The National tribune., 1883-10-25

olved. and withdraw from the fire. When
he solution has become cold. complete twenty
FIVE ounces with water, and add laalPblack
enough to bring the preparation TO a suitable
consistency. When it is to be used with q
STENCIL it must be made thicker than when it
is applied with brush The above gives a
black ink. For red ink substitute Venetian
red for lsmpblack; for blue, ultFamarine; and
for green mixture Of ultramsrine and chrome
yellow.
KEEPING ROSES IN WINTER.
One of the best methods of protecting tender
roses IN winter is 20 lay them lat on the ground,
fastening down the shoots with pegs or stakes.
and covering the stems with two inches or 80
Of sand or earth. The roses which are too ten
der to stand the winters of the northern States
even with this covering may be lifted with
slight balls Of earth all the young immature
shoots aud points trimmed Off and the plants
placed in a cool cellar, close together, with sand
sprinkled among them. IS 20 efFcetualiy cover
the roots lighted cellar IS not important
Another way Is to lit them as above and select
ing high and perfectly well surfaee-drained
spot OF soil, heesing them in slight trench,
pressing the ground firmly over the roots and
banking up the soil over the branches, forming
slightly rounding mound. so as to completely
throw OIL the rains. They must be uncovered
in spring before the growths advance.
TILLAeE AND DRoUTH.
The following facts should be considered "a
worthy of moro than passing notice: NessIer
found that titled soil lost only ons-third OF the
water that untitled soil did, and that titled
soil was drier at the top than ansnntiIled soil
Professor Stockbridge of Amherst, in his trials,
found that . box OF clay stirred every day to
the depth of four inches lost in seven days AZ
the rate OF 904 barrels. and untitled soil at the
rate OF 1,O70 barrels. With light sand the loss
from the titled box was 5l2 barrels and froEa
the untitled 1875 barrels per acre. DIT Sturte-
want in trials with boxes whose sides were
forced into the solid ground and bottom put in
from below, found that in fifteen days from
July q 212 gallons of water were daily saved.
Untitled boxes lost 1913 gallons, and titled
soil only l,060 gallons. The practical appiics-
tion of these facts should not be forgotten IN
times of drouth.
OSTRICH FARMING.
Among the first numbers Of Rural Tapicsg
we made some notes on ostrich farming Since
that time importatiOns Of these birds have been
received in California, where, it is understood,
they are thriving very we'll Wesee it noticed
that wealthy company are about TO engage IN
| this business IN Texas, where large tracts 0f
land have been secured for the purpose Of breed
ing and growing ostriehes. Great expectations
are raised with regard to the profits of the
scheme. The birds viii be hatehed artifeialIy:
which is considered to be the best method Of
increasing the stock. Thousands Of dOilarsare
now sent abroad for these feathers which in
| future will be retained in the country.
HoTELETs
1t IS in the line of purest economy TO drain
all lands which are to be put under cultivation.
All progress in the knowledge Of plant econ0-
my point TO the propFiety Of keeping lands
constantly in a growing crop and TO their being
underdraiHed. A plOwed field uncTopped and
undrained is washed free Of much of its nRtri-
/ tive properties with every heavy rainfall. OF
course there IS some loss IN the drainage water,
/ but that is known to be triaing compared to
the surface washings into low spots and
/ bitches.
| Wherever you observe the black knot on
! plum or cherry trees cut OF the affected twigs
and burn them, or bury them deeply IN tbs
| ground. It IS a common opinion held by those
/ whose trees have never been subject 10 this
| disease, that good culture prevents it, but IL
asked what they mean by good culture IN this
connection they do not enter into particulars
because they cannot show any relation between
| so-called good or bad treatment in relation to
| this disease.
Rye for early spring pasturage may be
| sown up to frost. II Is Oaa of the hardest
of grains. 1t win vegetate ut very low
/ temperature, and stand very severe frosts.
even IN its youngest state. Even if It does
not put in an appearance before winter, it viii
start early in spring.
An exchange remarks that it is important
that pigs should have their meals at regular
| times: they viii then look for their food as
the proper time, and lie still during the inter-
| walls. When fed irregularly they VIII pass
| much Of their time IN loud demonstrations for
| more; and this is equally true with all other
animals
1t is said that one ounce of comb win hold
| about one pound Of honey, and BY many and
careful experiments, it has been proved that is
takes twenty pounds of honey to manufacture
one pound of wax.
Among all the fertilizers proposed for
grapevines, none embOdy more of the necessary
ingredients than bone meal II should be ap-
piled early IN the season. About ton TO the
acre makes dressing that viii prove effective
for many years.
I'm Switzerland and other parts Of Europe
ripe grapes are considered specific for dys-
pepsia, consumption and other complaints
Their medical effect Is supposed to be due %
the bi-tartrate of potash they eontain-
Hot alum, says a chemical journal, IS the
best insect destroyer known Put the alum
into hot water and let it boil till all the alum
is dissolved; then apply il hot with brush to
all cracks closets, bedsteads and other places
where insects are found. Ants, bedbugs cock
reaches and creeping things generally are
destroyed b. it, while there is no danger Of
poisoning the family or injHring property.
1t is stated that if an ounce OF suip phur Is
sprinkied along the back of q cow from the
| horns TO the tail, twice at least during tha
summer and well rubbed in with a corneob, so
as to work down 70 the skin, the animal viii
not be troubled with grubs in the back or
yermin of any kind, and viii be more quies
every Way.
/ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.
Our Agricultural Editors Weekly Chat With Hia
Readers.
A correspondent writing from Dakota has
the following remarks about blowing with
steam power:
How is it that steam plows not in general uss
upon our extensive fields; surely there no
lands IN the world where they could better be ap-
Piled 1 saw traction engines at the Centennial
in Philadelphia, and have been wondering ever
since why some one did not hitch such locomotives
to plows-
ARs. Without knowing much about steam
plows, we would remark that the plan of Using
locomotive engines TO drag plows across fields
was among the first efforts in trying TO pi0w
with steam power, and it has occasionally been
tried since, but il has always ultimately been
abandoned, and the only success has, so Ear,
been with stationary engines dragging plOws
to and from them by means Of ropes and pull
leys. The preference is to have two engines,
one on each side of tbs field, each one pulling
the plows towards it Ii seems that methods
must sooner or later be adopted for the more
speedy ploWing, narrowing, and seeding Of our
crops. The machinery for harvesting crops is
rH