The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1885-05-21
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Praeticali Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
RLUEgERRY CULTURE.


To THE EDITOR The blueberry is one Of the
most valuable fruits grown, aud is the only re-
liable fruit to grow IN the extreme northern
latitude. where most other fruits Winter-kill.
They are perfectly hardy, never known to
Winter-kill. and regular bearers will bear q
full crop in seasons when all other fruits fail.
The fruit ripens in this latitude about the lst
| of July and is borne in clusters like currants.
1t is about the size Of the wild gOoseberry,
shape round, color a blush black. When
fully ripe the flavor is equal to the raspberry
very mild rich sub-acid. Pronounced by
| most people delicious. They are very product
i've single cane often yielding 10 to IL quarts
| in a season. The plant is about the hight and
! size Of the curlant bush and very stocky, hold
ing the fruit well up from the ground. They
commence bearing the first year after setting
| out, same as blackbcrries and raspberries, but,
unlike blackberries and raspberries, will bear
| five or six years in succession before they die
down. Spring is the best time for transplant
| ing-during the months of April and May.
Plants are propagated from root cuttings same
! as blackberries. The berry is very firm, and
| will bear shipping hundreds Of miles The de-
| mand for the fruit is great, and brings on an
! average 10 cents per quart at wholesale They
are a decided acquisition, and one of the most
| profitable fruits to grow for market. For gar
| den culture the vines should be set two or
| three feet apart in the rows, and four to five
| feet between the rows; for field culture, six by
| six, so the vines can be kept cultivated with a
| horse hoe. During the bearing season the vines
should be mulched with some coarse litter;
rotten chips or sawtust is best if it can be OBJ
tained.-DELos STAPLES, West Sebewa Ionia
Co., Mich.
HOW TO GET EARLY GARDEN CROPS.
There are many ways of getting early crops,
or trying to get them, such rs starting the
| plants in the house or hot-bed and covering
! them with glass etc, after they are set ont.
| But when these methods are not adopted there
is still chance to have early vegetables and a
good garden. 1t is simply to select the warmest
and driest SOIL aud sow or plant early. 1t is
! not desirable or wise to sow or plant the main
crops before the soil is in good working condi-
ton but for a few early crops small scale we
can well afford to a little risk of losing our
| seed by too early sowing. One thing, however,
| should not be overlooked do not depend on
this early sowing, but SOW or plant again
| little later, when the soil ana weather are more
favorable. If the first sowing succeeds, you are
| SO much ahead; if it fails, you have lost only
| the seed and your labor. You can we'll afford
| to run this risk There are some crops which
soil with little or no risk. Among these we
may mention peas, cabbage, caulifower, spin
ach, onion, lettuce, celery, beet, carrot, parsnp,
etc. 1t is seldom that, these crops are hurt by
early frost. Last year a frost in May destroyed
many cabbage plants, but this is very unusual
occurrence Among the crops which we would
| re-sow without waiting to see if the first SOW
ing will escape, are beets, radishes, cabbage,
cauliflower, beans and sweet contradiction
Agricaitnria.
DESTRUCTION OF WEEDS.
If farmers would be more observing and
make practical application of the facts which
come to their knowledge, ii would be greatly
to their advantage. In planting many small
seeds of the vegetable class, who is there that
has not noticed that the termination was very
much fastened, and in fact insured il, after the
soil has been prepared and the seed placed
therein, it is compacted or pressed together by
the passage Of a Keller over the surface Or by
means of a board. -
Herein lies principle that can be success
fully applied in the destruction or prevention
/. of weeds. Weeds are at all times the pest of
+ the farmer, and any means of relief from their
| injurious effects will be hailed with joy. In
| all cases where the soil is continually stirred
and kept loose weeds are seldom found for the
| reason that the conditions are unfavOrable to
| their termination or growth. In case of the
| termination, because the soil is not compacted
i
| if by any chance it has attained to that cOndl-
ton loose soil is not as favorableto its growth
| as one in which it is more compact. Farmers
| can but have noticed that weeds spring up and
grow more readily where tracks have been
| made than where the soil has been left untrod-
den upon; so, if q shower falls upon the earth
| and the loose soil is beaten down, the cond-
| tions are most favorable to the growth or GER
| mination Of weeds. Then, what is necessary to
counterfeit this effect? 1t is to stir up and
loosen the soil soon after shower possible.
| This, of course, involves labor if practiced in
| the field, but in the garden should be attended
| to if the best results are desired and freedom
| from weeds is sought e,mdutoua Telegraph
THE CULTURE OF CARP.
| Fish affords hoalthful and nutritious food,
:ud every person owning a stream which can
be gathered into pond should by all means
| add fish culture to his other pursuits. In Ger
| many and the djacent countries the culture of
! carp affords large quantity of valuable human
| food. produced at an exceedingly small cost.
1t is estimated there that 100 pounds of carp can
be produced at a cost of no more than % cents.
The only expenses are the interest on the cost
of the pond and the value of the land and the
labor of gathering the yearly crop. One acre
of suitable ground will produce 1000 pounds of
| fish yearly. The ponds are arranged in sue
cession down the course of the stream, and are
| divided so that each one can be drained into
\ anotHer toI INC purpose vi gathering inc hSH
annually from one pond. The largest fish are
then as many years old as the pond has re-
manned since it was last drawn. The fish are
scooped up from the shallow water with hand
nets. the small ones being left. The pond is
| then filled again. Several drawings may be
made from each pond i'll the course of year,
as supply may be required for sale or use.
But, in small way, a farmer may do very well
with one pond, if it is arranged so that the
water may be drawn of, or the pond may be
dragged with net to gather the fish for selec-
ton. Carp are the best fish for this purpose,
as they are vegetable feeders, will thrive in
! any water which has a soft bottom, and will
either feed themselves if the pond has a grassy
| bottom and sides, or may be fed upon corn
bread cabbage, or boiled potatoes They will
| live in water warmed up to 500, and thrive best
| in a warm climate.-N. Y. Times.
KINDNESS TO ANIMALS.
A man of kindness TO his heast is kind,
But brutal actions show n brutal mind;
Remember! He who made thee. made the brute:
Who gave thee speech and reason, formed him
mute. - ~ Z
He can / complain; but Gods all-seeing eye
| Bcholds thy cruelty. LIE hears his cry;
lie was designed thy servant. not thy drudge;
| And know that hiS fire.Spr ia thy .Iudpef