The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-08-13
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
Raising Squads for Market.


petition and less trouble in attending to the
young; the old birds do all the work, and
when pair OF pigeons are once firmly mated
they will remain so and do we'll for 10 or IL
years unless separated by accident or dis
ease This adds greatly TO the profit From
pair of first-class birds you can depend on
raising eight or nine pairs OF squads per
year, which can be marketed at the rate Of
at least 40 cents per pair, while the cost Of
feeding the old birds will not exceed $f.25.
They lay two eggs for a setting, one day in
tervening between first and second egg The
incubation takes 18 days, and while attend
ing 10 the young in one nest they generally
build another nest, and have eggs before the
young are capable of taking care OF them
selves. The young when ready to fly out
| which wiz be when about 80 days old-aFs
marketed. The birds breed all the year,
with the exception of she moulting season.
Packing Apples.
| Good packing, although essential TO good
selling, is not the only essential. Before the
apples are packed they should be carefully
gathered, not shook from the trees, but
hand picked. They should then be laid for
a few days in heaps to sweat and then care
fully sorted, and all defective or specked
ones be taken ont. Sort them into two OK
three qualities, and let each barrel be uni
| form in quality and size throughout. Then
take clean, new barrels and pack. Place
layer at the bottom of the barrel carefully
all one way, for the end that is packed as
the bottom sbould be marked for the top
when opened. Then place the apples, all Of
the same description and same variety, In
the barrel, and gently shakeit to settle them
as the filling proceeds, till at last the apples
are little above the top of the barrel. Tho
head is now placed on and then forced into
| place by a screw press or lever. Drive down
the hoops and tighten the head in place, and
nail on head lining of split hoop.
snapping-bug
The snapping-bugs or click beetles, the
parents of the wire-worms, may be taken
from May to August inclusive. 1t is likely
that it would pay to attract them to poisoned
bats for only portion of this time; prob
ably from the latter part of May until into
July The exact time could be easily ascer-
tanned by examining the bats from time to
time and noting the number of dead beetles
In experiments on destroying these insects
conducted at the Cornell University Ex-
pertinent Station, freshly-eut clover dipped
in Paris green water was found to be most
attractive bait, and, as it is easily obtained
and prepared, will perhaps prove the best.
Moistened c0rnmeal or bran sweetened with
! sugar and poisoned with Paris green or some
form of arsenic might also be successfully
used. Mr. Coauillet found bran mash
very attractive to grasshoppers In California.
and it could be tried with good prospect
| Iao4 he -hIlgs
It is prepared as follows: To washtub or
half-barrel about three fourths full of dry
bran. add about five pounds of arsenic and
mix thoroughly with spade or shovel.
Dissolve five pounds of sugar in pail OF
water, pour it on the bran and arsenic, and
stir thoroughly, adding more water until the
mash is entirely saturated.
4 Farm Notes.
The individual can always get better
l prices for butter and cheese than the prices
quoted if he will seek the customers and
/ transact the business himself. instead OF
/. shipping his produce to be sold by someone
else The one thing lacking principally
with farmers is the knowledge Of how to
dispose of the crops on the farm. Many OF
L ! them have never attempted seeking Gus
toners, the profit going mostly to others
| This is matter for discussion at the
| farmers meetings for when they learn more
of the markets they viii also be better pre-
pared to cater to the demands of the buyers
In testing remedies for grassboppers the
Texas Station found that heavy solution
Of ulphur and lime, or one pound OF aloe:
in five gallons of water, or kerosene emulsion
sprayed on the cotton or other plants At
tackled, protected them, but did not kill thu
hoppers. Six pounds of wheat bran, oHt
pound of sugar and one pound of white
arsenic mixed into a stiff dough with
water killed the hoppers by the million. a
8 teaspoonful OF the dough was placed in TIT
shade of the plants every six feet, In tw'
rows Just ahead Of the advancing host o
hoppsrs-
After the last cultivation of corn, it is
4. good plan to sow rye between the rows
e When the rain comes this will start TO grow
II and by the time the corn is ent the rye vii
4 make complete mat of green. This growtl
of rye is important for several reasons.
c. saves heterogeneous fertility developed in tn
II soil by cultivation. 1t makes good Fall Ant
e Winter feed after the corn is eff 1t pre-
al vents blowing or washing away of surfac
3 soil by Winter winds Finally, it helps t
dry the soil in Spring, making it easier t
get to work ut the land early, aud thereby
as well as by furnishing some green manur
to pillow under, helping the crop that is to b
grown next year.
The number OF seeds produced by mos
weeds is surprisingly great, sometimes NOR
than half a million from one plant; G
enough, if all grow, to produce plant o
every square yard of 100 acres of land. Az
cording to Prot. Brewer roadside mullei
of medium size produced 100000 seeds. W
sometimes wonder what the little snow
birds find to eat during Winter-time, br
when We understand that they search Il
and eat seeds of most weeds, we cease |
wonder after studying the production of til
@, latter Were not these plants a hundred
On fold more prolific than our ordinary cult
m waited species few of them would be know
-, as noxiOuS at all.
", re Begin saving seed corn now. Go into til
b. field aud mark in some manner the bes
ii, stalks which contain the best ears. Pr,
"s Efficacy, early maturity, depth of grains, siz
va of ears and vigor can be noticed from now
rst maturity. All of the most popular varieti'
'I- of corn were produced IN that manner. an
bit every farmer has lt IN his power 10 lmprON
mt On that which he has. 1t is better than pr
r. curing some variety from elsewhere, thi
for may not be adapted to the farm. By carefi
nd selection every year 4 marked improseinel
ea In the corn will be effected in few years.
, ua There is a nice point In the cutting dow