The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-02-13
FARM NOTES.
THE ADVANTAGES sOF FRUIT AND
SHADE TREE PLANTING
WELL SHOWN.
Farm Gardening and How Safely to
Kill and Save Your
Hogs.

this column should be addressed
The management of TIE STATES
MAN, anxious to assist i'll the agricul-
tural development and prosperity of
the country, have decided to devote a
portion of the paper solely to agri-
cultural matters and have placed the
department in my charge.
1t thus becomes my duty and
pleasure to supply readers with such
matter as will tend to improve the
practice and profit of agriculture in
its widest sense.
n In accepting this position / am per-
Z fectly conscious CT the responsibility
and feel some difiidence about acting
the role of teacher, when l might very
appropriately play the part of scholar,
but | am consoled with the reflection
that few men know everything about
farming, and certainly no one editor.
In the conduct of this column |
shall endeavor TO give readers such
hints and food for thought as think
will be OF benefit of farmers in this
section. AS far as practicable, l shall
treat of matters of Importance at the
time Of publication and discuss live
questions.
Being Il practical and experimental
farmer, and not mere theorist and
book farmer, | propose dealing with
the work of the farm in practical
way and never palm off fine spun
theories as facts.
| am not egotistical enough to
imagine that all will agree with what
! write and select, and therefore / in
vite criticism and contributions.
Communications bearing on the
work of the farm, ranch and orchard,
will be gladly received and have
proper attention.
FRUIT AND SHADE TREE PLANTING.
Those who have neglected this inn
portant duty should about it at once.
No farmer can afford to neglect it. 1t
is the duty he owes to himself, his
family and the community at large.
A country home without an orchard
and shade trees is like a home without
children, cherries and desolate
looking.
With a climate and soil like
ours there can be no excuse
for the unadorned homesteads
so frequently seen in our prairie sec
tiOns, and still less for the absence of
health promoting fruit trees. Indif-
ference and laziness are the two chief
reasons for this deplorable state of
things. The surroundings of a farm
I,,,n 10 ln oh, nx.tD, -
the farmer, and when a homestead is
seen standing in all OF its native, un-
e adorned ugliness, it may safely be pre-
II dicted that its owner is not much of
J success as a farmer, and its inmates
lacking considerably in many things
that go to make up happy home.
This view is very generally accepted
and has called forth legislative enact
ments and private organizations hav-
ing for their object the encourage
ment of tree planting. Texas Arbor
Day is fixed for February %, and de-
serves practical recognition.
My experience in tree planting is
that it is better to plant in November
or December, as the roots have more
time to grow and get ready for duty
in the spring. Still, better late than
not at all and trees planted any time
this month, with an average rainfall
during spring and early summer, will
generally do well. Let the good
work begin and continue. Make home
attractive with fruit and shade trees,
and health and happiness will be
largely promoted.
FARM GARDENIN G.
This important department OF farm
labor does not receive the attention it
deserves. If farmers fully realized the
benefits to be derived from a good
vegetable garden there would be less
sickness in the country and fewer
doctors bills to pay. Hog and hon.
my are very good in their way, but as
an unyarying diet they leave much to
Y be desired.
A day or two spent in the prepare
ton and cultivation OF the garden
will be found quite as profitable as the
same time spent in any other branch
of arm work. A thorough prepare
ton of the soil is the first requisite OF
success in garCening, as in nearly all
crops. If the work has not already
been done, do it, and get all seeds into
the ground that do not require very
warm weather 1t this latitude 1t IS
safe to plant almost anything, except
ing beans, in the open ground ON Feb,
ruary |, and if cold snap should
come and nip the young plants once
in II while, it is only the seed lost, as
the labor costs but little and benefits
the soil for another planting,
1t will pay to plant IL wide variety
OF vegetables, ii done early enough.
Our summers are too dry and hot TOR
gardening without irrigation, but II
early planting is practiced we can
have the luxury OF vegetables before
the seed has been sown in the North
ern states. BY all means plant
enough Irish potatoes for home use II
not for sale. This should be done mol
later than the first week in February
1 4. E. ltn lp II