {Cgs0doH Daetyl0s1j viii exist under the
! most unfavorabIe conditions of soil and dryness,
and is accordingly of much value in some coun-
| tries: but perhaps the most valuable plant for
feeding live stock of all kinds in dry and warm
climates is the lucerne or alfalfa, the culture
| of which is increasing in the Western States,
where it is giving great satisfaction.
MAKING TREES BEAR EARLY.
The Chinese have practiced various methods
of retarding the growth OF trees, 50 that all the
pheuo.nena attending trees Of old age may be
| among others is in the insertion of the bud or
graft and that is, instead OF placing the bud or
graft in the ordinary position, they are placed
crossways on the stock. How far this may
influence early bearing we do not know, but
consider it well worthy of experiment; il seems
to check the growth of the plant.
NoTELETs.
For a ration for stock to produce milk in
winter, d. W. Kendrick, of Bristol, Mass in
/ d- rxarfs Of
corn meal, two quarts cotton seed meal and four
quarts of shorts daily. to be given at two
meals; and mixing the feed with hot water
adds greatly to the good effect Of the food.
Animals of all kinds require less food in
winter when kept warm and comfortable than
when they are exposed to cold and snow. Even
the bees should be protected during winter,
and if nothing better can be done, place straw
or corn fodder around the hive to break the
force of cold winds. An entrance should be
left for the bees.
The evergreen thorn, CretaguS Pgraeaatla,
is one of the most desirable evergreen bushes
for ornamental strawberries. IL is now showing
wealth of beauty with its rich load of orange
red berries which are generally produced II
great profusion and retain their bright, con-
Spieuoas color for some considerable time.
1t is stated that Italy uses 6.40o tons OF
ehestnnts as food annually. In that country
they pay as much attention 70 the production
of choice varieties of ehestnutS as we pay here
to the production of new peaches and pears.
"A New York farmer declares that the
wheat, oats and barley which he dragged last
spring, in some doubt as TO whether he was not
doing more harm than good, yielded thirty
three per cent. more grain than that not drag
ged, though the latter was on the richest and
! best ground.
The stomach of the horse is comparatively
small, holding about three gallons, whilst the
OK possesses no less than four stOmaehs, the
first of which is larger than that of the horse
While the OK is so constructed as TO consume
large quantities of food at meal, the horse,
ON the contrary, requires more moderate
quantity of a more nutritious nature. and tO
be fed oftener.
The american DaiTymaR says: " Never LEI
the cream get over three days old if . first
class article of butter is wanted-no matter
! how it may be kept. If cold, it will get old
fat and frinky; if sour, the whey will eat W
the best butter globules Churn as often as
you can"
The advantages of foreign travel are well
: exemplified in the case of Jersey cider which
!, after q voyage and brief stay in Europe, re
turns as genuine champagne. In the same
way Chicago-made sausage is said TO have
taken to travelling, returning as the genuine
Frankfort
1t is stated that in Georgia mill is to be
built for the manufacture of -four from the
peanut. The kernels of the peanuts are ground
between ordinary millstones and the Hour Is