The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-11-14
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers

CURRAETs, GoosEBERRIEs AND GRAPES FROM
CUTTINGS.
Any of these plants, besides many varieties
of hardy shrubs, are readily raised from cut
tings of the old wood. The time TO put these
in is in tho Fall, and the following is good way
to do the work: Select good ripe wood from the
past Summers growth. Cut them into lengths
OF, say. eight inches, leaving bud close to the
top of the shoot and on the whole it is best to
have the lower cut just below bud also, as
there Is more woody matter there although
this is not absolutely necessary. The nero
length of the cutting is of no moment, although
the length given is about right. This gives
about six inches or so in tho soil and two above,
which should always have at least one bud
above, but near the surface Of the soil. -
Select piece of soil where the bed or beds
can be about four or Eve feet in width and any
length desired; IL more than one bod wide,
have an alley between, for the purpose of atten-
ton. A soil somewhat sandy is preferable, al
though any ordinary garden soil will answer.
Spade this up, breaking the soil well in the
process Compress again with the feet, and we
are ready for tho setting.
Stretch the limo across the bed, and with q
spade cut a ditch deep enough to receive the
cuttings, leaving just enough above the soil to
include one or two buds. Place back the soil
and tread firmly, then Is inches off start an
other row, and so on until all are set. Mako
the soil even, and the Job Is done.
In our climate but one thing Is now desira-
bic, and that is q slight mulch to keep the tops
from drying by the Winters wind, and the cut
tings from heavng by frost. This is done by
mulch of litter of three or four inches thick.
Under this protection callousing will be going
on ali Winter, and as soon as Spring comes the
top eyes will push ont and then the young
plants an established fact
Just before tho buds begin to push in the
Spring. and the frost is out of the ground, the
protection Is TO be removed. With these sim
pie means many shrubs, and the small fruits
| named, may be raised with not ono miss In q
hundred in the lot--Prairie Farmer.
PULvERIzINa AND CONTRACTING SOIL.
A great deal can DO done TO the soil in the
Autumn which will increase its fertility and
power of propagation. Anything that will re-
duce the effects of frost the soil will be found
of benefit. Flowing land in Autumn, when it Is
dry enough 10 crumbie. will prevent tho frost
from penetrating IL so deeply as when in a COM
pact mass, care being taken that IL is not SO
heavy or adhesive in nature as to be converted
into mortar IL heavy Winter rains should fol-
low. The action of frost upon any body is we'll
known, and also tho principle OF heat con-
Quoting The snow serves as a good protection
from the cold, because air is held In between
the innumerable interstices which separate the
crystals. Winter grain that has been covered
with layer OF snow during tho greater part
of the season will usually start early in the
Spring, aud succeed better than tho grain that
has been exposed all Winter. This princi-
MD al hntd Dc nod In I1.Io
are to DO covered with earth for Winter pro-
lection, 10 Is always better TO have the soil in
finely pulverized state. III thrown over in solid
masses and paclCed down tho cold will more
easily penetrate 10. lesson in covering celery
for Winter may DO drawn from this. The soil
should be broken up and pulvcrized r foot or
two down on every side OF tho CELERY bed.
Then cover 80 over with pulverized soil,
adding few leaves 10 separate the particles of
earth still more, and the bed will be ell.nIgh
frost proof.
The soil that 10 plewed In the Autumn, then
narrowed and rolled until all Of the clods are
broken up. will DO in the best condition for
seeds la the Spring. The action OF frost will be
lesseped, aud on grain land the seeds viii be bet
ter protected from freezing spells. II frost
penetratas solid. compact soil TO great depth,
ID requires considerable time for 10 10 como
out again in tho Spring. The planting of the
early crops arc thus often delayed. In addi-
ton 20 this, soil that Is not plowod In the
Autumn will often form good beds for water 20
collect on in pools Double damage is thus
done. and tho crops prevented from getting
even fairly early start Practical Farmer.
wTsTKHINo POTATOES.
Properly keeping potatoes for the Spring
market IL point Of Importance. Not all who
grow large quantities OF potatoes have suitable
cellars In which 20 store them. Thousands of
bushels must DO Wintered In pits. The ques-
ton OF so caring for them that Spring will find
them sound and in perfect condition il the
proper point 20 consider. R0tting sprouting
and sweating arc the sources Of injury. To pre-
vent these is the aim. II potatoes are sound
and healthy whom put in the pits, aud are
properly cared for. these conditions are not
likely to arise. To protect them from heat
| and damp ls no less important than to protect
from frost. Keeping them too warm in the
| Fall and too cold In MIdwinter are general
| causes OF destruction to potatoes wintered In
| pits They should DO in a cool condition before
| being covered with dirt. Then cover well with
| straw and lightly with earth, leaving the ex-
treme top OF the pit without earth, that any
heat remaining or generating In the pit may
escape. Protect the pits from the sun aud rain
| by roof Of boards, under which there Is free
| circulation OF air, until cold weather comes.
Thus the tubers arc kept dry and cool, and the
earth is dry. Frost will not penetrate far into
/ dry earth, but ID will go deep into that which
is wet. With the coming of Winter efficient
covering TO protect against frosts will generally
keep the tnbers in excellent condition.
- Garden preparation should really begin In
| tho Fall. Gardens as a rule contain more
weeds than any other plat on the farm. They
should be moved down, raked OF and burned
| The plat should then DO plowed, to remain In
| the rough condition for the frost to penetrate
IL will render tho cultivation easier in she
| Spring.
- The reason Of cow giving bloody milk
| is some injury 10 the udder, generally from
bruising or being chased by boys or dogs The
uddor then full of milk, is bruised by the legs
or coming in contact with brush or briars by
being bitten by dogs, parties throwing stones
! aud injuring the udder; in fact, il the result
4 OF an injury of some kind. IL generally yields
! readily to treatment Keep the animal quiet
bin stable or small pasture for few days and
battle the ndder well twice day with not wa
| ter.
We see 10 announced that an Eastern man
has patented process for baling ensilago and
delivering it whereVerneeded for feeding stock
| Why not2 1t would be q nice thing for the
family cow IN tho eity-provided that the on
silage can BIO 80 put up that 1t will not take
harm by exposure TO the air. IL ferments very
rapidly, and changes color on exposure. This
| is the evil to be Overoone-if the ensilage can
not be delivered daily, like our milk. The
solder tho bale, Of course the less the injury.
Perhaps some. kind Of cheap envelope may be
devised. This Is, a new idea, and not to be
| sneercd at In this progressive age