The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-23
RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
prrrr srAsoNAnrE u1Nrs.

THIS deepening OF the soil largely iasurcs
against winter killing and 6eaving out the
pants provided the drainage is ali right. Ii
is not best to pl0w in The manure SO ceeply, as
the ground ought TO be turned at iiIst Plowing;
in fact the best results are found to follow
when the manure, being somewhat rotted, is
applied to the surface and narrowed Just before
seeding COMPRISING all thoroughly with a
roller after the seed is deposited.
Late potatoes should be often cultivated if
the weather proves cry; the newly-loosened
soil allows air to pass through il. from which
the colder earth will condense moisture. This
is probably one Of the reasons why crops that
are atteatiycly cultivated during dry weather
will grow better than those hot cultivated.
ALPHABETICALLY, il might be considered that
stirring the soil about the roots OF plants would
do more harm than good, because OF the certain
destruction of many of the smaller fbers or
roots, but the free admission Of air 10 the soil
is of more importance, and more than counter
balances any root disturbance involved in
loosenlng the ground.
Orchard pests seem TO be increasing rather
than diminishing. EutOm0l0gists are as plenty
nowadays rs blackbcrr and all kinds of
bags seem TO increase IL a like ratio. There is
difference between the entomologist and the
farmer: the former can catch his insect, set IL
up in his cabinet, and take his time TO study
its peculiarities but the farmer must act
promptly 10 destroy it-otherwise II viii destroy
him.
A good practical method of keeping worms
in check in orchards is 10 allow hogs sheep, and
chickens TO have free access 10 the trees. In
this arrangement all wOrmy fruit Is devOured,
and amy stray insect has small chance 10 escape
from the keen sight OF the poultry. But many
viii eluGe the vigilance OF these scaVengers,
especially borers at the roots and the bark.
Washing the stems with soapy matters, al
lowing portion to trickle about the roots has
q decidedly good effect in preventing the in
crease Of borers.
Young turnips are sometimes greatly injured
by the cabbage lea, especially in dry seasons,
when the Young plants make small progress.
busting the plants early in the morning when
they are moist with dew, with plaster, ashes,
lime or even fine road dust, VIII help TO keep
them IN check.
If the weather is favorable, this is good
time 70 make plantations of Strawberries. In
dry summers il is sometimes difficult 20 procure
rooted runners until lister. But the sooner
they are planted the more time they viii have
for growth, and the more they viii produce
next season. From good strong runners plant
ed about the end Of August. followed with rains
and duh weather we have seen almost a full
crop gathered the following spring. When the
plants are weak and the weather very dry, ii
is much better 10 delay planting than 10 take
the Tisk OF keeping the plants alive even by
rooted. they may do better even If the soil Is
dry, if the precaution is taken to prepare holes
with snitably-sized dlbber, or Slightly eXca-
waited with troWel. and soak them well with
water before planting. The older leaves should
also Ge removed from the plants, and, in set
ting them, see TO it that nothing is covered
except the roots. 1t is very easy to plant a
strawberry too deep, and many failures occur
from covering up the center OF the plant. Ii
1s al important 20 press the soil firmly about
the roots; a stamp with the heel is quickest
and best
DO not be persuaded to pick leaves from vines
or plants Of any kind ShIle IruiI is ripening.
We notice that tits absurd and rainous prac-
tlce is still occasionally recommended. Sach
advice can only enanafe from genuine, una
dulterated ignorance. when il is gravely stated
that pulling OF leaves VIII improve fruit AS
3 matter Of iact, fruit suddenly exposed 10 sun
light, after having been all along shaded by
foliage, VIII get sun-burnt, but that viii not
Improve the favor Of the fruit. The greatest
drawback to the general cultivation of all The
best gTapeS ia this country Is the loss of foliage
caused by mildew destroying the leaves to
wards the end of sumner, and SO preventing
the maturity Of the shoots. Were it not for
this circumstance, not only ali of our native
grapes, but all the wine grapes Of Europe could
be grown nearly in every portion Of the United
States.
Many shrubs and plants that are difficult Il
propagate from cuttings may be increased by
layers. Some Of the finest perpetual roses arr
: very difficult 70 propagate IN any other way
except by iayering the long summer shoots
about this time. IL Is an easy. sure method O
getting a few additional plants from anything
the shoots of which can be laid down and GOV
cred with soil. In layering branch, such a
rose shoot, first make q small hole with ;
spade deep enough 10 bend down the branch anC
Of soil. The shoot should be cut about hal
way through at the bend, and cutting upward
for half al inch as if the shoot was to be spill
through the middle. If this cut is made at la
lower portion of the bend il VIII open slight.
when the point is turned up j good stout pc
must be placed over the bent shoot TO keep ]
IN place. Then tramp the soil firmly aTouns
az, and IN due time fresh roots will emit fron
the cut part at the bend, and thus new plan
is produced.
If shady border, with rich soil, is availabl
il VIII be good place in which to sow migno
nette, pansies, c2ndytuft, and other of tn
harder kinds of annual and biennial fowerinj
plants, 10 be covered by frame as COLI
weather approaches. A good addition 10 TIL
supply Of winter bouquets win thus be secured
cLoVER-sICK LAND.
Land is said TO be clover-siek when Glove
refuses to grow on it, and the land IN good ric
condition. This only takes place on land wher
clover has been repeatedly grown; but whe
the land is put in other crops for eight or te
years, clover viii do as well rs ever The res
son for this is not easily explained, because tn
failure does not seem 70 be owing to poverty i
the soil, and ali manuriai applications seem {
be OF no value. 1t is only rest for a series @
years from clover that seems TO be potent i
building up the land fer clover again. Man
explanations have been given. Boussingaul1
famous chemist in agricultural matters, sue
gested that If the clover fodder is consume
on the farm, and the manure turned again
the soil, clover would maintain itself But thi
seems TO be far-fetched hypothesis In tn
hrst place, clover is seldom sold off farm an
II has been found that applications Of farm-yar
manure VIII not always secure crop Of Glove,
We epinc that the reasons for rotation
crops are not yet fully understood. The cor
monty received opinion is that plant viii e1
haust the soil Of some particular element +,
quired by il, while some other plant viii I'm
al that IL needs; but this does not fully el
plain why the plant viii grow well again, j
the same soil, after lapse of years, even If tl
soil has had but little manuTing between til
periods. Even after period Of entire re-
from any crop except such weeds as woul
spring up the land will become fitted for cToI
which formerly were unprodGctiye.
Ihls phenomena has not, we conceive, eve
been fully explained; practical men, as ger
eTal thing, do not trouble themselves great
about the why and wherefore; they find tn.
certain things occur under certain condition.
they find that land which becomes tired
mill ted e.