The National tribune., 1883-10-25
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
FALL TREArMENr OF GRASS.

u. -
pedient to run sabsoil plow through them.
This should be thoroughly well done, so as 20
loosen up the entire subsoil over the field. The
surface will be slightly disturbed which will
also be beneficial if allowed to remain so during
winter, to be smoothed and pressed By rolling
IN spring We have seen surprising effects
from this treatment, equal to what would re-
suit from heavy manuring.
The fall is the best time to manure grass
lands. In operations Of this kind the manure
spreading wagon is of the highest value, for it
distributes so regularly and so evenly that the
manurial as well as the sheltering value of the
application are fully realized.
Whatever explanation may be offered as to
the why and the wherefore, it is q well-Ob-
served fact that the mere covering of lands in
ereases their productive capacities, even if
covered with boards or brickbats. Such COW
cred spots will yield more than where no COW
ering has been applied.
For lawns in door yards, where the grasses
may have become thin, or have been ousted by
the stronger growing summer grasses which
are now dying out and leaving bare spots,
there is no better top dressing than good sur
face soil from the fields, thinly scattered over
the surface, broken up and raked 50 that it
may cover the roots. If portion only is thus
manured, the result Of the contrast next spring
will be instructive.
STIRRING THE SOIL.
SirJ. 3. Lawes says: Dividing the constitu-
ents which exist in our crops into two portions,
we learn that carbon and water are obtained
from the atmosphere, while the nitrogen and
mineral substances are derived from the soil.
The atmosphere furnishes from 80 to % per
cent and the soil from to 10 per cent. of the
dry substance of crops. The stock of fertility
which exists in soils, though generally large,
is for the most part In latent form The
with carbon, does not appear to be available to
any extent for the food of plants until it has
been separated from the carbon, and by COM
bination with oxygen has assumed the form of
nitric acid. Its nanuring properties we know
are then very great. The various mechanical
operations which take place on the farm or in
the gaTden-plowiDg, digging, trenching, har-
rowing, rolling, hoeing-have for their one OBJ
ject the formation of nitric acid. a fertile soil
is one competent to iberats and render avail
able for the use of plants a considerable amount
OF active nitrogen; while an abundant season
is one IN which the crops are enabled to take
Up an unusual amount OF this active plant food
by means of their roots" Thus it is that facts
accumulate which enable philosophical observ-
ers to account for the value of the operations
which practical men have found to be necessary
in cuitiyating crops. Frequent disturbance of
the soil is one of these, and its results are, as
above shown, necessary to the preparation of the
food of plants.
CURRANT AND OTHER CUTTINGS.
Some years ago. cuttings of eurrants, goose
berries. grapes, willows, ounces, weigelas,
honeysuckles, splreas, hibiscus, deutzias and
other plants which can be grown from cuttings
Of ripened wood, were planted in spring; but
after it became recognized fact that the soil
out of doors during October was warmer than
the air Immediately above it, and thus present
ing all the conditions which propagatOrs en-
deayored to secure in the propagation of exotic
plants by cutting5-that is, keeping the soil
warmer than the air-autumn was found the
proper time TO put cuttings of hardy plants in
the ground. This has led to distinguishing
feature in nursery work, not only in planting
cuttings, but in the general operations of the
business. Trees are sold in great quantities TO
be planted in the fall, and the work is now
distributed through two seasons, instead of
every thing being rushed in spring
Cuttings of eurrants, &c, should be planted at
once; even If the foliage has not fallen, it can
be picked of. Select dry, well pulyerized soil,
and insert the cuttings their entire length,
leaving the top OF the cutting on a level with
the soil. The cuttings should be from siNHtO
eight inches in length; tramp the ground firmly
around them, and leave them; no watering viii
be needed. In the course of six weeks young
roots viii have formed, but the plants need not
out in their permanent locations, thus saving
almost the growth of a year By this system OF
fall roofing.
KEEPING UP THE FERTILITY OF THE SOIL.
The deterioration of the productiveness OF
the soil of the country is great and growing
evil, and every means should be adopted to
check it and TO invite and guide those most
! intimately concerned into more systematic aud
productive methods of cultivation. No matter
how fertile a soil may be, and how rich in al
the elements which promote vegetable growth,
the removal from it of successive crops, year
after year, without the return to it in some way
of an equivalent, must necessarily exhaust the
soil of some indispensable ingredients, aud rem
der it sterile. This must be the case, and the
fact cannot be too soon recognized and guarded
against. The points to which enlightened
agricultural attention should be directed, IN
order to prevent this deterioration, are first to
have all the apparently waste matters on q
| farm-the bones, ashes feathers, Ofial Of all
kinds, manuTeS, and exerementitious matters OF
| all kinds, solid and huid-properly collected,
saved and returned to the soil and, secondly
| plan devised by which all these waste ma
terials may be returned fspm the cities, where
| they are nuisance, back TO the farms, To
maintain their fertility, and, what is equally
important, TO see that judicious system oi
cultivation is carried on, and an intelligent
discrimination pursued in the rotation Of crops
/ There is much more of success TO be reached by
proper rotatiVe cropping than many persons
| suppose.
WILD RICE.
| A correspondent asks why the wild rice o.
! the north is not cultivated as valuable cereal
and says that analysis shows the grain to bs
nutritious, and it is very prolific.
The so-called wild rice, botanically zizaait
aqudticG is altogether distinct from the cult
| waited rice. It is often brought to notice as
valuable cereal, but, were there no other objec
| tion to its cultivation, the readiness with
which the grain drops when ripe would be
serious one. As a food crop it is said to rank
with oats. 1t grows abundantly in the lake:
| of the Northwestern States and in their outlet!
and bays; it Is also found in many of The
Middle States where it affords food for wild
ducks and other birds. IL forms an important
| part of the food of the Indians the Sioux cal
| it "pshu," and the Chippewas "man-om-in.
! 1t is abundant IN Upper Canada, furnishing
| food for the Indians there. Another species
sisania rlitiacea. grows also in the bayous o
| Louisiana, which is often utilized for hay
The sizGnias are water plants. The grain O
| the zizania aquatfca is of dark olive color
/ half to three -fourths of AN inch In length. Al
! though very palatable and nutritious it is en-
! tirely distinct from the cultivated plant. Tht
| stems have been used as q material in til,
manufacture of paper.
| THE GAPEs DISEASE IN FOWLS
A pamphlet has recently been published il
| France on the gapes in fowls, which states tina
! the disease is caused by the presence in the
| treachea of the fowls Of worms of the germ.
| SyngGmus. The male or female worms attach
themselves TO the mucus membrane OF thS