The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-24
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
IN THE CULTURE OF cRors.

ESSENTIALS IN THE CULTURE OF CROPS.
Every person who has closely observed the
operations of culture for series of years, will
agree in the statement that the three main
points are draining, subsoling. and mulching
If there is any one element in plant growth
of more importance than another, it is water
Crops usually fail or succeed in proportion as
they receive uniform supply of water. Hence,
one of the chief objects of the eultivator is, as
far as practicable, to guard against either de-
fciency or excess of this element. And this is
greatly under his control; the three operations
of draining, subsoiling and mulching, when
properly understood, enable him to regard with
comparative indifference whether the season
is dry or wet. In wet seasons the drains re-
move all superfiuous water subsoiling allows
roots to reach depth where they are beyond
the reach of surface evaporation, and mulch
ing the surface, in excessive drouths keeps
the water in the soil for the benefit of the
plants.
It is common to hear objections to draining
lands on the ground that it is worse than use
less in dry, hot climate; but it is enough to
state that even q sandy soil, If drained and
subssiled, viii support a stronger vegetation
afterwards than it ever could before being sub
Jected TO these operations. Stirring mp the
snbsoil only enlarges the area for the absorp-
tion of moisture. 1t is not necessary to bring
the poor subson to the surface; but it should
be loosened SO that water viii freely sink
through it after the ground has absorbed all
that it can retain. This retained moisture be-
comes available for the roots of plants.
Draining and subsoiling, therefore, tend to
increase the amount of available moisture in
the soil. To keep it there for the benefit Of
vegetation, and to prevent its escaping by mere
surface evaporation, we have recourse to mulch
ing. This simply means to cover the surface
with any open, lo0se-lying material, such as
manure, straw, tan-bark, grass-cuttings, &c.
Where none of these articles can be made avail
able the best substitute is few inches of finely
pulyerized soil on the surface; this can always
be secured by the hoe, harrow, or cultivator
In the culture of vegetables and small fruits,
mulching can readily be applied, and it will
add greatly to the value of any crop. We
would again repeat that the three principal
operations in soil culture are draining, sub5oil-
ing, and mulching-
WHAT TO PLANT.
The Rural Nelc- Yorkersays as follows: AWssay
plant the Cuthhert raspberry for late, the Han
sci for early--both are Of bright red color,
and suitable for market as well as for home
use. For yellow, plant the Caroline. Tt is
hardy and productive, though not of the first
quality. For canning, or for table use if you
like fruit full Of raspberry favor though a
little TART plant Shaefer's Colossal Il is rather
| dark in color for market, and perhaps a little
soft. For hardy, early red raspberry that is
sweet and delicious for home use, plant the
Turner. For a raspberry that IS excellent In
every way, plant the new Marlborough. For
the earliest and most productive Of black-eaps,
! plant the S0uhegan. For larger and later
| blaek-cap, plant the Gregg. For earTants, plant
| the Fay's Prolific for red and the White Grape
currant for white For grapes, plant the Lady
| for earliest white Moore's Early and Worden
| for early black. For later plant the Victoria
4 Drn Va~
gennes Jefferson, Brighton or Centennial for
red, and the Wilder, Herbert or Barry for black.
! For Strawberries, try the Cumberland Triumph,
/ Charles Downing Sharpless, Manchester (pistil-
! latel, Daniel Boone, James Wick, Mount
| Vernon, Hartes Minnesota and Kentucky.
You cannot select a better list for trial, unless
| by experience you know already what vari-
cites viii succeed best on your land"
| FRESH EARTH
| In locking over an old gardening book
printed in 1852, we find frequent mention Of
| the virtues of fresh earth" This is recon-
mended as q famous dressing for your orchard
| trees and bushes and for your grass plats," etc.
This old custom is worthy of consideration.
| One of the most satisfactory orchards of dwarf
pear trees which we have ever seen had been
kept in grass for many years; all that it received
/ IN the way OF fertilizIng was sprinkling of
earth spread over the ground in the fall But
little attention was given to richness of the
soil used 1t was procured usually from the
| eorn-6eld, as being the most convenient TO dig
/ from. The owner insisted that any kind of
| soil answered his purpose. so that it would
crumble down and disappear among the roots
| of the grass. We recall an instance where a
farmer, in removing the surface soil from a spot
| where he intended putting up some kind of a
She'd spread it thinly over portion of
grass field. The soil seemed so poor that it
appeared to us a waste of time applying such
| material; but the spring growth was so marked
| where the soil was spread that it formed a
| which received none. After all there is soma
| virtue IN fresh earth.
AIsIEE CLovER AS HONEY PLANT.
A writer in the Germantown Telegraph says
that Alske clover is one of the best honey
plants known, and Will yield more honey to the
acre than any other field crop. He states that
/ 1t is now well established beyond successful
contradiction that it viii at least produce Eve
hundred to eight hundred pounds per acre OF
the best favored honey known. 1t is far ahead
of the white clover or bass wood as honey
plant, and is valuable for hay, producing often
two TO three tons to the acre of the best hay for
cattle. Its stems are more sueeulent and have
less woody fiber than the stems of common
clover and it is eaten by all stock much cleaner
and without waste. It is as easily cut and cared
for as other hay, and will also produce two crops
|
1 Fenr pounds is sufficient quantity of seed tC
SOW ON an acre. 1t is hardy clover, and viii
stand well in a northern climate. 1t is bien-
NAL plant so that it is of no use TO try to grow
it for more than two years. a new plant should be
seeded yearly TO keep up supply on the farm
sILos.
When silos were first introduced they were
costly affairs compared 10 what is now proposed
The introducer of these reeeptaeles for green
fodder had them built of stone and cement and
made very strong TO resist the great pressure
placed upon them. Then we heard of successful
storage in pits dug In the field without any
building whatever. Now it is announced that
good results have been obtained by merely piling
the cut material under an open she'd the side:
left uncovered, and the pile raised to about
twelve feet in height, on which were placed
pianSs and stones representing weight of p
| cwts. per square yard. When fermentation haG
taken place this height was reduced to about
three feet in height. When opened it was found
that about eight inches OF the surface was dam
aged while the interior was in good order anG
greedily eaten by stock.
FOOD FOR TIE SEASON.
This is the season when you should feed roo
and vegetable food In conjunction with graiI
to your fowl stock, to take the place of graS
and other green stuff that they were aecus
toned TO in mild weather If poulterers would
believe how valuable and sncculent potatoes
cabbage, turnips and carrots are, when cooked