The National tribune., 1883-03-08
RURBL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.

we make tnt lOtlgNliE tAAIdtI lEbUl dh htil
Gle on carp culture by Seth Green in the Louis
Vile Home and Farm. which VIII answer the in
quiry of L. L. r., Dublin Mills Pa: The age at
which carp NAV be expected to cast their spawn
depends to a great extent on their growth. In
waters well adapted to them, and in which they
have attained 2 weight OF at least two or three
pounds. they should spawn at three years
old Carp do not thrive in ponds supplied
with wafer directly from springs; If II Is
absolutely necessary TO use water from
springs, it should be allowed 10 flow through
long shallow bitches for quite a distance
before entering the pond. II ii is possible TO
feed your pond from a river or creek which
becomes very warm during the summer months,
they viii thrive i'm such water. Ponds which
depend upon their supply from rain alone viii
not bc found advantageous, as their liability OF
drying up during a drOuth renders them eX
tremely hazardous. Water from mineral
springs should be carefully avoided. / have
rot found limestone water to be injurious;
neither do think il advantageous. Soft water
viii undoubtedly prove the best when II is
possible to obtain il. Carp are not found TO
thrive on rocky, gravelly or sandy bottom. If
the sand Is mixed with n sufficient quantity of
mud or black muck they viii do well. They
viii live in ponds with rocky, graye!y and
sandy bottoms. and il the water is warm and
they are sufficiently fed. they would grow 10 a
good size. bat they viii not breed. 1t Is ahso-
lutely necessary that some portion of the pond
should be thickly planted with aquatic plants,
and also some hrushwOod in which to cast their
spawn. and they also live on the leaves of the
plants and the insects which breed among them.
4 pond should have a deep place IN the centre,
and the edges should be very shallow. good
idea is to have your pond SO constructed that
there is in some portion large, shallow Hat,
which is thickly covered with water plants,
brush. &c, for the fish to spawn in; ana it
h, In ,,nt,
fish have cast their spawn, that this portion
could be protected from the intrusion OF the
parent fish. and thus protect the spawn and
young fish from being devoured. After the
young fish have attained q size that they can
seek their safety i'll shallow water, the separa-
tion may be removed until another season.
The pond should be so arranged that it can
be drawn down when desired, and it is better
to have two ponds, so that the old fish can be
removed after spawning. The time of spawn
ing depends upon the temperature. The
months of May and June would cover most
sections of the States The carp is said to pro-
duce large number of eggs; a fish weighing
four or Eve pounds is said 10 yield as many as
four or five hundred thousand. One of the
most important essentials is that no other kind
of fish should be allowed in the same waters
with the carp. and means should be provided,
by screens or otherwise, to prevent other fish
from getting into the pond. The carp Is said
to thrive upon refuse from the kitchen. and is
very fond of vegetable matter, such as potatoes,
corn, cabbage, turnips, pumpkins, and also malt
from brewerieS. In large ponds, where there
is plenty of natural food, feeding will not be
found necessary"
DEEP FLOWING OR SHALLOW FLOWING.
This question is frequently discussed at
farmers clubs and rs all our experience in
culture and observation in the growth of plants
constantly cumulates evidence of the value of
deep stirring of the soil, we naturally en-
deayOr TO reconcile the opinions of those who
recommend shallow tillage with the convic-
tions which point in an opposite direction, and
when explanations are given, the reasons are
generally sufficiently apparent A recent ad
VOcate of shallow piOwlng states that he ma
nured the land heavily and turned a deep fur
row covering the manure, and looked for a
heavy crop of corn, but, instead, harvested a
very light one. lam convinced that the trouble
was buried the manure too deep, so that the
roots of the corn were late in reaching it, and
even then received but little benefit from it.
i find by experience that shallow plOwing-
turning the furrOw three or four inches deep
and applying tbemanure on the furr0w and mix
ing 1t, as near the surface as possible, with the
harrow, gives the best results" The error
committed was evidently that of covering the
manure too deeply, not that the deep plOwing
was an injury, provided the manure had been
kept NEAR lllG SuTlaCc- IcCp plONlllp HAY also
prove temporarily injurious in some kinds OF
soil where too great stratum of poor soil is
brought to the surface at once. A gradual
yearly deepening of the soil will suggest itself
as the preferable plan in such cases, and the
plOwing should be done so that the newly
turned-up ground may receive the benefit of
exposure to sun and air for some time before
being cropped. Fall plowing is obviously best,
and in climates where the ground freezes deeply
during winter, a seasons exposure will crum-
bic and ameliorate the new soil SO as to prevent
injury TO crops. In many instances it is found
that gradual mixture of the subsol has a de-
cidedly beneficial effect upon the land, and no.
tably increases its fertility. Rich bottom lands,
which abound in decaying organic matter may
produce abundantly under system Of shallow
plowing. Sandy soils, which depend upon an
hual surface manuring for their fertility, may
not require deep plowing, but as general prin-
ciple of culture, a deeply worked surface soil
will always give the best returns.
SENDING PLANTS BY MAIL.
The president of the Western New York
Horticultural Society, in his late address at the
annual meeting, remarks that the culture of
flowers and the decorations of lawns are not
progressing in ratio with the increasing
wealth of the country. He is Of the opinion
that, while great good has followed the now
common method of sending plants by mail, the
system has had a detrimental effect upon the
quality of the plants now sold. To save mail
charges the plants are sent out in puny con-
dition; sometimes they are scarcely rooted, and
TO produce them cheaply they are raised in
high, moist Temperatures, and as a result they
are seriously injured by the exposure and
treatment they receive in transit. Undoubt-
edly there is much truth in these remarks.
and while there are many things, such as all
kinds Of bulbOus flower roots, hardy plants,
such as Strawberries and grape-yines, which are
not easily injured, yet young succuent plants
OF roses, eeranlums, fuchsiaS, &c, subject TO
injury. Some nurserymen are careful TO put
their young plants through a hardening pro-
cess for week or two before packing them;
this is a wise pTocautiOn, and is beneficial to
the plants. Much also depends upon the treat
ment the Plants receive when they reach their
destination. We have seen such arrivals planted
out At once in full exposure to the sun; of
course, under such treatment they soon sue
cunIb When plants are unpacIlCd they should
be placed IN Il damp, perfectly shaded place,
receive 80 wafer at the roots until they show
symptoms of recovery, and when planted in the
IoweT-bed q partial shading should be given
Tor eight or ten days.
RAILROADS AND RAINS.
We remember seeing the statement that,
when the lands were broken up during the for
nation Of the Pacific Railroad, rain showers be-
e2'nc more frequent along the line Of road than
before operations commenced. 1t is now re-
ga:ded as fact that, since railways were cX-
tended IN the west the country has been yis-
itcd with mere frequent rains. Ii is also as
serted that the building cf such a vast network