The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-07-11
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
CULTIVATE THE ORCHARD.

Cultivate THE ORCHARD.
For at least three years cultivate the young
orchard. We have often said that il you desire
TO grow a crop of apples, you must give the
crop something Of the care you give to other
crops We have seen orchards planted in
grass field, and left TO grow while the ground
was occupied by the grass We never saw
good orchard grown in that way, however.
Plant the young orchard in some crop that
will not shade the trees or prevent full sup
ply of moisture. Beans may DO grown in the
orchard; potatoes may be grown; tomatoes
may DO grown. 1t is hardly necessary to say
that in cultivating an orchard crop, the great
est care must be taken not to iBjure the trees.
A frisky horse or frisky mare should never
be taken into young orchard. II is well, too,
TO pad the end of tho single-tree. After three
or four years of cultivation, the apple orchard
may be put down in grass, and pastured with
pigs. There is no doubt of the advantage de-
rived from letting swine run in an orchard.
As to the kind OF grass that should be sown in
the orchard, one of our most experienced or
chardists says that it should be clover, because
it does not form sod, and the growth Is not
heavy in dense shade; and If pastured moder-
ately close with swine the orchard will be
benefited more by the droppings Of tho pigs than
damaged by the clover. The orchard ought TO
be cultivated, however, about every third year.
The Western Rural
ENsILAGE FOR POULTRY.
It is now admitted that hens may be wintered
cheaply by the use of ensilage, rs well as other
stock, aud that small siIo or a barrel or hogs
head may be used, in which ensisge may be
stored. Any kind of green food will answer,
such as corn leaves, grass of all kinds vegetable
tops, etc. All green material used should be
nearly matnred; that rs, il should DO cut just
when the seeds are about to form, but do not
wait till the seeds are nearly ripe This is 10
secure food of the best quality, as very young
plants abound largely ia water. Fill the sil0
ana press the material down; ill to the top and
put on the cover. The cover must be made a
little smaller than tho top of the silo. so as to
permit it to descend when weighted. Upon
the cover place stones or other weights, which
will pack the material close and tight. More
material may be added until the silo is full.
All material used should be cut very fne--about
hulf an inch in length. When wanted for use
IL will be found packed so closely that an inn
plement Of some kind will be required TO loosen
IL for removal. We give tho mode hero that
some of our readers may try it. If the poultry
man can save a hogshcad Of green food in this
manner il will aid him greatly in feeding dur
ing the Winter, and will enable him 10 secure
more eggs. while the health of the fowls will
be promoted.
GET RID or THE FLIES
Horse stable proximity is favorable to the fly
nuisance. as arc swiiiepaiis. slop-holes aud un-
clean kitchen surroundings generally. There
fore the tidy housekeeper Ia less tormented by
tho presence of The winged scavengers; but,
despite best efforts, they are apt TO be with ne,
and Prof Cook suggests, from his own practice,
n ihreefold preca1tion Tor their abatement:
]. We have scFacns to all our windows, and
to such doors as ara mach used, especially the
outside doors to kitchen and dining-room. The
screens 20 the kitchen windows are full length,
80 the windows ea, te opened either from above
or below. WS believe In fresh mir. and with this
arrangement we get Id
2. The screen 10 the PANTRY window, TO each
OF the dining room windows, and to one window
OF each of the other rooms. II hinged at the top
10 the upper sash. ThHs, by daFkening all the
other windows. tie flies alight ou this hinged
screen. We now phsh the screen quickly out at
tho bottom, brush rapidly with palm leaf FAM
and To- the dies are all outside the window.
3. In case the flies get too thick wa use py-
rc.hrum, or better, California pyrethrum or
buharh. Toward night We try 10 attract all
the dies into the kitchen by darkening the
other rooms aud placing odorous sweets ex-
posed TN That room. AZ 10 o'clock bedtime
VIC scatter. by means Of Zoe. bellows, little
OF the powder into tho room. The next morn
Ing the flies are dead or partially paralyZed on
the kitchen floor aud are swept up aud ere
mated in the kitchen stove before any revive.
Mrs. Cook prefers tho hinged screen in the
main. as too free use Of The pyrethrum does
spread fine dust OH tho furniture, which is
not desirHble.- Tribune.
NOTES
When nm uddcr "a so full that the milk
escapes, the COW must feel uncomfortable. Now,
10 hurry her from the pasture or 10 let the dogs
chase her must necessarily add to the discom-
fort. Don't do Il or Lot il DO done.
- Milst Is good for cows, we reply to q cor
respondent. But care mnst DO taken not 10
allow theIn To eat too much Of the seed. To the
same correspondent We reply that pumpkins
are good for cows, bat the same advice applies
% the seeds of pumpkins.
--- After harvest, and when the mills got TO
work, IL Is pretty good plan 30 lay in stock
OF BRAN IL can usually be bought cheaper
then aud you know that bran ia a good milk
producing food. IL must be stored in place
that is perfectly dry, or you will have trouble
with IL.
a COW which will average but two pounds
Of butter a week, says tho Massachusetts, Plough
man, will usually 90 dry longer period than
one which testifes ia the milk-pail to the tune
OF five or six pounds Of butter a week for III
months in the year Don't look incrednous,
dear reader; know Of cows which do tam
milking one every day now aud these are the
possibilities that our dairymen should not stop
short Of. Your two. pound COW will
probably come up 10 about 81 pounds of butter
ia tho year, aud raise n calf worth Ss--with a
little help from her better-doing mates. Reck-
onng the butter worth 25e.a pound, gives nearly
$50 AS the income from such a COW. What the
actual cost OF keeping cow is will vary some
what with localities. No legerdemain of figures
can bring il below the income have figured
out above, and the most Of us know that $40 To
$40 above those figures come nearer the facts la
the case OF keeping COW year
FASHION NOTES.