The National tribune., 1892-02-18
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
POSTAL-CARD CORRESPONDENCE.

willie, o.
The wheat crop in this section is in very poor
shape. There has been but little snow, and the
wheat is frozen out. The Fall was very dry,
and the wheat got poor start. March is tho
hard month for wheat here in Morgan County.
L. l. ROBINSON. Stockport. o.
TENNESSEE.
The condition of the wheat crop in this
County bradley, is at least so per cent. be-
low the average for this season.-W. l.. LACE
WELL, Charleston, Tenn.
PENNSYLVANIA.
The condition OF the wheat crop in north
western Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio
from the present outlook is frst-cItss. The
ground has been covered with snow for the last
two mouths.-WILLAED IRVINE, Miles's
Grove Pa.
KANSAS
The average OF wheat and rye is about the
same as last year The condition is about 20
per cent. poorer than last year at this time,
although We have plenty Of moisture, good
rain and snow. The snow has about gone, and
it is freezing hard at nights and thawing out
daytime. The present crop will not exceed
20 or % per cent. Of last years crop now in the
hands Of the farmers.-M. +. HUTCHINsON,
DorTance, Kan.
GLEANISGs FOR TIE GARDENER.
IL is said that bcsts grown upon land whore
scahby potatoes have been grown Will also be
scabby and sometimes more injured than Is the
potato.
Artificial fertilizers are good in the garden.
by reason Of their freedom from weed seeds at
least and a rotation Of NATURES, from the long
a.s. g raHV
vegetable To The artificial fertilizer especially
strong in the mineral elements, may DO just
what IS needed, and prove as great benefit as
ever did the method Of rotation OF crops.
Try it on part Of the garden this year. Some
have raised good crops soat small cost.
Those who think that new varieties Of seeds
and plants are sold at exorbitant prices when
first introduced will do we'll 20 consider the
statement in the report Of the hOrticulturist of
the New York experiment station. lie says:
"Of 1000 seedlings fruited during the season
of 1858 and 1859 but 20 were saved as showing
any indications Of being OF value. OF these
20, - were discarded in $780,
Keep the seed potatoes from sprouting before
il is time TO plant them. Keeping them cool
by airing the cellar every day is the easiest way
If they are not piled too deep ia the bins.
A writer ia the StOckHan claims TO have raised
co bushels Of onions upon II square rods of
ground, or at the rate Of 500 bushels per acre,
without any manure being applied. IL was
upon old pasture which had not been plOwed
for 20 year,, and in a corner which had been
fayOrite standing.p!ace for cattle. Naturally
IL was very rich, as such stamping places are,
and the earth was very firm. 1t was completely
inverted with the pillow, aud the upper surface
thoroughly pulverized and made mellow with
ine-tOOth harrow, about two inches deep. This
gave just the right condition for q seed bed,
and the onions grew vigorously, although not
sOwn until May II. Some Of tho onions
weighed pound each when Observation-Disclosures
eQH CatirGt0r.
SALT FOR THE APPLE-TREE BoRER.
Mr.. Boynton. Of Michigan, tells this expert
ence in the Practical Farmer: I came across
quite large apple tree literally hOneycombed by
the borer and in order 10 make test case to see
how much salt a tree would stand and live.
think applied i've to six quarts Of SALT rubbing
It over the body Of the tree clear up the limbs
and pilng it all around the collar Of the tree.
| applied so much at that stormy season Of the
year that il had not all dissolved q month af-
forwards Now for the result. / examined
that tree several times during the Summer Of
1890, and could see no signs of a bOreT, and the
tree looked and seemed more healthy than it
did the Summer before. Acting on that, / ap-
piled salt to every apple and ounce tree on the
premises during the first days of August. last
To the smallest sized trees, put, think, about
n quart Of salt at the base Of the tree and in
contact with the bark. My reasoning was
this: The moth or flying insect deposits its
eggs during Juno and July, and if those eggs
are Matched by the first Of August, the insect
must be so minute and so near the outer sur
face Of the bark that the salt will destroy them.
So far as I can yet judge, the experiment is at
tended with good results, and if / keep the
place design 10 follow up the experiment an
other wear when, if it still looks as favorable
as now. shall be perfectly convinced that the
apple borer can be exterminated by the appli-
cation Of SALT
ITEMS AND IDEAS.
Mich cows divide their food between them
selves and their owners; but the less food, the
smaller dividend.
After killing a goose, dip it in scalding water
and then wrap it in a cloth and leave il for f ye
minutes. All the pin-feathers will then come
of readily.
By scattering some Of the grain among the
litter il keeps the hens at work, ri yes them
better appetite and keeps them in better
condition for laying.
Keep the fowls in a dry, warm place, free
from drafts, and there will be little if any,
danger Of roup; dampness and drafts are the
cause Of this disease.
Just before the early pallets begin TO lay
their combs will swell and turn red and will
keep red until they become bIoody. This is an
aid ia making selections.
When training a colt, don't hitch it with a
slow walking horse. A fast-walking horse is q
most satisfactory roadster, and if taught this
when first broken they seldom forget it,
Home and Farm.
CORS ROOT LOUISE REMEDY.
During 1891 the corn root plant louso has
been very destructive in Nebraska. writer
i'm Insect Life states that in some places "a high
as One-thiTd Of the crop was destroyed by them.
They worked in patches of from half acre 20 10
acre plats. The effect Of their work is seen by
the time the corn IS one or two inches high. It
loses its bright green color and becomes a sickly
yellow. Examination shows that the roots are
covered with these lice. which suck the Juice
out Of the plant. The only remedy known Ia
a yearly change Of crops; !. G., where corn was
raised the past year, SOW oats or some other
| crop and plant the corn the coming season on
| Oat wheat rye, or other stubble. The young
| lice deposited in the ground the year it was
| planted to corn will, upon Matching next
| Spring, find only rye, oats, or wheat roots upon
| which to feed, and as these DO not meet their
wants, they will staFve. If this system is
| followed, no trouble will be had from the
| lice.
FEETILIzING ORCHARDS.
A crop of 81 bushels Of apples removes over
| 10 pounds. by careful analysis, of potash from
| the soil. This is the main ingredient that is
reduced in most soils Of orchards, and of course
should be replaced.
Early in the Spring every orchard that bore
| heavily should DO top-dressed with muriate
potash at the rate Of 1T least 200 pounds to the
| acre
4 rpt