Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-10-04

Agricultural.

\ good piV should average about eight Or
ten pounds gain daily from birth to alaugh-
ter until 10 months old
Radishes for winter use may be sown in
August or September The variety known
as the Spanish seems To- be the hardest for
winter
The iavoritc winter cropin spinach. Sow
the seed now. and it viii be up 10 time 10
remain in the ground for an early spring
supply
If you plant the pits of peaches with the
view Of growing trees you may fail 20 Sc
cure peaches worth growing, but chance
tree from the number may be superior to
any now known.
II is claimed that board floors should
not be used in stalls for colts as they are
too hard and cause injury the ieet Moth
ing is as good as an earth door for all
animals that have tender feet.
Cooked potatoes make excellent food for
stock The small potatoes. which cannot
be sold TO advantage, may be used for hogs
and poultry. As an agreeable change for
the COW, cooked potatoes are superior to
tnrnips or beets
Ii manure is TO be applied around young
trees let it be done late in the fall or when
winter is well in A disadvantage Of
covering the ground around trees with
manure. however. is that il harbcrs insects.
afiording them shelter.
Ground bone is fertilizer that benefits
nearly all crops. can be applaud at all sea
sons Of the year. will not iDjure any tree
or plant, is permanent and lasting in its
effects and Is the cheapest form Of fertilizer
in proportion to the benefit it imparts that
can be used.
As the grass decreases give hay to the
cows thus gradually making the change
from green food to dry iood. II the change
is made suddenly the cows viii fall oil in
milk. As an assistance to the green food
(Which will soon become scarce) give sliced
turnips, beets or carrots
When the branches Of the tomato vines
look as if the leaves had been stripped of
make close search for the green worm,
which is about two inches long and half an
inch in diameter. Unless the worm is
caught il will eat mp all the foliage. and as
| il is nearly Of the color of the vine it is not
easily detected.
! Ifbarbed wire is used TO confine hogs it
need not be very high. The bottom wire
should be about four inches from the ground
and the next wire ten inches above it. If
sheep are inelosed the strands should be
six inches apart for three feet from the
ground as it requires close wire fence to
confne sheep.
To improve stock by selecting the best
for that purpose is commendable, but the
method is a slow one compared with the
immediate benefits derived by resorting 10
pure bred stock in order to grade up the
common stock, and the value is also
greatly increased at but small expense Of
time and labor.
About one and a half pounds OF corn will
animal is given all the hay or grass il de
sires The breeding ewes, however, should
be allowed oats in preference to earn. To
| fatten wether give n mess Of cooked tur-
nips and corn meal, with The other food.
and it will gain rapidly.
| IMPROVEMENT oF sEEDs BY SELECTION
The many truly distinct types or varie-
ties Of vegetables, fruits and flowers h'se
resulted from causes but little understood
or appreciated by those who are, 0r shall
be- the most directly concerned. Much
credit is gwen the hybridist for his efforts
| to procure new forms, rare combinations Of
colors delicious properties in vegetables
| aud fruits. Much is due him, not because
he has effected some desirable crosses and
hybrids. but because he has commenced an
important work. When the hybridist has
effected a cross, his work has but just com
menced. and must be followed by constant
systematic selection to make it valuable.
When a cross has been secured the future
progeny will show the variations in forms
and color that can result from mixture OF
the original colors. Some will be very
nearly like the one, some quite a. closely
resemble the other parent and the differ
enees in form will be no less striking. 4
bed of seedlings from any systematic cross
will show as many varieties a. there are
plants. no two will be exactly alike in color
and form. Should one or more Of the forms
be considered worthy Of being PerPetuated.
The seeds from these must be saved. and
from their offspring a selection of the de
sired type must annually be made until =
has assumed a distinct character. This
character will not remain constant ii the
care in selection necessary 10 produce u =
not kept up. Eternal vigilanee" Il the
price that must be paid to retain a prize
after having secured il: one years neglect
will vitiate the wen directed labors ~ de-
cade This field Of labor is a wide one. and
if properly worked will yield a vast amount
Of pleasure, and q satisfactory profit
There is scarcely variety Of flower or
vegetable which cannot be further de
veloped and improved by special effort in
tuillNAAlbn anu rttFAtAbAs -h1A &HWAN -
not a scotsman in our country that would
not pay more than remunerative price for
any well-defined type If vegetables or
flowers that show merit not already pos
sessed 10y others These can readily be-
obtained Co an almost unlimited extent by
making Of them specialties General work
will not accomplish the purpose, IL must
be systematic and persistent. Almost
everyone has a fav0rite flower. fruit or
vegctable-somc hobby in the vegetable
kingdom. Let him ride il well and he viii
win the goal Let him develop bis special
IS TO the highest degree Of excellence, and
he will not only receive suitable financial
remuneration, bur he will have the salts
faction of knowing that be Is a public ben
efactor-1mericda igricHltwist