The National tribune., 1895-07-18
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
Watering with Hose.

be taken 10 see chat the ground In thor
oughly saturated and not just sprinkled.
The sprinkling really does more harm than
good. Probably the best time to water IL ss
night. The most effectual way to water O
lawn-sprinkler, letting the water play on it
continuously for half an hour, or until satfs-
fed that the ground is thoroughly soaked.
If watering is done during the day, the beat
way is TO place the nozzle Of the hose on
piece of board in the bed, letting the water
run slowly, shifting the hose from time to
time. AS the ground in its immediate
neighborhood becomes saturated in this
way, watering may be done during shs
hottest day, without any fear of damage to
the foliage. The next day after watering,
the soil should be stirred up gently with q
hoe.
Prickly Lettuce.
PrickIy wild lettuce, Lsctuca scarSoLa, In
very abundant and common weed Ia the
Central State, and is sparingiy scattered
throughout the whole country having been
introduced from Euroys Is II an annual
weed, Towering in Missunmsr, and 70
closely related - the gardss lettuce. but has
the leaf. edge, the sidfib and the lover
stsrn covered with pflcklss. A in shs com
pass paai o. roe q weed the sssm leaves are
twisted vertically, with the edges directed
north and sOufn, 20 that the son may shine
equally on both sides. DR.. J. g. Arthur, OF
the Indiana Station, believes that the plant
has many Of the Ueedy characteristics Of q
successful intruder, and that though it's ex-
termination may be impracticable, it should
be kept in thorough subfugstion by timely
moving and uprooting so that the seed can
not be ripened. Unless the stem is cut off
well below the surface of the ground, the
plant will persistently throw out sprouts,
which, if unchecked, will bear PROPULSION Of
seeds. It's noxious qualities have caused is
to be mistaken for the Russian thistle or
tum bleweed.
Corn Meal for Pigs.
After a series of feeding experiments, the
Cornell Station has published the following
conclusions:
Corn meal and gluten gave the greatest
growth, and produced cheaper pork than
ground wheat.
Corn meal and meat scraps produced q
somewhat larger proportion of lean meat
than did corr meal.
The corn meal and gluten lot had better
appetite and consumed more food than the
lot fed ground wheat
The corn meal lot consumed the least food
and made the least growth.
Corn meal and meat scrap produced the
largest proportion of lean meat, but not
enough more to make it commensurate TO
the cost of the food consumed.
Cutting Green Oats for Feed.
The dry weather has made pastures short
fodder or other Summer-soiling crops. The
earliest crop that can be cut for soiling from
Spring seeding is one of oats or barley It
is good economy to cut oats green Just as
the head is forming, and feed it to cows.
The stalk is then juicy, and il contains the
nutrment that little later viii be Deposit
ed in the grain if il were allowed to stand.
The amount of green feed that will make q
good ration for mich cow would produce
less than two quarts of oats if allowed to
ripen as grain
Unexhausted Manure.
The question how much of the value OF
manure is left in the soil after its first, sec
ond or third crops is one Of much importance
in England, where the law allows a retiring
tenant pay for manure of which he does
not get the benefit. There can be no exact
rules, for msnures differ widely in character.
Those containing most nitrogen are immedi-
ately soluble. Mineral manures may not be-
sll used the first year, but they have habit
of locking themselves up so that they are of
little value. Manure made from linseed
meal gives two-thirds it's value on the first
crop, but the second year after one-sixth Of
it's value remains in the soil. Ordinary
barnyard manure loses half its value the
first year. Bone meal lasts four years, and
three-ffths of it's value remains after the
first year. Nitrate of soda is all exhausted
the first year, or if not what is left goes of
in the drainage water during the extremely
wet English Winters, when the soil is always
drenehed with water.
Lice on Chickens.
A dropping, detected appearance, wings
hanging down, that mournful peeping
which a chick makes when in distress
these are sure signs of the presence of lice,
and if the chick is to be saved one must lose
no time in attending to it Insect powder
is perhaps best, as it is perfectly harmless In
any quantity, but one must be thorough
with it, as often it only stupefies the mites
and does not kill them. 1t is very obaoxi-
Gus to them, however, and if there is q single
louise on chick when sprinkled with 10, it
hastens to back out of its feathery nest and
drops off Grease of any kind is sure death
to lice but must be used with Caution
Salty grease may kill young birds, and kero-
sene will do the same. Pure lard is as good
as anything, and is very efectual when
rubbed well into the feathers. Use no more
than necessary, put it on head, neck, under
wings, at root of gSill feathers of wings and
around the vent.
The Quality OF Honey.
Honey is obtained by bees from the nectar
Of flowers, and it's color, taste and character
are mainly dependent on the kind Of lower
W hich the bees frequent. Every experienced
bee keeper soon learns to recognize the white
and excellent honey procured from the white
clover blossom. In localities where there
are numerous Eastwood trees, very choice
honey, but darker than that from white
clover is made from their blossoms. 1t Is
70 many tastes preferable to the lightcol-
,red honey from the white clover. The
bees do not visit different kinds of flowers
IN the same trip, nor are different kinds Of
honey placed in the same CELL BuckUhea6
honey is that made last in the season, and 10
s also the darkest. 1t has @ strong flavor,
,ut some prefer it for eating to the more
6avOred kinds. But as buckwneae
honey does not sell so well on the market,
( il usually left for the bees TO eat during
he Winter.
RattIesnake Kills wildcat.
Herman Brawser of Port Jervis, Pa, while