News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-04-05
FARM AND GARDEN,

SEAsoNABLE FARM NoTEs.-The
frightening days remind us that ere
long we must commence active opera
tons upon our gardens and farms.
Have you got ready as far as possible.
or are you putting off the getting ready
until it is actually time to begin work in
the field?
You might get the harnesses all
mended and washed and oiled, so that
they will not break down when YOU are
in a hurry about drawing manure or
blowing, and have them so soft and
pliable that they will not gall OF chafe
! the horses whose skins may have grown
a little tender during the winter when
their work has been light
Get the carts also ready, and see that
they are not lacking bolts or nuts
anywhere.
Overhaul the plows, and see if they
need any repairs, and put in a supply of
good points, so that you may change
whenever the wearing or breaking may
make it desirable to change.
Perhaps you may find the cheapest
way will be to purchase a new pillow, for
many of the later styles will do much
more work at a much less expenditure Of
strength on the part of plOwman and
pillow team than the older patterns would
do, even when in good order.
Then you should look out for such
other tools as will be needed for the
spring work, and see what Will be needed
in the way of seeds. Do not try to
economic by using poor tools OF plant
! ing poor seed. An awkward or badly
worn tool makes the skiIlfuI workman
do bad work; makes the hired man lazy
and discontinued, and the boys wish to
get off the farm.
Poor seed will give a poor crop, in
spite of liberal manuring and careful
cultivation.
Neither drain your purse III purchasing
high-priced and extravagantly- praised
novelties in seeds or machinery, if You
know nothing about them but the
representations of the seller, nor try to
save money by buying Iow-priced
article when you have any doubt about
its being rs good as anything Of its kind
in the market.
Corn FOR STANDARDIZATION Sturtevant
! Of the New York State Experiment Sta
ton has been looking up tests, reported
during the past twenty-five years. of tip
kernels Of corn for seed and finds much
evidence favOring their use in connection
with those of the rest of the ear. To
/ farmers who may like to investigate the
| question further he suggests in a recent
/ bulletin precautions which are important
for obvious reasons ''The true expert
ment must be carried out under strictly
parallel conditions, the best seed being
selected from the middles and the tips
IN each case, the paintings to take place
| at the same distance, using seed in each
hill in excess of the number required to
grow, and then, after vegetation has
taken place, thinning down the stalks in
each hill to the same number"
In 1877 J. J. Carter, at the PcnnsyI-
vania Agricultural College Farm, reports
q trial with the butt and tip grains, ex-
tending over seven years, including
twelve duplicate trials and one single
trial. OF these thirteen trials the Weld
from the butt kernels was 1922 pounds :;
from the tip kernels, 1892 pounds-the
tip kernels being superior III six of the
thirteen trials.
In 1874 Prof. Daniels, Of the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin, reports that in 1870
corn from the tips, butts, and middles of
the same ears was planted and each year
since the tips, butts, and middles of
that raised from like seed the previous
year have been again planted. No diff
ference was visible in the quality of the
corn. The result of five years expert
ment is that it makes no difference from
what portion of the ear the seed is taken.
How TO CLEAN WALL PAPER-To
clean wall paper, take off the dust with
soft cloth. With n little flour and
water make lump of very stiff dough,
and rub the wall gently downward, tax
ing the length of the arm at each stroke,
and in this way go around the room. AS
the dough becomes dirty, cut the solid
part off. In the second round commence
the stroke a little above where the last
one ended, and be very careful not to
cross the paper or to go up again. Or
binary papers cleaned i'll this way Will
look fresh and bright, and almost as
good as new. Some papers. however,
and these most Inexpensive ones, will not
clean nicely; and in order to ascertain
whether n paper can be cleaned nicely,
it is best to try it in some obscure corner
which will not be noticed if the result is
unsatisfactory If there be any broken
places in the wall fill them up with a
mixture Of equal parts of plaster of Paris
and silver sand, made into a paste with a
little water; then cover the place with a
little piece of paper like the rest, if it can
be had.-HOnl6 and Farm.
CUTTING PoTAToEs FOR SEED.-In pre-
pairing potatoes for seed l formerly prac-
ticed cutting the potatoes several days in
advance of planting. I have long since
abandoned the practice as not being safe.
Experience has taught me that when
seed is cut many days in advance of
planting it is liable to spoil My prac-
tice lately is to take my seed potatoes to
the field and cut as wanted, planting ut
once as freshly as possibly. If the po-
tatoes are sound when cut not one piece
in a hundred will fail to grow and come
up quickly.-H. G. PEARLON.