News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-12-27
FARM NOTES.

PREPARING FOR SPRING IN THE GAR
DEN.-Wherever a crop is taken off, it
Will be a great gain to manure and plOw
or spade the land, leaving it rough dur
ing the winter. AL such work as MAX
ing paths, laying drains, etc, is more
advantageously done now than when
the press of spring work is at hand. If
new frames are needed, or straw mats,
or crates for marketing produce, or gar
den labels are required if implements
are to be made, repaired or bought
whatever can be done in the present
months-will save much valuable time
in spring. Now, and through the win
ter, add everything to the manure pile
that Will decompose and increase its
bulk and value. Among the prepara-
tions for spring is the pricking out into
cold frames, the cabbage, caulitiOwer
and lettuce plants from seeds. 1t is
important to set the plants of cabbage
and caulifOwer down to the first leaf. so
that the Hto11,, the portion most readily
injured by freezing, may be covered.
The sashes should not be put over the
plants until there is danger of severe
freezing weather. Other frames should
be made for very early lettuce. The soil
| is to be spaded and enriched and made
ready for planting, and the frames then
| filled up with leaves. If there are shut
ters at hand to cover them, all the bet
/ ter. Earth is often wanted for hotbeds,
seed-boxes, ETC., at time when the
ground is still frozen. Lay in good
supply of fine, rich soil, under shed,
or where it can be had when needed.
/ SEED CORN.--One great cause of the
seed corn rotting in the ground, or not
coming up abundantly, is that seed is
not properly dried during winter. All
/ designed for seed, if not thoroughly
ripened and dried when gathered, should
/ have the hUlsks stripped down imme-
diateIy and then hung up in some warm,
well-sheltered place, until the kernels
are thoroughly dry. Thus cared for,
corn has been found to yegetate pretty
well, even if plucked green and soft
.
corn may be a single exception when
gathered in the milky state and thus
dried. Those whose corn was not well
ripened by October, should make the
experiment with it, especially if of a
favorite sort. But in all cases test
some portions of corn and all other seeds
in ample time to procure that which is
perfect, before wasting soil, work and
time in planting any that may fail.
KILLING WEEvILs IN SEED PEAS AMI
BEANs.-Many store their seed peas and
beans in tightly sealed jars and other
vessels, with a view of keeping out the
weevil. It is not generally known that
the egg which will ultimately produce
the insect is laid upon the pod of the
pea or bean when that is very young.
The worm or maggot Matched from the
egg makes its way into the forming seed
within which it feeds and grows, and
finally transforms into a weevil. When
the weeviI appears the mischief is done
and the only good thing that can result
from killing it will be to stop its in.
crease. The injury to the seed is due
to the maggOt or worm, which eats out {
large portion of its interior, and while il
may germinate, the resulting plant will
be very weak. In order to save the
seed, the maggot should be killed as
soon as possible after gathering. Bisul
phide of Carbon, now coming into use
as an insecticide, may be employed tC
kill the weevils in peas and beans. A
physician in Lancaster Co., Pa, gives us
his method of using the bisulphide. HI
places twenty drops or more in a small
vial, the cork to which is partly GU
away this vial is placed at the bottom
of n fruit jar. which is filled with the
dry peas or beans, the cover screwed OF
securely, and the jar kept in a dark
cool place. Bisulphide of Carbon is {
very volatile fluid, and the small quan
tity in the vial diffuses itself throughou
the jar and destroys the insects. TIL,
. liquid must be kept in securely stopped
, bottles, and, as it is inflammable, /
should not be handled near fire O.
lamp for fear of accidents.