Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-11
The Strawpile

''f' 'tu|li ~ INV utS'f WI A'h'P''NNtAS
without serious injury All of this
may be admitted as true, so far as 1T
goes, but 1t stops short of what liz most
important. How is the gardener to
know when he is to have two days OF
just the right kind of weather? such
advice is easily given. but there IL
really little of practical value In 1t.
A small strawberry bed In full bloom
may be saved from "a late frost by tax
Ing the mulch from between the rows
and spreading on the plants when dam
ger threatens. 1T should be removed
the next morning 80 us not to inter-
fere with the pollination Of the bios
SONS. A smudge may be useful as q
protection against light frosts. Brush
or straw that is damp enough TO
smolder may be used and a little coal
tar will help. In Sweden provision rs
made for such emergencies by plac-
ing stakes smeared with some inilam-
mable substance at intervals In the
fields. to be lighted at some time dur
ing the night II frost Is imminent.
The slight protection afforded by the
cover cloud Of smoke, together with
the circulation OF air caused by the
fires. is sufficient to keep away frost
on many occasions.
Elephants are more tender than to-
matoes. They should not be trusted IN
the open ground for at least two weeks
after the early tomatoes. and even
then there need be no hurry about
them. It Is not safe to put them out
before the weather Is warm and the
ground tn good condition to keep them
growing. Elephants are still trop,-
cal. They have not yet adapted them
selves to cool climates els well as tie
tomatoe, and 1t looks as tho many
years OF cultivation must elapse be-
fore they will do 80. They arc still
intolerant of adverse conditions and
resent 1t II not treated just right. But
altho not easily grown In northern
gardens 1t Is worth while to take the
extra pains needed for them. They
should certainly receive core attention.
than they do. Considerable improves
ment In varieties has been made with
In recent years, and there is q promise
Of varieties suitable for nothern cul-
ture within the near future.
The tin cans which were saved UP
last winter will come handy now. IL
there Is a barrelful of them, they will
not come amiss. Punch holes in the
bottom, then set one by the side of
each tomato, eggplant or pepper. When
the weather becomes dry these cans
are filled with water. which soaks
down gradually and reaches the roots
as wanted. If some kind of fertilizer
is put In the cans. so much the bet
ter BY this means the water
Is applies where 1t does the
most good. beneath the surface
and about the roots.
A good supplementary pasture can
be made for sheep by sowing mix
t,Ire Of corn, sorghum and rape.
good place for sowing this crop is
where corn has been grown the pre-
vious year, as the ground Is likely to
be clean. The di * and harrow can be
used In preparing seed bed. The
amount OF food that will be produced
on pasture thus provided Is very
large, and In midsummer when other
pasture is usually scarce and dry this
food will be relished by the sheep.
An ingenious statistician has drawn
up a table TO show how many eggs the
various kinds OF domestic fowls lay
per annum, and how many eggs go to
the pound:
Geese, 4 to the pound: 30 per annum.
Polish, . to the pound; $50 per/an-
mum.
Bantams. 16 to the yound; 100 per
annum.
Harnburgs, 9 to the pound; 200 per
Turkeys to the pound; 30 to 90 per
annum.
Game fowls,ss to the pound; 100 per
annum.
Leghorns. to the pound; 200 per
annum.
Plymouth Rocks, to the pound; $50
per annum.
Langshans to the pound; $50 per
annum.
Brahmas, z to the pound; 100 per
annum.
Ducks, 5 to the pound; 80 to 50 per
annum.
w. A. Henry, dean and director OF
the Wisconsin experiment station
writes the Live Stock World:
II enclose herewith copy OF an act 10
regulate the public service OF stations
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