The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-03-30

troduced, and spoke upon the subject Of
the culture Of small fruits. The cold Of
Minnesota Is no obstacle in raising small
fruits, and they are the most reliable
crops in the State, but the right varie-
ties must be had, and they must be Civ
en- winter protection. For raspberries
the ground should be high, the rows bar
rowed well, running east and west, sew
en- feet apart, and each plant three feet
apart and three canes TO the hill The
first blowing should be deep, and cul-
tiyator used afterwards. Every four or
Eve days the cultiyating should be done
during the picking season. The plants
should not be killed up. The speaker
had among others Cuthbert, Turner and
Brandywine varieties, and picked rom
June to September. The plants should
be laid down for winter In October. The
earth should be loocened around the
north side Of the roots, and the plants
turned over to the north. Then lay dirt
enough on them to hold them down.
This Is done before the leaves fall. New
err cut tops off unless the plants are ELK
feet high, when about eighteen inches
can be cut of with spade. When the
plants begin to grow in the spring, they
will bend north, and stakes must be
used from which wires extend holdingup
the plants. The new stalks viii grow
south. and picking 10 easy. The OLD
stalks are cut off after fruition and burn
ed. Vegetables can be raised between
the rows Of bushes. Blackberries are
raised in the same manner as raspbeY-
ries with the exception of the wire.
The plants must not be perpendicular
but must lay down on the mulch that
should surround them. The leaves
serve as fertilizers. The speaker thought
that perhaps the "Sneider" and An
Gent Britain" were the best blackber-
ries, though all had prospered under his
care.
The speaker then took up the grape
culture. If the culture is understood 1t
is easy to raise them. The vines should
be trimmed to the fruit buds. The fore
ing bud is very different from the fruit
bud and has TO be forced into bearing by
pInching. There are wood buds that
will amount to nothing. The continue
ton Of the address was postponed until
after dinner.
Beef Cattle.
Mr.. L. Wallace, of this city, formerly
manager of the DeGraf stock farm, had
a class on this subject this morning and
brought out the following points: Farm
ers have got to raise something besides
wheat. The points of a breeding meat
animal are, among others, wide fore
head, light colored and prominent eyes,
medium sized horns Of a waxy color. In
selecting an animal one year old the
length of the horn should be one-thlrd
more than the breadth. A well-opeD,
medium ear, showing the color inside,
is necessary. The ribs should come
well out and rounded. The body should
be fuller at top than below, as the cheap
er meat is taken from below. The
breast should also be well developed.
The animal should stand upright on all
of Its legs. The color, and especially
the color of the skin, has much to do in
selecting an animal. Dark colors are
preferable as they denote strong and
vigorous cattle. The best breeding cows
become simmer in the neck. If they
do not they will not give as much milk
What is wanted is improved bulls In the
country. Great intensity of blood Is
needed. Never buy an animal that has
harsh coat or hard skin. The hair should
be silky and the skin elastic. Such an
animal will appropriate food to the best
patches on the cattle. In breeding,
there is no object in increasing the size
of the bones. Select neither large moi
course cattle for breeding purposes, as
the smaller, compact animals are sought
after most. A dense, well formed bone
will hold up more than larger, coarser
bone.
For feed in new countries the blue
joint grass and pea vine are excellent,
but they disappear soon. Slough grass
is not good. Red and white clover,
timothy and blue grass should be sub
Any one of these grasses will
make good feed. If the grass is mixed
all seasons are met.