Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-01-26
FA.sY AND aAs.x.E1.
Notes and suggestions.

hold
The grape thrives well on rich, loamy soil,
or on the poor. gravelly hi.lsides. Like other
vines. however, it does best when well cultiva-
ted and carefully managed.
The HusJarGmon reports that gas lime
after lying two years had given proof of value
as a fertilizer. though the first year il appeared
to inlure the wheat.
In some sections OF the south the Bermuda
grass is being cultivated. Once rooted it is
hard to eradicate, but "a il seems to thrive well
during seasons of drought it has been used
pasturage in preference to less hardy grasses.
The claim that stumps may be extracted by
boring holes into them and filling the holes
with saitpeteT has not been borne out by facts.
II does well in dry season. but the stumps
burn easily. without the aid of saltpeter. during
such periods
Agriculture. says the Journal Of Aqfic,tl-
t,ne should never he entirely divorced from
horticulture. 4 farm is not u whole farm tn
less there is somewhere Il home upon it. ard
true rural home cannot De without shade trees
and fruit trees and lawn and garden. Ayr
culture may provide the income, but horticul-
ture makes the home The beauties and deli
cac;es OF the flrrn proceed more from the
orchard and garden than from the farm: and
the farmer who ignores horticulture is ignoring
one source OF comfort and happiness
The New York Times says that lime seems
to be a preventive Ofrot In potatoes in the cell
lar. Some potatoes that We're rottng and were
picked out of a heap OF forty or fifty bushels
were tut into corner and well busted with
air Stacked lime. They stopped rotting at once,
and the Gecayed parts are now dried up.
There is no disagreeable smell about them.
Those who have meadow land that has been
drained and seeded down to the better quail
ties of grasses often find it necessary the Massa
chuSettS Pi0uG'tnGn says. to apply dressing of
sand. experience teaching that 1t very much
improves the condition of the grass roots and
Increases the crop of grass sometimes quite as
much as a dressing of manure. The reason why
this - so. icw stop to inquire. The application
of sand to ameadOw often acconplshes
double purpose First, it lightens up the soil
and gives the water chance to drain off, and
second. 1t furnishes 4 silica to.the grass which
is necessary to strengthen the stalk.
An cid farmer, who has carefully tested the
matter thinks that he can secure better results
from scalding the feed for his cattle than by
steaming or any other method of cooking. He
puts the cut iced in his trough pours in hot
water and tHcn puts on meal then follows up
with more hot water and closes the tank. This
operation is done in the morning. and by even
Ing the food thus prepared will be soft and
paatable. He always prepares in the morning
the feed that will be used i'm the evening" and
vice versa Stock feed in this manner will come
out at the end Ofthe winter in fine condition
and with smooth and glossy hair, indicating
perfect health.-Stockn,an.
A correspondent of Ticks Magazine saws:
There are very few people not fond of lettuce
In the early spring Having removed from the
city W here early lettuce could be bought at the
markets. was much at loss for this refresh
ing salad plant-at least, until quite warm
weather. Knowing it to be quite hardy last
autumn sOwed some seed in a warm, dry spot
and In a week or two the plants We're up. Be
fore hard frost placed around my little patch
some bOaTds-tO be particular an old door
frame-and over this some loose boards, cover
ing about twO-thirds of the space so that there
was about one-third uncovered for light and
air 1t was where 1t got the best of the sum-
sl0plng southeast. and il was surprise to find
how early lad young lettuce from this rude
bed OF course. this will be no benefit to those
who have hot beds and other cOnveniences for
forcing vegetables. but to very many of your
READERS think the knowledge may be useful.
Some fruit growers are of the opinion that
there is no cure for fellows peach trees but
Claim that the disease may be prevented by
ludiciOus management Peach trees should be
cultivated. not plou@hed. and kept clean for the
first three or four years. After that time a
grass crop may be permitted but the land
should be annually brOadcasted with some
fertilizer rich in potash. The bOrers must be
Kept away and all dead branches carefully
removed.
Professor Bessey has recently been showing
in his lectures how among the advantages of
rotation OF crops is the Kidding of the soil of
fungus grOWthS and insects which, where the
same crop Is grown year after year. are certain
To find easy means of subsistence. Smut. he
SfNS. grows up through IHp interior or wheat
Pant. and finally develops its spores within the
bran casing of the grain. filing it with seeds of
the parasite which stick fast to sound grains
a wheat. and also tO Particles of the soil where
tEey are ready to enter into the circulation of
next years wheat. unless killed by sleeping
The polluted seed in blue yitrOl solution and
drying OF With lime. The polluted soils purified
only - using II for some other crop on which
the smut plant cannot take hold. Smut. in
1aCt. although al extremely low form Of vege-
table growth, Is still an organic vegetable and
may even be described as q parasite weed
LOE5Gf; GTIptic.
Joseph Harris gives an account Of his car
rot crop i'll his seed catalogue, his object being
10 save needless expense. The seed was sOwn
In rows II inches apart. The plants came up
thick and when he most wanted his day hands
they left him. He kept the cultivator running
within an inch of the plants. which kept down
the weeds. and the carrots grew with aston
ishin% rapidity." But they must be thinned or
the crop would be worthless. SO the men went
through the patch with hoes and cut spaces
clear across. the width of the hoe. leaving
punches of four to ten Young carrots The Gull
tIvator was kept going, and after harvest the
weeds which escaped were cut out by hand
The entire labor thus expended was no more
than Tor crop OF potatoes, and Mr.. Harris saws
Il DO not want a better crop" The roots were
diverse in size. but the whole crop was larger
than where regularly thinned
II correspondent of the New York Times
tells how he had fresh pe-plant pies during the
winter: Last fall took up a quantity of rhu-
barb roots and instead OF throwing them AWAY
as ! intended at first. dug them up with plenty
OF SOIL packed them i'll half barrels and put
them into the cellar. In n short time they
sprouted and made large shoots which served
Tor pies and tarts through the winter in a very
acceptable manner. OF course the roots We're
exhausted 10y this growth and of no further
use. but II was 10 more trouble to throw them
away then than in the fall and there was q
good deal gained by keeping them over. Old
rhGtarb roots are greatly improved 10y taking
them up ami rcrIdnting. Each root NAV be
broken up into several pieces. and this work
may be done now better than in the spring"
The late Mr.. Parish c. Furlnan gave this
good aGvic" IN regard to the Importance of sta
DING cSttie at Iii sht: Il satisfied we-fed
COW vii make fronhe drOppngs at night alone
80 Wcrth 81 manure III the course of "a wear"
He also says: DO not be satisfied with what
You get Ia yuur stables Remember that humus
Is dccayed organic matter. and that leaves and
muck are line forms OIL Gather all the de-
calcd matter from the bitches ard fence cor
Eels. and add them to the decaying piles for
WINTER composing. Also. 90 to the ponds and
branches and gather the mud and muck mix it
with a little land plaster. let II dry and add
To The heap In short. turn your attention
accommodating humus, for the man who dill
gently works at the compost heap is building
up sure and firm foundation"
Mr. j. X. Dodge. the statistician of the Az
riGUltural dpparrruput has iuSf onp,ploto5 mo