The National tribune., 1889-02-28
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
CLEAN UP TIE FARM.

CLEAN UP THE FARM.
Allowing bushes to grow in pasture may
be excusable, but there appears to be no excuse
for allowing them to grow in moving or culti-
waited fields. If there is anything that detracts
from the appearance of farm, it is having the
sides by the walls and fences covered with a
growth of weeds We have been past farms
where, in consequence of sprouts, bushes and
weeds, it was almost impossible to even get a
glimpse of the field it bordered, even though
it was clear beyond. Where such eases exist
there is need of reform, and there is no better
season of the year in which to perform the
labor of clearing away the nuisance than the
Winter. Old Indigenous can be cut down, the
brush piled up and burned, and the improve
ment in the looks of the field viii more than
pay for all the labor required. This condition
in cultivated fields is quite frequently the re-
suit of negligence during the period of cultiva-
ton. 1t is hardly possible with the pillow to
break up the sod close to fence or wall, and
in far too many instances this narrow strip is
allowed to remain untouched during the entire
period of cultivation, and is the very place
where foul weeds will lodge and finally germi-
nate, and we hardly ever had field left in that
way but that it became pretty well started with
foul growth of rank weeds or bushes. AL
though it requires little extra labor at first to
accomplish it it is usually well to grub out
from the fence and especially so by the sides
of walls, all that cannot be upturned by the
pillow, so that the entire surface of the field may
be cultivated and kept clean. Then when
seeded down there will be no unsightly hedge
rows to be left to be cut at some more convent
ent season. There is yet force in the old say
ing a stitch in time saves nine. Germantown
Telegraph.
| RENOvATING RUN-oUT ORCHARDS.
We often meet with an orchard of appar-
| emily healthy trees which is practically fruit
less. The owner may tell US that it formerly
bore abundant crops, but of late years the trees
| have "run out" Why have they run out"3
| They formerly gave good crops of apples. All
the other land on the farm was expected to
| give but one good crop, but this of the orchard
was made to give crop of grain, or crop of
grass or clover, to be taken off as hay. The
| soil soon became tired of doing this double
duty. The trees gave out" because they were
robbed of food the first thing they need is
! feeding. Of course if the soil needs draining,
| lay the needed tiles at once, or as soon as the
soil will allow. Such orchards are usually in
| grass; draw on heavy dressing of manure and
| spread it. and as soon as the soil is in proper
with the pillow; with the hot weather the sod
will decay rapidly. When this is found to be
| well rotted, give another blowing, and a deep
| one. If ashes can be had, spread heavy coat
| ing and harrow; in the absence of ashes har-
row in good dressing of lime If the trunk
| and larger branches are covered with loose
! scales of old bark, upon which lichens and
MOSES have foothold, scrape off the loose
| bark, using a blunt, shorthanded hoe as
| scraper. Then in damp or thaw wash the
1 trees with soft-soap, made thin enough to apply
| with 4 brush. Use homemade softsoap, made
with I've OF potash. That sold at the stores is
| usually merely hard soap mixed with water,
| and very deficient in strength and quite in
| ferior to the homemade Mix the soap with
enough water to work readily, go over the
| scraped portions with it, and leave the Spring
| rains to finish the work. In due time the bark
| will be found beautifully smooth and deprived
of all foreign growth. The soap that has been
washed into the soil will act as a fertilizer
| Long neglected trees usually require pruning
| and this must depend upon the condition of the
| tree. Never cut out branch without good
reason for it. If the top has become crowded
cut out enough branches TO let light and air
/ into the center; if grown one side, remove the
| branches needed to restore balance. If large
wounds are made, smooth the surface and paint
| them over with some dark-colored paint
american AgricaLtuist.
| COLD SIORAGE OF APPLESs
Cold storage or refrigerator houses or cellars
| are coming more and more into use with ex-
| tensive frut-growers. The principle is correct,
| but ordinary farmers with only few hundred
| barrels need go no further than their own eel
lars for the storage of their apples Let pro-
| vision be made for keeping portion of the
! cellar devoted to vegetables and canned fruits.
| Use large proportion OF the time at a suitable
degree of temperature for the safe keeping of
| in ot,J latt l,a ut
be devoted to fruit, and SO arranged that the
| temperature can be changed at will when de-
| sired. If this portion can be kept moist, so
| much the better. When the apples are stored
! for Winter, let the temperature of the cellar
| be reduced nearly to the freezing point as
may be without danger and then maintain
that point as nearly as may be by means OF
ventilation, opening when cold and closing
| when warm weather and apples may, il picked
in season, be kept uutil late in the Summer. 1t
is the warm air of ordinary cellars that hastens
the decay of apples; but if the temperature can
be kept cool and the air changed by yentila-
ton. they will retain their freshness and
soundncss
WINTER FEED FOR POULTRY.
Corn is cheap and the poultryman will be
tempted to feed it exclusively; but if he does
he viii have to feed very judiconsly, or it will
be dear economy. Other cereals, within the
reach of the limited purse, may not be accessi-
bic to everyone; so those dependent upon corn
alone will have to exercise some ingenuity to
secure a varied diet
Whole corn is q good feed to depend upon for
the evening meal but if it must be fed oftener
through the day, it can be varied in the prep
aration.
Turnip-tops should be put in the cellar and
covered with little soil, to keep them crisp.
Turnip and potato parings should be saved, and
all can be cooked, and the water in which they
have been cooked can be used to sCald meal
and the pealings, ETC., mashed and mixed with
the meal.
The clover blossom aud leaves which sbatter
from the hay can be gathered up and boiling
water poured over them, allowing them to
stand and frcshen, and then mixing them with
the meal feed Of-crFFse, there viii be some
bran somewhere to add to ese meal; then there
will be the scraps of meat aud o5Ees. The boys
will like to hunt rabbits and wild Sermin in
maay parts which it viii be fun to kill Hunt
cut the retreats of the crows and hawks, kill
them, and after pucking the feathers, cut the
body up for the hens.-Lldiana Farmer.
NOTES.
1t is not profitable to abandon piece OF
land because it is not fertile. Raise sheep on
it, and endeavor TO bring it back to a condition
to admit of the growth of some kind of crop
which may be ploWed under. Sheep and the
turning under of green manurial crops will
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