Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1885-08-20
FARM AND HOME.

1t is well, in sailing stock, to be careful
that some of the animals do not get more
than is good for them. Too much salt will
/ give rise to scours.
I Farm for pleasure by all means, but strain
every Lerve to make the pleasure profita-
/ BILE one, as there is not much pleasure in
conducting losing business.
/ Manure adds to the productiveness of the
land as soon as applied; but all the SUBJ
stance is not used up in one season. Season
after season the crops are materially bene-
fitted by a single application of n good fer
! tiiizer.
There is too much waste land on our farms.
/ The fence corners are too much given 10
briers and weeds. All these waste places
should be cleaned up, and made to produce
their share toward keeping off hard times
1t i. said that fish will clear well or
spring of angle worms but perhaps as good
use for these creatures in springs aud
wells is to indicate whether the water is tit
for use or not, as fish will not live in i'm
pure water.
Because the price of eggs may be down is
no reason why the poultry should be neg
/ lected Do not allow those fowls that have
been yarded all spring to suffer for taste
of the fresh, green grass that is just beyond
| their reach.
1t is remarkable what vitality fruit has
which has once well won popular favor.
The Wilson strawberry, like the Concord
grape and the Baldwin apple, holds its own
| despite scores and even hundreds of much
greater boasted superiority.
Good crops are the best known remedy
for hard times, but when these crops are fed
to stock, and in this way turned into meat.
wool, milk, and butter, they assume more
valuable form, and the curative properties
of the remedy are greatly augmented.
If farmer wants to apply lasting ma
nure, let him use coarsely crushed bone.
1t will not, however, be nearly 50 effective
on the first crop, and as the finer division
by dissolving in oil of yitriol helps the land
for two or three years, it will be generally
preferred.
The time to shape the heads of trees is
while they are young. Then the top can
easily be trained in almost any shape and
with very little attention. but after the tree
has attained some size and ageit is very diff
fcult to change its form, and pruning them
may only i1ure.
! As soon as pastures fail, some provision
should be made for extra feed, as the milk
yield once decreased, is not brought quite
up to the old standard, even with the best
of feeding. Whatever dimnishes the yield
even for day becomes thus an injury dur
! ing the entire season.
II Is reckoned by many good potato grow
ers that the application Of Paris green with
land plaster to the potato crop practically
costs nothing. The advantage to the pota-
to from the gypsum on its leaves defrays the
entire expense, even when two or more APP
plications are made in season
There is much difference in the quality Of
Paris green, much that is sold being so heay-
lily adulterated that it is impossible to de-
eide how much to apply The impure poi
son is believed TO be injurious to potato
vines, perhaps because Of its impurity being
applied stronger than it should be. The
high-priced pure Paris green is cheapest
Unless root crops are thinned early the
plants soon crowd each other 50 that a doz
en- will not make the weight that one we'll
developed specimen should If left until
the roots crowd each other it is impos sible
to separate them without injury. When
small the greater part Of the work can be
done with hoe, and this will leave the
plants none too far apart for good crop.
The best time to plow under a weed to
benefit the land is while it is very small.
We have some kinds Of cultivated plants
which by growing up and returning to the
soil add to its fertility, but weed would
not deserve that bad name if il would do
Aulrf ~ tfh1 hif ivpD'iNs " h1A 'NN-
tain is almost exclusively from the soil,
from what belongs to the crops among which
they SOW.
II may not be amiss to look around and
see to every detail Of the farm management
once in awhile, and compare the system Of
conducting your farm with that Of the most
intelligent farmers Of the community. There
is much to learn by such comparison, which
will benefit any farmer. A comparison Of
methods will develop many new ideas, and
show 10 the close observer where be can make
pany improvements on his past manage
ment.
Brains require cultivating, ar well a. corn,
and the farmer should take enough time
from the cultivation Of hi. crops TO at least
read the papers aud keep posted on the mar
kets and current events. 4 farmer has a.
much reason to read and study a any other
business mrn aud diligent study Of what
others learned by experience Of research
added TO hi. own practical knowledge, will
be Of material benefit and will give him a
more exalted opinoa Of agriculture.
One Of the most difficult transfers Of heavy
structures yet attempted has been success
( fully performed at Salem, Mas, where six