The National tribune., 1883-07-05
RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
Nrrns no Do ouALrrrrp.

tufal College, thus disposes of two grasses
which are useful IN their way: johnson grass
was sown for the first time last year. ii started
slowly but finally warmed up to a rapid gait
riyaling sorghum In height and vigor. But
our Kansas winter proved too much for 1t;
and, like about ninety-nine one-hundredths OF
the new things in agriculture, 1t has simply
shown itself TO be quite worthless. In one re-
spect il has a decided advantage over that
other ch-pufied fraud. Bermuda grass-our
winters win XIII it," Now, if the Professor
farmed in Alabama. where they can cut five
tons If hay yearly per acre from johnson grass,
he might qualify the above statement as to
frauds. Or, IL he lived in Texas or Southern
Florida and wished TO get green lawn on
rather poor soil, he might not be so sweeping
in his statements about Bermuda grass Again,
can he and we win allow him TO go back
generation for his examples name one hun
dred new things in agriculture, ninety-nine of
which have shown themselves TO be quite
worthless? All such unqualified and reckless
statements NAV be scientific, according to the
ideas of the Professor but they are not suffi-
GENTLY accurate to be worthy OF consideration
by the intelligent practical farmer; indeed,
this class is seldom imposed upon with vamp-
ings of this kind. bat there is a large class of
learners who suppose that the prefix of pro-
fessor always carries with it sound judgment
and truthful statements--a supposition nearer
truth when reversed.
ANTS on PLANTS.
We have frequent inquiries as to the best
mode Of destroying ants on plants; these inqui-
Ties are based upon the suppositiOn that ants
eat plants or iniure them in some way, a sup
position that is not borne out 10y facts When
ants are observed industriously running up and
down the stems of plants, il is a good sign that
insects Of some kind are plentiful upon the
leaves or bark. The most common insect, and
which ems peculiarly attractive TO ants, is
rv-sola fiV nr ,gobfS These the ants nurse
with 1i2i care, removing them sometimes to
other neighboring plants for better, or extended,
pasturaee
To get lid Of the ants in cases Of this kind, it
is only necessary TO get rid of the insects
Ants do no injury to the leaves of plants so far
as we know; they viii attack and eat ripe
fruits Of various kinds but even in this respect
we think that they only succeed some previous
depredatoT, or after partial decomposition has
commenced.
When ants abound on plants. then look out
for insects, and use such remedies as are in use
for their destruction. Tobacco in some form
is the sarest antidote to Gpkis; either tobacco
stems sprinkled On the ground, or tobacco dust
sprinkied over the foliage, or tobacco water
syringed well over all, or fill the atmosphere
with tobacco smoke
USE OF LIME ON SOILS.
DR.. Voelcker says: The investigations of
the absorption of potash by various soils have
also thrown new light on the special use of
lime and mari on poor sandy soils. Every far
mer knows how essential lime is for the growth
Of every kind of agricultural product. On soils
destitute of lime, most crops, especially green
crops are subject TO disease, and consequently
roots fail on such land. even if it has been liber-
ally manured with good farm-yard manure or
euano. Up TO a certain stage corn and roots,
grown under certain conditions, seem TO thrive
well. but as the season advances they sustain a
The remedy for such failures, which are not at
all uncommon where poor sandy soils prevail,
is a good dose of lime or mari, and then, and
only then farm-yard manurcs or guano may be
applied 10 the greatest advantage. The most
liberal application Of farm yard manures of the
best quality never produces SO beneficial and
lasting elect ON poor sandy soils as when they
haze previously been well married or lined. In
passing solution of sulphate of potash through
poor sandy soil, VEGETABLE amount of sui
phate of ammonia was found in the fltrate,
which was not the case when the same solution
passed through a marty soil"
RRENING SEED OF GRAINS.
The practice Of cutting wheat and other
grains before the seed is fully matured because
it then brings better prices for milling,
has the injurious effect of inducing deteriora-
tion of the crops. Farmers who save their seed
FOR future crop from these unripe samples may
expect 10 find a gradual decrease both in the
quantity and in the quality of their products.
A portion of the field should be set apart and
De allowed to attain full maturity for seed. A
Still better system would be to have seed farms
in the best localities where every care would be
given TO produce well developed and thoroughly
ripened seeds which would be sold for seeding
only. One OF the principal reasons for the fall
ing OF Of crops is the poor quality of the seeds
which are soHn. 1t has been proved beyond
doubt that change OF seed from one soil and
climate to another soil and climate is of the ut
most value and with some crops such as oats
and barley, which require moist and rather
cool climate for their best perfection, it is al
together the most profitable plan to purchase
seeds grown III such climates. 1t would pay
large percentage of profit to import seed oats
from countries where this grain ripens TO per-
fection, and where there is no difficulty in
securing oats weighing from A TO AZ pounds
per bushel.
APPLES FOR A COLD COUNTRY.
Professor Glib, of Quebec, Canada, who has
recently returned from a horticultural tour
through Russia. says that the Antonooka apple
Is the leading variety Of the Russian steppcs-
tho king apple Of vast prairie region from
IOlu 10 the south Of kharkof, from Kozl to
Kiev. 1t is the leading apple over a larger
section of country than any other in Europe.
In the cold climate Of Teuki il is looked upon
as the best. In Toula, IN latitude $40, about
120 miles south Of Moscow, yet $50 miles far
tIeI 10 the HoftL IMAM the CITY OF quebec, II Is
considered the hardest and most productive
apple tree. At Warsaw, where the climate is
cold North German rather than steppe eli
mate, the AntOnooka is one of the leading APP
pies; it is the commercial apple, noted for
Us average annual bearing its hardness in ex-
IRENE climate, its length Of life and fruitful
ness in old age.
The ApOrt is another highly prized variety
IN these northern regions 1t may be stated
that both Of these varieties were imported
from Russia, over twelve years ago, by the De-
partment Of Agriculture and have been largely
distributed during these years.
KANT FOR ASPARAGUS.
w f. Massey, writing to the american Far
ner. has the following remarks on asparagus :
81 have used the present spring the German
potash salt or kainit on an asparagus bed which
was set last spring. The roots when set were
quite small and the soil was moderately ma
INJURED. Wishing TO give the bed a coat of salt,
concluded that kainit would be best, as il con-
tained a sufficient percentage of potash and
other fcrtilizing agents. Accordingly, Iapplied
the KANT heavily TO the bed, at the rate of
fully ton to the acre. Just now i would like
you TO see that asparagus. ] measured num-
Der Of stalks the other day and found very few
smaller than inch and half In circuTnfer-
eDce, while many would measure twice as much
We have cut very little from it, as / wish TO
grow il strong before cutting from il regularly,
but it is now, at one year from planting fully
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