The National tribune., 1890-12-25
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
sEAsoSABLE HINTS.

dlci0us watering deluging at one time aud
withholding at another, and paying no attsn-
tiou to the needs Of the different varieties.
The appetItes and needs Of plants are "a varied
as those Of people, and their Compartments
differ, too; there are the sanguine, the sensi-
tive, the phlegmatic, each requiring to be- dealt
with accordingly. While one plant will thrive,
notwithstanding the utmost neglect and sub
sst on almost nothing another must have
nourshing food and warm drink. Il is good
plan to adapt the water 70 the temperature OF
the room, and always be quite sure that tho
drainage is good.
Often plant will drooR and look sickly,
when, if the matter is looked into, il will Do
found that water stands in the bottom Of the
jar A bent wire is always useful in this case,
for by penetrating the holes at the base Of the
pot and stirring the earth passages viii DO made
for the escape Of stagnant water and gas Then
water freely, being sure that the water runs
through quickly; drain all OIL, loosen the soil
at the top Of the jar, aud withhold moisture
until the plant is again healthy.
The Gala, as is well known, requires plenty
of quite warm water; if in double jar boiling
water may be used in the lower jar and will
wonderfully hasten growth and blossoms.
Fuchsias are thirsty plants, especially when IN
flower, and moisture is necessary 10 the Chinese
primrose. The majority of plants require =
weekly bath in fact nothing so invigOrates
them as a shower bath of tepid water. Those
which cannot be removed readily for the
shOwering may have their leaves sponged
A correspondent gives the following easy and
effective way of checking the injuries caused
by the red spider First, shower the plant all
over thoroughly with dry insect pOWder-dOn'5
be afraid of putting on too much. Let it re-
main about "A hours. Second, plunge the
plant pot earth and all, in a tub Of water aud
let it remain there over night; in the morning
gently wash the plant while under water, lift
it and set it in the sunshine to dry. The water
needs 10 be Of temperature little tepid or
the plant will be chilled. The fingers can be-
run through the leaves while under water
without any injury. The plant may lose few
/ leaves in tine process, and these chiefly because
of the previous injury done to them by the
I spider; but / have removed the spider utterly
| by one application Of this treatment, even
when they were very numerous, and had the
/ plants rather improved By their bath than
otherwise.
As for the fat, white, mealy bug that dam
I ages all plants that ne visits have found no
means for removing him, excepting 10 rub him
\ out of existence with small damp brush.
| These two are the worst of all enemies TO
house plants.
/ In arranging for the Winter garden lot US de-
/ eide which plant shall be most hOnOred, which
/ shall have the best corner IN the conservatory.
I
/ Perhaps the Gala, for with plenty Of light lie
| will grow more symmetrical, and its upright
stately beauty. and, under right treatment, its
free Offering of fair white blossoms makes it
justly the queen of the Winter flowers. Pos
sibly the conservatory opens from the sitting
rOOm with an arched entrance around which
vines may be trained. There are so many
I vines we'll suited for this purpose that it is q
mere matter of fancy which to select. The
/ German ivy is most rapid in growth, and the
| variety MacrOgl Ossus, with dark, rich foliage,
| resembling the English ivy is beautiful though
not so quick in growing as Scandens, the light
| leaved variety. The most satisfactory vine
| ever cultivated indoors was the cObCea. &c had
attained q fair growth on the piazza during the
/ Summer, and in the Fall the branches were
taken down carefully the large pot carried to
| the conservatory and placed Just inside the en-
| trance while the vine was trained around the
room opening from the conservatory. The
/ vine grew luxuriantly and gave prOfusiOn Of
rich purple bells. The next Spring it was
placed out Of doors and grew well, blooming
indoors the second Winter, when it died, SEEM
ingly from exhaustion.
Madeira vine and smilax are among the
easily cared for and rapidly growing vines;
and maurandia is always graceful and desira-
I bic. But the very prettiest vine on the whole
/ list is asparagus tenuissimus the delicacy Of
/ its foliage, its bright, cheerful green and per-
feet freedom from insect pests leave nothing to
dainty, feathery sprays for bouquet making
and decorative purposes especially as it keeps
its beauty long time when cut VicEs Maya
zine.
NOTES.
Wintering a flock of turkeys is not so expen-
| sive as one would at first imagine. During the
very cold weather, when expect them to be
perfectly rayenous, they scarcely have any ap-
petite at all, but stand about lstlesS and stupid,
as though in a half torpid state. When the
weather moderate5 then they get hungry again,
but are never quite so Unsuitable as in the FALL
when they making their most rapid growth.
Still they are steadily gaining in weight al the
time, and bird that was called halfgrOwn ak
Christmas will by the end of February -
found TO almost have doubled its number 81
pounds IL is a good plan, however, especially
if one can make special arrangements, to dis
pose of the older, heavier birds at Christmas or
during MidWinteT as the demand for them Is
then usually greater Al other times dressed
turkey that weighs from 10 TO 10 lbs. net finds
more ready sale. BuC whether the fowl be
large or small the buyer wants its weight TO
consist mainly of flesh and fat not Of bones,
skin, and the tough muscle that i5 has been
obliged to make in its hard scramble for EV-
| ing.-C0UHt,y Gentleman.
When COW is found to be licking itself or
another COW it indicates that the card and the
brush needed. The use of these instru-
ments of cleanliness is Indispensable for the
comfort or the COW ana Jn6 ClcduhueS5 OF no
milk. Where they are used evey day there VIII
be no hairs in the butter. When one finds q
hair in the butter it is a sufficient proof that
that dairy is badly managed. One act Of un-
cleanliness is an indication that the whole sys-
tenn of the management is deieetiye.-PraCticaL
Farmer.
The Minnesota Experiment Station expert
mented last season with oats and peas sOwed
together. II reports that the blue or white
Canada field peas are the best sorts to SOW with
oats, and advises sowing in the proportion Of
three bushels Of peas with q bushel of oats, or
where the oats will stool great deal two
thirds of a bushel of oats Theodore Lewis Of
Wisconsin. on his MANFRED land sOws only one
half bushel of oats and two bushels of peas per
acre, but on drOughty and poor laud two
bushels Of peas are not enough.
Born Down With mflFmties.
Age finds its surest sOace in the beniguant tonic
aid afforded by HOstetter's Stomach Bitters. which
eOunteracts rheumatic and malarial tendencies
lieves growing inactivity of the kidneys and is The
A. IL. -