The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-06-08

efforts to increase its production in her
own colonies. Canada furnishes her with
less than per cent. of the amount she
has to import.
An advance step in supplying cities
with fresh vegetables without the inter
vention of so many middlemen should
not be passed unnoticed. The Long
Island railroad running out from New
York passes through a most productive
region too remote from the city to permit
gardeners to market their stuff with wag-
ons. The road has put on q farmers
train consisting of large fiat cars for wag-
ons box cars for the horses and a coach
toi the drivers, and at each station have pro-
vlded driveways so that the loaded way
ons can be hauled on the flats before the
horses are unhitched
In this way all rapidly transported
TO the city thirty or forty miles distant,
and come into direct com petitionwith the
gardeners on higher-priced land near by.
The charge Ia 81 for a two-horse wagon,
horses and driver for the round trip. As
this plan saves commissions and permits
each man to market his goods to the best
advantage while they are fresh. il is very
popular, and farmers along other branches
of the road are petitioning for similar
trains. This advance step is suggestive of
the possibilities of the future, and leads
one to doubt the value OF any calculations
for the future that are based on present
conditions.
Can We Fight Frost?
Everyone understands that a cloudy
night in the spring or fall is not usually a
frosty one. In cold days late in the season
orchardists and gardeners look anxiousy
for signs of clouds as night approaches. 1t
has been a pet theory of some scientists
that smoke could be used as a protection
against frost, and in some instances fruit
growers have believed that they have
saved their crops by the free use of smoke
from straw or leaves on the windWard
side of their fields.
That this smoke theory is not we'll
proven is shown by the experience of a
Maryland berry grower last spring, who
used tested thermometers in the field
while covered with smoke. He observed
that when heavy cloud in the sky passed
over the field the thermometer would fall
three or four degrees. but he could pro-
duce no such effect with smoke.
The normal temperature was near
320, varying with the elevation of vari-
Gus portions OF the land. After thor
ough test he decided that the smoke
could not affect the thermometer one-half
of one degree, and that his work was IN
awaiting. There was just sufficient air stir
ring to carry the smoke across the field,
and the material for making smoke was in
abundance. 1t would appear from his test
that there is no appreciable effect from the
use of smoke in orchards or fields.
It is quite possible that u heavy smoke
under a tree ought TO ward off frost to an
extent. but this is due to the presence Of
heat in the smoke, owing to the nearness
of the fire. This Maryland grower OBJ
served further that when the thermometer
fell to 3O' plants were frozen stiff and the
fruit was killed in the bud, and that open
blooms were injured at a temperature
above 32o.
MaDgold Wurzels.
Probably no kind of root will produce
more succulent food per acre than the
mangold wurzeL. 1t may not be quite as
cheap food as silage on large dairy farms,
but il takes its place almost perfectly, and
the writer recommends it TO all farmers
who have no silo While mangolds are
especially good for milk production, they
are desirable element in the food of all
stock.
This crop thrives on any land ordinarily
adapted to corn Twenty tons per acre is
not an excessive yield, and much greater
crops have been obtained. The seed
should be planted early in May, the ear
lier the better. The buyer should try to
get new seed, as the old is nearly worth
less. 1t is difficult to get seed of perfect
vitality, and the only safe way is TO test it
before planting. The ground should be
well prepared, thorough pulverization be-
ing essential to a good stand. Plant in
drills about thirty or thirty-three inches
apart, putting one seed every four inches,
and then thin after plants are three inches
high to one plant every foot.
A clover sod is best for this crop, az il is
both rich and free from weed seeds. Fresh
manuring is not advsable-see 10 do
more harm than good. 1t is good way
to soak the seeds two or three DAYS before
planting and 10 plant in ground freshly
stirred, so that the plants may have at
least equal chance with the weeds. The
first few weeks bring considerable labor,
as some handwriting is usually neces-
sary, but, like other crops, frequent and
careful cultivation soon let's the plants
shade the ground somewhat and outstrips
the weeds.
Surface cultivation is best for mangolds
II the seed-bed is fine and deep at plant
ing, all they want IS an earth mulch of
two inches and a surface clear of weeds
While the writer does not advise extern
sive planting, he would urge farmers who
have never fed roots TO their stock to plant
quarter or half al acre of clear and
fairly rich land, and they will find it most
profitable. Probably there is no better
variety than the long red, it being very
productive and more easily harvested
than some others.
Potato Tests.
Prof Taft OF the Michigan experiment
station has made some very thorough seed
tests of potatoes. His conclusions are as
follows:
I. The seed end is as good, if not bet
ter, than any other part of the potato for
planting. and as a rule produces fewer
small tubers.
2. As a rule. medium-sized potatoes
cut into halves lengthwise, using at the
rate of thirteen to fifteen Dushels of seed
70 the acre, will produce best net results,
| planted one and half or two feet apart.
3. II smaller seed is used the ewes
should be hfteen inches apart, and pieces
containing two or three eyes, about eigh-
teen inches. At a distance of over two
and q half feet the number of hills is so
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