The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-07-19
RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
To the Editor NArIoNAL TnEBuxE:


very well until lately. l find that the berries
on the Lady Washington seem 10 shrlvel, become
blackened and dry up, although the leaves are
green and tie young groWths vigorous Inc
leaves on the Prentiss are spotted aad brown III
places this plant showed the same appearance
last year and coed portion Of the leaves drop
ped about the end OF July. Do not like its ap-
pearance al present, the leaves seem to be going
as last year, only lutte earlier. The P0Ck-
lington is the greatest grower Of the lot, its
leaves resemble those OF the Concord, and II
its fruit proves TO be as good as that kind VIII
have fine white grape. The Duchess is also
represented as q white grape. My plant has
done very well, and shows this year some
punches which are small and thick. The
Brighton has also made very good progress.
Last summer / thought its leaves were follow
ing those OF the Prenfiss bat they cid rot
drop This is a red grape when ripe. All the
others mentioned arc white varieties. j have
one vine of the Salem, which has frgited for
several years. ii is a fine fruit but is very I'M
equal in its lunches, having some good, but
mostly they are bur nubbins.
Yours, &c, DOVER, Delaware.
KEEP THE GROUND COVERED.
Just before the last blowing or cuitivating of
corn scGttcr rye at the rate Of about bushel
and half to the acre. This Will give good
pasturage for stock during the fall aud next
spring, upon which they VIII thrive admirably.
When blowing and seeding time comes round
next year there will be some green material 10
turn under, which will be found of much use to
whatever crop may be put N.
ENCOURAGE FROGS.
A manipulation of the lowe Agricultural Col
lege, while dissecfing frog. found that it was
goreed with insects and he counted from its
stomach seven leaf chafers, besides two cater
pillars, couple OF spiders. and two or three
ground beetles, which, considering the compare
tive size of the frog and the insects, were quite
meal, the greatest portion ofwhich, ii will be
seen, consisted of injurious insects.
BEST GRAPE TRELLIs.
A good many years ago, while visiting a friend
at West Chester Pa, / saw mole of training
grape vines which / thought was well worth
copying. A large cedar tree, from some cause
or other, died. A couple of Concord grapes Were
planted and allowed 70 grow up among the
branches of the dead tree, the head of which
had, however, been thinned ont, and many
branches removed. The vines had complete
possession of the whole top and made one of the
most ornamental things have ever seen. The
product of grapes, as stated, seemed to me eX-
traordinary, / think about seven bushels This
lis good way TO train vines.-Iover, Della
ware
TURNIPs.
The climate over the largest portion OF the
mer for the production Of the turniP crop. This
has more to do with the failures in the produc-
ton Of beet-roOt sugar than any other factor.
Beets. Swedish turnips, and mangel-wurzel
require longer season for growth than is
necessary for some varieties Of the common
turnip, SO that by selecting favorable periods
of the spring and fail fairly good crops Of the
white and purple strap-leaved turnips may be
secured in all parts of the country, even to
Southern Florida. One Of the very best nanures
for turnips is bone-meal. On ordinary arabic
land which has been thoroughly ployed-thai
Is has had at least two plowings just before
eeeding-an application of five hundred pounds
of bone-neal per acre viii bring good crop O
turnips, SO far as fertilizers are concerned.
Although we have seen famous crops of tur
nips from broadcast sowing, yet il mas only beer
ia fields which were carefully thinned out
Drill culture is by far the most systematic q,
well as the more profitable rnethca Of growing
root crops Of this kind. Drills, thirty inches
apart, and the plants thinned out SO as TO bt
about ten inches from each other in the rows
are proper distances. Even when We have beer
compelled to SOW the seeds broadcast we hav,
found it advisable to run them into rows b,
carefully running the cultivator, so as TO de
stroy all intermediate plants. BY careful
management d very uniform system Of row
may be left.
FEATURES OF HOP CULTURE.
The Albany EUening Journal has the following
ON hop culture: " No other crop shows neglec
or incompetent cultivation so quickly as tn
hop. No other crop is so difficult Of s1ecessiu
cultivation. An unduiating country, or highe
altitude than the ordinary surface is a requisite
An alluyial soil, high and dry, il another essen
tial qualification for profitable raising and pro
duction. Low ground invites mould and rot
There the hop aphis, or louise, and innumerabl
bugs and insects feed fat upon the hop, TO it
destruction. The aphis is, however, ubiqui
tOus, and is a source of trouble and anxiety &
every grower. The root of the hop, too, is Sc
upon by worms peculiar to the hop, which oftel
eat through the vine after it is well up tn
pole. Again, and later in the course Of devel
opment rust is apt TO settle upon the recentl,
budded hops, making it necessary 10 pick then
many times before they are ripe. Constan
attention from spring until fall-killing insects
overcoming the work OF WORMS, bugs. ant
insects avoiding mould and rust-is required.
THE HERNIA PLANT
The Henna plant, Laws0aia aba, is a shrn
found in Egypt, Syria, Persia, aud Nortl
Africa. From very remote ages its leaves hay
been used to produce the famous Henna dye
Ancient writers mention the plant under tn
name OF Cypras. 1t was employed ia mo6icin
as well as cosmetic, and its astringent an
tinct0rial properties were recognized. For dye
ing fabrics, the leaves are partly dried, thel
a
water, and yields rich, reddish brown dye. ]
is used by the Arabs for dyeiog wool an
leather, and mixed with salt Of iron il give
fine black color, used for dyeing silk. HEM
powder is the dried leaves reduced 10 powder
III is used by Arabian women to dye their finge
and tOe-naiis, TO tinge their tinger-tips, and j
other ways to enhance their beauty Ii is ais
used By the men TO color their boards and til
manes and tails Of their horses. The paste
applied as poultice, and when removed til
parts are anonted with Oil to give greater bril-
fancy to the color. The cCl0fing principle
called hemOtanais; it is still an article Of con
merce in Egypt and from ten to twelve tor
are yearly exported from the port OF Alexal
dTia. a fragrant water is distilled from I'll
flowers, which is employed as a perfume
baths The flowers are gathered by Buddhist
who present them Is offerings TO their gods I'll
plant is called Henna by the Persians, Rhann
by the Egyptians, Alabama by the Arab
EeDdee by the Indians Of tie East, and in I'll
West Indies, where il las been introduced, il
known as Jamaica MignoBette.
KILLING WEEDS
1t is always well to bear in mind that 1
constantly cutting all the leaves from plan
they viii die. Even such plants as thistle
blackbeITies, (which are often great nuisant
In old felds,3 Eassaf-as, Euuac &c. can
Eubdaed by constantly cutting OF the leay
and destroying the tender growtls. Many
these plants propagate quickly from pieces
the roots SO that when they are merely plosgs
down it tends to increase the plants. Shallo
culture is better than deep piowing: re,eatl