The National tribune., 1883-11-15
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
THE K1zFFER PEAR.

qualities aScribed to it by Others expresses sur
prise that those who have the plants for sale
carefully avoid any allusion to unfly0rsble re-
ports, while they freely quote all the extraya-
CANT words which have been said in its favor.
This is nothing new in the introduction Of
fruits, and those who have been prOpagating
this variety until they are heavily stocked
with plants viii take especial care that its rep
utation is held up for time. A good many
years ago there was, for time, large influx
of Seeding grapes, each one, as introduced, be-
ing recommended as superior to all others.
Purchasers were so often and so grievously dis
appointed that reversiOn took place, and new
grapes became drug in the market and al
though revival has been in progress for a
year two. gTape-grOwers are very cautious
in their purchases aud are not much inclined
to take the experiences of others as guide,
and least of all those who have grapes to sell.
This is but a NATURAL result
As TO the KieffeF pear, which is said to be
cross with Bartlett, if we reeolect rightly,
and the Chinese sand pear, an old Well-kn0wn
kind which has long been grown for its beauty
as an ornamental tree, ON account of its healthy
growth and large glossy leaves, but having an
austere fruit. As a first cross the kIetfer IS a
very good result; the tTee IS uuquestionably
possessed Of great vigOr of growth and OF re-
markable frultlDg qualities. As q fOTerunner of
| a class of pears possessed of much vigorous vi
/ tally and great pr0lificness, the Kieiier can
/ fairly be tolerated, and it is TO be hoped that
| the improvement viii not end with this vaTi-
! ETY.. As to its being blight proof, that IS one
! OF the statements which are prematurely made
/ 1t is not in fact blight-proof but that need not
greatly detract from It's merits, as it is failing
| it holds in common with all other pear trees.
| 1t may be desirable pear FOR canning or pre-
! serving, but it IS not to take very high place
! among dessert fruits; it can hardly be toll
/ Grated at the table, except by those who have
I III vtyhzs a saaa
/ APPLE LORE.
| The origin Of the apple dates back beyond all
historic record. How far beyond historic rec
ord the inhabitants OF the Swiss Lake dwellings
cultivated apples it is impossible to say, but it
! was before the time of Tubal Cain and before
the use of metals. Suffice it to say that they
laid by stores of apples In what we should call
| their fruit rooms. Heer. the principal investi-
gator OF these ancient dwellings, far as plants
are concerned. mentions two varieties, differ
| ing IN size. as being found and he infers that
/ they We're cultivated. owing to the great num-
| bers IN which they exist. As a further proof
/ of the great antiquity Of the apple, philoiOgists
tell US that the root or germ Of the word exists
In all or most of the languages derived from a
I primitive Aryan stock. BotaBists infer that
| the original home of the apple was in the dis
trict near Trcbizonde, whence it has spread
throughout Europe, extending very far north
even. With such an antiquity and such q wide
dispersal. the variability of the apple IS no
matter of w0nderment- The apple, ike every
other living thing, is acted on by hereditary
endowment, by virtue of which it remains an
apple, and at the same time By tendency to
vary, which IS the source Of the differences we
now meet with. These variations are increased
and enhanced by hereditary descent.-Er-
change
! MATURING ORCHARDS OF FRUIT TREES.
We have seen the statement that lands which
have become " worn out" so far as the pro-
ductioG of grains is concerned viii still be in
good condition to grow fruit trees. To a Ger.
tain degree this may be accepted as 4 fact A
soil must be poor indeed, which VIII not, aftel
q deep blowing and deep subsoiIiBg. grow trees
| well for three or four years at least, but wheI
they commence to bear fruit the crop may be
| valueleSs unless an enrichment Of the soil has
been effected. We are of the opinion that
naturally poor soil is the best to begin with fnl
an orchard, and that proper degree of fertility
should De maintained By jndici0us culture and
manGring, as the wants of the trees may indi
cate. In such soils periodic cultivation will be
indispensable, but, after the first thorough
! preparation before planting. anything ike deer
, culture viii not be required. Flowing should
not be deep, and all manurial applications should
be on the surface. If concentrated fertilizer
are used, they should merely be covered ana
mixed by narrowing the surface after they ar,
applied. When barn-yard manure IS employed
it should be applied before winter, spreading
it as evenly over the ground as practicable, ana
leaving it to deeompose slowly and its virtues 4
be washed down By every fail of rain and melt
ing SHOWS. As for the loss sustained by ex
posure of manure on the surface it Is Of but lit
tie moment; decomposition proceeds so slowly
that loss by mere evaporation is of no cOnse
qaence compared with the greater advantages
OF surface n1anuTing
DWELLING HOUSES
Florence Nightingale, whose beautiful nam
! and more beautiful character which viii e,
, down to posterity with that Of John Howard ant
Dorothea Dix and others of natures nobility
writes, after long years Of experience with tn
j sick and suffering: % dark house is AWAY
an unhealthy house, always an n-aired house
always dirty house. Want of light stop
growth and promotes scrofula ricketts,, sc
among children. People lose their health In
! dark house, and il they get ILL., they cannot ge
well again in it. Three ont Of many negli
gences and ignoranees in managing the health o
houses generally | viii here mention as speci
mems: First that the female head In charg
of any binding does not think it necessary t.
visit every hole and corner of it every day
How can she expect that those under her vii
be more careful to maintain her house in
healthy condition than she who is in charge o
it? Second, that it IS not considered essential t
, air, to SUM- and clean rooms while uninhabited
hL4S4i ID SIMPLY liz Aiiot OACAACusdil
notion of sanitary things, and laying the gr0unC
, for Ill kinds of disease. Third, that one win
dow is considered enough to air room. Don
imagine that if you who are in charge don
look after all these things yourself, those unde
: you viii be more careful than you are.
! appears as if the part of the mistress was t.
complain of her servants and accept their ex
: cuses, not to show them how there need be mel
+ Their complaints nor excuses made
PLANTING SHAPING RASEs
/ Sloping banks which are inclined to wasl
down may be held together by vegetation
). where there is any foOthOld for plant to grow
For this purpose the spring Towering shru
F0rsythia is well fitted. 1t is persistent plan
even ora rather poor soils, and its penetTatin
roots send up numerous shoots as they extend
Railroad cuttings might be highly adorned
planted massively with this or any similarI
good splant. The European broom is used W
observe, on some railroads, and it seems wei
adapted as fringe TO arrest dust, as well a
forming an agreeable ornament 10 the usual
uninviting path of the road Among grasse
we do not think of any which can eompar
with the Johnson grass (sOrghGRl hdlapeHseD 70
holding together loose soils, or slOping bank
liable to wash out in gullieS. We do not kno1
exactly how far north this plant may be foun
to stand the winters, but wherever it viii do 5
it will spread rapidly By its creeping root
wheh form compact matted masses not easil
destroyed. In some parts railroad offieia
are showing eOmmendable taste in deeoFatin
the grounds of country stations with finely ker
J lawns and beds OF towering plants, and in til