The National tribune., 1889-05-09
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
THE WHITE enUR OF THE NAY BEETLE.

free land from the white grub, but it must be
put on in large quantities, say one and half
tons per acre. a crop of buckwheat will GER
tainly rid land of the wire-worm, and per-
haps of the white grub Starvation is also
suggested as a remedy. Collect and burn, as far
as practicable, ali the vegetable material upon
which the larvae could feed. If the ground has
been cultivated for vegetables, gather all the
stalks, stems vines, ETC., together with the
roots, in piles, and burn them. If the land be
in grass after feeding as closely as possible,
pillow thoroughly, and follow during the Au-
tumn with such additional plowings and har
rowings as shall best tend to destroy all vege-
table life. At this time gas-lime, if procurable,
should be applied. Repeat these operations in
the following Spring, and allow the land to lie
fallow for year Compliance with these di
rections would not only starve out the white
grub, but also whatever wire-worm cut-worms
and other underground larvae might be present.
Strawberries, which are very liable to the
white grub, have been protected by burying to-
baceo stems in their beds; also by placing
quantity of ashes, either leached or unleached,
upon the ground before setting the plants But
the best remedy is to water the plants with an
infusion of burdock leaves; it does not harm
the plants, but it makes them so offensive to
the white grub that he will not touch them.
To make the infusion take green burdoek
leaves and stalks, run them through hay
cutter, put them in large kettle or tub and
mash them with an old AK or maui, adding
water and pounding them to a pulp. Let it
stand over night and apply the decoction
strong This is also an effective remedy for
the onion maggot To prevent the destruction
of the foliage of trees by the May beetle, dust
them thoroughly with air-slaked lime, apply
ing it in the morning while they are damp
with dew. Or sheets may be spread under
tree early in the morning and the tree shaken.
The beetles will not attempt to fly at that
hour, and large quantities of them may be
caught, drowned and fed to swine. In the
evening the beetles are attracted by bright
light, and may thus be lured to destruction.
If lantern be placed above vessel of water
upon which two or three tablesp0ontulS OF kero-
sene has been poured, many of the beetles
drawn to the light and striking against it will
be thrown into the water aud drowned. Many
other noxious insects will at the same time be
destroyed. Agric,lturist
TRAINING HELPERS.
The term breaking" as applied to the do
nestle animals has an unpleasant Specification.
1t indicates bad management forcibly rene
died calf or a colt should be trained from
its birth, aud it should be gradually led in the
way it should go-the word educated" has
precisely this meaning-by constant pro-
gressive course Of kind and considerate treat
ment. A heifer calf should be weaned at its
birth. If its natural instructive proclivities
are to be repressed and obliterated, this is the
time to begin, before the germs of these have
had opportunity to grow into habit. Hence
a calf should not be permitted to suck the dam
and should be Taught to drink from pail.
Have 4 leather collar strong enough TO hold it,
| l.
hook attached to tie itwith in the pen. Then
it should be handled brushed is better quite
frequently, until it is used TO it and makes no
resistance but rather likes it. As it grows older
its udder and teats should be rubbed and pull
ed as if in milking. This not only makes it
docile, but it helps the development of the
udder and increases its future capacity A
hefer may be brought to milk in this way be-
fore it has had a calf and instances of this lac
| teal precocity are not infrequent i'll dairies
where calves are permit tilted to suck each other,
although this is a great mistake and is pro-
vocative of vicious habits, such as self-sueking
and sucking other cows. When the heller has
a calf it is already trained, and breaking with
the discipline of club, boot, or milking
stool, Will not be required.-American Agricut-
turist
CABBAGE AFTER EARLY POTATOES.
To get good crop of cabbage after early po-
tatoes, it is only necessary to have good strong,
healthy plants to commence with. To obtain
such, sow the seed in drills, not less than one
foot apart, and thiny in the row, the last week
of May or the first week in June. One ounce
| of seed will produce 1000 plants. and if prop
erly cultivated on good soil will produce the
best plants in 30 days, or by July !. After dig
ging, the potato patch should be freshly plow-
ed and the soil thoroughly pulverized. My
plan is then to open burrows four feet apart and
apply 500 pounds of some good fertilizer per
acre in these rows, covering with corn COW
erer, and set the plants three feet apart on
these ridges. Cover them deeply, even if the
leaves are partly covered Should the soil be
dry or dry spell be likely to follow, tramp
| around each plant after setting. 1t is best to
lift the plants with a digging-fork rather than
pull them from the seed bed, especially if at
all dry.
POULTRY SCRATCHINGs.
Fowls can stand considerable cold weather
without serious discomfort; but they are not
ironclad, like lampposts. Exposure to a steady
draft while on the perches is very dangerous to
them. Stop up even as small openings as knot
holes.
The statement that the droppngs of one hen
per year are worth so cents is going its annual
round. We have kept about one hundred hens
on the average but find them credited with
only SIS on our book for manure, or cents
each. Ten cents is the very highest that we
would be willing to allow for the annual ma
nure crop from each hen.
BY far the greater part of poultry diseases
are on the outside, and their names are hen
lice and mites or spiders. The best remedies
are buhach and kerosene. the former to be used
on the fowls and the latter on the perches, in
the nests and in the whtewash. These two
substances give us absolute control of the in
sects that infest poultry and poultry houses,
| and consequently control of the so-called dis
eases resulting from insects.-Americaa Agri-
caltttrist.
- Farmers could help the sheep business by
eating more mutton themselves. Mutton is
more nutritious than beef or pork.
If the space between rows of grapevines is
occupied by strawberry plants, currant bushes
or weeds, do not wonder that the grapes do not
ripen early. The SUMS rays must reach the
earth and keep it warmth early ripening is de-
| sired
= Narrowing should be repeated, if the
| Jumps are not reduced, after each rain, but not
when the ground is too wet in order to get the
soil fine Narrowing is work that pays in the
end. The finer the soiband the better its con-
| dition for receiving seed the more advantages
! of growth are secured. 81
- The Norfolk is an excellent early turnip.
For table use size is of no consequence if early,
tender turnips are desired. Make the ground
rich, force them in. growth by careful hoeing,
and clear off as soon as the time arrives for
later crop, which may be grown on the same
! location.
Poor crops of almost anything else may be
| laid off upon the season or soma other excuse ;.