Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-15

! AS the pruning progresses. be sure
that no stubs, no dead or dying wood
and no ungus-covered branches are
left behind.
Do not remove several large branches
| from tree at one time. Such work
must be done gradually. the work ex-
! tending over several seasons; other
wise the shock to the tree is likely to
prove too severe.
| In removing large limbs or branches,
| be removed, cutting entirely through
the bark. This will prevent tearing
off longer or shorter strips of bark
when the limb comes off.
Make all cuts on slant when posi-
BILE. Some trees. like elms. sycamores,
! lindens and willows. will stand the
process of heading back better than
others. The poplar is tree that must
| be headed back every few years in or
| der to keep its crown from becoming
too tall and therefore unsafe.
When a branch is to be shortened.
| leave a few twigs at the end in order
| to draw the sap to the freshly cut
wound and thus enable the growing
/ layer under the bark to heal the cut
over.
| In trimming small branches or shoots
the cut should be made just above a
| bud.
When several branches or limbs come
| out of the trunk of tree in a whirl
| they must not all be cut away at one
! time. lest the tree be girdled. Such an
arrangement of branches occurs most
| frequently in con;ferous trees.
All nursery stock received in the
mails from abroad must be returned to
oiv,t Of irrsrn ISat ol
| cording to a recent order of the De-
partment of Agriculture. This action
was taken for the reason that import
ers have endeavored to withhold the
could communicate with the Depart
ment Of Agriculture with a view of
having an exception made in some par
ticular case.
Nursery stock" which is prohibited
,, from entering this country by mail, in
cludes all growing or living plants,
seeds. and other plant products. for
propagation. except field. vegetable and
flower seeds. 1t includes also bulbs
roots and tubers. and. with the excep-
tions noted. the seeds of all trees,
shrubs or other plants.
During 1914. 100000 dozen eggs were
shipped from Shanghai, China, to
American Pacific coast states; their
value was $4,000, equivalent to Is
cents per dozen. The freight rate from
China to Pacific coast ports via regular
lines is So per ton (seventeen cases of
proXlmately 1.6 cents per doZen). Re-
frigerator space costs SIG ton.
OF the total number OF farms in the
United States. according to the last
federal census, the number worked by
owners was shown to be 3.948.722: the
number operated by managers, 58,1O4,
and the number operated by tenants,
|2.354,676.
The seed laboratory of the Depart
ment of Agriculture tests agricultural
seeds and furnishes information essen
tial to the farmer which he cannot
reasonably be expected to obtain for
himself. Any one may submit samples
with request for information upon
the following points:
Trueness to name-whether the seed
is misbranded or not.
Presence of MISUNDERSTANDING the
seed contains seed of inferior kinds of
similar appearance.
Proportion Of pure seed present
Proportion and kinds of weed seeds
present.
Proportion of chaff and dirt present.
Proportion of pure seed that will
grow.
Region of origin
This work makes it possible for
farmers to avoid the use of seed which
is misbranded or adulterated which is
noxious weeds or worthless material.
or which will not grow. and removes
the chief controllable difficulty i'm the
way of SECURING a good stand in the
field
The effect of the work. however. ex-
tends much further than to the actual
lots of seed analysed. Seedsmen are
becoming acquainted with the grow
seeds to be tested. and scotsman does
not offer poor seed to the man who
he expects will have it tested before
buying.
the seed laboratory at Washington,
d. c., or to any of the branch labora
tories maintained in cooperation with
the agricultural experiment stations in
the states of Louisiana, Missouri In
diana, California and Oregon.
While quality is an essential require
ment in the marketing of any farm
and fruit product, it is by no means
the only factor in selling at the high
est price. |
First of all, the package used should
package. the better the fruit or vege- |
table will appear. While the products
packed should be of uniform size and |
color throughout the package, the ton
layer should be arranged so as to at
tract the eye of the buyer. Further.
the package should in every instance
be well filed. The buyer is very quick |
to notice shortness in measure, or any
deficiency in a well topped or rounded |
finish.
1t is we'll known fact that the at |
Effectiveness of a package of fruit or |
produce sells it. The customers are at
tracted through the eye, and every |
thing that aids in making the package |
attractive will increase the value and |
ease in Selling.
It does not pay to pack inferior fruit |
with good fruits. for it invariably |
works against the reputation of the |
grower. Too little attention to uni |
formity in pack and grading will often |
result in a loss to the grower.
The time for planting most bulbs is |