Hillsboro recorder., 1888-07-12
AGRICULTURAL.
TOPICS OF INTEREST RELATIVE
TO FARM AND GARDEN.
why Fruit Crons Fail.

Why Fruit Crops Fail.
The Hon. II. Il. Van Deman, pomolo
gist of the United States Department ol
Agriculture, gives the following reasons
for the failure Of the apple crop, which
apply with equal force to the peach,
pear, plum or orange. Mr.. Van Deman
says:
. The true theory is to cultivate. an
orchard every year, manure we'll, and
never plant or sow to any crop unless il
be clover or COW peas. Small grains are
, especially harmful, for the time of their
standing is just when the cultivation
should be going on.
The Oyer-age of the Trees: The aver
age age at which an apple tree with
ordinary treatment reaches its highest
usefulness, is not far from twenty five
years. A great share of the orchards Of
the older States have already served out
their time, and should have been re-
placed by young ones Of such varieties
as have proved the most valuable.
Insect Depredations: There is no
doubt that the insects which prey upon
the trees and the fruit are much more
numerous than formerly. These, how
ener, can be fought with success, if in.
telligence and perseverance are used.
The person who allows insects to destroj
his apple crop IS neglecting his business.
Lack Of Sufficient Nutrition: When
the country was first settled the virgin
soil was full of decayed vegetable mat.
ter, which stimulated the growth of
orchard trees of all kinds. The decrease
OF natural fertility of the soil has not
been met by sufficient artificial enriching
Il. Crop after crop has been taken, and
rarely return in the way Of manure.
An orchard is like bank account
deposits should be made that the checks
may be hOnored. A little business CON-
mon sense might be applied with profit
to our apple orchard management.
Z Deforestation: This may have some.
thing TO do with the failure of the apple
crop. The hills and valleys are now
brown and bare, where they were once
covered with cooling shade which kept
the moisture in the earth, and made the
streams constant and refreshing to all
nature around. The winds now un.
hindered sweep through the orchard;
and shake off the apes. After a storm
the hopeful owner Of a loaded orchard
goes out to see the ground covered with
apples which he had expected to take tC
market the next week, or the next day.
Poisonous Plants on the Farm.
Pfofessor George G. Croft, of Lewis
burg, Penn, says in the MinHss0,d
Farmer that on many farms and abou
farm buildings there are plants both wild
and in cultivation, which are poisonou
to both man and beast. 1t may be d
value to some TO have them pointed out
The may-apple, common-growing, il
rich woods and adjacent fence corners
The fruit, when ripe, is eaten by boys
but the roots and leaves are poisonous
The plant bears large white flower ant
has two large shield shaped leaves
which are sometimes gathered for greea
with fatal results. Other common name
for the plant is mandrake, wild lemon
raccoon berry and hog apple.
Poison vine called also poison ivy an,
B3AogA Nah4 - q pan
found On old fences and on trees
clinging to these by numerous wiry root
lets which the plant throws out, and int
the objects over which it climbs. Thi
plant somewhat resembles the Sirgini
creeper, but that may be known by
five-foId leaf, while the leaf Of the poiso
vine is three.fOld. This plant poison
many persons If they simply touch th
leaves, producing u distressing eruptio
Of the skin. The effects are worse i
the morning when the dew is on th
leaves.
The poison sumaeh tpoison elder q
swamp dogwood) belongs to the sam
family as the last. II Is q small bus
slightly resembling the common eldt
bush, having the compound leaves Of
sumach. This plant is not 50 common 4
the preceding, and grows in swamp
places or along rivulets. II is Quit
poisonous to some persons, affecting ii
skin as does the poison vine.
Wild parsnips Of several kinds a.
poisonous. IL Is well to avoid all vii
plants which in leaves or seed stalk loo
like the garden parsnip, and TO TemoN
them from the farm. The garden parsui
sometimes runs wild, and then il "a
becomes poisonous. These pants Al
generally found I'm low grounds and alon
riTuleis, though sometimes on hig
ground. The COW parsnip l. . larg
Goarse-lOoking weed, four 20 eight fl
high, growing in rich. low ground. Th
plant 8 covered with woolly hairs, viii
the wild paFsnip. or cow.bane, il small,
plant and free from woolly hairs. III
cos.bane grows in swamps, and
considered very poisonous TO horne
cattle.
POOLS parsley is small plant, one
two feet high, found In waste places In II
New England State, aud Is quite pDisgl
Gus. The water hemlOck also belongs
this family IL grows in swamps and alof
creeks. This plant somewhat resembI
sweet cieely, h and the lives Of ohildrl
are sometimes lost by their eating Il
roots, which are very poisonous. III
Common hemlOck Of Europe Is a small
plant and Is naturalized In some place
ii Is also poisonous. The only safe rule
to leave ail wild plants looking like wi
pafsnips alone.
Indian tobacco Ceye,bright), a sni
plant 70 some extent used In medicine,
A - n