The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1892-05-25
HOUSEHOLD AND FARM

BEAUTIFY RURAL HoMEs.-May is
proverbially the month in which to
adorn and beautify country homes,
by the planting of trees, shrubs,
and flowers and the max ing of 9TH
er improvements. A few flowers,
plants, and shrubs will often do
more toward rendering a home neat
and attractive than many times
their cost expended in any other
way Even the building of new or
repairing and painting of old fences,
trellises, arbors, etc, adds greatly
to the surroundings of a dwelling,
especially if it be rural or subur-
ban residence. There is little ex-
cuse for living in rough-looking,
cherries homes, when they can so
easily be made pleasant to occu-
pants and visitors, as well as beau
tiful in the eyes of passing
strangers. A small outlay, with
little judicious planting and fixing,
would soon transform many an or
binary appearing country or village
homestead into one which would be
noted by all observers for it's love-
liness-and this is the most favora-
BILE season to make such a desirable
transformation A few tastefully
arranged flowers, shrubs, vines, and
trees with neat palings and the
like, would so improve many a re-
pulsive looking place as to give it
charming appearance. Therefore,
while not neglecting such important
permanent improvements as may
he required on your farm-such as
better outbuildings and fences, a
new orchard planted or an old one
grated. drainage, the conveying of
water Through pipes or Iogs) to
barn and house, and the arranging
of convenient watering places for
stock-do not omit to make your
dwelling and its surroundings
pleasant and attractive for your
self, family and visiting acquaint-
ances.
POTATO CULTURE.-The best soil
is a warm light loan that will not
pack or cake around the tubers.
The best manure is that which is
soluble, we'll balanced, free from
weed seed and ferments. 1t should
be placed all over the field so that
the roots must stretch out for it.
The best time to work the soil deep
ly is before planting. An extra
blowing is better than three deep
cultivatings If the ground could
only be perfe lily pulverized before
planting there would b. no need of
cultivating deeper than one and a
half inches at any time during the
season, anc hen only to kill weeds
or conserve moisture. The potato
offers a fine chance for those who
are willing to grow crops for their
quality. Potatoes of good size and
free from scab or other blemish, and
which cook out dry and mealy, are
products that any man can build a
reputation on. 1t will pay any
farmer to study out the variety, soil.
fertility and culture that will yield
him the best tubers.
PLowING UNDER Corn Crops -
Seven years ago, says Mr.. O. c..
Wiggin in the CoUntiY Gentleman. I
turned under thin sod in an old
field. l put on each acre two hun
dred pounds of dissolved bone and
sowed two bushels of corn broad
cast. By the first of July the corn
stood a perfect swamp two feet high.
1t was plowed in, and corn immedi-
ately sowed again. On the first of
September it was again over two
feet high, and again plowed in, two
hundred pounds of dissolved bone
being again worked in. The field
seeded to grass after four years.
moving, three hundred pounds of
bone meal was applied, and the lot
turned to pasture, which is excel
lent to this day. In general farm
ing Mr.. Wiggin believes that it is
more economical to produce ones
nitrogen and humus than to buy
them.
You might as we'll try to live
without q kitchen as without shop,
and could more than save the inter
est on the investment in one year,
saying nothing about time lost in
going to town to get breakage
mended, while teams and men were
idle. If there had been a shop and
a few tools, the same work could
have been done by some one pre-
sent. Build a shop according to
your needs, and put the old cook
stove into it, and buy your wife a
new one; it is far better than
heating-stove for oiling harness.