Middletown transcript., 1910-05-28
FARM NEWS AND VIEWS

On account OF the increasing scarcity OF
fur.besring animals. considerable interest
is being manifested in the muskrat. Both
the fur and the meat are staple articles in
some of She markets of the East and Mid
die West during the winter months. The
fnrs are used largely by fur dressers and
dyers and are made to closely initiate the
more costly furs, thus creating contin-
uous demand for the peIts. Owners Of
marsh lands have already made the trap.
ping of muskrats profitable, converting
otherwise useless lands into income.pro-
ducing investments.
An important poultry industry is being
developed in Chester county, Pa, so il is
reported, where farmers are raising guineas
in large quantities. It is said that the
young guineas are used in hotels and res
taurants as substitute for partridge and
other game birds.
Examine the work horses and their
harness often as the heavy work goes on.
Clean grease and dirt from the harness
and horses every morning, as dirt on
either is apt to cause gals and sores. A
pail of water and sponge or large rag
used in the stable frequently on the
horses and collars will obviate many
troubles.
Humus-making crops are such grasses
as timothy, clover, blue grass, bronze
grass and alfalfa. 1t has been found by
experiment that grass land plowed and
put into crops is under better conditions
of moisture and frcer from weeds than
land that has grown grain continuously,
The State School Of Agriculture of New
York, recommends the mixture of fer
tilizers by the farmers from the raw
materials, and the following formula is
recommended Nitrate of soda, 400 |
pounds; acid rock, 1100 pounds; potash;
500 pounds. This mixture vii cost about |
$l4 a ton and makes a better fertilizer |
than those sold at $40 ton.
The South Caroline Experiment Station |
cures scours in calves by putting a has |
ounce of commercial formalin in 159
ounces of distilled water and using two |
in each quart of milk. This
dose is given both morning and evening.
1t is to be regretted that so few garden
ere make careful study of pruning, with.
out doubt one of the most important |
branches. One of the immediate effects |
Of pruning is to divert the course of the
say, which was previously utilized by the
branch removed into others, causing en-
and strengthening Of the weaker |
limbs left on the bare side of the tree.
this is one Of the main results
desired by pruning.
It cannot be laid down as a rule to
what extent pruning may be done with
advantage. 1t entirely depends upon the
Tree or plant in question-its natural
growth, habits and other conditions, must
be taken into consideration.
Winter, summer and fall pruning, also
root pruning and thinning out of weak,
diseased, crippled and dead wood results
n much good. A proper system of sum-
ner pinching on the fancy Towering
Ihrubs and conifers is as important as is
he pinching out of laterals on greenhouse
lowering stock.
Wood ripened in the early fall is better
han half-ripened sap-wood forced into
dormant state by early frosts, and with
,ertain Towering shrubs, such as mag
lolias, Grape myrtles and other, no shap-
ng up should be done with the pruning
Inife Qhe outward appearance of the
liant being of secondary consideration), |
,ut all weak and unseasoned growth
hould be removed first.
Lilac bushes, for instance, that do not
,loom generally have dozens of ground
uckers and soft.stem shoots which should
Tot be allowed to grow at all, and should
70 removed from the root collar of the
main plant.
In transplanting q tree or shrub all
he injured and broken roots must be
emoved with a clean cut from sharp
,nife. Another point that nust not be
orgotten is that every fibre and rootlet
smoved takes away from the plant one
4 its natural means of sustenance.
At no other period since the years of
he Civil War, and some of the years that
followed has there been
ime when there was so good an oppor.
unity to make large profit over and
bove the cost Of feed and labor in pro-
Iucing pork as at the present time. While ,
logs are selling around 10 cents pound
n the foot from farmers hands and corn
, retailing around 75 cents bushel there
} chance for making good margin OF
reft if corn alone is used for making
,ork; but there are other feeds that can
% used in connection with the corn that
ViIl very materially reduce the cost of
'roduction.
There are some who are apprehensive / I
changes that will cause q decline in
prices for pork meats, for the reason that
q years past an overproduction over.
tocked the market, and sharp decline