The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-11-12
OUR RURAL TOPICS
Same Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
NOTES

BoTEs
Sweet potatoes can DO raised in very poor
sand, but it raquiIes plenty OF well-roited
manure to do 10.
The farmer should now look over his poultry
carefully, and determine which fowls can be
proftably wintereh and promptly market
those which cannot
GoosebeIres thrive best in a deep, strong
loan. 1t pays well TO mulch them with half
rotten straw or barn manure. The Downing
is probably the best all-round gooseberry in
the market.
A great deal Of the i'll. success Of transferring
plants indoors at this season of the year is due
TO the shock given by unskilful transplanting.
A very successful plaut-grower directs that
about 10 days before the plant is taken up an
incision be made in the ground about half
way around them. At the same time trim of
their outer branches aud water thoroughly.
Five days later, run the incision clear around.
and trim or the branches on the other side.
AT the end Of another five days transfer them
TO pots aud immerse in water for day. They
will retain healthy, vigorous appearance, and
in few weeks will DO covered with a fresh
coat Of leaves.
Farmers should be thoroughly alive to the
value Of the waste bones about their farms as
fertilizers. There is nothing more valuable.
A bone contains abont p per cent Of phosphoric
acid. worth Eve cents pound in the market,
therefore 100 pounds Of bone would have a
value Of $l.25 in Phosphoric acid in addition to
Its nitrogen which is also valuable The prob
lem is 10 get the bones in such condition as
to make the phosphorus readily available for
plant food. Various plans have been suggested,
the most scientific one being to dissolve them
in sniPhuric acid, but this is not practicable
for most farmers. The most generally avail
able way is 10 burn them with brush or othor
waste wood. As bones are largely grease il
takes very little wood to burn them. Altar
they arc burned they should be put upon a
plank floor aud crushed with Founder, made
of block Of wood with handle. The result
ant powder can be sOwR alone or used with
other fertilizers. Another way is to soak the
bones in water for several days, then place
them in n dump with horse manure, moistening
each layer as put in, and making the layers Of
bones about three inches thick and those OF
manure about u inches. At the end Of u
months the bones will be reduced 10 a IIroper
condition for use Still another plan is 10 break
them up and put tbem with alternate layers Of
wood ashes in barrel or hogshead for from six
months TO one year. when they will become soft
and soluble. This compost will have to be very
much diluted wth muck or other matters be-
fore it is applied
Ducks are growing in popularity among our
| farmers, some keeping fewer chickens and in
creasing the number Of ducks. Rightly man
\ aged, tie duck Is a wonderful fowl-one that
makes for the farmer a good deal more than he
/ feeds it. 5s.,r.
The Houdan and White Plymouth Rocks
make a good cross for excellent layers and
table poultry. WHerp there is demand for
cross breeds, this cross will be found a good
one, and a few pens Of such fowls vii! be use
/ fnl and profitable. Usually the demand for
market chickens exceed the supply, and few
farmers or breeders care 10 place their surplus
\ Of high-ciass stock IN the market at market
Tates.-AmcricqH AgrirrifrTid
/ Bean wesyils can be- killed in the seed bean
by spTinklinR them with benzine, spirits III
turpentine or utphide Of carbon. and inclos-
/ ing IN an air-tight vessel for a few weeks IA
| Winter. Immcrsing in hot water. as proposed,
! would be very likely to destroy their vitality.
II submitted to dry heat Of about 1902 Fab
renhcit for an hour it will destroy the grubs
within and not injure the beans for plant
/ iBg-AmericGq ifrica'furid
One Of the best methods Of hitchiug horse
that Is uneasy, or has the habit Of paving in
the stalls Is 10 pass a rope over n small pulley
and attach abput pound weight 10 il, and faS,
ten the halter into a ring or loop on that rope
| upon the inside Of the STALL so that when tie
/ horse stands mp 10 tho manger the halter will
be drawn up short and the weight rest upon
the floor. When he lies down the weight will
come mp enough 10 give him all the rope nee
essary. Some do this and have the halter fas-
| tened 10 a ring upon the top Of the head in
stead OF under the Jaw and when they desire
| 10 lead him out by tho halter pass the loose end
down through the other ring.-AHerieaH Culti-
| UatOT.
Crab grass is great plague to many market
gardeners. IL will start ia after crops have
got past being cultivated, and completely cover
the ground aud Tipen its seeds before frost kills
IL. Some wait until then. aud the plant hay
ing dried out By freezing the patch is burned
over. Others pillow IL all under. In neither
way j. all the seed destroyed. When burned,
the seed shells out and falls upon the ground,
where it is protected from fire By the carbOnc
| acid gas that lies always under half-smOthered
flame. IL plOwed when dried by frost the
grass does not rot fast enough 10 destroy the
segds. Flowing earlier, while both seed and
plant are full Of sap and while the soil is warm
enough 10 encourage rapid fermentation, is a
| better method though usually old market gar
dens are filled with the seeds Of this pest from
seedlings OF previous years.-AmericdR Csitipa-
Tor.