The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-03-29

To restore the original qualities to
steel which has been burnt in the forge.
plunge the metal at red heat into
mixture of two parts of pitch. two parts
of train oil, one part of tallow and
small quantity of common salt. Re
peat the operation two or three times.
Excellent results have been obtained
An experienced grape grower, writes
the Ohio Farmer that be has discontinue
ed the practice Of pinching back or
shortening in the new growth of grape
vines during the growing season and
now lets his vines grow right along with
most satisfactory results. His theory
is that the pinching off of bearing
shoots causes buds to develop which
should remain dormant till next season,
causing premature growth and perhaps
blossoming, and that the wood does not
ripen up SO perfectly in consequence.
There are good many things which it
is safe to trust to natures methods, and
1t is not unlikely that with the grape
during the season of truitage, the dame
understands perfectly what is needed
and needs no arbitrary interference
with her plans on our part.
There is a popular belief thatpotatoes
are moe exhaustive of fertility than
other crops, especially corn, with which
they are most frequently compared. On
soils that are deficient in vegetable
matter potatoes have the great disad-
vantage of not returning any straw or
other feed to keep up the fertility. AS
they exhaust the soil of potash they
are injurious to sandy soil, which is
generally deficient in that mineral. But
on heavy land, potatoes are better
crop to fit the soil for subsequent seed
ing than any other. The greater
amount of cultivation which this crop
requires in growing and harvesting
brakes down the Jumps and prepares it
for anything that may follow it.-Ea.
1t is great mistake to stint the seed
when making a lawn; three or four
bushels to the acre should be laid on,
and fairly covered before rolling down.
The small granivorouS birds, especially
the sparrows, will be sure to eat all the
seed left on the surface. / have pur-
posely advised nothing relative to turf
ing, as it is very difficult to procure
good, clean turf with the finer grasses
in it; then too. it is a very expensive
job to cover lawn with cut sward. AS
to the grasses, best adapted to soils and
situations it may first be said that wet
soil is hardly to be considered as fit
situation for a lawn; nevertheless, there
are places where a moist condition of
the soil can not well be avoided; and
for such the best grasses are Poa trivia
lis, or Rough Stalk Meadow grass
Alopecarus pratensis or Meadow Fox
Tail; and Agrostis vulgari>. or Red-top.
For average good soil have had the
best results from a seeding, in about
equal proportions, of Poa pratensis, or
Kentucky Blue grass, Festuca duriscula
or hard fescue, Agrostis Gamma, or
creeping bent, Cynosuris cristatus, or
crested dogs-tail, and Lolium Paceyii,
or Parcey dwarf rye grass. The two
last named are especially adapted to
light dry soils, as they are deep rooted
and very fibrous, and will continue green
in the dryest of weather even when the
Kentucky blue is apparently dead.
may here state that there are hundreds
of bushels of English rye-grass seed i'm
ported and sold for Parcey's dwarf rye,
but It IS cheat as the former is not
hardy in our climate. Parcey's is quite
a hardy variety, and is, | think, of
Scottish origin; at any rate it is one of
the best grasses for either lawn or sheen
pasture. Timothy is a dubious rooted
grass, and when sown on the pest of
A5O-Ai - - 10 ~ " III llOl CIuuIG
frequent moving, through a single sea-
son, and therefore should not form
large portion of lawn seed mixture;
little may be sprinkled in for early
growth in starting, but not more than a
quart to bushel of other seeds. Some
persons recommend, in mixture. such
grasses as the Festuca ovina, or sheep
feScue, and the Festuca tenuifolia. or
slender fescue. think that both of
these are Objectionable onfine lawns,
as they grow erect and fluffy, while the
leaves are round, wiry, and sedge-like:
the color. too, of both. is blue, especial
ly that OF the slender, fescue, and alto
gether these grasses look intrusive and
patchy, when contrasted with the fiat,
ribbon-shaped foliage of those | have
ventured to name with approval. The
| introduction of white clover, on lawn.
| is a matter of taste. and perhaps on
some light soils necessity. |. how
ever, prefer the grasses only; but must
confess to a liking for a few gowans.
or dwarf daisies-the BELLS perehnis-
as they look so cheerful in the spring of
| the year. If these encroach too much
they can easily be removed with daisy
! rake.-Am. PurGl Home.