The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-12-15

"AA WV doNA Co vi ~
addition to their other rations, will
be we'll repaid in growth and earlier
maturity. With good feeding, a
heifer should drop her first calf before
she is two years old.
CHERRIES O MARKET.
In localities adapted to the growth
of the cherry no fruit grows better.
1t is a sure annual bearer, and the
demand for canning will long pre-
vent the prices going below profit
able rates. But before planting
largely the soil must be made dry
either by natural or artificial drain
age. Cherry roots go deeply into
dry soil, and are ore injured by
stagnant water.
FIRE EAT o SEED CORN.
Corn is a tropical plant and can
scarcely be hurt by heat in any
stage. Some are afraid to use fire
heat in drying it for seed, but SO
long as the corn remains damp, a
temperature af 1000 will not injure
it. The more thoroughly and quick
ly it is dried the greater chance of
having a healthy, vigorous growth
when it is planted. If it is hung
where the ears will be in the smoke
while drying, it will be some protec-
ton against attack from worms
after planting.
THOROUGHBRED POULTRY.
Few except fanciers will take
the pains to keep thoroughbred
poultry, which requires a good deal
of culling out of inferior specimens,
or else the pedigree will be of no
avail. This culling should always
be done once a year, when the flock
is reduced for wintering. But after
doing this it will pay the owners Of
every flock to destroy all their own
roosters, whether mongrel or other
wise, and procure thoroughbred
males from some poulterer who
makes the growingo of thoroughbreds
a speciality.
PHOSPHATE ON POTATOES.
Farmers who use commercial fer
t~ilizers have found excellent results
in dressing them with phosphate,
though potash rather than phos-
phate is the mineral that they show
on analysis. The advantage Of the
commercial phosphate is that it gen
orally contains an excess of sulphur
ric acid, used in making it soluble,
and this acts on the soil to liberate
it's fertility and make it available
and it has further effect of Destroy
ing the fungus growth, which causes
the scab. 1t is not, however, a pre-
ventive of potato rot, which is apt
to attack the s%moothest, largest and
best tubers.
MILKING IN WINTER.
AS cold weather approaches the
natural tendency to shrink the yield
of milk is apt to be increased by the
c%arelessness Of the mixer. When
the COW is half dry it seems a small
matter to leave a slight portion of
the milk in the udder, though to do
so is the certain way to make the
cow 60 dry entirely. The first effect
is to have a little ropy milk left at
the bottom Of the pail, which is the
rich milk left in the teats from the
last milking. AS the yield decreases
so the richness increases, so that
getting the last dropo of milk becomes
if possible, more importantin winter
than in summer.
PROTECTING ORCHARDS FROM COLD.
When the ground is so thorough
ly frozen and covered with snow
it is a good plan to draw
and spread over the snow and frozen
ground under the trees. A cover
ing Of straw is better than nothing
as the object is protection from
deeper freezing of the ground. With
this covering the snow under the
trees will be kept from blowing
away or thawing until late in the
Spring. By this means the early
blooming fruit buds will be kept
back until the danger or Spring
frosts has passed, and it is also some
protection to peach trees against
Winter killing by severe cold.
KEEPING ONIONS.
The essential requirement in
keeping onions is that they be kept
in a dry place and not too warm.
Most cellars are too damp. They
may freeze without injury provided