The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-08-25
farm 9otes.
BEES AND FLOWERS.

same trip. This is not accidental,
but is a wise provision for prevent
ing hybridization of different varie-
ties from the pollen which bees al
ways distribute in their journeys
from flower to flower.
SUMNER CARE OF CELLARS.
Thorough ventilation is necessary
where milk is kept in cellars, or it
will become injured by mould or
foul odors. This is more often the
cause of poor summer butter than
any other. The butter is tainted be-
fore it goes to the churn, and no
possible after-care a make it good
or keep it fit to eat until winter.
ALsIKE CLOVER.
The yield of alsike generally disap-
points the expectations of those who
look it while growing. Its stalks
are fine and do not weigh in proper
ton to their bulk, as they ire harsh
and lie loosely. 1t is a good crop to
SOW with the common red clover, as
it will fill in spaces where the old
fashioned clover fails to catch.
PROTECTION IRON FLIES.
Green smartweed briskly rubbed
on neck, sides and other exposed
parts of cows or horses will keep
flies from attacking them. To be
effectual the rubbing should be given
twice a day, but it will we'll repay
this trouble. Smartweed a be
found on most farms, and is valuable
enough for this purpose to claim the
room it occupies.
COTTON-SEED MEAL.
An experienced farmer warns 9TH
ers against giving cotton-seed meal to
breeding cows, or to your stock of
any kind. 1t is very difficult to di-
gest, and fed to cows often causes
abortion. Great care must be used
in getting animals accustomed to
this food, which cannot be fed in
large quantities, wen to stock accus-
toned to it. Young calves fed even
a little have been killed by it.
THINNING PEACHES.
The great majority ofpoorpeaches
are inferior chiefly because the trees
overbear. The peach pit is always
a large proportion of the fruit, and
it is the part that is most exhaust
i've to the tree. Nature never neg
lects the seed. 1t is the means of
reproduction, made more important
as the vitality Of the tree becomes
impaired. A peach tree attacked
by the borer or in a dry, sterile soil
will always set more fruit than one
we'll cared for and MANFRED, but it
will be worthless for eating.
CULTIvATING BEARING ORCHARDS.
One of the chief reasons why Or
chards should not be cropped is be-
cause it requires cultivation during
the summer season. When roots are
destroyed by deep working the
ground it often results in perman-
ent injury to the trees, especially if
done late in the season. Since the
clearing of woodlands has given
winds a free sweep the soil dries out
much faster than formerly, and this
makes trees more liable to injury
from mutilation of their roots.
WET APPLES FOR FEED.
Some varieties of sweet apples are
such abundant bearers that the trees
r worth keeping if the fruit can
only be used for feed. There is a
great deal of nutriment in sweet
apples, and they are relished by
every kind of stock. Given in mod
Grafton and with other feed they are
good for everything. 1t is because
cows if allowed their run in an or
chard will gorge and thus injure
themselves that apples have the
reputation of drying up cows milk.
GRAPES FOR TABLE USE.
Except in California, only a small
quantity of our grape product is de-
voted to wine-making. The demand
for eating constantly increases, and
a large proportion ofeven large vine
yards is sold in the bunch. Vine
yardists have injured the sale Of
their fruit by excessive eagerness to
be first in the market with it. The
poorly colored, sour and unripe spe-
cimens thus sent out spoil the de-
mand for it, and probably more
profit would be made if none were
sold until fully ripe.
OLD HORSES.
For a farmers use a horse is worth
more at seven than at any other age.
He has nearly as MANY wears of Serv-