The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-11-28
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
The Northern spy Apple.


County, " Y, abOut 1910. and from that
locality il spread by grating through that
section. 1t is n very thrifty grower, and
/ better adapted to grating on old trees than
10 start on ITS own roots. Its upright habik
OF growth makes it slow TO come in bearing.
This, however, is partly remedied By cut
ting out the center of the tree when it is
pruned and encouraging the branches which
grow away from the center. If this is not
done the fruit in the center of the tree will
be small, poorly cO.Ored and Of poor quality.
The Northern Spy ripens in the cellar, and
isybest just before it begins to rot. By keep
ing some in q cool place and gradually
bringing few into the warmth this variety
may be kept in good condition through
long season.
Japanese and Chinese Vegetables.
Among the various kinds Of Japanese and
/ Chinese vegetables which we had ON Onr
trial grounds this season. saws the 4Daeriean
Gardening, not one can be considered 10 be
OF the least practical value, and MANY of
them are not even interesting. possible
exception to this might be the Japanese
climbing cucumber, provided that this really
IS a japanese vegetable. The GObo I.aDa
major Is burdGck. with the characteristics
burdoek leaves and fleshy roots, and what
we could do with it is hard to say. The Chi
nese cabbage, with its wide-ribbed leaves,
may be interesting, but We could find no
culinary use for it. The Chinese eggplant
may excite the interest OF the botanist. but
for the vegetable grower it is about as worth
less thing as was ever grown in a garden.
In ITS Struggling, upright growth. its spiny
leaves and stems, and it's small and roundish
fruit 1t has the characteristics of some of the
members of the Nightshade family. which
are common weeds IN various parts of the
country. The Tomato Eggplant, which was
| introduced eight or nine wears ago as an in
teresting novelty, belonged to this class of
Chinese eggplant, but it was of greater value
as curiosity" than any of the plants we
had in our patch this year.
Then we had number of running vines,
among them the Wax Gourd, the Sing
Kiva," and other Kiyas." While they are
bOtanically interesting they seem to possess
no practical value whatever
Fertilizers.
Old compost is good and safe to apply for
almost any kind of crop and soil The or
chardlst seldom has enough of it, and what he
does have he cannot more proitably use in
the garden-ln strawberry patches, etc
than In his orchards. For the latter chem
lcal manures, such as potash salts and phOs-
pilates, are an effective substitute for stable
manure, and usually the cheaper of the two
when plant foods have to be bought Most
large fertilizer manufacturers can furnish
muriate Of potash at about $40 per ton and
acid phosphate at about $12. Now is the
time to buy and apply.
Extra Care for Improved Stock.
1t should always be understood by those
who purchase improved stock of any kind
that it will need a continuation of the extra
care and feeding which has brought it to
its present condition. Blood tells but it is
only when given good feed and care that it
will fulfill expectations. Even the half
bred stock Will not shift for themselves as
the hardy native stock has learned to do.
There should always be sufficient food to
keep the animal thrifty 1t need not be,
and with stock designed for breeding should
not be, fattening. But thrifty, growing
animal will always be in condition for kill
ing If an accident, such as breaking leg,
makes killing necessity.
Potatoes as a Food for Cattle.
German experimenters advise the use of
potatoes for stock food when they are cheaD
and plentiful. They should be cooked fo
swine, and for fattening cattle they can be
fed either raw or cooked, when given with
hay, meal, or other substances. Cows in
milk may be fed daily % pounds of washed
potatoes with advantage the larger pOta-
toes should be cut. They are not good for
young lambs, or cattle under two years Of
age; the presumption being that potatoes
are not conducive 10 bone and muscle-build-
ing
Light for Hen-HOuses.
A great deal is said about the necessity of
warmth for fowls in Winter. Quite as much,
however, depends on light. In the short
days OF Winter fowls are apt to get too little
exercise. They are sure to do so if kept in
close, dark houses, where the light does not
penetrate until very late in the short Winter
mornings. The house may be made light
as well as warm by providing double win
dOws, with close blinds to lie tightly closed
at night. One of these double windows
should be on the east side of the house. and
its shutters should be opened as soon as the
sun rises. The colder the weather the greater
the necessity of feeding early and getting
the fowls to exercise. If the hen-house ia
thoroughly lighted, it will be easy to get
the fowls down from their rOosts In dark
hen-hOuse we have seen fowls remain on
their perch for an entire day. OF course
such fowls grow poor, and will not lay until
very late in Spring. Too dark lighthouses
are the cause of more failures in poultry
keeping than any other In these days,
when windOw-gIass is very cheap, it is an
evil easily remedied.
Wide-Tfre Test.
A wide-tire test at the Ohio State Uni
versity showed that an ordinary wagon with
a new three-Inch tire was loaded with 44S0
pounds: the draft required to draw on a
hard dirt road was 254 pounds, on a grass
field 468 pounds and on newly-plowed land
I'll pounds. The draft power of a 1000
pound horse is 150 pounds, two horses being
able to draw the load easily on grass sod
With a narrow tire, half as much is a full
load for a two-hOrse team, showing marked
advantage for the wide tires; in addition to
which they become rollers, and smooth and
level the road and make it better the more
it is used, ins cad of cutting it into ruts as
narrow tires do on soft roads.
Two of LincoIn's Kind Acts.
n.