The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-11-16
FOR THE FARMER.

year lnin lor many previous OucS'
Great Farmers on Small Farms is
the motto OF II New England paper.
Not many decades ago tomatoes were
known as love-appleS, and considered
poisonous.
An Indiana farmer reports that his
l,500 currant bushes, with almost NO
culture, netted him ut the rate OF 800
per acre, which he considers sufficiently
encouraging to warrant trimming and
cultivating for another season. hoping
10 do better.
4 New Yorl, farmer declares that the
wheat oats and barley which he
dragged last spring, in some doubt rs
10 whether he was not doing more harm
than GOOD. yielded ;G} per cent more
grain than that not dragged, though
the latter WAS on the richest and best
ground.
The New York Times reminds farm
ers that smut is rapidly increasing, few
crops being free from il. A solution OF
four ounces of blue vftrol suiphate OF
copper dissolved in u gallon of water
for each five bushels of seed, which.is
stepped in it until It is absorbed, has
been found the most effective TO destroy
the minute spores which produce the
fungus.
Apples are among the most nourish-
ing and healthful OF all vegetable foods.
Besides containing II large amount OF
sugar and other carbo-hy drates, they
contain vegetable acids and certain aro-
matte qualities which net powerfully III
the capacity of tonics, antiseptic and
! rcfrigerants or cooling foods. When
mellow they prevent debility and indi-
| gcstion. They are no doubt very ser
viceablc in avciting many ills.
! Ringing grape vines is "A process Ia
! increase size and eariiness. Il is done
, by cuitinga circle around the old wood.
| preventing the return OF sap TO thc
root. Ii the bark is entirely cut through
an enlargement of the vine will occur
on the side next the new growth. The
vine is not injured by this process, for
only the parts To be- cut away in the
fall pruning are subjected to the pro-.
cess of ringing. The grapes, however.
arc not ~ good in quality rs where
ripcned naturally IL il trick OF fruit
| growers to make tho fruit look better
than ii really is. coIneaR's R'trni
/ World.
Col. +. ID. Curtis writes 10 the Ncw
| York TrIbisat that he has tried aii kinds
OF experiments in killing Canada this
! ties. Seeding heavily with clover and
! moving it. Is Que of the best. The
! poorest way to kill Them. and The best
! way To- spread them, is TO put the land
in hoed crops. Every little broken
| Joint makes II new thistle and starts Il
new bed Hence the less they arc dis
turbed the better. unless the ground Is
| plowcd so frequently that they cannot
/ grow at all. and this extra labor Is so
| out OF joint with ones inclination that
| ii i seldom done.
Crotchci or fortcd fruit trees oi any
! kind, says an exchange, can be- kept
| from splitting down hy twisting to-
| gGthcr one iwig from each OF the main
branches. These iwigs thus twisted
| together will in i've years grow into Il
solid branch that cannos be- broken.
| Twigs which grow from the lower part
! OF the branches are preferable for this
! purpose. Ii there are no such sW-is,
ON the branches IL "water >p1uut" or
sucker should be allowed to grow:
| inr "A ciuu into slit between the bark
| and wood and securely waxing it.
| Twios from the size of u lead pencil to
| half an inch in diameter can b: used for
| the purpose.
OF all fruits in the world that OF thr
durian, II tree Of The Maylayan Archi-
pelago. must be- the most extraordinary.
! The fruit is ten inches by seven. and
contains four or five seeds the size of u
pigeons c@.s. I'll iDbcdded in y creamy
pulp. II j. Il queer-tasting fruit, ac-
cording to its various degrees Of ripe
| ness. The dHrian eater c;in never tell
exactly what peculiar flavor he is going
! to enjoy. Sometimes il is luscious TO
degree, having the taste Of the richest
custard. with the flavor OF almonds.
But. then, surprise comes when the
next DURAN is devoured, for now it Is
like cream cheese, sherry wine and
onion sauce. Occasionally iis odor j.
faint and delightful; ut other times It j.
rank and disgusting.
The manner in which weeds are per-
petuated and spread in cultivated fields
is often quite puzzling TO farmers, and
some attempt 10 solve the difficulty by
supposing that they spring up spoDta-
ncously, and others insist that they ar
caused by transmutation, ~ of wheat
turning to chess. A writer in the
Prairie Farmer says he has found under
the grass in pastures young plants of
the ragwced, only two inches high, and
so small as to escape ordinary notice
entirely, ripening full-sized seed. Such
minute plants could soon give an album
dance OF foul seed TO the soil. We have
measured n chess plant, bearing mature
seed, only two inches high. IL grew
under the shade of Il crop Of wheat, en-
tirely unnoticed, and such plants, and
those slightly larger, could seed the
ground.
Three gourds have been raised in
Warren County, Kentucky, one Of whick
is foot and half. long, the second.