Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1903 — FARM AND GARDEN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARM AND GARDEN

KEEP ON CULTIVATING. I would continue using a weeder In corn or potatoes, until sure I was doing too much damage. Merely pushing the plants over does no harm, as they will come up again promptly. When you actually break off too many you will have to stop. But keep the cultivating going. Then is when thorough work tells. It will have made the weeds sprout in the rows or hills and killed them. The crop will shade the land now and help about keeping the weeds back too. But keep stirring between the rows. How long? until the corn is well eared, if it does not blow over, and if you go shallow. Be sure and have one-horse cultivators ready to use after the corn is too big for using a two-horse. It will pay. It will pay if you have to hire an extra man during harvest. I say “it will pay.’’ It would be better to say one man can make it pay. How many times shall you go through your corn with a cultivator? Oh, don’t ask, but just keep everlastingly at it. And the same with potatoes. Shall you stop when the blossoms appear? Dear no. Keep on as long as a horse can get through and not tramp the vines too much, stirring the little strip between the rows that the sun can get at. But always run shallow, remember, not over two inches deep, and not wide enough to disturb the tubers. Rightly managed this work does all good and no harm. You keep the middle clean. Weeds cannot grow up. You keep the surface loosened up to catch rain, which is an important mattej*. But now let me give you one absolute rule in regard to the use of the cultivator, weeder or harrow in growing crops. You cannot do Ihis work j just when you have the time and get best results. It will not do to simply i go over the ground so many times j In a season, without regard to when, 1 simply often enough to keep the ! weeds down. Let me tell you about the when, a matter that has literally brought us thousands of dollars. From. start to finish never let the surface dry up after a rain, or rainy spell, and remain unbroken. Stir it always as soon as the land is dry enough to work. If it rains again in 24 hours, no matter, stir it again. If it does not rain, is all dry and dusty, never mind, stir it again inside of a week anyway, although you work in a cloud of dust. This stirring makes a mulch that saves water from evaporation, saves it for the crop. Water evaporates rapidly from an unstirred surface when the sun shines, or the wind blows, hut very slightly after you have made the surface fine and mellow two inches deep.—T. B. Terry, in Practical Farmer.

BEDS AND BORDERS.

It Is well to plan each individual bed, not only as to what variety of flower it is to, contain, but the particular colors as well, laying out the gardens as a whole, with harmonious blending of colors, and right arrangement of plants as to height and details; the tall showy flowers being In the back ground, where they may be seen and admired, without detracting from the beauty of the delicate small flowers in the foreground. Circular beds are pretty If planted in three or more colors, not attempting elaborate patterns nor startling effects, but with three or four colors, which harmonize well with each other; as, carmine, white rose and pale yellow; or, blue, white and pink; they are very pretty, if the colors are well chosen and plants selected that are adapted to this purpose; phlox, for instance, is a fine plant for a ribbon and many other beds. If you want a brilliant spot in the garden, you have only to plant out the scarlet geraniums in a bed by themselves, and you will have a bed of dazzling beautyone well worth admiring. But of course you can’t expect these plants to give satisfaction the next winter, as winter bloomers, for after a summer of blooming they want a “rest” when you bring them into the house. So you will have to keep the flower buds all pinched off of the geraniums intended for house plants the coming winter. There is scarcely another plant to be found that Is more desirable as a border plant than the common variegated leaved geranium. One or more specimens of this variety may be found in almost every collection of house plants. But it is seldom used as a border plant in summer, perhaps because few ever think it suitable for that purpose. Its light green leaves, with their markings of creamy white, harmonizing with, and, at the same time, contrasting with all other flowers or plants, makes It peculiarly adapted to this purpose. The old plants should be broken apart in May, after danger of frost is past, and the pieces or slips planted in the places where they are to grow, Just as they are when taken from the old plant, and about seven or eight inches apart In the They will take root readily, and grow fast, and in about two months they will have spread until they are a beautiful compact circle of about half a foot —or a little more—ln height Each plant has many branches covered well with leaves, which makes it 7ery compact

and symmetrical—qualities which are required in border plants. I have never seen a plant of this variety that was scraggly and 111-shaped. Just before frosts come in the fall, as many of the plants may be taken up and potted as will be needed for house plants during the coming winter.— Evan E. Woolley, in Agricultural Epitomlst.

SPRAYING POTATOES. The station has begun a series of experiments to ascertain the effect of spraying upon the yield of potatoes in New York. Arrangements have been made by which the station expects to spray potatoes every year fcr ten consecutive years, the plan of j the experiment to remain the same throughout. The results obtained wilt be published each year; and in the present bulletin the first year’s undertaking is described and the results shown. The experiments were carried on In two localities. At each place Borderaux mixture was applied on tenth-acre plats, one receiving three applications throughout the season, the other being sprayed every two weeks, and the third remaining as a check. These experiments were Conducted on the station farm at Geneva, as well as on Long Island. At Geneva during the first year’s work the rows sprayed three times yielded at the rate of 317 1-2 bushels per acre, those sprayed seven times 342 1-2 bushels, while those not sprayed yielded 219 bushels per aero. On Long Island the rows sprayed three times yielded at the rate of 295 1-3 bushels per acre, those sprayed seven times 312 1-2 bushels, while those not sprayed yielded 267 2-3 bushels. The increase where seven applications were given was largely due to the prevention of late blight and possibly to protection from flea beetles. The effect of spraying on the chemical composition of the tubers was investigated, from which it appears that the sprayed potatoes not only yielded more tubers to the hill and were of larger average size than the unsprayed. The increase was largely starch and amounted to about seven per cent, of the total starch content.—Practical Fruit Grower.

SELECTING STOCK. It is impossible for a farmer to reach a high position with his herd or flock until he has selected the best for several years. Even the most skillful breeders do not succeed In securing but a few valuable individual animals from their herds, though each year may witness an advance in their efforts, aftd a great prepotency or capacity to transmit the most desirable qualities sought by reason of selection of the best from among certain families. The farmer who simply aims to breed up his animals to a higher standard is as much interested in the selection of sizes, that ’will render the greatest service as is the breeder who is often satisfied with one or two wonderful performers from among a large number. Worthless sires, even from pure bred stock, are not desirable for the farmer. When he grades up his herd or flock he will save time, labor and money by procuring the best for the purpose, Just as the breeder of pure breeds seeks the most valuable sire in order to increase the value of his stock.

WORKING AROUND BEES. In working around bees do not open hives early or late in the day or on rainy days. Select nice weather, for at such times the old bees, which are the field force, are out in search of nectar, and fewer bees are in the hive. Some think the best time to take honey off the hive is at night, when the bees are asleep, but do not try it. PICKING FOWLS. I have often been asked how to pick and cook geese and ducks. By experience I find this Is the best way. When picking any bird with down, grab down close to the skin and strip feathers and down off together. With a little practice it is very easy to do. Before roasting a goose, parboil for an hour; then stuff and roast. It is much roasting without parboiling.—Mrs. C. Philip, in The Epitomist. THE TOOL HOUSE. No building on the farm pays better than a good tool house. It should be so convenient of access that there need be no excuse for leaving farm implements exposed to the weather when not in use. Properly cared for many implements that now last only a few years ought, to be serviceable as long as the farmer lived to need them. Besides, a tool that has not been rusted, warped and cracked by exposure, will work as well the second and third year of use as the first. On many farms tools are so much Injured by being left out of doors that after the first season they cost more for repairs than they save in labor,.