Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1898 — TOPICS FOR FARMERS [ARTICLE]

TOPICS FOR FARMERS

A DEPARTMENT PREPARED FOR OUR RURAL- FRIENDS. Directions for Spraying Fruit Trees— Wood Ashes Not Good for Potatoes —Different Varieties of Smut-In-competent Horseahoera. Spraying Fruit Trees. Mr. J. C. Blair, assistant horticulturist at the University of Illinois, gives the following directions for spraying fruit trees: “The first application of solutions for the controlling of fungus diseases should be on the dormant wood before the buds have expanded. This consists of copper sulphate, one pound to fifteen gallons of water. The object of this is to kill the mycelium and spores of the apple serab fungus or of other diseases which may be present on the twigs and branches. It has been wholly impracticable to make this application on account of the excessive spring rains. Do not apply copper sulphate after the leaves are out. The second application, and the most important, is that of Bordeaux mixture and paris green, which should be applied when the leaf buds are open, but before the flower buds expand. This solution is best prepared by dissolving six pounds of copper sulphate in a bag of coarse cloth hung In a vessel holding six gallons of water, so that the bag is just covered. Slack four pounds of lime in one to two gallons of water. Then mix the two above solutions, and after straining add forty gallons of. water. In case of peach foliage two pounds of lime should be added to lessen the caustic effect of the copper sulphate. To this solution should be added four ounces of paris green for each fifty gallons for the purpose of_destroying the larvae of the bud moth and of the codlln moth, which may have made their appearance. The third application which, with respect to the codlln moth, is the most important one, should be made as soon as the blossoms have fallen. For this application use Bordeaux mixture with paris green added above. If these three applications are made to fruit trees promptly and thoroughly by far the most important enemies to our fruits will be kept in check.”

Wood Ashes for Potatoes. For a good many years farmers have believed wood ashes to be an excellent application for potatoes. Scientific men held the same opinion. Within a short time the Rhode Island experiment station has reached a different conclusion. It is said that “potatoes have sometimes produced a slightly greater total yield from liming, and usually a much greater percentage of merchantable tubers; but owing to the fact that wood ashes and water or air-slacked lime (hot gypsum or land plaster) increase the virulence of the potato scab to, a setious degree, lime in these forms, if used at all on potato fields, should be applied in small quantities, seldom exceeding half a ton per acre. The seed tubers should also be treated with corrosive sublimate solution, or with formalin, the new remedy tried successfully by the Indiana experiment station in 1896.” The advice is, on account of the tendency of lime to increase the virulence of potato scab, not to apply it to potato ground, and also not to apply wood ashes on account of the lime they contain. Wood ashes contain potash in a valuable form for potatoes, but their application to the greund and some other crop a year liefore potatoes are planted ,is now recommended. Varieties of Smut. There are several varieties of smut, known as the “stinking” smut, or bunt, attacking the kernels of wheat, while the variety known as “loose” smut attacks the whole head, converting it into a mass of loose, dusty spores. The loose smut of oats is also another variety, and is very similar to that of wheat. Barley is attacked by two smuts and rye by one. Corn smut does not do as much damage as the other kinds, but is more widespread. There is no known remedy for corn smut. Experiments made in treating the seeds of wheat, oats, barley, etc., show that by preventing smut the yield of crops is greater, even when the disease is light, thus demonstrating that there is an effect exerted on the producing capacity of the plants when smut is not apparently present sufficiently to do some damage. All the smuts, except that which attacks corn can be prevented by the farmer if he will carefully treat his seed in some manner to destroy the spores, but, unfortunately, the majority of farmers do not use precautionary measures, and thus the negligence of only one or two persons in a community may neutralize the efforts of many. It should be the aim of every farmer to do his part in the matter of ridding the community of pests.

Horseshoeing. Every country blacksmith Includes horseshoeing as a part of his business, but many of them do not understand the confarmatlon of .the foot of a horse and frequently do harm. Each foot may require a special shoe, and there are peculiarities and individual traits of horses which must be considered. Horseshoeing is rffidlx a matter requiring skill, and in some States the question is being agitated. In favor of compelling all blacksmiths and horseshoers to pass an examination and work under a~license before they can put shoes on horses. z Apples for Cold Climates. This is a subject of a bulletin of the Vermont agricultural experiment station. The limit of successful apple culture has been moving steadily northward ever since the occupation of this country. Factors In this progress have

