Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-06-16
FARM AND GARDEN.
SeasOnable Notes.

they were confined III the pen.
SKINNED milk is one OF the very best arti
tcles of diet for laying hens and. so far as they
cen use 1t, 1t can DE put to no more profitable
nSe- Mixed with wheat bran it makes an excel
len; feed for growing chicks
= There does not seem to be any feasible way
OF getting rid OF the rose bug except by hand
picking. The rose slug is another depredator
which should be kept under by busting the
plants with powdered hellebore.
Many so-caled cases of pear blight on
ounce stock are not bl ght at ali. but are smply
The killing of the ounce roots from being planted
Too shallow. The ounce root is very tender
ard In localities where winters are severe should
always be heavily mulched. As the ounce likes
cool, moist SOIL the mulch may be lett on du-
ring the following summer
The Germantown Telegraph says that it is
pretty generally believed That the rag weed
which Is more or less present on every farm ia
che cause Of bitter milk whenever it appears
It Is one OF the worst weed pests upon farm
AZ covers. when it gets start, everything. 1t
is even believed that the pollen from the BIOS
Sons produces the hay fever indirectly If not
directly. There is other way to get rid of it
except to pillow 1t under.
- Henry Stewart says that when q dairyman
Intends to permanently pasture his cows he can
recommend the common quack grass as splen-
uld early pasture. orchard grass next. then red
top and blue grass, with white clover mixed i'm,
and red clover or lucerne to help out def
cenc.es. He considers these the most pro-
ductiye milk materials for the dairy.
"A correspondent of the Country Gentleman
neprecates the practice of burning weeds, stub
Die and vegetable refuse on the farm saving
that the soil is being deprived of the very mate
fial absolutely necessary to its permanent fer
tfllty-both plant food and the capacity for hold
Ing moisture. without which the former is COM
paratively useless. To this destruction of vege-
table matter Is due the impoverishment of the
soil far more than to exhaustion by the crops
and not until the destructive custom IL stopped
can anything like former fertility be restored.
The Germantown Telegraph says that ain
selecting old apple and pear trees for the pur-
pose CT grating care should be exercised to
take only those that retain their foliage late in
the autumn. They will insure the growing of
the graft sufficiently long to firmly establish it
and cause 1t to remain unaffected during the
winter. In every instance that have
tried to raise fruit from CRAFTS on old trees
1yhich shed their leaves early we have failed.
They grow for a few years, bear few specimens,
and then die"
- In setting plants make the ground mellow
and rich with manure for considerable space
around where the roots are placed, so they may
have chance to reach out. The roots should
have ample room; do not cramp them. When
The earth is well drawn up around the plant
place your feet carefully upon each side of it,
and - firm" the earth down solidly. This will
greatly increase the chance of its living, as it
prevents the soil from driving down to the
roots.
- The american Culirator saws: "Did you
ever try planting peas in hills? Make a large
hill, rich with wel-rotted compost or fertilizer;
chen take a nail keg, or something about that
size. and press it into the ground so as to make
q deep circle upon the hill; sow your peas in
that circle, and plant large pea brush in the
center You can grow as many peas to the acre
IN this way as in the drills. They are conve-
nient for the pickers, and they have neat and
tasty look in the garden. which is not small
Item, especially when you are trying new
method"
- The wonderful benefits of drain thing are
becoming more apparent daily. Mr. James
Gibson, OF Franklin township. has reclaimed
field Of sixty acres by thing. This piece of land
was little better than swamp. Only here and
there were there patches of ground that could
be cultivated I'm the dryest OF weather. By
laying a few hundred rods of thing, he is en-
abled to cultivate nearly the whole field. In
addition thereto the land has been increased in
value about S10 per acre. The value and bene-
fits OF thing are only beginning to be fully I'M
derstO0d. Thousands of acres in Story county
viii be speedily reclaimed by understanding.
which will make it one OF the richest stock
counties In the state.-Arne's Intelliqeneer.
- The Agriculhu-ist tells how to make two
story milking stool that presents number Of
cOnyeniences. board the width Of an ordi-
Iary stool seat and twice the length forms the
FIRST floor and rests upon four stout legs. The
two rear legs pass up through the long board
and furnish two legs for a short board above
that forms the seat. two front legs being placed
10 the stool. cleat is placed on the front edge
OF the long board TO keep the pail, which is set
On the front half of the first floor, from falling
OF during the process of milking. This arrange
Inent prevents any necessity for placing the pail
On the ground and brings it nearer TO the udder.
1t Is often desirable to know which is the
most profitable way to sell fOwls-alive dressed
Or both dressed and drawn. To find out weigh
fS md
again after being drawn. Record the weight
in each case, and then a little figuring, with
weight and market prices as basis. will soon
tell the inquirer what he wants to know.
Generally, we think ii will he found that selling
alive pays about as well as to dress particularly
l. the owners slime Is valuable and he is not an
expert at picking. Those who buy and dress
for market on large scale are generally experts
themselves at this work or have such artists
In their employ.-NGtional Farmer.
Frequent cultivation is a good substitute
for manure. but pays much better with manure
than without This We have tried on garden
crops, especially potatoes. cabbage. beans,
onions and other root crops. An old saw has
come down to us from the fathers that he who
woIlld have early cabbage sprouts must hoe
taen every morning before breakfast. We have
tiled this in spring time for mornings enough to
prove that IL Is not one of the old wives fables.
l. the early morning the dew is on, and this Is
Charged with an available amount of ammonia
sargace Is neglected a crust forms and the air
does not circulate in the soil.-Anaericdn Agri-
e.tIiITist.
Care should be taken to see that plants In
pots are given good drainage. This Is best
Secured by putting q lot of broken bricks or
pieces Of broken pots in the bottom of the
dOwer-pOt. These pieces should be as large as
EaZelnut or even larger. Over these pieces
some dried moss, sphagnum or peat should be
placed or even handful of dried grass II
nothing better can be had. This will prevent
the earth from falling among the fragments and
will insure complete drainage. 1t IL supposed.
OF course. that the regular ffower-pots are used
with a hole at the bottom for the escape Of the
water. II o box or other vessel be used a hole
should be made in the bottom. Persons who
have never tried the above method will be sur
prised with the difference it will make in their
plants. The earth in the pots should be kept
moist. but not wet; soggy, nor cold.
Every farmer is familiar with blowing, laying
OF rows and planting the seed In corn, but the
after cultivation is done In many different ways,
aecor ding to custom 1t has been aseertained
that the use OF smoothing harrow over the
field at the time the corn Is q few inches high is
OF great advantage 1t doing no injnry to the