The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-06-02
HOME, FARM, AND GARDEN.
Talks with the Farmer, Orchards
Stock Breeder, Poulterer, and
Housekeeper.
Hints on House Decorations, Kitchen
Economy, and the Preserva.
ton of Health.
THE FARMER.
els

HeHs.
It is very important that careful exami
nation of all rells used to supply water for
the horses or stock should be made. to as
certain whether by any means, surface wa
ter or underground veins from stables or
vaults, enter them. Every well should be
cemented near the top, where walled with
brick or stone, and this wall should rise
several inches above the level of the sur
rounding land or if curbed with timber, as
many in the West are, great care should be
taken TO have the curbing very TIGHT, and a
banking of hard clay packed closely On the
outside to prevent rats or mice or other
small animals from gnawing through it.
ffotc Draining Hai1as SOIL.
1t is the loss of heat by evaporation that
makes wet soil always cold. This evapor-
alton goes on faster when the sun shines
and warm winds are blowing, and thus
neutraizes their warming effects. man
wrapped in woollen thoroughly saturated
with water will chill through none the less
quickly for being placed in sunshine or in
draught of warm air. Many people have
lost their lives from not understanding
this fact. A man exposed to rain all day
is often less likely to take cold than one
who merely gets wet and then suddenly
by the warmth from his body causing evap-
OFdtlOU. L MS pIUCeoS VI tfd pOihtiou Soplo
the soil in just the same way, only fortu-
nately the clods are insensible to the cold.
But seeds and the roots of plants are rot
thus insensate. 1t makes great deal of
difference to their growth whether water in
the soil is evaporating from the surface, or
is sinking down through drains followed
by currents of warm spring air.
Experiments With potatocs
Drof EduorJ n portar Of Tho Tn,rarc
ity of Minnesota, relating to experiments
with potatoes made last year, states the
following:
In the spring of 1887 we received fro m
the Department of Agriculture, Washing
ton, package containg two small pota-
toes, averaging two ounces each, of the
new variety called "Polaris;" and, wishing
to secure as large a crop as possible for
seed, the eyes were carefully cut from
each, then again halved, and planted sep
arately IN two-inch pots, and placed in q
moderate hot-bed on April II, and trans
ferred to the open field June IL. The
plants were fully matured September 10,
when they we're harvested and weighed;
the sixty plants set out yielding twenty six
and one-half pounds.
The two potatoes left after their eyes were
removed, as above, were also placed in the
hot-bed at the same date, and sixteen
sprouts were thrown up; these were sepa-
rated from the potato when about four
inches in height, cut in two, and rooted in
the manner employed for soft wood cut
tings, and on June II were planted In the
field blythe side of the first lot. They
were ripe August 20, and harvested Sep
TENDER 10, and the twenty seven plants set
out yielded twenty-seven and one half
pounds of potatoes, larger and much more
even than those grown from the eyes. The
first yielded seven and two-third ounces
to the plant, and the second yielded ten
and two-thirds ounces to the plant. The
total yield was forty four pounds, or 176
ounces to one ounces of seed. This in
crease of yield could have been carried
much further by the multiplication of
plants from the successive growth Of
stems,