Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 April 1885 — FARM NOTES. [ARTICLE]

FARM NOTES.

An Indian fruit-grower says he put five moles in his strawberry patch of five acres to catch grubs, 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 the results would be found fully as latisfactory. Philip Snydeb, Vineland, N. J., thinks that poultry will not protect fruit treesJrom the attacks of curculio. He has tried to induce his hens to eat the curculio; but even when the latter were temptingly displayed on clean white plates, the aesthetic fowls disdainfully refused to have aught to do with the little curled-up pests. The Germantown Telegraph makes » 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 Caliiornia, 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 climate 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 found an excellent thing. For plants in bloom, a fumigation by burning tobacco-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 Vabious 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 spreading 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 that the trees are not well trained, or that they are allowed to overbear, or both. ' Hr st. —Rust is call, d the “farmer’s t active enemy” by the American A' iculturist. It works all hours oi the twenty-four and during all sec ons. In some parts of our country, wl ■ e farmers leave their machinery outdoors, the loss by rust is 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 many years of usefulness, Prof. Knapp, President of the lowa Agricultural college, says the farmers and horsemen of that State annually waste $15,000,000 by overfeeding their colts and young horses. He declares that two quarts of oats and two ears of corn twice a day is liberal feeding, but the colt would eat twice as much and not be so strong. Giving more grain makes rapid Sowth, but it is like stuffing an animal r market. When you desire to produce 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 ruins the health of stock of all kinds. —Chioaao Tribune.