The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-07-14
FARM TOPICS IN SEASON.
Remedy for Pear Blight-CultivatiOn
Of Corn Caring for Old Strawber-
~ Beds-Notes.

ti'Atta ~ lt- HA&rtfif rF~ftl -ptrdA }A
the ground, extending beyond the
range Of the roots. n should be done
in the spring, just a. the frost Is leav-
ing the ground, - that the fibre roots
will carry it to the sap. The salt de-
strOys the germs of the disease. IL
should be done at least before the buds
begin TO swell, and the fruit grOwef
who gives the valuable Information adj
vises each grower to try the remedy
with single tree and the cost Of the
experiment will not be over 10 cents.
The remedy is 50 simple that any one
can give il a test, and as the salt will
destroy some Of the insect enemies il
will at least prove beneficial in that
respect.
The food controls the flavor Of milk
and butter. When the hay is properly
cured il will be better than if any de-
fects exists, because il will effect the
flavor to certain extent. All foods
for cows should be Of the best quality
If a superior product is desired.
In England it was stated at a meet
ing of farmers that one acre under glass
exceeded 100 acres in producing a pro-
hit, and that the labor and cost was no
greater in proportion to area than for
loo acres, excepting the original cost Of
the glass and fixtures.
Every year deep and shallow culti-
walton Of corn is tested at the expert
ment stations and there has been no
conclusion As 10 which Is the better
method, Owi to the difference in soils
and locations. Thirteen stations, how
ever, have made experiments with rc-
suits rather favorable to shallow eulti-
yatiOn. At the Ohio station the aver
age yield from cultivating one inch
and half deep with a spring-tOOth
eultivatOr was six bushels per acre
greater than from four inches eultiva-
ton with double shovel. Deep culli-
vatiOa may he beneficial when the
plants are very small, bat after the
roots have spread through the surface
of the soil the cultivation should be
shallow.
Now that the strawberry crop is har-
vested the old beds should either be
cleaned Up or the ground plOwed so as
to prevent the weeds from growing.
The old strawberry beds are excellent
weed producers if not controlled, from
which they spread over the farm.
What the farmer grows to sell is not
for himself, but for Others. He may
have his personal preferences for some
kinds Of products, and can grow such
for his own Use, but the articles that
are to be marketed must be Of the kinds
and quality to please the customers.
Study the markets and endeavOr 10
learn what Is wanted and then supply
the demand.
knowledge il power in farming. The
farmer who reads what others are do
ing is receiving the experience Of those
who have been successful or made mis-
takes, which enables him TO adopt any
methods or avoid errors that
he may make unless informed. The
most unwise course pursued by some
farmers is their opposition to anything
-een in print, and il is strange that this
class Of persons is large one. With
out experiment and improvement, and
a diffusion Of knowledge of agriculture,
the farming interests would retrOgrade
instead of progress. The farmer who
reads about what others are doing can
sift the wheat from the ehafr and adopt
The best.
The goat is used largely in Spain,
that country having over 1000 of
them. In England goats are now ped
greed, and some of them have excel
lent records as milkers, quart of milk
4 day being the yield by noted females.
I'm favor Of goat, it is claimed that they
are less liable 10 disease than cows and
,dn be kept not only at less cost but on
locations where cows could not exist.
There is one product of the farm that
that a majOrity..Of farmers buy-beans.
The white navy bean can be produced
in all sections, and if not profitable as
4 crop should at least be grown for
home consumption. Compared with
the staple crops, however, it will be
found more profitable than some.
In Chill strawberries grow to sn
enormous size, they being two or three
times Is large rs any varieties grown
in this country. The climatic eOndi-
tions here may not be favorable 10 the
Chilean varieties, but il is possible that
if few plants from Chilli were intro
duced here that they could increase the
size of our strawberries by using the
foreign plants from which 10 make
new varieties by dusting the blossoms
with pollen from some of the Ameri-
can varieties. The Chilean berry is
said to be well favored and excellent
in every respect.
Farmers who buy wood ashes are
to take several risks. IL Is
not often that any two loads Of wood
ashes contain the same percentage of
potash, and as ashes are made heavier
in damp weather by the extra proper
ton of water absorbed the farmer pays
for weight which is not of advantage
to him. Ii is well to save all ashes pro-
dueed on the farm, bat the proper way
to procure potash is 10 purchase the
sulphate or muriate, as they will give
better results in proportion to cost.
He who has much fruit can hardly
hope to preserve il without some kind
of cold storage, for thus kept the loss
from shrinkage and rot will be COM
parstively small. \ cellar with heavy
brick OF stone walls, built into the side
of hill, can be eheaply made and will
be very satisfactory.
There is one ease in favor of corn as
a crop which should not be overlook
ell, aud that is the large amount of
fodder produced. The value Of the
fodder, however, depends upon how il
is cured and cut down. There is no crop
more neglected than fodder and the
waste Of this valuable cattle food over