been the planting of carb applies, the introduction of the Russian varieties, and especially the selection of native hardy seedlings and the adoption of better orchard practice. Any given variety, more or less sensitive to cold, can be grown from 50 to 150 miles north of its natural limit by reasonable precautions, such as the following: 1. Plant on land sloping south or southeast and furnish good wind breaks to the north. 2. Secure thorough atmospheric drainage by choosing moderately high and sloping land. '3. Secure thorough atmospheric drainage. If the subsoil is not porous enough to carry off all extra water it must be underdrained. 4. Buy trees on hardy stocks. In most grafted or budded trees the character of the stock is wholly unknown, but to grow a given variety at its northernmost limit a perfectly hardy Stock is required. 5. Graft the chosen variety in the tops of very hardy trees. Varieties recommended for planting where hardiness Is a principal consideration are Yellow Transparent, Red Astrachan, Longfleld, Oldenburg, Fameuse, Mclntosh, Wealthy, Scott Winter, Pewaukee, Arctic. American Squashes in England. The squash is a vegetable which cannot be successfully grown In the open air in England, and its vines take up too much room to make It profitable to grow in hothouses. Unlike other tender vegetables, the squash will bear long transportation. Therefore, Mr. James J. H. Gregory of Marblehead, who is the originator of the Hubbard and Marblehead squashes, tried an experiment a few years ago. He sent about a ton and a half of fine Hubbard squashes to the London market to be sold on commission. When the returns were in Mr. Gregory found that he had somewhat more money than the squashes would have sold for a>t home. But it did not educate English taste to like the squash, for instead of making the squash into pies, as Mr. Gregory gave directions, the London shopkeepers exhibited the squashes in their windows as curiosities. Maybe after one or more trials of the excellence of the Hubbard squash our English neigh- < i»rs may find it better to eat than to look at. Mr. Gregory tells in the Tribune how he later tried to repeat this experiment But a mistake was made, some poor squashes were sent, which arrived in bad condition, and the result was a loss.

Tomatoes. There is no garden vegetable that will respond more markedly to rieh land and good cultivation than tomatoes. A tomato plant will grow on a manure pile and flourish all season there, and in planting them it pays to take some pains to have them stand on a very rich soil. Make the plot where the tomatoes are to stand very rich with manure, and then dig a hole and dump two or three shovelfuls of fine manure in the bottom of it? and set the plants above this. Drive a stake by each plant as soon as it is transplanted, and keep the plant tied to it with strips of cloth, and the fruits will not rot when they begin to ripen. The tomato is one of the plants that does better for transplanting, and, if they are transplanted two or three times, they only grow more stocky and produce better. There is not a bit of danger of losing tomato plants by transplanting, as they will grow from a slip almost as well as from a rooted plant. Keep them well cultivated, and, if tbe weather comes off dry, give them plenty of water, and the crop is certala and large.—Farmers’ Voice. Money from Herbs. A great deal of money can be made from common garden herbs. Sage, thyme, marjoram and even catnip all have their devotees. Most city cats very rarely see catnip, except as a package. If it is purchased done up in a closed and sewed bag, and given them to play with, the antics they will perform with this plaything are extreme-' ly amusing. In the country cats find enough catnip growing around houses. If farmers’ boys would gather some of the leaves and sew them up in balls they could make some money out of the business. There is nearly always a good demand for herbs used in making the dressing for fowls and other baked meats.

Modern Methods. Farmers have for hundreds of years been engaged in opposing every attempt to improve them in their methods of farming. Hundreds of farmers’ wives work daily at churning in a manner that is most laborious, taking an hour or more to do what could be performed In a few minutes if they were not too prejudiced against “fancy farming’’ to use a thermometer. They have no faith in “book farming,” and pay dearly for refusing to be convinced. The Quality of Pasture. All the grass roots which root near the surface make the best early pasture, for these only get much warmth In the early spring .months. June grass, red top and timothy pasture are best in the .order named. Clover Is very poor, innutritions feed until It begins to blossom. Then it very rapidly increases in value, but should be cut for soiling rather than pastured, as stock will tramble down clover In blossom and waste more than they eat. Profit in Early Spring Beans. For an easily grown crop early string beans are almost always profitable. The hlHs should be protected while the plants are small, and there Is danger that frosts will nip them. Common card boxes placed over the hills bottom up can be very cheaply procured. They will keep off frost as well as more expensive coverings, and can be kept from blowing away by putting a stone or a little earth over them at night.