The National tribune., 1896-03-19
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions fOr Our
Agricultural Readers
White Cannas.

WhfF N1nnH<s
few Of rs only have ever seen a pure
white Gamma. Who ever supposed that q
| variety of these stately bloomers, with their
/ trOpieal-looking foliage, would offer the ad-
ditional attraction Of delicious fragrance?
Yet specimen of this sort is being dis
/ played "a one Of the seasons greatest novel;
! ties. The name Of the plant is Hyrosma
| CdnHgfolia, and is said to be South Ameri-
can member of the Gamma family, sometimes
termed the white Gamma" bearing entirely
| distinct flowers, which are sweeter than
orange-blossoms, and in color the puress
poss bic white-s new departure in the
Gamma family, making it novelty Of the
| highest commercial value
| The flowers are heavy in texture, like an
eucharis, but infinitely more fragrsnt--so
much so that single flower will fill whole
| greenhouse with its delicious orange-Iike
/ fragrance. The flowers are produced freely.
q single plant sending up successfully sew
eral spikes Of bloom for period Of four TO
| six weeks.
Inc original stock was secured by the
florists of this country from leading Italian
/ house, under the name of "Myrosma" but
it has since been claimed that hedyehiam
coroRdrlum is the correct name for it. The
name doesn't matter much, after all; no
matter what it is called, it will be welcomed
as novelty most desirable in every way,
and it will probably create a sensation az
Easter time if a quantity of the fragrant
beauties can be forced into bloom at this
! season.
/ Care OF Lawns.
In many sections of the country it is Gus
tOmary to cover the lawns which surround
the dwelling houses with stable manure,
with the view that Spring rains may wash
the fertility contained in it into the soil.
| While this process tends to enrich the lawn,
| 1T at the same time makes it very unsightIy
and Objectionable in many ways as the
| manure generally brings many weed seeds
| IN the lawn, and unless it is very fine it
makes the growth of the grass uneven. For
small lawns, especially, high-grade COM
| plste chemical fertilizer prepared for lawns
| is far preferable, and produces an immediate
effect. If it is not obtainable, put on I'M
leaehed wood ashes and fine bone meal
Soiling Crops.
Where the chance for pasture during the
coming Summer is poor, good plan is to
prepare ground for some sOiling crop that
will furnish the cattle with a substantial
food. For a herd of 10 COWS, SOW early on
| we'll prepared, enriched land one and ONE
4 AHt NNAco VI L6fICys II pfc@SCQ IOF early
food, some of this might be cut when not
more than one foot high. 1t will then sprout
and produce fair second crop later. At the
same time SOW at the rate of one bushel per
acre one and one-balf acres of peas, pillow
them In three inches deepand broadcast aud
harrow IN, or drill on the same ground one
to one and half bushels of oats per acre.
At intervals of about two weeks SOW as
above until three or four plass in all are
planted One and half acres should furnish
food for 10 cows for 10 days, with some meal
added. and leave small surplus, if the soil
ing crop is fairly successful. As soon as the
barley is removed, plow and SOW to Hun
garian grass, or German milIet Plant
on rich, warm soil an early variety of corn
by drilling about two and one-half feet
apart, and grain six inches in the row,
one to three acres. This might be large
variety of sweet corn, and if there was
surplus, the best ears could be sold in the
market A little later, plant as above two
to four acres of some large variety of dent
corn, as Southern White. The oat and pea
land may be made to produce good crop of
Hungarian grass, if the ground is quickly
and thoroughly fitted after the oats and peas
are removed. An acre should furnish food
sufficient for one cow and leave something
to spare for the chickens and pigs, or for
sCOTIDg III the Ddrn TOT winter IO00s IN the
Fall some rye might be sown, if the practice
of soiling is to be continued, in order to get
green forage early. While barley does not
yield as much per acre as rye, the cows relish
it better, and it is better food.
Indian Games.
Game fowls are excellent mothers, and are
of close, compact structure being much
heavier than their appearance would indi-
cate. Moreover, they have the reputation
of laying the richest eggs, while their flesh
is of the finest flavor. The sighting pro-
pensity of the male birds, however, is an OBJ
lection which many peultrymen cannot
overcome, while ameng a certain class of
breeders it is regarded as an especially de-
sirable feature. In the Indian game breed
this tendency is almost entirely absent, and
the additional value Of extra-arge size is
secured.
Here and There.
Prof Robertson, of Canada, says that the
British markets prefer hutter pale in color,
lightly sailed, packed in 56-pound packages
lined with thick paper.
Do not select a breed of poultry which
requires free range when your circumstances
require you to keep your poultry in con-
fnement.
Always select strong and stOcky plants to
set out. When there are but little or no
roots to plants there will be loss of some
of them. It is waste of time planting
strawberries, tomatoes, or other plants if
they are not selected with the view of seeur-
ing those that are strong and vigorous as
any time lost by weak plants, even il they
live, cannot be regained. An early start is
very important
The wrinkled varieties of peas are the best
for the table but ara not Drefprrad for can.
ming. Any of the early dwarf peas may be-
used for first crop. The dwarf kinds give
only about one picking. 1t is the standard
varieties which bear the heaviest crops, but
they require supports and are later than the
dwarf kinds. The Champion of England is
considered one of the best for quality, but
is not as prolific as some others, aud is also
o late variety.