The Opelousas courier., 1891-06-27
FARM AND GARDEN NOTES.

American AgracunuFlSt.
FARM AND GARDEN NOTES.
It is said that linseed oil, if applied to
the knot on its first appearance, is d
remedy for black knot.
The Rural Mew Yorker is inclined to
regard the Reitenbach Norway maple as
the best of the purple leaved trees.
After the garden crops are we'll under
way the hens will prove beneficial rather
than injurious, as they will destroy many
insects.
The Windsor cherry, one of the dark
colored sort, is in many respects equal to
the Black Tartarian, while excelling it in
hardness.
Chickens like ripe tomatoes, and will
eat ripe cucunbers, not green ones, but
they will eat green and ripe grapes. Keep
them out Of the vineyard.
Insects do not like wood ashes. Use
the ashes for the trees and vines. If
you have no ashes buy some. Ashes
contain both lime and potash.
Keep the heifer in tho full flow of
milk as long as possible after she has her
first calf. An old maxim is that every
thing depends on the first year with a
heller.
Nothing pays as well as eggs now. A
good flock of fowls will give a larger
profit, In proportion to the capital in
vested in them, than anything else on
the farm.
One often sees the hint given that
sheep require less care than other stock,
and SO are more profitable. On the CON
tfafy, they should have constant care
and good attention.
The editor of the Dairy World says
stthere is no such thing as over-produc-
ton in a prime article of butter. There
is simply an over-productioh of lgnor-
ance in the dairying."
Those who grade and pack their fruit
carefully, honestly and tastlly have an
immense advantage over other competi-
tors, all things being equal, in bad as
well as in good seasons.
Wick says that white, sweet-scented
violets do well for quite a number Of years
planted where they are apt to be bad
places in the sod, and will always thrive
If the grass does not crowd them too
closelr.
All fallen fruit, no matter how small
or how early in the season, should be de-
stroyed. It is in the fallen fruit that
many insects mature. They can be
better destroyed by destroying the fruit
than in any other manner.
One of the best safeguards against q
dry season is to use land plaster in the
hills of corn. A very small amount of
plaster will answer. Put it on the hills
after covering the seed. 1t attracts
moisture and is of itself a fertilizer.
Many cellars are damp that could be
drained with drain tile. A spirit level
laid ON the cellar window sill and
sighted, affords an easy method of learn
ing the difference in the slope of the
land where it is desirable to drain the
cellar.
A solution of kainit, or muriate of
potash, at the rate of one ounce to the
pint Of water, has been found to be sure
death to many insects, SUCH as green fly,
cabbage maggot, ETC., by contact. This
simple and safe remedy is worthy of
trial.
The broadcast seeding of fodder corn
is n of the agricultural absurdities that
some farmers persist in following. Fod-
der corn should ALWAYS he grown in
drills three feet apart and carefully cul-
tivated. Then y "a get a heavy crop
of good fodder; but broadcast seeding
argues laziness and a head that does not
think.
The old fashioned pumpkin growing
In the cornields of our fathers will be
remembered by many of us. Upon the
whole. we think that when we tim
proved upon the methods of u fathers
In this matter, we did not make much of
an improvement. The pumpkin is not
to be sneezed at for nies, and it is no
mean feed for stock.
Root crops consist mostly OF water and
are often overestimated as to value for
stock feeding. They make an agreeable
change of diet, but they cannot be reck-
oned directly as fat or fesh.producing.
Grain. hay. cotton-seed and linseed meal,
are all better than roots. The English
raise roots because they cannot raise
Indian corn successfully.
The California Fruit GroWer says that
melons may be obtained a month earlier
than usual by planting the seeds in
squares Of sod which have been placed
in q warm, sheltered spot u frame,
where they can be protected from frost.
As 500 as danger from this source is
past, the squares are removed and set in
the fields where wanted.