Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-10-18

quart OF wood asneS 10 pau VI
water and stir it we'll; make
ridge of earth around the tree, a
few inches distant from the trunk and sufil-
GENTLY high to allow the mixture to en-
circle it and run into the holes which the
worms have made. This, the orchardlst
claims. is a sure and almost instant death
to the borers, and the application costs less
than one cent per tree. Treatment given
twice a year will keep the trees entirely
free from the pests. Thin white-wash is
sometimes used in the place of wood ashes,
Int it is not as good. He also suggests
that if there is a very large number OF
trees to treat, that long strips OF zinc or
sheet-iron. four or five inches wide and OF
sufficient length to encircle the tree, can
be used in the place of a circle OF earth,
and, in some respects, the latter is better,
as it does not absorb the water and by
giving greater direct pressure forces the
water more rapidly into the holes.
THE GRAPE MOTH.
For number of years a pest somewhat
related to the apple Goblin moth has in
tested the vineyards of the Eastern States.
1t has become quite prevalent In the
grape-growing regions of Wisconsin and
in several other sections of the country.
The pest is not inaptly called the grape
Goblin" Its scientific name is Eudemis
boterna. 1t has been known to destroy as
much as fifty per cent of the crop, where
it has gotten a foothold. The Larvae feed
upon the leaves in their young state and
then, as the juice of the grapes natures,
the berries are attacked and channels are
made into the pulp, entirely running the
fruit. The Larvae are supposed to attach
most of their cocoons to the leaves, and
the brood passes the winter in this form.
The burning OF the dry leaves and spray
ing with poisonous preparations, as for the
apple Goblin moth, would no doubt be
effective, but there is but little reliable in
formation obtainable regarding the habits
of the pest. 1t will be well for our Cali
fornia grape-growers to watch out for this,
as well as for other insects which there is
danger of importing in the State, as once
established on the coast it might become
very serious menace to a crop which al
ready is not lacking in vicissitudes and
enemies.-CalJornia Fruit Grotcer.
MACHINE FOR BURNING WEEDS.
A machine has been patented in Aus
tralia to facilitate the burning of weeds,
and, at the same time, to utilize and
evenly distribute the ashes. 1t consists of
large sheet-iron tank, mounted on three
low wheels. This is covered over with V
shaped bars of iron, which are about one
inch apart. A fange of sheet-iron is at
tached to the top, extending outward about
two feet all around. The tank is driven
:, ga ID hxr furalua
fourteen-foot rope. The weeds along the
fences, or wherever they are found in I'M
usual numbers, are cut and dried. Then
the tank is hauled along and the dried
weeds are forked in at the top and kept in
a constant blaze. The ashes fall through
the bars, and, as fertilizer, are as evenly
distributed as the weeds were before they
were burnt. A machine of this kind would
be very useful indeed in California for the
burning of thistles, mustard and many
other weed pests. Its use should be
favored for several reasons: first, the great
danger of fire spreading from stray sparks,
at the time of the year when weeds should
be burnt; again, it is very difficult to dis
tribute the ashes evenly over the ground,
which has been denuded of its rank weed
growth; and, still again, it is not easy TO
decompose vegetable stalks of any kind in
California, the climate and air being so
dry that they can be ground to powder al
most as easily as they can be decayed. 1t
is hoped that somebody will rig up a ma
chine of the kind and report Us as to its
practicability and California
Fruit GroCer.
FEW HELPS.
The farmer who is trying to learn, not
only from his own experience but also
from that of others, will find it to be a great
help to keep a set of books. These should
be in addition to the account books that
every farmer who expects to thoroughly
understand his business must keep. One
of these is notebook. In working on
the farm there will always be some things
coming up that will need to be done later
on. He will see things that he will want
to investigate a little further. If he takes
and reads farm papers he will see plans of
management that he will want to make
trial Of All of these can be noted down.
With the cares and perplexities of the
farm management in his mind, it will not
always do to trust to memory. A memo
randum will help materially to keep track
of these.
A scrap-book is almost a necessity to
the farmer who wants to derive all the
benefits possible from his reading. Sug-
gestions of different kinds, recipes, RENE
dies, and large class of matter can be
selected. To leave in the paper is to lose
in many cases, or, if wanted, it takes
long hunt to find them. By cutting them
out and putting them in a scrap-book
much more benefit can be derived 1t
will be best to divide into different de-
partments as this will save much time in
looking them up when needed. 1t is but
little additional work to prepare an index.
With it an article can be readily found
when needed 4 record of the weather,
including a memorandum of work done,
will often prove surprise as well as
help. One thing it will generally prove,
and that is the uncertainty of the majority
of weather signs.
Often we think the season is much later
than it really is; by making memoran-
dunn of the different kinds of work-seed-
ing, planting, cultivating and harvesting
we will be surprised how close in series
of years they will come together. To
keep the above books will require but little
time, while In addition to the benefit
they will prove a constant source Of salts
faction.
FARM NOTES.
Roses cannot well be grown on lawns.
The grass kills them.
Wood ashes contain a large proportion
of lime as well as of potash.
Sweet corn is crop that pays every
year, and it is always in demand.
One of the most beautiful ornamental
plants is the castor-oil bean plant.
Cover your asparagus beds with manure
late in the season, and use manure literally
for that purpose.
Take another look for the borer in the
trunks of the peach trees. Look just be-
low the line OF the surface of the ground.
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