The National tribune., 1888-04-19
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
BEST VARIETIES OF CABBAGE.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: This is the
time of the year to purchase seeds, and every
one wants the best. In looking over the seed
catalogs the inexperienced are at a loss which
varieties to buy, as all seem to be best For
very early cabbages Early Etampes is the best;
medium sized heads, generally solid and Of fine
quality. After this comes Early Jersey Wake
field. You will never roget planting this
variety, as it does we'll everywhere. For
Summer cabbage, Winningstadt is as good as
any. If seeds are sown late will make a good
Fall or Winter cabbage. For late cabbage
FottIer's Improved Brunswick and Large Late
Flat Dutch are fine, and will not disappoint you.
We have never been troubled with the feas
in seed bed, but when plants are up we mixsoot
and hen droppings together, and give the plants
a good coating when the dew is on. This is
all that have ever found necessary. After
setting out the plants, the green eabbage-worm
is our next enemy. The best and safest remedy
is Persian insect powder. The best way to
apply it is with an insect powder gun or bel
lows. The powder may be diluted with ten
times its bulk Of -four or wood ashes, or it may
be stirred in water and applied with q sprink-
Ter with fine rose, or with liquid atomizer
bellows,-FRAEK MURPHY, Donnelsville, o.
EARLY TOMATOES.
= This product Of the garden, which has grown
to such popularity, is now one of the most de-
sirable that can be named, and TO secure its
early production is a matter of much impor-
lance The early maturity of this vegetable
depends upon the use Of seed for first planting
that possesses the important quality of earli-
ness Something may be gained by the care
and treatment OF the plants They should be
started in the hot bed, or, for the want Of that
in boxes in the house. A very good way is to
procure a great quantity Of fruit cans from
which the euds have been removed, place them
in a shallow box and fiji with earth when
sufficiently warm plant in each a few seeds
enough to secure at least one strengthening
plant in each can which viii be sufficient for
each can. As they grow, pinch out the termi-
mai buds, so rs to cause them to grow stout and
vigorous, until time to transplant, when they
can he set in the ground prepared for them
without injury. For first crop the King of
the Earlies is a remarkable fruit, ripening by
the lst of July. it is represented as very re-
markable tomato. Different varieties should
be grown, so rs to secure asuccession.-Ge German
tolon Telegraph.
FEEDING THE SOIL.
In a recent number Mr. Larkin treats of the
above subject and offers some valuable sugges-
tiOns. There are subjects to which the atten-
ton of farmers must be called over and over
again, and this is one of them. Farmers must
realize that they cannot expect to reap rich
harvest unless the crop is supplied with feeding
material from the soil In which the seed is
planted. How each ones particular soil is to
be fed in the best and most economical manner
is a question for individual determination.
Farm manures are always reliable and should
be the main dependence, supplementary with
special fertlIl2erS.-EBctaHge.
FOREST CULTURE.
At the last Winter meeting of the Connecti-
cut State Board Of Agriculture, when the above
subject was incidentally alluded to, Samuel F.
West, one of the older farmers present pro-
tested against the continual cry of destruction
Of the forest, and of forest culture and made
the assertion that in New England, with the
present system of farming, the forests were en-
cr0aching upon cultivated lands, and that
fields that were once cultivated were now
growing to forests. The remarks were in real
| ity true; the soil of New England seems to be
particularly adapted to the growth of wood and
1 timber, and requires no special and by no
means artificial, cultivation.
NOTES.
There are many styles Of hyacinth decora-
! ton. One Of the most novel is Philadelphia
idea 4 spherical earthenware pot, perforated
| with openings, is filed with chopped moss, and
| in it the bulbs are placed. In the course oil
/ time the plants grow, and the shoots escape
! through the holes IN the eartheuware until the
/ jar is gradually covered with a solid mass OF
vegetation, frightened by the delicate purple
/ yellow and white Of the crocuses. Care should
| be taken TO expose the jar in such position
that the plants may get plenty Of sunlight.
Experiments made on the grounds Of the
| Dakota Experimental College show that the
/ white birch makes very rapid growth, and
! that they are well suited to the climate The
| hardy cataipa, however, is not hardy enough
! for Dakota Winters Ash-leaycd naples and
/ white P0piars doweu. no report was made on
/ the silver maple.
At the Farmers Institute held in Albion
! n. y, Virgil Bogue, an experienced nursery
! man and fruit-grower gave the following on
pruning the plum: The best time to trim
the plum is in the Spring, between the last
heavy freezes and the breakage of the buds i
| should never be done later, as a tree cannot bt
/ injured more by ill-Teatment than to trim
when the leaves are the size of mice ears
Pruning in the Fatl or early Winter is for this
| fruit the next worst time, as it exposes to thu
severe elements Of the weather the inner part
Of the tree"
- Prof Roberts, Of Cornell University, speak
ing OH milk production, said the dairy farm
must be fertile II we are TO produce milk o
the best quality. People have an idea tina
rough, poor pasture lands are fitted to produce
good milk but this is mistake He believe
there is moro value obtained from the bran
than there would be il the whole wheat shoulC
be fed to cows. Good land will produce goot
plants, and j isnot economy to feed them t0pOO
animals. What we want is a business COW, no
one that will 90 off on strike every four o
five or six months in year.
" ielding to the pressure put upon them
the French Government has decided TO again
start farm for the purpose of experimenting
with the various breeds of cattle in the coun
try. farm of 500 acres has been secured at
place called Yieux Pin, and the work will b
carried out by a commission, consisting of tn
Director of Agriculture, the Director of Horse
Breeding, and several other experts. FOrmerl,
an establishment Of the same sort was main
tanned, but after time it was abandoned.
"A simple, hOmely remedy for many tire
ailments and enemies is wood ashes, or, if no
to he had, coal ashes with sprinkling of lin
but ashes; ashes to be used freely befor
muiching against frost or drought; that Il
tree enemies may harbor therein, the muchin
itself, when gathered up. to be burned and re
turned to trees, Young trees should hav
plenty of iron filings or cinders around tn
roots when planted. If the iron is not needle
it will not be absorbed therefore there can b
no harm in its use.
Sprouts which start from the limbs of appl
trees after saving off should be pulled off dui
: ing the months Of July aud August as the