Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-06
Notes of interest to Farmers


There are 600, 600 farmers in the United
States, the next largest number engaged
in other pursuits being the miners and
manufacturers, who number nearly 4,000,-
600.
The agricultural editor Of the New York
Times says lucerne or alfalfa is a much
overrated crop. 1t will thrive in hot
climate on soil where 1t can send it's roots
down several feet. 1t will not thrive I'M
der neglect.
The New York Tribune says the steam
pillow has been used to some extent in
England, and few wealthy agriculturists
have experimental with them here. One
lately put on an English farm is SAID to be
capable Of blowing from Is to Is acres per
day, turning burrows from to inches
deep and performing the work well.
The FdImerS' Magazine says: ''Next
year when you are putting in your seed
remember when two plants Of the same
kind are growing together one is a weed.
The most dangerous enemy plant can
have is another Of the me species grow
ing by its side, for they both feed on the
same food, and competition is the result.
Crotched or forked fruit trees ofany kind
can be keptfrom splitting down by twisting
together one twig from each of the main
branches. These twigs thus twisted to-
gether will in live years grow into solid
branch that cannot be broken. Twigs from
the size of lead pencil to half an inch in
diameter can be used for tais purpose.
The true idea of farm life is to build up
a comfortable home, not a temporary stop
ping place for a year or five years or until
it can be sold. 1t is next to impossible
for man to put the same zeal and thought
tul, painstaking work upon farm that
he intends to sell and leave as he does
II ho fo no md d &c
famIly's, 50 long as they need one.-Ihe
South.
1t now looks as though hOp-growing in
this country is at no distant day to have
it's centre i'll Washington Territory. Mr..
e. Meeker, of that Territory, is already
tue heaviest hop-grOwer in the United
States. The average yield per acre in
New York is $50 p unds; in Wis :onsin,
445 pounds; i'll California, 1,274 pounds,
and in Washington Territory l, ST. pounds.
The TURNER'S Magazine condemns the
practice pursued at poultry shows OF de-
barring the farmers fowl from COMPETE
ton. While admitting that the pure breeds
only should be encouraged, it is suggested
that * raOrdinary gOOd-laying hens
should be given premiums, and If pre-
MUM should be offered to the best laying
hen OF any breed, no doubt competition
would be close and the attendance larger.
Plants require food of two distinct
kinds: food for their organic part, and
food for their inorganic or mineral part.
From the stores existing in the atmOs-
phere, in the form of carbOnic acid and
ammonia, they receive partly the food
which nourishes their organic part and
partly from the organic matter in the soil.
That which nOurishes their inorganic OF
mineral part comes solely from the soil.
Tillage operations tend to increase plant
food in the soil.
A sick horse that cannot be induced to
lie down in any other way will often take
to a bed of clean, bright straw. The
farmer who desires to increase the size
and quality of his manure pile should use
plenty of bedding under his stock; be-
sides the increase of fertilizers for his
land he will add much to the comfort of
his stock. Whether kept in a stable or in
yards, it should be provided with clean
place to sleep in at night and in winter,
with plenty of warm, clean bedding.
1t is very rare that soil is rich enough
to bear successive crops of the same kind
of grain without eXhausting fertility; but
by changing crops different elements of
plant food are required. This gives the
soil chance to recuperate. By the time
the grain crop comes around in the rOta-
ton the soil is ready with another supply
of the needed food. Rotation may, there
fore, be considered negative kind of ma
nuring; but there is limit beyond which
its good results do not extend. american
CuttiUdtOr.
In DIR. Sturtevant's experiments this
past season the White Whipple, a seed
ling potato Of some prominence yielded
the largest weight Of tubers, being at the
rate Of 1872 bushels per acre, with no I'M
merchantable potatoes among them. The
White Star came next, yielding at the rate
of 81 bushels per acre. The late Beauty
of Hebron was very prolific, but it rotted
badly. The potatoes were all grown on
rather heavy soil, not the surestfor secur-
ing either the best yield or quality.
In Popular Science Monthly Nfr. August
Vogel states that the colors OF flowers
may be changed by cultivation. Tannin
is an important factor in the generation
of cOlors, and it is found in almost every
plant. 1t assumes the most manifold hues.
from pale rose to deep red. A darker color
is produced in plants rich in tannin when
MANFRED with iron salts, since, as every
body knows, tannin and iron salts dye
/ black and produce ink. In raising dahlias
! and hortensias, the latter, which in ordi.