Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-12-04
horticultural Notes.

The 100000 catalpa twigs which
President Mackey, of the Evansville
u Terre Haute railroad set out two
years ago are now three inches in di-
ameter and growing vigorously. Five
years from now it is expected they will
furnish cross ties.
"A huge chestnut tree, which sprung
from seed thirty three years ago last
spring, is growing on the farm of O.
Root, at Otsego, Columbia county. 1t
measures around the trunk over six
feet, has large spreading branches, and
has never been winter killed or in the
least injured by frost, and has borne a
few chestnuts annually for the last Is
years.
There are some plants grown in
the garden that are grass feeders.
Such plants will appropriate any
quantity of manure that may be given
them. Cabbage, celery and asparagus
are such, and in order to push them
forward rap idly there is nothing
superior to an occasional application
of liquid manure, followed the n ext
day by a hoeing. The more such
crops are worked the better.
The superintendent of some ex-
perimental farm states that for three
years past he has grown lima beans
without poles or stakes by persistent
pinching back after they reached the
desired height-almost that of com
mon bunch beans. He is confident
the crop is very perceptibly earlier,
and thinks it is increased in quantity,
the plant being checked in its growth
of vine, expanding its energy in fruit
production. The Fruit Recorder
states that on it's farm some were so
treated, and they were loaded with
fruit
Apples may be stored in pits like
potatoes, and if kept dry and frost
proof, will come out in fine condition
iH the spring. Il is fact, however,
that apples thus stored decay more
rapidly when removed from the pits
than similar fruit stored in dry house
with an even temperature, only few
degrees above the freezing point.
When apples are kept in pits for the
spring market, they should be skipped
as soon as possible after being remov
ed, and not to a very distant city.
Pltted apples Will need frequent assort-
ing when exposed for sale. Tie
apple crop this year is heavy, and
only the best fruit should be stored in
any manner. Let it be remembered
that fruit keeps best in a dry, cool,
and dark room. Pits are inexpensive,
and if well made, not large, the fruit
separated from the earth by straw,
and when opened, quickly marketed,
there need be no great loss of fruit.
Parker Earle, the well known
fruit grower of Illinois, believes that
the soil on which strawberries grow
has much to do with their shipping
qualities. His experience teaches him
that berries grown on poor, sandy
soil will hardly endure shipping
hundred miles, while the same varie-
ties of berries from stronger, better
land possess great shipping capabil-
ity. He also calls attention to the
fact that purchasers, as a rule, pay
more for berries of attractive appear
ance than for flavor, an illustration
of which is the Monarch, of high fla
vor but poor color, which is rejected
for Wilson or Captain Jack, both sour
but we'll colored.
We often pass farms presenting
every appearance of thrift, yet along
the roadside in fence corners and
thickets of which two or three women
may be seen hunting for few
parched black berries or raspberries.
If we found out that those women be-
longed to the farm we admired, we
were always obliged to decide that
something IN the management of the
farm was neglected If the farmers
wife, who of all Others should have
small fruits and vegetables within her
easy reach, is obliged TO scour hot
roadsides and tangled hills for berries,
we do not wonder that dreams of the
city entice away the daughters. Am.
Cultivator.