The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1898-02-19
Chestnuts.

Chestnuts.
Every one must have noticed the
difference in size and productiveness
of different chestnut trees in our
woods, says the Massachusetts, Plough
man, some producing large handsome
nuts in quantity, while others yield
only q meager crop of inferior size.
None of cur native nuts, however,
compare at all for size or attractive
ness with the chestnuts of Spain,
Italy and Japan, which are easily
grated upon the common chestnut OF
our woods.
The peculiarities of these large nuts
are not propagated with certainty by
growing seedlings; these differ widely
from each other and from the parent
tree. 1t is, however, by no means
difficult to graft the chestnut, and by
this method the different varieties are
perpetuated with certainty. Trees
grown from our native nut make ex-
cellent stock upon which to graft the
large varieties.
The Italian and Spanish chestnuts
are not hardy enough to endure our
climate, but there are several large va
rieties from Japan that are entirely
hardy and much larger than any OF our
native nuts.
If one wishes to grow stocks on
which to graft chestnuts he should
save the nuts now and pack them
carefully in sand in boxes made OF
hemlock boards, which mice and
squirrels dislike to gnaw into, and
these boxes should be covered with a
foot of earth in a dry place out OF
doors; in spring the nuts should be
taken out and planted in rows two
and one-half feet apart, setting the
nuts six inches apart. After the trees
have made one or two years growth,
they should be grated near the ground
in early spring and banked up with
earth SO as to cover the place where
the scion is inserted, but leaving its
point exposed to the air. As with
any other grating it is necessary te
bring the inner bark of the scion and
! stock together in order to effect the
union and to keep out dry air ano
] sunshine until the union is well per
fected.
The chestnut is a very useful tree
j, both for its nuts and wood and de
!, serves to be planted much more large
ly upon our rocky hills where
= grows naturally, except in the NOR
northern parts of New England
Farm, Field and Preside.
More Profit In Sheep Than Poultry.
No one questions the value OF
flock of poultry on farm when we
kept. All the estimates as to profit
are too low. There are eggs an
n chickens that 60 onto the farmer
table that never get into the accour
10 book. Ny experience has proved thu
with a good market near by, sma
10 flock. well cared for and skillfull
managed, prolific in producing egg
e. and good for rearing chicks, may witt
d. out difficulty pay, in clear profit, til
3. interest on $50 year for each hel
Il. This is only So, and I have made wit
ri the best of care and management ful
s6 a year from small flock of Ggl
ns Brahmas from eggs and CHECKER
alone. No fancy prices were receive
for the eggs. They were simply so
q. for domestic use, and were fresh an
guaranteed to be not more than thr'
We days from the hens. The broilil
chicks. too, were fed well and reach'
a good size early, so that they we
tender and sweet to eat, and broug
us high price.
tn Perhaps it will not be thought re
a sonable, but have found it true
lct practice, that sheep may be kept
ng no more than q hen, if managed
v they may be. This is counting thin
In at cost, for it is not fair to char
ere a flock with fodder and grain at t
de selling price and then expect it to p
the another second profit. But this
my often done, and yet this second pro
is really made from the sheep. 1 la
fed sheep for seventy-fve cents "
over and above the value of the flee
ies in cases where they have had to
ea fed on costly food and handled
ina whole winter. Elsewhere 1 have
'e. sheep for seventy-five cents a year,
az expenses included. This is VIII
az they have been pastured nearly !
a entire twelve months. 1t has cost
ne' the same amount to feed a hen, t
is. as it must be fed to make pro
And in the case Of the flock ] h
TOR, sold three-month- old lambs for 81
head, and the ewes, fat in the fall,
a profit of So head. All this
d, clear profit, for in the most expens
om method of feeding the fleece ne
failed to pay the sleeps feeding. ]
as rule it is quite possible to fee
sheep for the same cost as i've n
new and at the average value OF tt
abb, products the sheep will be far m
Col profitable than the hens will.
Ieat There is the home market, howe'
for the sheep reared on farm, to
. extent of at least twenty head, and
. the average value of the meat ST
pound mutton will be worth six
- seven dollars. And just here the ia
N ers' meat clubs will serve good ]
n pose. These are mutual associate
~ each member of which kills beef
~ mutton in turn, dividing up the \
N according to some rule established
~ fair and mutually satisfactory bi