The National tribune., 1883-11-29
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
TIE SORGHUM OUTLOOK.

pltious for the crop in all sections where il has
been raised. The two largest establishments
of which We have any account-that at Rio
Grande, New Jersey, and that of the Sterling
Kansas Sugar Company-are reported to have
been quite successful, although their products
have been somewhat abridged by an adverse
season. At the aforementioned factory thirty
barrels OF sugar per day were made during the
latter part of October. This sugar was bring
ing fully eight cents per pound. This factory
is worked under what is known as the Weber
and Scovell process. The New jersey estab-
lishment is reported as having done well fnan-
cially, and we see it stated that a fair estimate
for the product of the year will be 100000
pounds of sugar and 10000 gallons of m0iasses.
The sugar and m0lasses do not represent ali the
profits derived from sorghum, the seed and
stalks when properly utilized, also form q
source of no incOnsiderable profit.
But complaints of an unpTOptiOus season for
cane growing appear from al parts OF the North
and West. A principal drawback Is attributed
TO excessive rains and cool weather, which has
prevented the Fipening OF the plant. so that the
formation OF cane sugar, or sucrose, has been
checked. Complaints Of early frosts destroying
the cane before maturity are also frequent
Taken all together. il would appear that profit
able sugar making from sorghum viii Be con-
fined to CERTAIN limits where the seasons can
always be relied upon 20 properly riPen the
cane. No particular degree of latitude can be
stated - present A. limiting its culture. Pecu-
larities Of soil and position have % be e0nsid-
ercd for instance the great Success Of the
works in southern NsW jersey may b. awing
IN a great degree, 10 its somewhat peniusular
position and the early maturing tendency Of
the warm sandy soil. Is has been shown IRON
the results Of the present season that, even IN
more southern sections, in heavier soils the
7 abundance Of rainfall prevented the cane from
/ thorough maturity. Commencing Just north OF
D .
1 raised, there Is a wide range Of country where
/ sorghum can be grown for sugar without risk
/ Of failure, and, 20 produce a good article of
/ strip, it Is supposed that its growth may ex-
/ tend wherever corn ripeus
1t would also appear evident that profitable
J sugar making depends upon special chemical
I skill, backed by abundant capital to supply
ample machinery for the handling and manu-
/ featuring the raw material on sufficiently
| extensive scale.
/ COVERING GRAPE VINES.
/ In localities where the winters are prolonged,
and the thermometer frequently shows a zero
( cold, it IS advisable 30 project hardy grapes
t Severe freezing is more or less hurtfui 20 all
/ plants, just as severe drogth is injurious and
/ these two extremes act very much alike in their
effects upon vegetation: they exhaust the juices
/ by prolonged and exhaustive evaporation. In
/ the case of plants suffering for want OF water
ing this want wherever it is practicable to do
so. But when it becomes question OF protect
/ ing plants from similar evil by covering them
/ during winter, there viii be many dissentients
/ This may be accounted for ON the ground that
the loss from winter effects is not so visible an
evil as is the willing and drying up of plant
/ in dry weather IN summer. 1t Is not al un-
common remark that plants are better without
protection than with IT, but it is safe 20 suppose
that the experience leading 70 such c0nclu-
sion was faulty from improper application If
the buds on a healthy nlatuTed shoot of grape
be examined at the time the leaves fall they
viii be found round, plump and prominent.
If examined next March, after exposure TO a
series OF frosty weeks, they VIII be found
sfrunk and pointed owing to loss of sap By
evaporation No great degree OF protection
IS required, the aim being TO guard the
branches from exposure 70 drying cold winds
merely detaching them from sheir supports aud
laying them on the surface Of the ground will
be a great protection, and if covered with an
inch Of soil litter, the effect VIII be visible In
the future health and fruitfulness OF the plants.
APPLES FOR THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST.
MIR. II. L. Wysor contributes an article to the
RHral Ner Yorker on the above, from which
we make the following extract: South Of the
40th parallel of north latitude, including the
southern portions Of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois
nearly all Of Missouri, and all of Kansas, win
ter apples of northern origin do not succeed
They ripen too early in the fall TO be kept
through the winter. Here IN Virginia, on the
/ south side OF the Blue Ridge, the Albemarle
Pippin, which is identical with the YellOW
Newton Pippin OF the North, does remarkably
well but on the north side il succeeds only IL
warm, rich aliaviai soils. IL is, at best, poor
slow grower, both IN the nursery and III the
orchard. Here is list of the best winter ap
pies for the South and Southwest in the Ordel
OF their Importance, but not OF their quality
/ Ben Davis, York Imperial JOhnsOn'S Fine Win
teri, Rawle's Genet (Neyerfaill, Winesap, Lin
Der Twig, ana Shoekley. OF all the apples IN
the list, Ben Davis is the most vigorous and
the earliest to come into bearing. York Impe
rial is fine apple for the southwest, and o.
frst-rate quality. The only objection to Rawle.
Genet is that it is rather small. WineSaI
and Timber Twig are both good bearers, anC
! keep remarkably; the latter, however, IS o.
poor quality. ShockIey is the best apple for the
South, where it is highly priced for its Ions
keeping. Here 1T is generally too small TO bt
valuable. Nansemond Beauty and Dunbar art
new varieties the former IS claimed TO be
larger apple and better bearer than the Wine
sap. The latter is said TO keep till june"
PLANT PLUM TREES.
Although the plum is one of the best of fruits
and is as varied in its kinds as the peach, anC
much more so in the characteristics and favol
the markets, and but rarely seen on our tables
j The reason for this scarcity is because of th'
j trouble of keeping them from the ravages OF th'
cureuio, which stings the fruit, deposits therein
, an egg, from which is Matched WOrm which
: speedily destroys the fruit. Fruit growers hav
been battling with this insect for half century
but it steadily holds its own and extends it
field of operations notwi thstanding the various
means used for arresting its progress. Les
5 than twenty years ago, and the curculio con
fined its depredations to the plum, nectarin
and the apricot Now it is becoming fOrInid
8 able opponent to peach production, many or
2 chards being yearly greatly injured by tn
quantities of fruit stung by the insect; cherrie
q do not escape, and even pears and apples re
ceiye its mark, but the young grub fails TO live
{ or do much injury TO these last-named fruits
The fruit growers of this country will have &
avail themselves more than they have hithert
done of the services of live stock in their or
! chards Hogs, sheep, and poultry of all kinds
! when allowed to roam among orchard trees
: are the best insect destroyers. What ittl
harm they may do to the trees will be nor
than compensated in the value of the fruit
, With reference TO plum trees, any person IN tn
, country. if they will incl0se an acre of ground
plant it with the best varieties OF plums an
q turn in hogs and chickens among the trees
: | will, without further care, produeeall the plum
| which the trees are eabable OF maturing
; POTATOES RoTTING.
!. Some plaint is heard about potatoes rottin
/ after they are stored. This is not an unnsua
experience in seasons when the crop is affeete