The record-union., 1891-02-03
FARM And ORCHARD.
The Value Of Breeds Intended for
Producing Meat.
Pruning Grape vines-Management of
sheep-Essgs for Neutrality-suspicious.
Grapes-t5eneral Farm Notes.


Grapes-t5eneral Farm Notes.
AT this time the early lambs should re-
ceive the greatest attention, as they are
now being dropped, and if kept in full
growth pay large profits. In some mar
kets sales are made as early as February
and March, lambs of forty pounds each
being bought by proprietors of costly
hotels and restaurants; but they are
scarce at such times, and it does not pay
to sell them if they are of choice breeds,
as they Will be worth more later on. The
early lamb is the one that makes the
most rapid progress in growth, and not
the one that is of q certain age. Lambs
OF the Shropshire or Oxford breeds will
weigh about twelve pounds at birth, and
when three months old can be made to
weigh seventy-tive pounds with but little
difficulty. In an experiment made in
Illinois with twin lambs, the male
reached 10l pounds when 100 days old,
and the female 81 pounds, which shows
what is at least possible, though not often
attained. A breed intended for produc-
ing meat, whether in the shape Of beef,
Tor that purpose exclusively. Breeds are
now separated and classified according to
their merits and special characteristics for
the accomplishments of any certain OBJ
jects, and success with any breed is
secured only when that breed is made to
do duty in its particular line.
When the early lamb is made an object
OF profit the breed should be one that ex-
cells in the size and rapidity ofits growth
from birth. All other considerations,
such as wool productions, adaptability
to forage, ETC., should be overlooked, in
order to give the breed every privilege to
excel in its special capacity; hence to
get the lambs in market early they must
be fed and bred for that purpose, rs a few
weeks delay may lessen the profits one
half. The same rule applies to other
classes OF stock. To secure the best re-
l'sultS one must breed for them, for the
breed is the foundation upon which the
enterprise is built. There is no rule for
feeding all stock alike. The breed that
is to produce after it's kind must be fed
with view to enable it to perform its
part. 70 feed for fat when growth is de-
sired, or to feed for growth when produc-
ton IS sought, demands skill and a due
regard to the quality and quantity of
foods, but it is the duty OF the farmer to
understand all such matters and to edu-
cate himself to knowledge OF the char.
OF the foods necessary to aid him in ac-
comprising his Objects Philadelphia
| Record.
PRUNING GRAPE VINES.
There is more mystery made over the
pruning of grape vines than there is need
for. Many a farmer is afraid to use the
knife on his vines for fear of doing them
| some injury. AS q matter of fact, the
whole business of pruning consists in q
proper thinning out of canes so that there
be not too much wood for the trellis, and
arranging SO that bearing canes will be
over all parts of it. As to the two sys-
tcms-one of which calls for new canes
annually, the other for spurs only from
the old wood have found no difference
in them. What is wanted is to have
punches of grapes evenly distributed over
the vines, and whether they come from
last year S or Older canes makes no differ
| ence. Ny own plan is between the two.
1T there are canes which bore last year,
and they are well supplied with lateral
shoots from top to bottom, they are per-
mltted to remain, but the iaterals are all
pruned back to two eyes. One of these
eyes is sure to give shoot which will be
supplied with one or two punches of
grapes in season. This is what is called
the spur system, and it is the one adopted
by those who grow grapes in lighthouses.
The vines in these forcing houses have
many years. Byjudicious pruning the nat
ural tendency OF the vine to make foliage
only at top is prevented, and from the
lowest to the highest point punches of
grapes hang. If this judicious care We're
given to outside grapes they would no
more become bare than the inside ones.
But there are few of us perfect enough in
our business, or who deem it worth while
to give this care to the vines. Ia conse-
quence, there is every year less foliage at
the bottom than before, and in the end
less fruit produced. An easy way to
remedy this is simply to cut down an old
cane to near the ground, when q strong.
fine cane Will be made instead for fruit
ing next year. / follow this plan, differ
ing, however, in this: That every year ]
see that some old cane is cut back so that
! there are always some new and some old
canes on the treilises. And this, think.
| is the best way. There is no reason that
| can see for cutting down the canes con-
! tlnually. Old canes OF many years
growth produce the finest kind Of
punches. 1t may safely be said that old
canes with laterals well pruned back, and
a new cane here and there, where vacant
places are likely to be will leave the vine
in good shape to produce a full supply of
fruit.
In regard to length of cane. as T am
writing OF grapes grown on trellises
about gardens and dwellings and not of
those grown in vineyards for market, III
which case q different system would be
required, [ would say that the trellis of
about or s feet high, which is about the
| height of thosewe have, may have the cane
come to within one foot of the top. Sew
eral canes cut in this way will give more
fruit than one not cut so short and al
| lowed to run along the trellis too far
Canes of long size Go not bear well on
their tops. Pruning may be done at any
time during the winter. lit be desired
to increase the stock of vines, preserve
the trimmings. Cut them into lengths
of about 9 TO y inches, containing two or
three eyes each. Cut the lower end of
each just below an eye. Tie them up in
bundles and bury them in sand III cold
cellar until the ground is in fit condition
to plant in spring. Then set them deep
enough in the ground that the top eve is
just above the surface of it. Hardly one
viii fail to grow if the cuttings have been
| kept in good condition ard are planted
early in the season.-JoSeph Ktthan in
| Practical Farmer.
MANAGEMENT OF SHEEP.
| An Orleans County IN. Y. correspond
ent of the Albany CititigGt0r asserts that
| if any farmer viii buy 100 square bodied
| Merino ewes Tor one for each acre of his
! tarEn} well covered with good salable
| wool, the fleece OF one years growth to
"t4sA aposit e1eYeu pouhus, ne would
take in q snug sum for wool, and hardly
know where it came from.
OF course, sheep need looking after
every day nearly, but they do not have
| to be MIXED, and that twice day, like
cows; neither do they have to be driven
to the barn every day. They ought. how
ever. TO be changed from one lot to an
other about every three weeks and that
| is not much of job if every time they
4 are looked after they are given a few
! handfuls of some kind of grain that they