The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-10-24
USEFUL INFORMATION.

Plants in Pits-The following practical di-
rections for the management of plants in pits,
from the Gardener Monthly, are appropriate at
the present time: "Plants, stored away for the
winter in cold pits require more care for the first
month or so than at any time during the winter
season. Many of them have unripened shoots, or
shed many of their leaves, and unless they be cut
off and removed, gangrene and decay commit dis
tressing havoc. Air should be given at every OPP
portunity and nothing omitted that will in any
way tend to harden the plants and set vegetation
to rest No more water should be given than
Just sufficient to prevent whitening, and the tenn
perature should be kept as near forty degrees as
possible, and every chance taken to render the
air about the plants dry. When frost actually
does come, no further than protection from
its embraces will then be required. Plants so
hardened may stay covered up for weeks without
any light or air, and secure from the slightest in
jury. Mice constitute the most troublesome
enemy in the pit closed for any length of time.
As yet we have found nothing better than to take
peas and soak them twenty -four hours in water,
then roll in arsenic and sow in the pit as if in the
regular way of seed sowing. few peas so pre-
pared should be placed in the pit before perma-
nentIy closed up. The mice usually make for these
peas at their first entrance to the pits. If placed
in the soil they seem to guess your secret, and
will not "bite."
Attend to Your Heating Apparatus
Householders should at this season of the year
overhaul their heating apparatus and see that it
is carefully repaired and in good order. CHM
neys should be examined, defective fues" recti-
fed, and nothing left to chance that would serve
as protection against possible danger from fires.
1t has long been noted that the fall season is pro-
life of fires. Many and serious accidents have
happened at this time, much loss of property SUI
fered and not seldom life has been lost, all through
the want of little care during this month in see
ing that the heating apparatus of houses is in
good order. 1t is mistake to suppose that the
house fues which were good and sound in
May or june when the fires were put out, are
necessarily as good now when the fires are being
reit. The dampness to which fues are subjected
in summer has done its oxidizing work upon them,
though they have not been heated srtifcially.
Housekeepers should pay especial attention to
this important matter
Curing Chestnuts.-The chestnut is not
strictly fruit, but thousands of boys and girls
like to eat it in late fall or winter, and many of
them do not know how to preserve it so that it
shall be pleasant eating in winter. Generally it
soon becomes as hard and dry as marble, but this
is unnecessary. When first gathered put the nuts
in common bag-not a paper one-and expose
them a few days to the sun and air ON some roof,
wood pile or fence. Stir them over occasionally,
so that they do not sweat and mold. They will
become little willy, and when this is the case
uniformly and they seem dry, hang them in the
cellar-not in any chest or closet up-stairs-so
that no mouse, squirrel or rat can reach them. If
properly cured when placed there they will remain
sweet and soft all winter; if rot cured they will
mold in the cellar, while above the cellar they will
become too hard for anybody's teeth.
Feeding Turkeys.-Th season of the year,
says the Poultry Journal, just previous to the
time for marketing turkeys, is the most critical
stage in feeding with the exception of few weeks
after they are Matched. 1t is customary with
some farmers to pen them up and throw them the
feed careessly, allowing them to tramp it under
their feet in all the filth of the pen, before it is
half eaten. The proper way is to place them in
them to put their heads through. On the out
side should be placed trough for corn, in a con-
venient place, one for water, and if they are fed
whole corn, one for gravel. By exercising little
forethought and the turkeys will improve
wonderfully within few days and will repay for
the labor expended.