The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-05-02
rHR INDIANA STATE SENTINEL WEDNESDAY,. NAY q 1888

be had fresh earth from bitches or roadsides
spread half an inch or so deep under the
trees will have a wonderful effect.
A Western farmer who tried wheat bran
as manure for wheat reports that the ef-
feet OF an application of one ton Of bran TO
the acre was equal to that obtained from the
usual application of mixture of bone-dust,
guano, lime and wood ashes and the differ
enee in yield of the crops that received bran
as compared with those not go treated was
very great.
says that those who undertake to raise seed
lings from the rhubsrb as means OF i'm
proving the quality will be disappointed, as
the plants fresh from seed, though vigorous
and healthy, will vary as seedlings of all
plants do. A choice sort once established is
easily increased by taking off eyes, with a
bit OF root IN October.
Cloverseed, al inquirer is informed. will
germinste-when three or four years, if kept
in an even temperature, and dry. 1t is sub
iect to attacks from insects, and consequent
ly deteriorstes in quality from that and
other causes. 1t is best to use new seed, but
that remaining aver from the second year
may be used with safety. Everything de-
ponds on the care of keeping
A correspondent of the New England
Farmer thinks farmers make 3 great mis-
take in not being willing to pay good wages
to a thoroughly capable man when he can
be had, but rather seeking ogt cheap laborers
who can not be trusted to work alone, and
whose labor is of far less value in any cir
cumstsnces. There is good deal of solid
sense in that idea.
At recent talk on the strawberry, at the
Massachusetts, Horticultural Society, Mr.. c.
NJ Hovey said that 1.-The pump and manure
Il N
Constante was introduced, he said he planted
q bed on hard, clayey ground on the slope
of hill. and laid hose at the top, so as TO
give all the water they needed. and he
never saw such crop as they produced.
ANY one who intends sowing timothy
alone for pure hay ought to manure IL well,
use some fertilizer that isrich in phosphates
in the last narrowing; then, just before or
after a rain. when the land is in proper
state, SOW two gallons Of timothy seed per
acre, brush it in and roll down nicely.
Where early potatoes or corn had been
grown is good place for this operation.
A cultivated crop thrives in proportion to
the effectiveness of the cultivation. 10
suppose that the killing of weeds is the only
purpose of the cultivating OF a crop is a
mistake. A premium crop of potatoes was
hoed every day in the season until the crop
was gathered. Stirring of the soil is equiv
alent TO fertilization, and, as long as there is
room to pass between the rows, a weekly
working of the soil-she surface only-xill
be beneficial.
Much of the potato stock held by Western
farmers has been frosted, and will prove Of
little value except for immediate use s
frosted potato If only slightly touched. can
be kept in good condition till time for plant
ing; it is, in fact, of no value for seed. IN
sections where the thermometer has run
down thirty to forty degrees below zero it is
next to impossible TO save such perisbable
property as potatoes, hence nearly all the
Western potato crop has TO be marketed in
the fall.
Experiments were made at the Massschu-
sets Agricultural College in girdling surplus
branches, which were afterward to be cut
away. A revolving knife cut rapidly ring
of the bark a fourth of an inch wide Just
below the bunch of fruit about nsitisnm-
mer. This treatment was performed on
twelve rows of grapes. The enlarged and
early fruit sold for r36 more than the same
amount of the common or inain crop. the
labor being less than half this sum. No in
jury has been apparent to the vines so tTsat-
ed, the girdled canes being cut away when
done with.
NJ. Timiriazsff informs the French Acsde-
be capable of transforming into che cal
work as much IS 40 per cent. OF the eneigY
absorbed by them from the suns rags The
che mical work is the locking up in plant
tissue of great quantity of solar energy
which remains ready to serve whoever shall
liberate it. the leaf being the wonderful
storage battery of nature which bottles the
sunbeams so securely that We are able to ap.
ply them at pleasure TO heating our furnaces,
driving our engines and sustaining cur
bodies.
A most beautiful and frsgrnt growth for a
window may be obtained by soaking a sea-
sponge in warm water and sowing in its
cells the seeds of outrageous grasses and
wild flowers with here and therethe delicate
fern and creeping wild berry, known as mock
strawberry. The hanging may be done by q
eilded rod or ornamental cords The sponge
NAV be kept moist and distended by daily
sprinkling with bloCd-warm water. TIE
sponge thus treated is much lighter prettier
and more surely verdant than any other
spring basket.-Nstional Farmer.