The National tribune., 1888-04-05
OUR RUR4L TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
CORN CULTURE.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The season
will soon be here-when preparations for the
corn crop will be in order, hence few ideas on
the subject of corn culture Will probably be &C
ceptable 1t is mistake the majority Of farm
ers make that they do not observe care in Sc
lectiug their seed corn, and every year a great
many of them pay big price to persons who
did take care of their)seed. I receive letters
from many parts of the country complaining
that their corn is frozen and the writers do not
know where to get good sound seed. Now, all
this can be overcome if the farmers viii OBJ
serve the proper precautions 1t is no trouble
to go into ones cornfeld in the Fall, just before
cutting corn, and gather as many Of the ripe
ears as may be required. Take these to the
house and spread them on the floor, or hang
them up, and then you are sure Of your seed.
When you plant it, you do not need to be IN
easy for fear that your corn will not come up.
The first planting is the one to depend upon,
not the second or third. Farmers, remember
this advice, as it viii put money into your
pockets. There is also great deal in selecting
the proper ears for seed. Aim for length of
ears, length of grain and medium cob You
will notice the tendency Of corn is to render
these combined qualities incompatible. A very
large ear has generally short grain, and a long
grain is inclined to accompany short ear.
Last of all, do not plant more than you can
thoroughly cultivate. The rows should be 81
feet apart each way, with no more than three
stalks to the hill. We have 1865 hills on an
acre, and allowing 100 ears to make one bushel
of shelled corn, we have 105 bushels to the acre.
lrfglal stalk
every foot in the row, we have 1874 bushels;
one stalk every IS inches, 80 bushels; 20
inches, II bushels peracre Now, you may say
this will do very we'll on paper, but to get that
much on an acre is a different thing. l am well
aware Of that; but it can be done if we viii
only do it. What is the use in planting 20
acres when 10 viii produce as much by manur-
ing and proper cultivation
| would like to hear from others on this sub
ject. Farmers, if you know anything new let
it be known in THE NATIoEAL TRIBUNE. Do
not be backward, for practical experience IS
That We want and if every reader would do
his part the result would be Of widespread ben
Cft-FRANK MURPHY, Donnelsville, 0.
CoRRECTs HIS MISTAKE.
EDITOR NATIoSAL TRIBUNE. Since writing
the article published in THE NATIONAL TEIB-
UEE of Feb. % in regard to the 90-day seed
corn, have received a communication from
w. S. FToss was not the Same, but different
party from the one / said my neighbor went to
see. Please publish this to correct a mistake
CHAs. BRELsToRD, Ballou 0.
GROWING OUNCES
Those who have attempted to grow the
ounce, which is one Of the best fruits for pre-
serving and making jcllies are aware Of the
difficulties attending the effort. One of the
obstacles is the destructive work Of the borer
If it is not arrested in its deprcdatOns. By a
careful examination Of the trunks of the tree
the marks Of the presence Of the borer can be
detected and their destruction effected. Hill
ing up about the tree with hard coal ashes has
| been By some believed to be q sort Of prevent
i've; washing with soitsoap suds will some
/ times prove efiectual in the destruction, but a
| small wire thrust into the cavity formed in the
! passage Of the worm will serve well IN its de-
! struction. Salt strewn upon the surface OF the
| ground seems to promote health, and by some
! is believed to be absolutely essential to success
and the fact that ounce thriyes well upon sea
| coast farms that are continually acted upon by
! the salt breeze seems to favor that idea. Bu
! perhaps the most important thing is to keeI
! the surface Of the soil dressed with coarse ma
nuro to depth of several inches. An album
dance of fertilizing material seems to be o
| greater effect in the vigorous growth Of th'
tree and the development of excellent frul
than any other thing that can be done.
MILK FoR POULTRY.
In the management Of poultry it is as neces
sary that attention should be paid to the feed
ing as to any class Of animals. 1t IS now being
pretty well understood that the real profit de
rived from animals comes from judlCious anC
intelligent feeding. Milk contains all the ele
mcnts of animal nutrition, and although it ha
not been extensively used for that purpose
there is nothing better for hens in Winter t
I I r. IL. Ill.
milk Ii fed literally IN connection with othe
food in variety, it will aid egg production ant
promote general good health.
NOTES.
49, The producers of milk for most large cite
claim that they receive less than one-half tn
retail price
English writers of eminence are of tn
opinion that the bulk of the cheese of the fu
ture will be made in the factory and not in tn
farmhouse.
Creameries have indeed had their ups an
downs both East and West, in the last fe'
/ years, but the Maine Farmer concludes that, Il
the New England States, at least, creamer
butter making has proved a success and til
system has come to stay.
- Col. Curtis says there is no profit any
| where in a dairy without extra food; that /!
an excess of food beyond living, and all the foo
good COW can digest and assimilate beyon
/ inc UGluuNN5 OF NtE iIFlNB iuIHlouS5 INC maj
gin Of profit, and there can be no profit with
out an excess.
The best results in modern dairying will
secured by those vino inteligently seek for BET
ter knowledge Of the art of butter-making, es
pecially in connection with the creamery syE
TEN, who feed and keep only those cows i
which the habit of a prolonged and generou
flow Of milk is fixed, and finally, by those VIII
insist upon the use Of selected grade cows, &C
by pure bred sires Of q breed of cattle especial
adapted to butter making.
- Farmers should recolleet that potato ma
be a good yieder and still be worthless as t
quality, and that the safest way IS to test il
eating qualities before depending too much 0
its capacity to produce. The quality Of pt
tato depends pretty much on the amount of til
starch contained therein, the starch being rel
resented almost invariably by the appareI
lack Of moisture.
- Whenever any one Of the beds under gla
are cleared Of crop, they should be immed
ately replaced with some other crop, and,
order to make the most of the glass, plan
should be in readiness to reset any vacancy thi
may occur The skill of the gardener is be
shown in having supply of well grown plan
ready at the right time so as not to lose the u!
of the beds. Lettuce plants, if well grown, wi
make good lettuce in five 10 eight weeks aft
setting out; and radish plants, of the FrenC
breakfast variety, viii grow in four or f'
weeks in a warm house or bed so as to be lar.
enough for SALE
SouthdoWn IA ms ava the hest for croae;y