The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-17
THE FARM.


Mice are often very destructive In or
chards, and one Of the surest safeguards
against these destructive pests is strips OF
tin or sheet iron rolled in the form Of
tubes, having them little larger in diam.
eter than the trees. Old tin cans used for
packing vegetables, oysters and meats can
be used to good advantage. They should
first be placed in fire until the solder
which holds the heads and fastens the
sides is melted. Two cans riveted together
with malleable lacks will make tube Of
sufficient length to protect tree. They
can be kept in the form of q tube by means
OF small wire passed around them and
the ends twisted together. Some orchard
lists depend upon poison placed in conve-
nient receptacles at different parts OF the
orchard, where the mice will be sure to
find them. A very good method is to
take straight-grained AKA spruce joist or
scantling, and with an inch and a half au-
ger bore hole about four or five inches
in one end, then saw the piece off an inch
or two above the point reached by the
auger. Place quantity OF cornmeal in
which arsenic has been mixed in
the open end, then tack a
strip of shingle wide enough to
cover about one-half the orifce across the
open end to prevent the contents from
running out. Prepare sufficient number
Of these to protect the orchard, and place
them among the trees, elevating the solid
end little, so that the water from melting
snow will not be retained in the blocks.
The blocks should be gathered in the
spring as soon as the snow is gone, and
their contents burned. The blocks can
then be packed away for another seasons
use. They can be prepared under cover
during rainy weather. Where a mulch OF
straw or meadow hay has been applied to
the young trees during the summer, ii
should be removed before winter sets in,
ms II affords excellent shelter for the little
pests. Some orchardists rely solely upon
tramping down the snow around the trees
for protection. When this is attended to
Immediately after every storm there will
be but little danger. The trouble is, how
ever, that this precaution is liable to be
neglected.
Wood ashes are an excellent manure for
most soils. Even when analysis shows
potash TO be present, the wood ash is
helpful, since IL contains more or less
phosphate, and it's potash is in form to
liberate plant food in the son that would
otherwise he unavailable. There is no
better solvent for reverted phosphate, and
the drilling OF wood ashes with phosphate
for grain crops makes the fertilizer much
more efficient than il would otherwise be.
But good deal of care is needed TO save
wood ashes without endangcring other
property from fires It is not the presence
OF live Goals that cause this danger usually.
These are generally pretty we'll guarded
against. The greater danger is from spon-
taneous combustion in ashes that have
gathered dampness, aud whose potash
has, by absorption OF nitrogen, been
changed 10 saltpeter. This IN contact
with wool, wooden rags or any oily sub.
stances, will generate fire. Ashes should,
therefore. never be left in wooden recep.
iacles. Old barrels, 80 often used for this
purpose, are most dangerous Of all.
Established beds OF asparagus. to dc
well, need covering OF manure in the
fall, at least three inches in depth. Til,
kceps the roots in good condition during
the winter, so that they are enabled TO he
yin growth early. at the time most needed
Fall is good time to plant new bed
The soil ought TO be well prepared and
rich, rs the bed should last for wears. Bu
II is better 10 plant on ground OF only mod
crate fertility than not at all, II such I
choice has TO be made. The rows Should
be three aud one-half feet apart and til,
plants two feet in the row, setting then
down pretty well, or three 10 four inche
below the surface. The covering of rougl
manure completes the work. Plants eithc
one or two ycam old will do; aud IL ia bet
ter 10 get plants than TO SOW the seed; AM
for the same roason-the saving OF time
the two-ycar plants are preferable On,
TO two hundred will be enough Tor
family Of the usual size