The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-10-29

The common farmer, and by com
rnon," | mean the one who makes
living by tilling the soil and does no
lay claim to much scientific knoWl
sdge-must often be puzzled ana ire
ouently disgusted at tho chunks 0
teahnicality thrown at him by many
agricultural writers. Some like TO all
their scientific attainmeuts and fairly
reyel in u display Of chemical knoWI
edge that is often very superficial ana
impractical. Any agricultural sci
enceu that is not practical is not SCI
entiiic. The practical farmer IS the
scientific farmer; though he may be
unconscious of it, and would deny the
implication if it were laid to his
charge. Such man with thorough
knowledge of chemistry would be
none the less practical and vastly
more useful. But such men are few
and far between and when met with
should bo held in high esteem. Sir
Holm Dawes and Sir Thomas Acland
Of England are two noble examples OF
this class. The latter has just pub
Hshed a book on the Chemistry OF
Farming, especially prepared for prac'
tical farmers. In this work he says:
81 think we have heard great deal
too much about the chemical analysis
of 5he soil; or, if not too much, at least
much that is not practical. L believe
chat knowledge Of the mechanical
texture of the soil, whether stiff, close
oc heavy, or, on the other hand, light,
gravelly or sandy, is a matter Of at
least as much Importance as the ana
lysis OF it's ultimate elements, and
more constantly requiring attention.
'raat is one reason why | have ven
tuted previously to call in question
what appeared o me in this relation
pedantic display of chemical
torm- calcium, pstassium, mag
sum, phosphorus aid sulphur
and silica, a5 leading practical men
or on the wrong scent. | am con-
srantly meeting with intelligent
q young farmers who fancy that if they
could analyze their soils and their
crops they would know what man
ures to buy. / consider this q delu-
SION, partly due to the long lists chem
10 VI names published in certain books
ptofessing to be scientific guides. /
must, however, admit that it may be
Worth while to ascertain by analysis
b. certain cases, whether soil is de-
}Gient in lime, or potash, or phos-
pilates, ifsuch analyses are conduct
ed by competent chemists who are in
touch with practical farming. If |
have not entirely failed in my at
tempt and purpose hope l have sue
coded in impressing on the practical
reader how very small portion Of
the plants come out of the soil and
how much directly or indirectly,
comes out Of the atmosphere.
THE TREE PEDDLER,
The eloquent itinerant agent of nur-
dery stock is now abroad in the land
armed with mammoth specimens OF
fruit and ford pictures of varieties
named in his catalogue, but existing
only in the brain of the artist.
he is one of the most seductive and
successful drummers on the road
w hen an honest representative of q
Trustworthy firm, the true agent is q
benefactor of his country and his pa
irons, as without his influence and
urgency fruit tree planting would be
very little practiced in country dis
trcts. When assurance is given of
honest dealing, the tree peddler
should be treated like any other mer-
chant.
But many Of the class are frauds
aud imposters and should be bounced.
They come on false pretenses, often
pretending to represent firms with
which they have no connection; false
ly describing the character of the
fruit tree they sell, or, in filling their
orders, supply worthless varieties in
place ofrare and valuable kinds they
have pushed.
4 common practice with these ras-
Gals is to go round large nurseries
after their canvass of the country has
boen completed and buy up cheap all
eulls and unpopular stock not wanted
ia legitimate business. These are
sent out duly labeled, in harmony
with the orders received, and gen
orally give satisfaction on delivery
and till fruiting time comes some
years later. Then the victim uses I'M
refined language and gets his gun
ready for the next peddler.
Those intending to set out trees
al Iuld write to some we'll known and,
if possible, nearest responsible
for his catalogue, which
viii nearly always give sufficient de-
scr ption of stock to secure q wise
Purchasers would thus get
what they ordered and a greatly re-
duced charge.
MEXICAN JUNE CORN.
My readers will perhaps remember
me telling of an experiment / had
made will June corn. 1t is Next
can variety that flourishes where
Ot ers fail tor want of moisture. 1t
h"~ boon hi%hlv eXtolled by it's ad-
I eFs and inquired 4bou, BY those
ne in druurhy regions, / had
Item doubAugiy about It's drOuth.
g.. ing ehargcte ristics aud It's prNat
q ield crop and received on the
"a OF lane 81 package of the corn
N Mr.. EttCr Of CaStroville