Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1892 — FARM AND GARDEN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARM AND GARDEN

HSLPFDI* HINTS FOR BERRY GROWERS. In setting out new beds of raspberries or blackberries cut back the oanes to about six inches above the surface of the soil. Throw all the strength in the plant and-get a good sturdy cane this season for next year’s fruiting. Plant as early in the season as possible, while plants are dormant. When setting strawberries in spring cut back the roots one-third with a sharp knife; this starts a new fibrous growth quickly. Let the soil be rich and deep. When strawberry plants are reoeived and it is not convenient to plant at once, let them remain in their packing of moss out under a tree or shady place in the light. Current cuttings ought to be set so that the top bud of the cutting is on a level with the surface of the ground. Prune bearing currant bushes, cutting back last year’s growth. The fruit is borne on wood of two years old and more, and the cutting back develops the lower buds and causes larger fruit Remove all old, unproductive wood and thin out so as to adroit light and air freely into the centre of the bush.— Orchard and Garden.

ROSEBUD BAIT. The object in planting spires as in the vineyard or garden where grapevines are growing is for the purpose of attracting the rose bug or rose beetle. This insect, as is well known, is very fond of the flowers of the grape and will soon destroy them, and thereby cut off the crop of fruit; but they are also very fona of and seem to prefer the flowers of cert&n species of the spirsa. They will usually desert the grapes, and duster upon the spiraas if afforded an opportunity, and, as these shrubs and herbaceous plants cost little or nothing, we may use them freely as bug traps or bait, and from which the insects may be shaken dally into hot water or a little kerosene and water. The two beet species of the spines for this purpose are the Borbusleaved, a hardy, early-blooming shrub from Siberia, and the Goats-beard, a native vigorous growing herbaceous species. There are also several Japan species, with fine whito flowers, and . blooming at the same season as the grape that may also be employed for the same purpose, but the two wo have named seem to answer every purpose. —American Agriculturist. A PAIB or STEERS FOB THE BOVS. On a medium sized farm a pair ot steers may be raised with no great trouble or expense. Bo guy colts, indeed, biit the steer* will never carry the boya to tiie racecourse. Let their training be the boys’ pastime and pride. The steers will grow up between the boys and the city. . (Boys who have a little yoke of steeis,;and a little cart, a little sled, and a little atoneboat, all of their own manufacture, will not pine to forsake the farm. Before the boys are men, the steers may be great, powerful oxen, well able t<i perform a kind of labor always in demand.—Hartford (Conn.) Times. A PLUM ORCHARD. No doubt a plum orchard will be a profitable investment if it is taken care of as it should be. The trees are set eighteen feet apart, and seme good kinds are the Lombard, Green Gage, Yellow Egg, German Prune, Damson, and Jeffersoqt with some others of local reputation. Wood ashes or lime is an excellent fertilizer, and to prevent damage from tho only dangerous iosect enemy, the curculio, which is such a persistent enemy of the plum that it is almost impossible to grow this suit unless the fowls are kept among the trees, or the trees are sprayed with Paris green. One hundred and thirty trees may be planted on an acre at tha. distance mentioned.— New York Tunes.

SETTING OCT TUBES AND PLANTS. So far as is possible early planting is the best, but it is no advantage to set out trees or plants until the soil is in a condition to work into a good tilth. About the only exception to this is evergreens; these can be set in the mud and will grow and be none the worse for it. A good plan with all trees and plants is to have a bucket or tub of water convenient and dip the roots of the plants carefully Into this so as to wet the roots thoroughly. Before doing this all of the bruised or damaged roots should be cut off and the top cut back In proportion to the roots. Two men can set out trees to the best advantage; one to hold the tree and work the soil in among the roots with the fingers and the other to find and shovel in the dirt as needed. No kind of manure should be applied so as to come in direct contact with the roots. If the soil is not naturally rich the best plan of applying manure is to work it thoroughly in with the soil before filling in the roots. It is important to tramp the soil well after the roots are covered, so as to keep the tree firm, or the winds we usually have in the spring will tend to loosen it. If necessary to stake, when the tree is set out is a good time to set the stake. A piece of rubber shoe or boot put aroond the tree'where the cord is fastened will aid materially to lessen the risks of in. jury by chafing. Wool twine will be less liable to injure the trees than hard twisted hemp twine. Set the trees at the same depth that they grow in the eryWith plants grown either in the hotbed or seed-box, care should be taken to harden them off before transplanting. This oan be done Teadily by leaving them Axnosed two or three davs and nLzhts before transplanting. It tne sou is ary, e good plan is to water the plant! thoroughly an hour or two before taking them up. With early plants this< is no! usually necessary, as there is generally plenty of moisture in the soiL Set the plants down to the first leaf. This can be considered a safe rule with all plants, and if the plants have made a long, Spindling growth even deeper setting than this will be advisable. It is important to see that the soil copies in close contact with the roots. Generally with all garden plants it will be best to do ths transplanting late in the evening.—St. Louis Republic.

