The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-30
Hints To Farm ers.

Now is the time to root your cuttings Of
geraniums, coleus, petunias and other
plants. in sand boxes. in a warm place.
Put the slips in small pots az soon as they
are rooted in the sand box.
Radishes are very handy aud may be
easily forced and grown in a cold frame,
as they DO not require as much warmth as
some plants. The beet radishes are those
that are very quickly grown, which
makes them tender and crisp.
Always procure your nursery stock from
the nearest reliable nurseryman, who has
healthy stock, in order TO avoid long jour
neys and exposure Of the roots. More
damage results from the drying OF the
roots.
Many early plants can be given start
by planting the seeds on inverted sods, in
a hot bed. or cold frame, transplanting the
sods to the open ground after danger OF
frost is over. Lima beans, melons, squashes
and early corn may be so treated.
Rsdishes may be grown on ground that
will really take up no extra room, as they
will thrive well between rows of early
cabbage or peas. They grow so quickly
that they will be out of the way before
the other crops viii have made much
growth.
OF the early peas Alaska is very early,
and the American Wonder is also an ex-
cellent early variety. being wrinkled
(which is usually an indication OF the
quality and Little Gem is another va
riety that will give good results. Plant
peas early.
Tho insect-powder plant, "Pyrethrum
Roseum," is handsome, perennial flower,
which can be grown in any flower garden.
The dried and pulverized flowers consti-
tute tho insect powder The seei can be
purchased Of any scotsman. 1t is worth
place in the flower yard.
II has been discovered that potatoes can
be prevented from sprouting by miners
ing them for ten hours in a solution of one
part sulphuric acid in fifty parts water, in
q wooden tank, without injury to the pota-
toes. \ trial OF the process, with a few
potatoes, will not cost over 5 cents.
As IA covering for hot beds in place of
glass. muslin may be used, provided it is
made water proof To do this, dip the
muslin in linseed oil before stretching it
on the frame, and then give it a coating of
a mixture of raw egg and linseed oil, or
varnish it with transparent varnish.
There is nothing that will educate the
farmer more than a few practical expert
ments, which can be made every year,
aud on small plots, at an insignificant cost.
Experiments are useful because they give
information regarding the capacity of
the soil upon which future crops are to be
grown.
Keep forcing cucumbers at q tempera-
ture about 90 degrees at night and IS de-
gress during the dav. Tomatoes may be
forced also by using few plants, Keeping
theaI at the same temperature and trans
planting to larger beds as they grow. A
tub filed with earth can be made to pro-
duce strong tomato bush that will be in
bloom and produce cary tomatoes long
before the regular time.
In planting a new strawberry bed the
pistilate varieties are perhaps more pro-
ductiye than the double-sex berry, but
the rule is TO use three rows OF pistillates
and one row of staminates. The Crescent
still holds its place as one of the best, but
il requires some variety, such as the
Wilson, in order to have the blossoms
fortified. Do not plant new varieties
until they have be tried and tested
When preparing the land for corn it is
best to broadcast the manure, as the corn
roots spread and feed over the whole sur
face. The coarsest kind of manure NAV
be used on corn lend, as corn is a gross
feeder, and viii appropriate any kind OF
manure. To give corn an early start APP
ply gill of q mixture of ten parts land
plaster and one part nitrate Of soda, scat
tered over each hill. This will cost but
little. and will push the young stalks
ahead until they are capable OF feeding
on thu manure applied.