The National tribune., 1895-09-12

n melted
condition. Almost continuous watching was
necessary to prevent the material from tax
| ing fire, for if this should occur it would
prove almost instantly fatal to all the plants
which might be reached by the gas. The
difficulty was in a great measure overcome
by an assistant, who suggested the use of a
sand-bath as a means of modifying the in
tensity of the heat. Our present outfit
consists of two pans placed on an oil-stoye
The lower pan is half flied with clean,
coarse sand, and the upper one contains the
sulphur. By its use our houses have been
kept remarkably free from mildew. even
under very adverse circumstances But
there is constant danger that the sulphur
will become heated to the burning point,
and then the entire stock of plsnts in tho
house is lost This use Of sulphur is often
very convenient, but the work should be-
placed in the hands Of most Trustworthy
person. If house should be thoroughly
treated in this manner every week or two,
scarcely any mildeY could develop.-Cor-
nell Experiment Station.
Liberal Feeding.
There is some question az 10 the value Of
full feeding in Summer for cattle and sheep,
but the experience of breeders incIines them
TO favor liberal feeding for all ages of swine
all the season. mixture of grass is de-
sirabie. Oats mixed with field peas is q
favorits with many hog raisers, particularly
in the northern regions, and the oats alone
are good and cheap.
When the hogs are turned into the field
or lot on the green crop there will be much
waste unless restricted to small area at
one time. One breeder likes green corn
very much for hog feed in Summer Early
varieties of sweet corn may be ready for use,
stalk and ear, early in August in this lati-
tude.
Larger varieties of sweet corn and early
sorts of dent corn will keep up the success
sion of food. Later when the stalks begin
to dry they will make frst-elass fodder for
horses and cattle, the ears alone going to the
hogs.
ProIonging the Apple Season.
There are at least three things to be OBJ
served in trying to proloEg the ordinary
season Of apples, if we would be successful.
First careful handling in picking; second,
picking at the proper time and third, stOr-
ing IN cool place. J. J. Thomas says that
" Mankind consists OF two grand divisions,
the careless and the careful Each indi-
vidual may be assigned his place under these
two great heads by observing how he picks
or gathers fruit" Much of the difficulty in
keeping apples arises from careless handling
of the fruit while it is being picked. This
is especially true of early Fall apples, as
they are generally picked before the tenn
perature OF the air is sufficiently lowered to
arrest decay, which begins Immediately
where the apple is bruised.
My observation leads me to believe that
farmers DO not exercise the same caution in
handling Fall apples that they do in the
case of Winter varieties. Many seem to
have an idea that they will not keep long any
way, and so they are thrown into the wagon
md hustled off to town as soon as possible.
have seen FameuSe or Snow brought into
market this Fall in such damaged condi-
ion that il was impossible to keep them but
! few days, when they should keep until the
holidays, even in our warm climate. On the
,ther hand, have seen the Golden Sweet, q
summer variety, on exhibition in EOYem-
1eT. These were kept in an ordinary cellar,
put they had not been bruised by careless
handling. The best keeping apples we have
will remain in good condition but short
me after they have been bruised. Then
he degree of maturity at the time of pick
ng will have much 10 do with the keeping
qualities. An apple should be mature
but not ripe when it is picked, if it is to
Keep for any considerable time. The pro-
,ess of ripening is only the first stages Of
lecay and if this is allowed to continue be-
ore picking until the apple is ripe, that is,
until it becomes mellow, this breskinR-down
process has proceeded SO far that is is very
lifficult to arrest. As soon, therefore, as the
tenn will separate readily from its union
With the branch, the apple is sufficiently
nature to keep well.
In the case of early apples, however, there
5 another element which enters into the
'roblem, viz, flavor. Fall apples picked very
arly do not, as a rule, possess that richness
f flavor which is developed during the last
avs of ripening, so that for home use, where
be best is none too good, this becomes
cry important element, and one that can BE-
only by keeping the fruit in q
Ool place where the temperature does not
each much above 80 degrees. This brings
p the question of cold storage for the farmer
nd fruit grower.-AmericaR AgrIeaItsrist.
Do not leave the dead flowers on these
lants. By preventing seed from forming
nd maturing, larger and more continuous
rop of flowers is insured. The plants should
3 masses of bloom until frost cuts them
own. I'as