ITOTBB ON THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. Oftentimes very little forethought is given tor the plan of the vegetable garden, and yet it is one of the most important considerations connected with gardening. The great' object ahould be to plant in such a manner as to facilitate the use of all horse-power possible. Very few farmers find much time to use the hoe, while many of the gardens are so planted as to admit of no other means of cultivation. In the hands of many the hoe is not the belt cultivator; it does not have the desired effect of loosening the soil, and is often good only in finishing up after the plow. For many plants the soil needs to be deeply and thoroughly dug. Frequent stirring prevents a crust forming, wnich is so detrimental to plant growth, it shutting out the air from the roots. When too much dependence is laid upou the hoe a great deal of neglect will naturally result. I'he weeds get a start, the ground becomes baked, and in a very brief period the crop is put beyond recovery, and the yield greatly lessened. This taking a rainy day to “mind in” a garden will result unsatisfactory. Soil worked ovef at soon a time becomes baked in clous and unfit for seeds, or the tendor roots of plants. Too wet to plow corn, meani too wet to stir the garden. Plants that bavo been grown in a hotbed should be transplanted in rows in the open air before being set out, and given protection from the sun and drying winds until they become well established. By this method of management they grow more stocky, and make healthiei and larger growth in the garden. For most vegetables the long row system will be found best. • Tomato plants ought to have a distance between rows of about three feet and a half, and two feet and a half in the row. Some might think the distance too great, but with the large varieties, such as the Acme, Trophy and Livingston, the ground will be pretty thoroughly covered at thi time of maturity. With plenty of room it is possible to secure large, well-ripened fruit. Cabbage needs less room. Rows two and one-half feet apart in the row for large varieties will be found a satisfactory distance.' AH plants of the garden should bo so put out aa to make horse cultivation in part, at least, available. The value of potting plant* to secure a good set of roots, cannot be overestimated. All who have tried it regard the plan most favorably. Plants put in pots should not be left too long, for in that case the roots become cramped, and that is a detriment rather than an aid to its growth.—American Farmer, FARM AND GARDEN NOTES. Keep the cattle off the plowed land. Parker Earle is generally conceded to bean excellent strawberry. Plenty of water.and grain should be furnished to ewes in milk. Set out the strawberry plants as early as the ground can be prepared. The Souvenir de Congres pear is large in size, good in quality and matures early. Toung chickens that are just beginning to run about should be fed regularly every day. If the egg shells are fed to the poultry, care should always be taken to crush them thoroughly before feeding. The syringa is a most solublo shrub, and by planting the late flowering sorts the season may be considerably extended. Marshall P. Wilder is a rose of vigorous growth; the flowers aro full, wellformed, lragrant and cherry-carmine hue. A ben pays in proportion to the number of eggs she produces; therefore it is an item to feed so as to secure plenty of egg*In ehipping young poultry at this time see that they are well watered and fed before cooping, and do not crowd too many into the coops. When desfred to fatten rapidly there is nothing that will equal good corn meat Fowls should be given all that they will eat up clean. One can depend with close, carefu plucking, upon an average of one pound of feathers per bird from a flock of common geese per annum. If the weight of the fodder in the silo will complete its perfect packing after it has been well tramped, by settling it several inobes, why need it be tramped any more than is necessary to insure its being level and of uniform solidity! But tins uniform solidity cannot be secured by any other than a persistent tramping and crowding by faithful help. The advocates of not tramping say that it might be obtained by the use of some method of delivery which would send it to all parts of the silo in equal quantities, but would not this cost more than the spreading and tramping by careful men!