The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-02-18
Farm Notes.

Evergreens are the most effective wind
breaks, their dense growth enabling a mar
rover spread to give the same protection as
a wider deciduous growth.
Wood ashes or potash salts may be APP
Piled to all kinds of fruits with advantage,
ard 1t may be done early in the season.
Potash not only promotes the growth of
wood, but also increases the proportion OF
sugar in fruits.
1t is said that a s%prinkling of hops in
the brine when hams are placed in pickle
adds greatly to the flavor. The experiment
with such method should be done IN a linn
tied way, however. until satisfied hat the
claim Is correct.
Another remedy suggested for the curcu-
Ito is to spray just before the trees bios
som with a mixture Of a pound OF paris
green In sixty gallons Of water. Two weeks
later use kerosene emulsion, giving d third
spraying about June "a. This method. it
is said, will destroy the curculio, leaf lice
and other enemies OF the plum.
The ideal egg producers are the Leghorns.
They are small, nervous, active, and where
eggs alone are produced they lead all other
breeds. They lay a white-shelled egg. An
other feature in their favor is that they are
small eaters, but great foragers, hence bet
ter adapted to farm range than small
yards. There are both single and rose com
white and brown, and buff, black, silver
Duckwing and Dominique varieties with
single combs.
Onions will be planted next month in
some localities, as they are usually put
into the ground very early in the season.
1t has long been claimed that the best way
TO grow onions is to put them on the same
ground every year, manurlng heavily, but
it is now known that ii is better to change
TO a new location every year in order to
escape the onion maggot. In this section
sets are preferred to seed, and the crop
should have an abundance of fertilizer.
The fruit grower should know every tree
in his orchard. and he should go over the
orchard frequently and satisfy himself that
everything is favorable TO the trees. Some
trees may be backward In growth, and he
should endeavor to learn the cause. 1t may
be due to a lack of plant food in the soil,
TO the pruning, TO too much grass, 10 the
mode of cultivation, or 70 insects; but a
thoroughly competent fruit grower will dis
cover the cause, IL possible, and remove ii.
The object in pruning grapes is TO get a
well-formed vine and large yield OF fruit.
Two-thirds Of the years growth should
be cut away, for If not severely pruned
more fruit will be grown than can be ma
tured. Grapes grow upon the new wood,
and this years branches will perform serv-
ice next year. The winter season is the
time TO prune grapes. II deferred until
spring the vine may be injured. Grapes
require both manure and fertilizer, and
should be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture
as a preventive of disease.
When putting cuttings in the ground leave
as few buds as possible above the ground.
When the rootlets are thrown out below the
surface of the ground they begin TO supply
food TO the buds above, and the more buds
the greater the work placed upon the root
lets, in many cases the cuttings dying be-
cause the buds cannot be nourished. The
entire effort of the roots should be concen-
trated upon one bud, or not over two. The
soil should also be mellow, as the sticking
of a cutting into hard and compace soil is
10 rob the roots of food and moisture. Plant
the cuttings deep in fine, rich soil, and
should il be necessary water them until
they are we'll started in growth.