Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 June 1884 — FARM NOTES. [ARTICLE]

FARM NOTES.

An Indian fruit-grower says he put five moles in his strawberry patch of five acres to catch grabs, and they did the work so effectively that he had not a dozen plants injured by grubs and none hurt by moles. Perhaps if the experiment was tried more generally I the results would be found fully as satisfactory. Philip Snyder, Vinpland, N. J., j thinks that poultry will not protect fruit trees from the attacks of curculio. S He has tried to induce his hens to eat the curculio; but even when the latter were temptingly displayed on clean white plates, the a sthetic fowls disdainfully refused to have aught to do with tlie little curled-up pests. The Germantown Telegraph makes a suggestion which will probably seem to many old farmers novel if not unwarranted, when it says that in arranging farm-buildings it will pay well, to look almost as much to the preservation of the manure as of the hay or grass, and those whose buildings have no provision for this purpose cannot spend $25 or SSO better than in putting up a shed under which the manureheap may be protected against these adverse influences. The Angora goat is now successfully bred in Calilornia, Texas, Georgia, Virginia, Kentucky, and several of the other Southern States and Western Territories. Experiments in crossing the Angora upon the common goats of the country, and thus grading up the latter to a profitable wool-bearing animal, have proved quite promising. It is claimed that the elimate of California suits these animals so well that they improve after a few generations and become hardier and better than in their native mountains in Asia. One of the most annoying pests with which growers of plants have to contend is the green-fly. On geraniums, cyclamen, and primulas it does not often appear, and from them can be easily washed. For plants on which insects appear, a dip into tobacco-stem water will be fonnd an excellent thing. For plants in bloom, a fumigation by burning tolmcco-stems in a barrel in which the plants have been placed will be found effectual. Frequent fumigations. but not too strong, are found to be best. Various devices or remedies are given in the papers from time to time, to prevent forked apple trees from splitting. Iron bolts are inserted; iron bands are employed; ropes are used to daw the parts together; branches are drawn together and interlaced, etc. Prevention is best, and well-formed heads will not split down. Two main branches, diverging from each other at an acute angle, should not be permitted. An even and s-/reading head will not split,,nor will any tree be liable to injury if not allowed to overbear. The practice of propping up the limbs of fruit trees indicates > at the trees are not well trained, or j at they are allowed to overbear, or bot

Rust. —Rust is called t o “farmer’s most active enemy" by tl**« American Agriculturist. It work all hours of the twenty-four and during all seasons. In some parts of our eouutry, where farmers leave their machinery | outdoors, the loss by rust k enormous, and in nearly every township in Michigan, it is safe to say, there is agricultural machinery exposed to the action of rust. The Agriculturist says: “It is certain that if the farmers of any State would expend SI,OOO for paint next year for this purpose, they would save SIO,OOO now likely to be utterly lost.” The “purpose” spoken of is that ■of giving the metal and wood work of machinery a good coat of paint. Discussing the question of how to bring colts to maturity prepared for i many years of usefulness, Prof. Knapp, President of the lowa Agricultural college, Rays the farmers and horsemen of rthat State annually waste $15,000,000 by overfeeding their colts and young horses. He declares that two quarts .of oats and two ears of com twice a day is liberal feeding, but the colt would eat twice as muoh and not be so ‘Btrong. Giving more grain makes rapid growth, but it is like stuffing an animal lfor. market. When you desire to pro.duce (horses for endurance or breeding -they must be matured more slowly. Barrenness can be produced nine times •out of ten by this stuffing process. It •rains ’the health of stock of all hiwdn. —Chicago Tribune. “About Growing Forest Trees.— Considerable attention is being given to the growing of forest trees. The condition .of our Western plains renders this necessary. A few facts regarding tree production may prove acceptable to our leaders. There are tiro great classes of trees—nut-bearing and Seed-b Caring. The nut-bearers afe only increased by planting the nuts. These should never become dry or moldy Keep exposed in sand or mold to frost rain and snow. Plant in sprjng or fall. Seeds are sown in spring except birch, soft and red maple and elm. These ripen in June and must be sowif ’soon after, making seedlings same year. All other seeds and nuts grow the spring after ripening. Many seed-bearing trees may be grown from cuttings. The cutting should be a slip from last years growth, seven or more inches in length, inserted at least six inches in the mellow soil, if a littlemoist all the better, and protected from wind and fire. The varieties of timber best adapted to growing from cuttings are poplar and willow; of these there are many excellent sub-varieties. These varieties are all soft wood and not .eufxecially valuable except for wind breaks, * shelter, or ornaments. For these purposes they are as good as any. They give great variety in form and outline, and under favorables circumstances make very rapid growth. The golden willow i and Lombardy poplar have made a ! growth, standing near the kitchen door, of one foot in diameter and thirty to forty in height in five years. They will go up from five to ten feet per year on ordinary prairie soil. Fire, cattle and winds are the enemies of young trees. The winds are worst after they have been killed in the fall by frost, burning like tinder. The Forest Tree Growers’ association send gratis a circular of in- (

strueuuub to nee growers. aißiucership free. Address Galena, HI.” The above is an extract from, an essay read before the Galena Horticultural Society. In France the best forage is kept for the winter for sheep, and two pounds of salt dissolved in water and sprinkled over the rations is given to forty sheep. In Alsace, daring very wet weather, one and a half ounces of green vitriol dissolved in eight parts of water, is given with great ad vantage to sheep. This is especially excellent where sheep are house-fed as in Italy. .Cavour relates that in the neighborhood of Turin sheep are principally reared for their milk, which is converted into cheese. In France, near Lyons, small farmers keep sheep for the same end. The Dishleys yield 75 per cent., and the merinos 56, of their live weight in flesh. The quality of food needed by stock varies even among animals of the same age and breed, and it necessarily varies to a great extent among animals oi different breeds. Upon this subject a farmer in England says it is sufficiently correct to reckon a sheep consuming 28 pounds of green food, an ox or a cow 150 pounds, a calf 40 pounds, and a yearling 80 pounds, daily. At this rate an ox or a cow consumes as much as five sheep. The latter will require 10,220 pounds, or nearly five tons apiece, the former 54,750 pounds, or nearly twenty-five tons of green food, for its yearly maintenance. Oil Meal for Cattle. —At this season of the year, when nothing green or succulent is to be had, cattle are liable to suffer from impactions and other disorders of the stomach in consequence of partaking of too large quantities of coarse and dry feed, and suffer in condition and general health. This is serious enough in the case of store cattle, but in the case of those being fed for approaching sales it is much worse, as ground is lost which it takes time as well as extensive feed to regain. This condition of affairs could largely be avoided and the cattle maintained in better thrift if a small portion oil meal were included in the daily ration. We believe it can be . fed with profit, as a stock food in composition with other foods, but without entering upon a discussion of this question now. or attempting to convince gentlemen to adopt a new practice when the old is so convenient to follow—reserving this for future consideration or allowing it to rest upon what has heretofore been said —we desire to urge the use of enough oil meal to keep the animals in a thriving, healthy condition. A very little, given regularly, will answer the purpose, and it will be found admirable in preventing constipation and imparting to the stomach and digestive organs a tine, healthy tone. It assists greatly in the digestion and assimilation of other foods, and the use will be found in every way satisfactory. It can also be fed to other descriptions of live stock, in smaller quantities, and we have found its use particularly advantageous with horses subject to colic or intestinal disorders. —Breeders’ Gazette.