Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-04-30
FARM AND HoUsE,IOLD.


PROFITS IN FRUrTs.-it Is known
among farmers that with our improved
fruits as many or more bushels Of ber-
ries can be raised to the acre as. there
can be corn or potatoes and that with
the same care and cultivation. In fact
by planting varieties that are suitable
for bedding, more bushels Of berries can
be grown to the acre without cultiva-
ton than can be grown of corn with the
best of cultivation. For instance in 1870
| planted half an acre OF strawberries
and the first year gave it the same cul-
tivation gave my corn, got some ber-
ries and the plants took the ground
completely. The second year gave 1t
no cultivation and got a good crop. The
third year gave 1t no cultivation
and got 100 bushels of berries, making
ret 200 bushels per acre.
At another time had a small planta-
ton of one and one-fourth acres, con-
sisting of several varieties, which yield
ed me 500 worth Of berries and had not
cost me 81 cultivation for two years.
mention these facts to show how much
fruit can be raised with but little labor.
OF course il Is better to give good cul-
tivation, at least enough to keep them
clean, and little special cultivation
will work wonders. The Crescent
straw berry has been grown at the rate
of 469 bushels per acre. But don't con-
slider that il can be always accomplished.
/ merely speak of it to show the great
possibilities of fruit growing. Rasp-
berries and blackberries can be made
to yield 200 bushels per acre, yet some
men think these things too small to
putter with, aud 60 on year in year out
growing ten bushels Of wheat, forty
bushels of corn, and fifty bushels of po-
tatoes, and feeding their family on 'hog
and homipy," cornbread aud molasses,
and some time wher they are in town
selling corn at 80 cents 4 bushel, they
buy few berries at $3.50 per bushel TO
take home to Jane to preserve and feel
proud Of their liberality and think they
have done their duty nobly, whereas if
they had substituted half an acre Of po-
tato ground for small fruits it would on
an average yield them fifty Bushels Of
berries, or four quarts for every day in
the year. Now, there is nothing to pre-
vent farmers from accomplishing this
except ignorance, and any horticultu-
ralist will willingly impart to them suf-
ficient knowledge to make them reason
ably successful.
GRAFTING.-If sciOns needed for
spring grating have not been already
cut, no time should be lost in securing
full supply. Scions will be good cut
at any time now before the buds begin
to swell, and it will be easier to keep
them in good order till wanted than If
they had been cut i'm early winter. But
do not wait too long, for it requires
skilful workman to graft with scions cut
the same Gay they are set, and after
growth has begun. For ourselves, we
prefer to graft rather late in the season,
after the weather becomes warm enough
so that the work can be done with COM
fort to the operator. We have had apple
trees grated after the fruit was as large
as robins eggs, and with most excellent
results. Cherries should be grated
very early in the spring, before the
buds begin TO swell. 1t is a good deal
of work to graft a large tree and do it
we'll. TO cut the limbs all off down
NED, tho trunk, and 10 attempt 10 re-
new the tree by half dozen gratis only,
is savage way to treat tree. 1t gives
the tree too severe shock. 1t is far
better to graft many small limbs nearer
the extremity. Then there should he
reasonable number of migrated limbs
left to keep the tree growing while the
scions are forming union. liza large
tree is grated low down, with few
scions only, it is well to dig about the
tree, and cut off a portion of the roots.
There must be balance between the
top and root to keep the tree healthy.
PRESSURE IN CORN-PLANTING.-AI re-
cent bulletin of the New York eXper-
iment station, in discussing this point
says: "Oftentimes corn that is planted
early is put in the ground while the
land is in lumpy condition, and no
pressure brought to bear to bring the
soil i'm close contact with the corn. The
open spaces thus left about the seed
tend to retard, and under the varying
conditions of heat and moisture, often
destroy the germinative process. So
marked is its influence that the per cent.
of termination by actual trial, as OBJ
served between two plats, both of which
were planted at the same time, but upon
one the soil was firmly pressed upon the
seed with the foot, and upon the other
the seed was carefully covered by means
of n hoe, i'm the ordinary method, WAS
largely in favor of the trodden plat
This trial was in accordance with
practical experience in farming, where
BY il was found that the grain in crop
through the use Of Western corn
planter, whose wheel compressed the
soil over the seed, as planted, compen-
stated largely for the additional first ex-
pense of the machine, SD much so that
even it may be said that, under cOndi-
tioDs of the locality noted, farmer
could better afford to himself, plant his
corn crop with machine than to ac-
ceptthe gift Of the planting with hoe"
TEA CAKEs.-Rub one heaped tea