The herald., 1893-11-12
|Nt7A6z. )
D |4|'||'!gEzEES;iAS4E5
I SN Nsssshss9

ehft0ht Vi Roi5ny ~ WAS tEOukut bnht IL
half OF the tassels were removed before
thsy had time to expand, that the plant
food that their full maturity would use
would be saved.
Several experiments OF this kind had
shown supposed marked increase ON
the rows distasseled, amounting to 10 to
20 per cent. in the increase of grain.
Several OF the eastern agricultural ex-
pertinent stations during the past four
or five years have carefully tried the ex-
pertinent. Prof. George @. Watson of
Cornell University, N. T., made careful
experiments the past two seasons, and
gives the result in bulletin number 40
OF that university, also the summary of
the experiments at other stations. These
show that it is a mixed question, some
OF the tests giving a marked increase,
others not, in some tests seeming to
cause decrease in the grain output.
The greatest increase from removing
tassels was at the Kansas station, 1872
per cent.
The summary OF the whole shows that
there is nothing practical in it. This is
exactly the result that good observer
would arrive at from q careful study of
the corn plant through long series of
seasons. Pollen production is as much
dependent on the season, to-wit. moist
ure and heat, and nutrition, i. e., plant
food and the condition of the soil, as
grain production of the same particular
plant. Therefore, in such an extremely
changeable summer Gas we'll as winter)
climate as that OF the eastern staten,
such experiments cannot give regular
results. for at the time OF tasseling all
these points may be in favor Of abund.
ant pollination, or the reverse, but the
same may be true few weeks later when
grain formation 10 going on. A normal
stalk OF corn. in perfect vigor, with all
may be able to furnish good pollen
enough to. pollinate the silks of 20
other stalks, while if all these points are
the reverse, it may not be able tofurnish
pollen enough for its own silk or pistils.
Very hot, dry weather, with q constant
high barometer, will ct times entirely
prevent the development of any good
pollen. have seen whole fields in Illi-
nois in which no good pollen at all ma
tured at the proper time; for weeks
there was no pollen, and in such fields
there would have been no com ii the
weather had not changed 80 90 to give
moisture and growth in plenty, when
suckers from the base of the stock
sprang up and matured sufficient pollen
to give a partial crop of grain. This
seems to be the Office of these suckers,
and they seem to produce to the greatest
extent in climates of extreme heat.
That season, the driest and hottest
ever known in Illinois, with no rain
from April until August 9TH, neither
anthers nor pollen was produced on the
tassels OF early corn, therefore, the re-
suits of all such experiments will vary
according to the season, and the same
would be equally true in regard to deep
and shallow cultivation of corn, when
it is of considerable size; or, in other
words, the root-pruning of corn with
the plow. l know from abundant OK.
perience that If all is erfection--plenty
Of heat and moisture--that severe
root-pruhing of growing corn with the
plow at the last plowing, will materi-
ally increase the grain product, II the
conditions remain constantly good. A
competitive trial, ON sets of different
rows in the same field gave 20 per cent
grain increase in the rows thoroughly
rcot-pruned when the corn WAS in full
tassel, and on the other hand, when the
weather was exceedingly dry and hot,
have seen corn crops ruined by late deep
plowing.
The Horse Remembers Kindness.
A very remarkable Incident in the
history OF the original Bush Messenger
illustrates that, though abuse may
seem to, it does not wholly destroy the
better nature, and that one touch of
kindness calls into life all the old vir-
tues.
Years after he was sold, Mr.. Bush de-
termined to see his old favorite, whom
he found kept in pasture Burrouned
by fence ten feet high, through hole
in which the food and water were passed
to Messenger a. il he were "a dangerous
convict"
Mr.. Bush was warned not to enter the
inclosure for his very life hut he went
in. and, unobserved, cancealed himself
behind tree, and whistled.,
With a neigh the grand old fellow
came bounding across the field in search
Of the well-remembered whistle. The
horse raced around the pasture, and
when at the height of his run Mr.. Bush
exposed himself and whistled again,
Messenger wheeled and made directly
for him, while the onlookers trembled
in terror. But instead of seeking to kill,
the horse came up gently and laid his
head over his old masters shoulder to-
receive the customary caress.
4 When Mr.. Bueh's time for departure
had come he proceeded but . few yards
from the Enclosure, when there was q
crash, and out Messenger came. bound
ing through the strong bars. He iol-
lowed his owner to the stable gently,
whore he waa secured by strong ropes,
and for long, long distance upon the
road homeward, Mr.. Bush could hear
the noble animal neighing, lashing the
stall, and struggling to be free and fol-
low.
1t is good thing for man to be mas
ter of his horse, but to be master OF his
affectionh is an absolutely noble thing.
--Wallace's Monthly.
Potash for Dropping Oranges.
A writer in the Florida Fruit Grower
strongly argues for potash as fertilizer,
saying:
In the spring of 1892 one of your
correspondents reported an experiment
with potash on two groves which goes
to show that q lack of potash is the
-