The National tribune., 1894-04-12
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions fOr Our
Agricultural Readers
now MUCH SEED TO AN ACRE.


In sowing seed it is always advisable to
sow more than is actually required 1t is
better to have a surplus of plants rather
than TO be hunting for them. A very I'M
portant condition to be considered when
recommending the quality of seed required
is how close the fertility of the soil will ad-
NIT of planting. Land in a high state of
cultivation, like the land of a professional
market gardener, viii admit Of closer plant
ing than the general run of farm land. In
my recommendation as to quantity Of seed
required I shall specify the distance apart
the plants may stand, and that distance will
be from the standard of our Boston market
garden lands.
Beans, dwarf, In drills three feet apart
and eight inches apart in the drill, one and
one-haf bushels per acre; one quart to 100
feet of drill. Beans, pole, in hills three feet
apart both ways, 10 to IL quarts; six seeds
to the hill. Beets, table varieties, in rows
IA inches apart, six to eight pounds One
ounce will SOW 30 feet of drill. Cabbage, in
beds, one ounce will produce 3, 0OO plants
1t will take $500 plants for an acre with
rows three feet apart and the plants two
feet apart in the row. With seed sown in
the field, thinning out to a single plant,
with six seeds planted to the hill, two
pounds will be required. Carrots, with
rows II inches apart, three pounds. One
ounce will SOW 100 feet of drill. CauIi-
flower the same as cabbage. Celery, one
ounce will produce 1900 plants. One and
one-half pounds will be required for drill
ing in the field. Corn in rows three and
One-half feet apart, the stalks to stand
10 inches apart in the row, 10 quarts.
One quart Will plant 200 hills Cucumbers,
In hills four feet apart each way, one to two
pounds. One ounce will plant 80 mills, six
seeds TO the hill. Dandelions in rows IL
inches apart, one pound. One ounce will
sow 200 feet of drill. Egg plants, four feet
each way, One-fOurth pound. One ounce will
produce about 1000 plants. Lettuce, in
beds to transplant, one-fourth pound. One
ounce will produce 1000 plants. With seed
sown in drills II inches apart in the field,
about one pound; plants to be thinued to
IL inches apart in the row. Watermelons,
hills six feet apart each way, four pounds.
One ounce will plant so hills, with six seeds
to the hill. Muskmelons in hills five feet
apart each way, about two pounds. One
ounce will plant about go hills, eight seeds
to the hill. Onions in rows IL inches apart,
five pounds. One ounce will SOW 100 feet of
drill. Parsley in rows II inches apart, one
aud a half pounds. One ounce will sow $50
feet of drill. Parsnips in rows IA inches
apart, six pounds. One ounce will sow 100
feet of drill. Peas in rows three feet apart,
one and a quarter bushels of the early varie-
ties, and one bushel Of the later sorts. One
quart will SOW 100 feet of drill. Peppers, one
ounce will produce 1000 plants. Radishes in
drills of six inches apart, six to eight pounds.
One ounce will SOW 100 feet of drill. Pota-
toes in rows three feet apart, plants one foot
apart in the row, eight bushels of cut tubers.
Satisfy in drills IA inches apart, eight to 10
pounds. One ounce will SOW so feet of drill.
Spinach in drills II inches apart, II to Is
pounds. One ounce will SOW 80 feet of drill.
Squashes in hills eight feet apart both
ways, three to four pounds. One ounce will
plant 10 hills, six seeds to the hill. Toma-
toes, one ounce will produce 1900 plants,
1000 plants to the acre. Turnips, flat, in
drills II inches apart, one to two pounds;
broadcast, three to four pounds. One ounce
will SOW $50 feet of drill.
The fruit-grower has many things to con-
tend with, and rs a rule it takes more intel
ligence to grow fruit well than it does to
grow corn or wheat, or oats. The exceptional
character of the past Winter will make the
Spring work this year somewhat different
from what it usually is. The very mild
weather of January started the fruit buds of
all kinds more or less, and the very cold
weather of February killed many of them.
Peaches suffered very generally in Illinois
and adjoining States. Grapes are also very
much injured. Most of the black berries and
raspberries will be found in the same condi-
ton. Some varieties of plums and cherries
are all killed, while few seem to have
escaped uninjured. Then there was the
warm weather of the fore part of March, fol-
lowed by the extreme cold of the latter part,
which has destroyed many of the plum and
cherry buds that had escaped before. The
last cold spell has also killed many of the
pear blossoms. The apples seem to be unin-
jured.
AS result of the general destruction of
the grape blossoms, the vines should be cut
back more closely than under ordinary con-
ditions as this will give a much stronger
growth for fruiting next year. Where vines
have been neglected for long time, this
will give a good opportunity to cut them
down within short distance of the ground,
after which they will start up and be almost
as good as new vines, and can more easily be
kept in proper shape. Peach trees, whether
they have been neglected or not, should be
cut back severely. Cut off all of last Sum-
mer's growth, leaving short stubs an inch or
two long. The tips of the main branches
may be cut back to two or three-year old
wood. The tree will then make vigorous
growth and be ready for a crop of good fruit
another year. II the trees are cut back,
leaving only the stubs of the larger branches,
they will make a very rank growth, and will
not be in condition to bear next year. After
you have satisfied yourself that the blossom
buds of the blackberries and raspberries are
killed it will be just as well to cut them off
at the ground and let the new canes have
room to grow. The failure of so many kinds
of fruit will make what remains unframed
much more valuable, hence it will pay to
take greater pains to save it.
A good spraying with Bordeaux mixture
and Paris green as soon as the apple trees
start into leaf will check the scab, which
always takes an early start on the leaves and
branches, and will kill many insects that
have lived over Winter. Leading fruit
growers are coming to realize more and moro
that, in fighting the fungous, insect or weed
pests with which they have to contend, it
is the early work that pays. This seems to
be one case where the more you are in the
dark about what you are doing the better.
The fruit grower may become discouraged,
but he will not give up entirely, so he must
think of planting some more fruit
1t is waste of both time and money not
to prepare the land thoroughly before begin
ming to plant because you can plant faster
and the plants will grow better in well-pre-
pared than in poorly-prepared soil. Do not