The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-06-22


be seaside for seed, and 81 will pay for
the lsor OF taking every stalk OF foul stuff
out oft. OF course wheat may be go foul
that he cleaning would require very
large utlav OF money, but / write OF aver
age waeat fields. Try this plan once and
you vii be sure to adopt it.
Thee is another valid reason for harv-
estina no filth with wheat The straw
shoult 90 into manure, and any weed
seeds it only befouls the fields on which
the manure is spread. One objection
often rade to barnyard manures Is that
they pDmote extension OF weed growth.
This ned not be the case. Ii fodder or
clean hv Is fed and the straw bedding Is
clear weeds seeds, the manure will be
clean. We cannot successfully fight weed
growthuntil we cease harvesting the seed
and scttering it over the fields.
Spraying Potatoes
The potato blight and rot is fungus
diseas'that is yearly growing in impor-
lance. The first indication OF its presence
is the appearance of pale, yeilowish spots
upon he leaves. II the weather is warm
and vet the spots soon become black and
the disease extends to the stems. From
the sems the disease goes into the tubers
and ut results. For several years expert
mens have been made with copper solu-
tons upon potatoes, and it is an ascer-
tainei fact that the so-called Bordeaux
mixhre is a preventive OF the disease.
How,ver, it must be applied in time, as 1t
checls and prevents. but cannot cure.
1t las also been ascertained that blight
lie mnh more prevalent than Is ordinarily
supposed. Potato vines often die very
rapidly, and while no rot follows, the
growth of the tubers Is greatly checked.
1t seems TO be the rule, rather than the
exception, in warm and hot summers that
the potato crop rlpens prematurely. Ex-
perimeIts have shown that sprayed rows
in fed stay green several days longer
than unsprayed ones when the weather
is not dry and cool.
The application is easily made with
knapssd sprayer. The spray being very
fine and constant the work can be done
rapidly The formula for the diluted Bor-
deaux mixture is four pounds sulphate OF
copper, four pounds lime. with sufficient
water to form fifty gallons OF the mixture.
Dissolve the copper sulphate in two gal
Ions of hot water, letting II stand a few
hours. Slack the quick lime and cool it
with water. After strainlng the lime so
luton mix with the copper solution and
add the water needed to form fifty gallons
in all, Four or five applications should be
given, about two weeks a part, beginning
when plants are small In order to make
sure OF being in time. ii the bugs are on
the plants add six ounces of Paris green or
London purple to each fifty gallons OF the
solution.
The squash Borer.
The moth that laws the eggs from which
the borers are hatched begins its work
about the middle of June. The eggs are
laid on the stalks of the young plant near
the ground. As the borers enter the
stalks soon as Matched, it is nearly inn
possible to kill them with poisons. They
work along the center of the vine and
their existence is first suspected when the
vine, after making good growth aud set
ting fruit. begins 20 wilt and die. The best
way OF fighting this pest is by destroying
the eggs. As soon as the moth begins to
deposit the eggs growers should rub each
stalk near the surface with the hand, thus
easily MASKING the eggs. As they do not
hatch in less than eight or ten DAYS when
undisturbed this operation need not be
repeated oftener than once week. Grow
ers who have given up the borer in de-
spair should give this remedy a fair trial
and they will be pleased with the re-
suits.
Pear Blight.
This is the most dreaded disease OF pear
orchsrdists. 1t is due to the presence of
microbes that enter through the soft
tissues of new limbs and leaves, or through
the cracks in the bark of the older
branches. Rapid growing varieties of the
pear are most liable to attacks, as the
linn bs are soft and watery. For this reason,
also. land rich in vegetable matter is not
desirable Tor pear trees, the growth being
too rapid. Very light soils are equally
bad, as drouths check growth and the
trunk or larger limbs crack, and thus fur
nish entrance for the germs.
1t is best to chose slow growing varie-
ties, and apply mineral manures that
will assist in ripening the wood fast as
grown. Head the trees low TO protect
them from the heat of the sun. Mulch
the ground with straw in case OF drouth
to prevent checing OF growth. These are the
chief known preventlves, the only known
cure being the knife 1t is quite possible
that continual spraying with some fungi
eide might prove preventive, but this is
as vet unproven Slow, firm and steady
growth of the wood and protection of the
trunk from the sun are the objects to be
kept in view.
The Plank Drag.
No farm implement gives better returns
in work in proportion to cost than the
plank drag. In many cases it does much
better work than the roller and costs
hardly one-tenth as much. 1t grinds and
pulverizes clods that the roller only cracks
or SINKS into the ground. Every farmer
is able to have drag, as they are easily
made, and the only material needed is q
few boards, two cross pieces and dozen
bolts. The tapping of the boards gives a
grinding surface, and if such implements
cost ten fold more their work would be
more highly priced. For preparation OF
fields for spring crops they are better than
the roller, because they do not pack the
soil so much and pulverize much better.
The common and other harrows pull the
clods TO the surface, and this implement
then makes them a perfect seed he'd. II
seems strange that 80 many farmers find
1t possible TO get along without them.
There are few that would not use them
if they had them.
sweet Potatoes.
1t is quite a common belief that sweet
potatoes and Irish potatoes are closely
related, the belief being founded on the
MAMA cornpoor 20 10Th brt hoto-;a.lI.