The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-04-05
FARM NOTES.
Edited by John c. Edgar, Duval, to whom all
communications for this column shonlu ue uu'
dressed

Agricultural Editor of The Statesman:
| have lately read great deal ABOUT
the value of Jerusalem artichokes as
hog feed and had made up my nina
to plant a patch of them and have
even gone go far as to buy some for
seed. But before doing so | would
like to know something more about
them as Il friend tells me that they are
rs dangerous and as hard 10 get ria OF
AS Johnson grass. Is that so! L
would also like YOU to tell me through
THE STATESMAN the best time 10 qua
peaches. l have hne lot Oh young
Seeding growing where L want llhe
fruit, and If could bud them success
fully | think ! would have q Detter
tree than buying from nursery. Am
right about that? NoVlCE'
Jerusalem artichOkes are excellent
hog feed, and though not dangerous"
ip the field are somewhat troublesome
to eradicate, should the land be want
ed for any other crop. / would adj
wise heir being planted in some out
of the way corner not convenient ior
general cultivation, or in small LOT
convenient to the hog pen o. pasture,
where the hogs can be turned IN to DO
the digging. After they have rooted
M and consumed the last "choke,"
there will be plenty of seed left IN the
ground Tor the next crop.
" hen the trees are in full How OF
SAP, is the beet time to bud. That
time may be determined by the foliage.
When the trees are fully in leaf the
sap is flowing freely, and budiug can
be accomplished with success. In
my opinion you are right about trees
growing tap rooted seeding being
better than those grown in, and trans
planted from a nursery. No tree OLD
enough to be transplanted can be re-
moved from its birthplace without
having it's tap and lateral roots In
iured The loss of the former can
never be repaired; hence, trees grow
ing where the seed was planted are
always more vigorous and longer
lived than those that have been re-
moved. ED
Nv
The low price OF corn in our local
is a matter for surprise since
he removal of the Mexican protective
.ariff on that product. Up to the be-
ginning of December last the ship
ment OF corn to Mexico was so large as
10 suggest the possibility OF corn
famine in Texas before another crop
was made. Prices were good, rang.
ng from as to so cents for shelled
Grain. With the renewal OF import
duty on corn the shipment ceased and
prices fell about 10 cents per bushel,
and remained there, even after the re-
,bolition of the tariff. A scarcity OF
ood-stutfs in Mexiao is the reason for
he removal of import duty, but the
reason for the low price paid tor corn
III this side is not 30 potent. Some
try to fix the blame
III the railroads, and charge them
with devouring the farmers profits In
the form of transportation rates. This
Is doubtless true to some extent, as
railroads are managed by mortals,
with the mental weakness of "looking
out for number one," but possibly
Iuite as much to the large supply of
corn in the cribs of Texas farmers,
which must be got rid of soon with
out regard to what the next crop may
be- This compulsory sale is en-
forced by the weevil, which prevents
the surplus of one year being
held to Offset II possible deficiency in
the following seasons crop. / have
made an experiment with 'the Carter
weevil destroyer, but am not yet in a
position to re oort results, but will DO
go in due course.
X
y X
It is unfortunate That the shortage
in the hog crop should have come at
time when the corn crop was in ex-
cess. The shortage in hogs is not con-
fined to the United states, but is quite
as pronounced in Great Britain and
Ireland where it is estimated TO