The National tribune., 1896-07-30
OUR RURAL TOPICS,
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
Detasseljug Corn.

would result in a larger yield. This was
ba<ed on the admitted fact that a large
amount of energy is used in the develop
ment Of the flower and the production OF
pollen. number of tests were made to
determine the facts in the case. OF course,
it was necessary to allow enough pollen to
be produced 10 fertiliZe the silks. In most
OF the tests, therefore the tassels were re-
moved from every alternate row,-pulled
out as soon as they sppeared,-or three rows
were detasseled and one left untouched.
At the Cornell Station detasseled corn
produced a slightly greater yield daring the
first two years, but the third year there was
practically no benefit. In Nebraska, detas-
selling resulted in decreased yields. Here
the tassels were cut off instead of being
pulled out, as WAS the case in New York. In
Maryland the yield was decreased by the
practice. In Kansas the detas5eied fields
produced slightly the most corn. In Hi
nois tests were made during two years. In
both cases it was evident that no greater
yield was produced by rows that had been
detasseled.
II will be seen, therefore, that the ques-
ton has by no means been decided bus
must be more fully Investigated. Ono
thing, however, is eefain-the ordinary
farmer can with profit leave the matter for
Experiment Station men to determine.
There evidently is not enough benefit in de-
| tas5eling for the commercial grower to
practice it, and if better seed can be pro-
duced, let trained investigators prove it.
The Chinch Bug.
| The Ohio Agricultural Experiment Sta
! ton has in press Bulletin No. SO, treating Of
the origin, distribution, and abundance Of
| this pest over North and Central America,
| dealing especially with its occurrence in
| Ohio, particularly in 1895. Following is o
| summary of this bulletin:
The chinch bug extends over most of the
| United States east of the Rocky Mountains.
1t is uble-brooded, the insect passing the
Winter in the adult stsge, very largely al
least, and dspositing eggs for the first brood
of young during May and June, these young
becoming ful-grown and depositing eggs in
July and August, according to locality, and
| the young from these eggs developing and
| passing the Winter as previously stated.
+ Ich female deposits about 500 eggs, usually
placing them about the surface of the ground
on stems of grass, grains, and in rare cases
other plants. The young are at first of a
| red color, later changing to black,
while the adult is black with white wings.
| The wings are not obtained until full de-
| velopment has been reached, and hence, IN
the most destructive period, the insects crawl
| instead of flying, and the true cause of in
jury Is less on account of numbers than of
| the habit Of clustering In myriads on the
plant attacked. A heavy fall of rain during
the Matching season is fatal to the very
| young chinch bugs, and it is probably this
| influence that prevents their becoming more
abundant and destructive, though probably
I
hold the species in check, especially during
seasons of reasonable rainfall. The chineh
bug is provided with q sucking and not a
biting mouth, and therefore cannot be poi
soned. Kerosene emulsion will be found
effective; ditching in front of their advance,
| and ploughiDg, narrowing, and rolling the
ground will bury and destroy large numbers.
The fungus can be used to advantage when
| the weather is favorable, especially on fields
that are inclined to be damp. The burning
of old grass, leaves, and rubbish in Winter
| will destroy many alternating adults, and
| reduce their numbers the following year.
Summer Cultivation.
Cultivation Of the growing crop is the
principal business of the horticulturist in
Summer. Many think the destruction of
| weeds is all that is to be accomplished.
This is important, undoubtedly, for the
weeds are robbers taking to themselves the
fertility of the soil, and the vitalizing air
and the sunshine; but it is of secondary i'm
portance. The stirring of the soil is first of
all. Moisture is the indispensable eondi-
ton of healthful growth, and this is con-
served By the mellow surface two or three
inches in depth, and this mellow surface is
the result of frequent cultivation. A GER
tain portion of air also is required by the
roots, and frequent stirring of the soil ia
favorable 20 this.
Farm Notes.
As result of the tuberculiu test applied
by the New Hampshire Board of Agriculture
on several hundred cattle since JAM I, 1856
were pronounced affected Every animal
was killed, and all found diseased but one.
The army worm is destroying everything
in its path in some sections, and whole COM
munities have engaged in the work of de-
struction of the pests. The plan adopted is
to dig ditch, blowing deep furrow, MAX
ing the sides perpendicular; if possible, hav-
ing the furrow wider at the bottom than al
the top, and also have holes every few feet
in the furrow. The worms are unable &c
crawl mp the sides Of the furrow, and are
covered with straw, to which is applied a
lighted match. They can be exterminated
by careful and yigilant work in this manner
If you believe your butter is good, and
should bring the highest price, print your
name and address ON it; and if your GUS
toners agree with you as to its quality, you
will soon have more orders for good butter
than you can fill. But if such does not
happen, you may depend upon it that there
is room for improvement in the quality.
Customers do not always complain prefer
ring to buy from other sources when dis
appointed.
Plow the wheat land, spread the manure,
harrow it in, and let the weeds start When
the weeds are an inch high, harrow the land
fine and let more weeds start, and again
harrow. By the time the wheat is to be
seeded the soil will be in fine condition, and
the weeds completely destroyed.
When the queen bee is three years old,
and the colony does not keep up in numbers,
it is best to change her for a younger one; ;
but it is not necessary to do so as long az
the old queen is doing good service.
The pig has wonderful digestive capaci-
ty. Steers consume III pounds of dry food
to every 100 pounds of live weight, the
sheep 10 pounds; but the pig consumes 81
I pounds and converts it into meat. Cattle
, make a gain Of one pound for every IL
pounds of dry food consumed, sheep pound
) for every nine, and the pig pound for every
four and a-half pounds. This gain is ac-
l ID for hU IA