The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-01-04
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our Ag1
cultural Readers.
R. o. CHESTER,

Some Practical Suggestions for Our Agrf-
cultural Readers.
Give thought to the sheep at this time.
when you are making plans for the coming
year, If there are any fields in which the weeds
have killed the grass or that have proved IN
profitable on account of the poor soil. Often
1t IS the only animal that will bring any re-
turn at all from such land, as it will get much
OF It's food from heritage so short or of such a
nature that other stock could not utilize it al
all, and the sheep will help the land also, esps-
claiiy II you are generous enough to give them
little additional food. They will utilize this
TO their own advantage, and yours, in making
nesh and wool, and yet distribute good por-
ton OF its value fertilizer upon the land.
Ii the land il foul the sheep will clean il M
more cheapiy than any other iaborers that you
can employ. for they will eat almost all sorts Of
weeds and bushes and will crop them so closely
and persistently that they are compelled to
give up the fight for life. The sheep will also
clean the fenee-rows and corners and out-oE.
the-uay places that are overlooked when You
send man for that purpose. They will clean
foul pasture, and so make 10 ready for better
grasses and other stock-for horses. cattle, and
hogs, for even the latter are more fastidious as
to what they eat than the sheep.
The natural feeding ground for sheep is upon
the hills where good fine grass is found, but the
long wool breeds will be quite at home in rich,
level pastures, provided only that the soil is
dry. These are not of rowing disposition
like the Merinos, but will Craze steadily until
well filled, and then lie down quietly and fat
ten and let their wool grow. With sach con-
ditions they will make wool and mutton rap
idly and proftabiy.
Scaly leg. although it does lot seem to affect
the health Of the fowl, is contagious, and il
neglected will soon spread through the entire
hock, and in many cases would greatly injurs
their sale. When the first evidence of rough
ness shows itself on the legs wash their legs
with warm water and soap, auoint with sui
phur and lard in equal proportions, with few
drops of carbolic acid added. Or you can make
a mixture of equal parts of lard and coal ell
and anoint in the same way. In few DAYS
wash the legs in warm water and repeat the
application. In q short time the legs will Do
bright and clean. Farmers and fanciers should
pay close attention to this unsightiy trouble.
The most important point to be remembered
in grape pruning is that all the fruit is made
on wood grown the previous season. The
natural tendency of the vine is to make new
growth and to bear fruit at the greatest pos
sible distance from its root. To provide treIlif
and land for each vine to grow to an indefnits
length would be quite expensive. Pruning is
practiced to induce as much growth as possible
near the roots and covering only q small space.
Such pruning as is now practiced by our larger
grape-growers looks severe, as fully three
fourths of the vine is cut away each year; but
this pruning will make better yield per vine
than can be secured by allowing the trellis to
become covered with mass of old and barren
vines. Grapevines need more pruning than do
other plants. as the cutting away of old wood
induces stronger growth of new shoots aud
it is upon these that the fruit of the following
season depends It is impossible to give diree-
tions for pruning which will apply to al cases
as two vines are never exactly alike and the
pruning must be in accord with the growth of
the vine. Strong growing and vigorous va
rieties should not be pruned as closely IS the
weaker growing sorts; but in general especi.
ally where grown small scale, it is safe tF
say that thousand vines are pruned too little
where one is pruned too much.
In selecting farms and gardens in new places,
purchasers often make the mistake of giving
preference to light sandy soils, which can be
worked with less labor than clay, and never
become muddy. But such light soils. although
good for some special crops. possess much less
strength than Others, and are enriched at more
expense, and while clay soil will retain for
years the manure that is washed into it. sandy
soil can never be permanently enriched. Some
years ago, gentleman called on the late Mr..
Barry for advice, whose extensive nurseries
had given him excellent opportunity for
testing the value of his previous wide knowl-
edge on the subject Mr.. Barry. in order to
convey his estimate of the value of each, said:
"If you can give 500 acre for the sandy
ground, you may we'll afford to pay 500 an
acre for the elayey loan. Underdrain it and
manure it, and your improvement is perma-
nent; but the fertility is soon worked out of the
sand" These views have been strongly con-
firmed to Us by our cultivation of both kinds
of soil. This subject was thoroughly discussed
some time ago at meeting of the Fruit. Grow-
ers' Association of Ontario, when Mr.. Race
said that on visiting the exhibitions of tho
finest fruit, he found the best were grown on
clay loan that had been underdrained; and in
many cases where samples were found that
came in competition with the best, they were
found to be grown underdrained clay. DIR.
Pattison said that on clay the fertility is not
easily exhausted, and eau be kept up with n
supply of manure, while on sand it
is feed, feed, feed, all the time. A great many
orchards do not bear upon sand this is moth
ing less than soil exhaustion. The clay will
retain all the fertility you can supply it with.
He said that grapes, pears, plums apples,
guinness and red and black currants can be-
grown proftably on clay clay loan. which,
Of course, must be we'll underdrained if needed
Country Gentleman.
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