The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-01-22

This column is edited by Mr.. John G.
Edgar of Duval, to whom all communica
tiOns should be addressed.l
ARBOR DAY.
To the Agricultural Editor of STATESMAN.
, Sir:
/ read with pleasure your timely
and sensible remarks about tree plant
ling in Austin and could wish that
hundreds of others have done the
!, same and profted by your advice; but
nearly every day | see people setting
out the same old hackberrys in the
same little post holes you SO strongly
denounced. The usual result will OF
course follow.
You are right about the Sycamore
being d better tree for the city and
would also recommend the paper
Mulberry and the hardy Catalpa, both
of them beautiful and quick growing
trees. / would also suggest the plant
ing of Towering shrubs, such as Grape
myrtle and the sweet pomegranite in
front yards.
The last legislature in its wisdom
fixed the 22nd day of February as
Arbor day, but would advise every
intending tree planter to get to work
at once, as the third week in Feb
ruary is much too late for setting out
trees of any kind in this latitude.
Arbor day should be fixed for the
first week in December, and 1 kope
the alteration OF date will be made
during the present session OF the leg
islature. SIXTH WARD.
CUTTING BACK FRUIT TREES.
Those who have recently planted
out fruit trees should see that they
have been we'll "cut Lack" In other
words that all the tree has been cut
off, except from eighteen inches to two
| feet, next the roots. No matter how
healthy the tree, how rich the soil or
capacious the hole in which it is
: planted, its chance of life and future
, usefulness is heavily discounted il
| this cutting back is not scrupulously
attended to. This is necessary for
two main reasons-the roots, having
been curtailed in digging, are in
e capable of supplying the origina
r growth of wood with sap sufficient tC
sustain it; and experience has shown
/ that it is best to head fruit trees low
, in order that they may shade the main
trunk from the blaze of our summer
, sun. Sun scald is one OF the chic
| causes of death in Texas fruit trees
! 1t takes nerve to do this cutting off
/ but it pays.
IRISH POTATOES.
This valuable crop receives little at
to alton AT the hands Of the farmer an(
/ is generally left to the truck gardene
] WHO seldom aims to do more thar
supply the home market.
1t is we'll known that we can rails,
as good and as many potatoes in Texa
!. as in any other state, and with les
e risk from disease and insect pests
I But it isn't done. WhyY Echo al
swers "WhyW The reason is simple
if not valid. Nobody tries. If tn
e same careful selection of seed, prepare
S ton of the soil, fertilization and cult
g walton was practiced here, as in the SC
= called potato states, our yield woul
equal theirs in extent and quality
l. and be vastly more profitable, becaus
o new potatoes could be put on tn
n northern and eastern market almos
10 early as they plant them in Me-
York and Vermont. | don't say tina
@ every farmer should take to potat
=, culture. Our heavy black lands ar
" not we'll adapted for the potato
Il though they can be grown in that q
" any other medium if proper means b
IT taken; but dc say that the man VII
n has got what | would call goo
potato soil and location has forum
p waiting him if he will go into the bu'
lie mess in a practical and comprehensiy
s. way. 1t is nothing short of scands
he that our great state should impol
n about 80 per cent of all the potatoe
consumed when we could-if we woul
III supply the whole of the Unite
~ States with this popular root.
w Those intending to put in
patch this year should e
ready without delay. The Ian
h should have been deeply plOwe,
well MANFRED and thorough
~ pulverized. Plant deep, cover light,
in pillow often and cultivate on the lew
Mt or with the least ridge possible. III
,e good sound seed of any OF the iol
80 lowing varieties: Early Rose, Beaut
Vi of Hebron or Early Ohio. Cut I'll
l. tubers into two eye pieces. Don
c. merely plant the skin and eat ii
middle, "as the manner of some is
Nature will resent such beastly sting
ID ness, and well deserved failure will 10
r low. Plant at once. There is vel
!, little danger from frost except in 10
" lying land, and then it is seldom fat
L when two or more eye pieces hav
'ir been used, as fresh growth will fo