Year: 1877

"Having boys enough to fight bugs,
am anxious to plant quite a large piece
to potatoes this year, and should Like the
experience of potato growers on the fol-
loving questions: [ want to manure In
the hill, and wish to use unleached
ashes. night soil and barnyard manure.
Now at what stage is it best to use the
ashes, and how are they applied-a pint
(as that is about the quantity [ desire to
use to the hilD on the seed after having
been dropped, Or on top of the ground
after planting, or on the tops OF the
potatoes when they are three or four
inches high? The same questions exactly
in regard to night soil and barnyard
manure. I can get plenty OF night soil
in the village, and am not afraid to han
die it, as have drawn tons of it on the
roots of my apple trees. canget plenty
of unleached wood ashes at eight cents
per bushel, and barnyard manure at fifty
cents per load; night soil of course costs
nothing but the drawing, and plenty OF it
to be had at that. 1 draw it in tight
wagon box, use dipper similar to that
used in a potash mandatory, long
handled shovel, or short shovel, accord
ing to the consistency of the goods to
be handled. Soil a clay loan. Please
give me some practical plan for large
field. Have read about the Minnesota
man who used peck of unleached ashes
to the hill of potatoes, and although he
gave us q column or two of reading In
regard to how many bushels he got from
a pound of seed, he did not tell us how
he applied his fertilizer"


Your correspondent will find ashes
excellent for potatoes, but if he plants,
as do, two feet nine inches apart each
way, his "pint to a hill" will require
ninety bushels to the acre. When have
applied that amount I drove the load
across the field, and had two men throw
ing it out broadcast from each side of the
wagon. But a good handful to the hill
will take ten or twelve bushels. In ap-
plying ashes or hen manure, or any such
special fertilizer, 1 would furrow out one
furrow with a shovel-plow, three or four
inches deep, drop manure in it, let man
follow with potato hook and mix 1t up
with the soil and brush little soil upon
it, another man drop on the seed and
step upon it, and another come after and
cover spot down. Another good way,
and easier done, is to drop the fertilizer
on the hill just as the plants are break
ing through, then cover with shovel
plow, as in my potato management. But
as "practical plan for large field, l
should compost the horse manure and
night soil Gy putting down first a layer
of manure, then one of night soil, next
one of muck or coal ashes, and continue
these alternate courses for all the heap,
and would be sure to sprinkle on a few
bushels of plaster to each course then
when it was in good heat pitch it over,
mixing it well, and after it got to heat
ing again would draw and spread from
the wagon upon plowed land, then culti-
vate and drag in we'll. This 1 should
think the most practical way Of using
such manures where they can be obtained
SO easily and cheaply as he reports. In
answer to an Illinois inquirer, would
say that in potatoes for market l have
realized the best returns from Peerless.
I do not know about "charcoal for pota-
toes" but would use ashes instead, a
good handful on top Of the hill after
planting, and as soon as they begin to
come up cover ashes and hill with fresh
earth. This requires about ten bushels
Of ashes to the acre. Seed potatoes cut
to two or three eyes requires about
seven bushels Early Rose and nine or
ten bushels Peerless.-Henry IUes, an
NeW York Tribune.


Domestic Hints.


RICE CAKEs.-Boil one-half pound OF
rice very soft; let it get nearly cold, then
stir in it one-half pound butter warmed,
two teaspoonfuls salt, and two of sugar;
beat into this five tablespoonful con-
densed eggs, adding one pound OF flour
sifted, in which you have put two spoon
fuls baking powder; make into q stiff
batterwith milk, and bake in waffle irons,
muffin rings or in cakes on the grldle.


SEED CAKE.-One pound flour, one.
half pound sugar, one-half pound but,
ter, one cup milk, two tablespoonful
ground ginger, two papers caraway seeds,
one teaspoonful baking powder; mold
rather stiff and roll out as thin as ginger
snaps.


To CLEAN MATS AND Tides Gro
cHETED WITH YARN. Lay in cold water
for fifteen minutes, then rub plenty OF
white CASTLE soap on them; then rinse il
clean suds; hang up in the sun, and
when nearly dry dress on underslde, ano
they will look as good as new.


ENGLISH PUFFs.-Two quarts flour
rub in little shortening; one pint milk.
half cupful yeast, hall cupful sugar; sci
q sponge for several hours; then knead
and roll half an inch thick, and cut with
tumbler.


Anew Cement.


A new cement for glassware has been
discovered, which is said to have the
quality of being unaffected by boiling
water. It is also free from another OBJ
iectionable feature of china and glass
cements, as it does not disigure by 6
dark line along the junction. The method
of making this cement (Which must be
used when fresh), is to add to five parts
of solution of gelatine, one part OF &
solution of acid chromate of lime. The
articles, after the broken surfaces have
been united with this cement, must be
exposed to strong sunlight for few
hours; and meanwhile should be held il
the proper position under considerable
pressure from wire or a string. A frac
ture thus repaired in glassware is saie
to be hardly perceptible.


Suggestions.