The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1894-04-06
HOME AND FARM.
Trsnchins Irish Potatoes.

af@H~hiHB tFlaH E0kakO69s
Some few practical farmers we'll un-
derstand that a much larger crop Of po-
tatoes can be obtained when the manure
is OF a long, stringy character than
when we'll rotted manure or special fer
tIlIzers are introduced but this know
ledge has notyet spread to the vegetable |
grower, critically so called, says Nee
hans Monthly. Yet it is amazing what
an enormous crop Of potatoes may be
produced by the use of such material
If any Of our ramateur readers, who want
to excite the envy Of their neIghbors by
growing superior crops, will cover the
potato sets with mere straw, or some
other kind Of hitter, several inches in
depth, before the earth is drawn over
them, they will certainly have this per-
sonal satisfaction.
Draw out trench, say four inches in
depth, put the potato sets about foot
apart, cover the whole Of this trench
four inches deep with straw or litter,and |
then draw three or four inches Of earth
over it, and the product will be a sur
prise. Not only are the potatoes large
and produced in enormous quantities
under the treatment, but the skins of
potatoes themselves have a bright and |
clear look, which makes them an object
Of beauty, as we'll as a desirable crop
from the purely vegetable point of view.
Good Advice.
Let not the farmer ask himself what
his neighbor is going to do, but what is
best for him TO do. Review the acreage
usually planted in cotton, cut that down
one-third and the cotton you will make
on this will bring you as much money as
the whole amount. Plant the third acre
in anything that will contribute to the
Of man or beast, Just 50 you
don't plant it in cotton.
1t don't matter what you think about
free silver or the tariff; If you will raise
less cotton you will have more money.
If money is scarcer then let cotton be
scarcer, and if money rises in value
then will cotton also rise. Let every
farmer act for himself and act prompt
y and efectiyely.-Ex.
Seed Potatoes.
In choosing potatoes for seed, it is
not wise to select the very largest ones.
Such are very apt to give ar excessive
growth Of une at the expense of a prop
sr development Of the tuber. The other
extreme is, of course. to be avoided. as
very small seed will result in deter
Ioratlon Of the product. Medium-sized
seed will give the largest proportion Of
tubers, which will be much
more uniform in size than if either large
Dr. small seed is used. The selection Of
the seed is matter which we should
20 about in the right way. It should
be selected in the field, instead Of in the
cellar, and it is important we should
take seed from such hills as show the
greatest number Of tubers of a good size.
Let the production and vitality Of hill
be its test for fitness for seed, in the
same way that we try to make it so for
,orn. The best corn growers select
heir seed where they are able to judge
,he vitality of the parent plant, much
more sensible method thar TO 20 TO the
Din at seeding time and pick out the lar
rest ears. The same test should be ap-
)lied to the potatoes, and, IN fact, to
vi seeds where 1t can be done.
Cooked Food for Milk Cows.
There is no better investment for a !
lairyman than a small steam engine. 4
)ne of the power of a single horse will j
,e quite sufficient H. do many small jobs I
or which hand power would otherwise
,e needed. But its most import |
mt use in winter will be for steaming
md cooking food. This adds largely to |
Is nutrinousness, because 1t makes the '
tarchy portions much more easy of di- q
.estion. 1t is not necessary to steam
r cook food for fattening animals, and |
n this respect the practice has gone out Q
{ favor, but it pays 10 steam the food q
or milk COWS. They require a good I
eaI of water anyway, and can take it .
etter with their food than by itself. i
Scraps. +
Do not doctor a sick fowl unless you y
now what ails it, for your treatment is
kelly to be worse than the disease.
ieparate the sick fowls from the well
nes, and concentrate your effort on
eepinQ them well. q
A correspondent on irrigation writes
Nothing less than one thousand barrels a
{ water per acre is sufficient for
rowing crop Of cabbage, strawber- g
les or potatoes, and if the drought is P
cry severe, that is not sufficient" 2
When you sell crops away from the .
arm, try and ascertain how much nu- q
riment they are taking from the land. 2
hen restore this by some regular sys- o
EN- of manurlng. Unless you do, the u
arm will soon cease to be profitable. 2
Everyone who has tried 1t knows c
hat fall calves are a little more diff Q
ult 10 raise and to make thrifty than y
uch as are dropped in the spring. Con- .
more attention should be CIV y
q them, and an extra effort made to :
ed them well. !, !
A well-bred animal Of any sort is Y
lachine for utilizing raw products to .
he best possible advantage. 1t does |
MS with less waste, and consequently u
,ore profit than a scrub can. IL IS =
Ike using good machinery instead Of ! !