The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-05-30
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers



Many people do not like buckwheat honey.
1t may not be so white nor so delicate in
flavor as some other kinds, but nothing sur
passes 1t in richness. 1t probably will not
wear so well as clover honey but until the
appetite begins to elOy, it is very satisfying.
But there is one use for il that all beekeepers
ought to agree is valuable one. The plant
flowers late and yields an abundance of
nectar, from which the bees can gather a
heavy crop. The white and better selling
grades of honey may be marketed, but this
rich, dark honey can be left to Winter the
bees upon. They must have something to
eat, and if you do not like buckwheat honey,
they do.
Buckwheat is not extensively grown by
farmers, and the beekeepers should encourage
Its growth. If he is a farmer he should sow
liberal area TO this grain. If be is not,
and many are not, he can afford to pay some
t'lng to the farmers within radius of a
mile and half, to SOW field of buckwheat.
He could afford to pay 81 or 81 per acre, and
1T would prove a good investment to him.
Buckwheat will grow on almost any land,
but like most other crops it grows best on
good land. It's dense and rapid growth
makes good weed killer and the grain from
it finds ready market at good prices. The
farmer cares for these matters, but the bee
keeper is interested especially in the white
blossoms that load the air with fragrance and
that grow an abundance of honey-making
material from, fha aciI arJ as,,oo,Lo-o "a =.
perfectly legitimate for him to call the atten-
ton of farmers to the benefits to be derived
from the cultivation of the grain, bat he
should be cautious not to Oyerreach himself
by attempting to appear wholly disinterested
in the subject. Let him show that the
growing of crop of this grain will be to the
common advantage of both farmer and him
SELF and he may succeed in accomplishing
his purpose.
Watering.
In watering plants, especially those in
pots, the one great principle to be observed
is to water thoroughly when doing the thing
at all; it IS necessary to have the entire ball
wetted throughout; it is not sufficient for it
to be surface wet only. Plants require
water most when putting forth new leaves
or shoots. We need only observe the ire
mendous variations in the amount of water
supply to which plants are exposed in ma
ture when dependent upon the rain to see
how little harm extreme variations do. We
are, generally, in danger of iDiuring the
plants by too anxious endeavor to supply
every small amount of water lost by the
plant. Indeed, it is very good for plants,
just az for human beings, to feel the passing
of htrpe A n
harm if they are not watered uatiI the pot
sounds hollow. If water be then supplied,
it should be done so eopiously that it runs
out of the hole at the bottom of the pot.
The practice of inexperienced persons of
repeatedly wetting the upper surface of the
soil Especially of plants in peaty soil) has
the disadvantage that the lower portion of
the soil remains dry while the surface and
base of the stem become covered with moss
The above rule is especially Important in
the case of tough-leaved plants, which do
not require much moisture. 1t is different
in the case of herbaceous plants which are
rapidly growing In their case every dimi-
mutton of the water supply is injurious;
and in the case of these rapidly-growing
plants there is very little danger, if any,
that the soil will be waterlogged for any
considerable time, and consequently stop
LUc TeSplTatlO0 OF the roots.
We know very well that success or failure
IN the growing of house-plants is largely due
to the care and attention paid to watering.
The principle to be adopted is thoroughness,
rather than regularity. MANY persons
water their plants as regularly as they wind
their watches. A plant should not be-
wstered unless it needs it, and it does not
need it so long as the soil contains sufficient
moisture for the plants use; more than
that may be positive injury. How often
to water depends too. upon the condition of
the atmosphere. There may be times when
it will be necessary to water the plants
twice day at others twice a week will be
amply sufficient.
Water should never be given until the
plants show by their leaves that they need
it. Then give with liberal hand, until
every particle of the soil in the pot is wet
Many plants, particularly hard-wooded, have
been so long potted that the ball of roots
and earth is almost impervious to water.
Water applied to such, 10 times per day,
will do but little good; the pots should be
put in tub of water occasionally, and left
there for "a hours, the pot all under water;
then they will get wetting that will be-
useful and lasting.
We cannot tell, either by pen or word,
Just how often it is necessary to apply water
to growing plants. This knowledge is not
and must needs come from
familiarity with the plant and its necessities,
close observation and intelligent reasoning.
-Ameriean Gardening.
Guineas for Profit.
A flock of guineas are about the most
profitable poultry that can be kept if they
are where they have unlimited range. The
common or pearl guineas are just as good as
the albino or white variety, but when cooked
their flesh is not so white. In the morning
when they are let out of the poultry-hOuse,
they often do not stop longer than to pick
up a little of the grain given TO the flock,
and then they wander off to the fields in
search of weed seeds and bugs, which they
like better than anything that can be given
them. They never grow tame, like hens
but the white ones are much more domestic
in their habits than the eolored ones.
The white guinea hens lay in the nests
with the hens during the whole or part OF
the season, but when they get ready to set,
they steal off and hide their nests and hatch
their eggs if they are not watched. Do not
let them hatch their eggs, as they are most
careless mothers, and q guinea hen that will
raise two chicks out of 20 Matched will be
doing pretty well. Hatch them under hens