The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-05-07
which tends to dull the appetite and
thus iniure the general health.

At recent gathering of farmers it was
said that the average yield OF potatoes In
a district where they are largely grown
for shipping was less than 100 bushels
per acre. One farmer put it at less than
seventy-five Yet in the same nelghbor-
hood crops of $50 to 800 bushels OF
marketable potatoes were grown last
season.
The gray worms with green heads,
which infest strawberry beds to their
great harm, may, it is said. be destroyed
in May by sprinkling weak solution o..
London purple. A slight poisoning OF
the foliage will destroy them at TINS
stage. and close chemical analysis fails
to detect any sign of poison when the
fruit is ripe.
Over a hole from which an apple tree
was dug. and which was afterward hileo
with rich earth from the roadside. par
snip was grown last season that reacheu
fully thirty inches below the surface, anu
was otherwise large in proportion. For
carrots and parsnips the sol! can scarcely
be made too deep, provided 1t IS 1er'lle
all the way down.
In Florida orange groves rye IS sown
among the trees, covering the sand, keep
ing The roots moist and cool, and absorb
ing much of the heavy due. The rye IS
in due time plowed in, and preparation
made for another cror Would not tie
sowing of rye among fruit trees ia other
sections of the country, particularly
among young peach trees, be useful in
protecting the tender bark from the Bills
teriup rays of the sun, and in enriching
the soil!
1t is a great mistake to think that the
secret of good farming is only to raise
what will give immediate profitable re-
turns, without taking the way Ill which
the land was left into consideration, says
the Rural Home. Some farmers say that
owing 10 the price of labor, they can
buy corn cheaper than they can raise it.
But by raising it large quantity of fod-
der is obtained, enabling the farmer to
feed more cattle, to make more manure,
and the next year more corn.
Wood ashes contain all the required
elements of plant nutrition, except nj
trogen. One hundred pounds OF wood
ashes contain sixteen pounds Of potash,
worth eighty cents; three and half
pounds OF soda, worth two cents; sixty
seven pounds of lime and magnesla,
worth eight cents; five aud threeauar
ter pounds of phosphoric acid, worth
twenty six cents. In market the cheap
est form of manurial materials con-
tanned in 100 pounds of ashes would
cost $116.
An English medical journal suggests
danger to horses at public drinking
troughs. 1t believes that CHAMBERS are
spread among horses in this way, and
recommends stand pipe and bucket as
the safest and best arrangement for wat
ering animals in cities. 1t is more COM
Portable for the horse, who has not to
strain his neck against the collar to reach
the water, the water Is fresher and more
palatab!e, and there is far less danger of
its being contaminated with dust, dirt,
and the germs Of disease.
Every garden should have small bed
of sage, thyme, savory, parsley and mar
joram. In fact, no garden is complete
without them. They can be grown from
seed, and once obtained remain for a
long time, being propagated by the seeds
and roots. A vacant corner serves as a
good place for them, or along the mar
gin of the walks. The great difficulty
with herbs is that they arc usually neg
lected and allowed to die away. If they
are to be permanent they should receive
not only care but an occasional manur,
ing.
When clover seed is sown very early il
terminates so slowly that little of it is
sprouted before the soil is open and
warmed by the spring heat. The seet
will partially swell with every spell o
warm weather. Itsometimes sends forth
rootlet and leaf before spring fairl,
opens, and in this case it is lost, as tn,
plant when first started is extremely ten
der. Very early sowing is on this accoun
Objectionable. If the field is narrowed
in spring to make good seed bed, i
gives all the advantages of early sowing
sufficient covering to the seed. The har
rowing should be done before the seed i
sown, or it will be covered too deeply.