Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-06-08
rAKM AND ORCHARD.
Timely Notes for HusbandmeD.


Timely Notes for HusbandmeD.
Germantown Telegraph,
A very valuable addition to the soil,
particularly about fruit trees and flowers,
Tould be the scales which drop off from
iron while being worked at fOrges, also
iron filings and trimmings. For peach
trees especially they are said to be very
seaviceable when placed near the roots.
They will also increase the bloom ana
growth of fowers.
It is said that the best treatment Tor
byacinth bulbs, after Towering in the
house, is to plant the ball Of Garth contain
ing the bulb in tho garden, where some OF
the exhausted strength OF tho root will be
regained before removal in the fall.
There is new wrinkle just started
about ensilage. which may be worth
thinking about-that is, to allow one-haii
tho crop of corn grown to mature, ana
after securing the ears, cut tho stalks up
the same as it is now done for the siio
with the younger corn, and mixing IL all
in one. This would have the advantage,
that while the matnred constalks Wouid DO
lust as good as the other, the entire crop
0f Grain would bs secured, aud it wOnld
be lust SO much gained. OF course the
two crops would have to be planted at diff
ferent dates to use in this way. Another
wrinkle is to allow the old corn after the
ears arc removed, to be dried, then cut up
and add to the young green crop and place
and press in the silo.
Thinning-Jut OF Fruit.
This work can scarcely be extended be-
yond the garden, and even there it cali be
performed only on not Over-large trees.
The pear is especially needed to have this
operation performed, and it should be done
at almost any time now, and the sooner
perhaps the better, and the stunted. or
imperfect surplus growth removed. Care
should be taken to thin out the clusters, as
the fruit seldom does we'll where the Speci
mems touch each other. For some reason
the insects are sure to attack the fruit in
clusters, and instead Of only one falling 4
prey to their operations. two or three Will
be included. A small scissors, such as Is
used in thinning out the punches of grapes.
answers very we'll for this work, but with
care they can be pinched of with thumb
and finger. When pears aud apples have
attained about one fourth their siZ3 they
should have = second thinning out aud
when this period approaches We shall take
occasion to refer to tho matte. again.
The Pear Blight.
On many premises the effects of the pear
blight are at this time apparent-on oar
own among the number-tnnugh sing o
tree only, has fallen 4 victim, it being one
of the two remaining st. Michie!s, 4 varie
ty which we highly priza. 1t was somn
fifteen years OLE, and fourteen to fifteen
feet in height. The 81. Michael is an early
bearer. ours having all born from the
second years transplauting, and when
gro Gu on qu inse stocks and reaches per-
fectiJn, the fruit is Sc .rcay surpassed by
any other variety. The theories advanced
as the cause of this blight arc numerous
and as much confused aud discussed to
day as they were twenty to thirty Jeais
ago. The disease, 50 fatal in It's vista
tions, is ascribed to SO maay iifftr:u:
causes rs utterly to confOund those who
are seeking after simple facts in
the hope of discovering some
remedy with which To meet I'll!
defeat it. Thus far, however. We
have all been disappointed. The blight
makes its appearance upon the y"aing as
we'll as the old trees; sometimes u!",n
single branch, or two or three, either tn
gether or on different parts of 4 tee, AMI
then disappears entirely. At other times u
tree, in apparently the fullest health and
vigor, will die outright in twenty four
hours. These vSitations are made dtsp!t
all the theo' les of experts who a.'criba
it to as many causes as there are numbers
of this numerous family of experienced
observers, whose vocation appears to be,
and which they seem greatly to Ell ~ TO
know more upon all subjects than other
people. One will say that it is over grown; {;
another that it is imma mrcd wood affected
by severe frOst; another tina: it is tie
effect Of very hot SUI S upon the trees after
frequent showers Of lain .Cccfeding il pr"
lonsed drought; another that it is the
sudden and marked change in the temper
ature another that it is from OVER enrini
ment Ot the soil, an,' 81 on. Thrr., il ~
sort of doubt but that all these things do
moro Or less injury to trees in general !;
but that any one of them is at the foundi
tiOn of blight in general sense, We do
not hesitate to declare our disbelief. We
all know that there are SD many conditions
under which pear trees will 1--we arl
flourish admirably in one locality, or upon
even one premises, w;.il.: in another near
by, under precisely similar conditions. Vi III
do badly they become weakly, stnnteh
and fall victims to some disease comm:
under the name of blight in soms one oi
its forms. Until wo have, therefore, Il
better explanation following thr,m, la
vestigations OF this singular enemy -; the
pear tree, We shall have i,o method of pre-
ventiOn or cure to offer upon the .uhjcct