The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-02-25
FARM BUREAU NOTES
Pruning Demonstrations.

|
Several demonstrations of pruning
fruit trees and grapes were held last
week by Mr.. lkenberry and the Coun-
ty Agent. Mr.. Ikenberry spent the
greater portion of the week in the
county doing this work and aiding in
the Short Course in Agriculture. The
demonstrations were held at the fol-
lowing places: Gus Steffen's, near
Bismarck; Tom Heck's, on the old st.
Louis road; Geo. M. Horns, east of
Bonne Terre; c. C. Schuttler's, east of
Pennington, and Stanley Graham's,
near Libertyville.
The people present at these demon
strations were well paid for the time
spent in the work. Certainly the
proper pruning Of orchards is of fun
damental Importance. Pruning of
fruit trees should start the first year
after the trees are set out, as getting
the young trees trained in the right
direction is essential. If the work is
neglected at this time, the trees grow
in way that will cause the trees to
split easily and will tend to hinder the
production of fruit.
If trees are pruned too severely af-
ter neglect for several years, the
trees will put forth excessive water
sprouts. At least two or three years
should be taken to get the tree pruzed
properly in such cases.
A one-day short course in agricul-
ture was held at Bonne Terre, at
Pennington and at Bismarck Owing
to many farmers sowing oats, or pre-
pairing the ground to SOW oats, the at
tendance was not as large as was
hoped for at the first two schools,
while the weather was too severe for
a large attendance at the last school.
However, the subject of orcharding
and dairying was handled in a way
that much good instruction was given.
Make Grape Cuttings.
Now is a good time to make grape
cuttings. Last years canes of good
vitality should be selected. The cane
should be cut off close to the lower
bud. The canes should be from Is to
18 inches in length, carrying three or
four nodes, or joints. These should
be tied together in punches of twen-
ty-five, and inverted in trench about
a foot deep. The dirt should be pack
ed solidly around the canes and then
barnyard manure placed over the end
extending above the ground. This
manure should be covered over with
some dirt and rounded up well to keep
the water out. This manure furnish
es sufficient heat to cause the top
bud to grow, which later is placed in
the ground and forms the roods.
These lunches are kept in the ground
until all danger of freezing is past.
Prevent Loss from Smut.
The per cent of loss from oat smut
is larger than many farmers think.
This loss can be prevented to a great
degree.
The grain should be thoroughly
cleaned by a vigorous use of the fan
ming mill, in order to separate all the
lightweight, smutty kernels, weed
seed, and trash.
Obtain the formalin "a 40 per cent |
Of formaldehyde), which can
usually be bought at drug stores, in |
one pint Il pound) bottles. Be sure
% get the guaranteed 40 per cent
formalin.
Mix in barrel or tub solution
# one pound or pint of formalin with
10 to 45 gallons of water. Place the |.
grain to be treated in clean box, or |
y clean canvass or floor, making a
aver several inches thick. With an
ordinary sprinkling can, sprinkle the
solution over the grain and then,
ihovel the grain SO as to mix it. (
Thoroughly sprinkle and shovel the I
srain several times before making the
whole lot into one pile and covering
With canvass or sacks over night, or
or IL to "a hours. If the grain can 4
lot be sown within few hours. I it
must be spread out and thorodghly
lried so that there will be no chance
I it sprouting before sowing. If the
rain is to be re-sacked, put only in
lean sacks that have been treated
nth the solution, or have been boiled.
lean grsin bins and the grain drill
With a strong solution Of formalin q t
'ound to 10 gallons of water). lf
In place Of sprinkling, the grain may 4
e dipped into the solution by placing
IN clean sacks, in one-lsalf bushel
DTS. Dip the sacks in the solution,
gliding a minute, and then raise and
TOW to drain a moment, then plunge
gain. Agitate So that every grain
ecomes wet. Remove, pile and COW !