The National tribune., 1886-05-06
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
RUNNING INTO DEBT.

muCn on the mlnd OF the 1arincr, OF, III iaCt ou
that of any other man, as having debt hang
ing over him. OF course, in many instances
this is impossible to be avoided, but at the same
time the debts contracted by a farmer in one
particular should never be countenanced. We
refer to the practice of continually buying land
when the farmer has already more than he can
properly manage. Many farmers seem to make
a practice, when they have accumulated a
little money, to use it as first payment on
land to attach to their already too large farm,
and thereby burdening themselves for years to
come 1t is by far the wiser policy when a
little surplus money has been accumulated to
use it in the improvement of the land already in
his possession. This will pay much larger
per cent. than adding to the farm number OF
acres which cannot possibly be titled with
profit and success.
If you have money to spare, improve your
stock, fertilize your fields, drive wells where
necessary, put up better and more commodious
buildings; in fact, do anything with the money
which will enhance the value of your property,
but do not run into debt for land.
Too many farmers in this country are land
poor. A farmers income nowadays is by no
means calculated by the number Of acres he can
control, but by the way in which these acres
are titled. 1t should be borne in mind that a
field of 20 acres, properly cultivated and thor
oughly fertilized, will pay much larger per
cent. than one three times the size, but i'm
properly and injudiciously worked.
Many farmers seem to labor under the i'm
preston that if they can by any means get a
1ar rr,,In fhnyr f,au a
ighly-satisfactory thing, whereas but mo-
mentS reflection will show the fallacy of this
idea. 1t takes more time, more fences more
hands and more seed to go over large tract OF
land and it will readily be seen that if the
same amount of corn other crop can be got
from small piece of land the profit will be
greater, the burdens of the farmer much lighter,
and it will be more satisfactory In every way.
GIRDLED TREES.
To THE EDITOR: / noticed in The Ma
TIoNAL TRIBUNE of March communica-
tion in reference to trees girdled by mice,
and also the editors very discouraging re-
sponse. l remember that O long time ago,
(about 80 years. when l was living at home
with my father at Newark N. j. he had a row
of young cherry trees along lane fence, and
one Winter several of them were girdl ed, some
for space of more than six inches perpendicu-
lar, and all completely around.
soon as the snow had gone, and an elder
brother of mine conceived the idea of making
connection between the root and trunk by
means of gratis. He proceeded without delay,
cutting his scions from the trees operated upon.
Making cut and raising the bark above and
below the wound, he inserted the ends, which
had been beveled to allow of proper (inner
bark connection, and wrapped the whole with
strips of muslin prepared with grating wax,
frnm tn Siy tn fraa Thpca
scions formed duct for the sap, and grew with
the trees until in time the trees appeared to
stand on stills, and eventually they grew
together. The circumstance was widely pub
lished at the time, and many about Newark
will remember it; and it is possible some of the
trees may yet be standing, although my father
sold the farm some 90 years ago to railroad
company, who used the soil for filling in
FRANCIS BRILL, Riverhead, N. Y.
DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING oIsTERNs.
Every farmer should know what valuable
acquisition good cistern would be to his house
1t saves the home folks an immense amount of
labor in going backwards and forwards to the
spring or well, especially if it be so contrived
that the water can be drawn by means of a
pump right into the kitchen.
The following directions for making one Of
these rainwater reservoirs may prove Of value
to those who are not already supplied, and in
juncts to the domestic economy of the house
hold: "a cistern eight feet in depth and eight
feet in diameter will hold 5000 wine gallons
a good cistern can be made in solid clay soil,
if not in an exposed situation, by cementing
against the sides of the ground. Where the
ground freezes we would not recommend such
a practice, but lay a wall of cobblestones in a
mortar of cement, and face the wall with
thick coating of clear mortar Great care must
be exercised to get good cement, and mix it
with coarse sand. Fine sand will not do at all.
One part cement and three parts sand is the
usual proportion, to be used as soon as mixed.
Every part of the wall must be laid below the
reach of the frost This can be done, and an
iron or wooden pipe or throat lead to the sur
face, through which the pump can pass. A
cheap and excellent cistern can be constructed
of wood. in the form of a large cask, or tank
made of pine or cedar plank. When sunk into
the ground and kept constantly wet it will last
for years A better way is to place the tank
or cask i'll one corner of the cellar, with fau-
Get in the bottom, from which the water is
easily drawn when it is desirable to clean it
out and when water is required in the cellar.
An open cistern in a cellar will rarely freeze"
NoTELETs.
w Whenever possible cows should be MIXED
by the same person daily and with little varia-
tion in the time. If required to hold milk
much longer than usual much Of it is absorbed
in the bag as the easier way to hold it, and this
dries off the cow rapidly. Some good farmers
insist on having cows MIXED at 6 o'clock night
and morning through the year.
"A good appetite is an important factor in
making good cow. If calf is dainty dis
pose of it early if the fault is not cured. Ac-
customng a young animal to a variety Of food
is the best way to develop good appetite.
Watermelon seed should not be planted
until the weather has become warm and settled.
In this vicinity about the middle of May is
soon enough. Do not stint the quantity of
seed; place from 16 to 20 in a hill, and when
the plants come up, remove all but four of the
most promising. Watch the young plants as
soon as they begin to make their appear
ance, and if they appear troubled by any in
sects, dust them freely with SCOT, ashes or to-
bacco dust when wet with dew
If plow or other steel implement has be-
come very rusty, make mixture of half pint
of oil of vitriol poured slowly into quart of
water and apply to the rusted metal. Wash off
with water, and scour in the usual manner. 1t
is better, however, not to let any implement
get rusty.
The instinct Of fowl leads it to scratch
even in feeding on a heap of whole grain. This
causes it to stop eating long enough to swallow
We give fowls too much at time, and this
causes them to stuff themselves so as to injure
their crops, if fed dampened meal. A little
whole grain scattered among straw will make
poultry scratch for what they get and conduce
to their healthfulness.
- Nothing will purify and keep stable from
odors the free use Of dry earth, and every
one keeping horses or cattle will find it pays to
keep heap of it at hand, to be used daily
few shovelfuls of earth scattered over the floor