Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 November 1890 — FARM AND GARDEN. [ARTICLE]

FARM AND GARDEN.

Tb> Revue Horticole says that the following is a cheap and effective method of preventing the decay of wood ftaeu buried in tne ground: Mix finely powdered coal with linseed oil and apply jo the parts to be buried. This is inexpensive and easily applied, and we would suggest that our readers experiment with it in setting their new fence posts this season. When a grindstone is supplied with a trough underneath for water the trough should be adjustable, so that It can be lowered when the stone is not in use. If a portion of the surface is left in the water it is kept soft, w hile the rest, by exposure to the sun and air, is constantly growing harder. This soon throws the stone out of balance, and, a 9 the wet part wears away much faster than the dry, the stone soon becomes unfit for use. Excepting cotton, the products of the United States this year will not be more than needed for our own consumption. In some regions there will be a scarcity, but fortunately rapid transit is at hand.and none wiLl suffer. We also learn that in Great Britain and continental Europe crops are lamentably short. Especially is it feared that unfortunate Ireland will be pinched again. In our own country it looks as though the farmer would have mads up to him in prices received much that he falls short of his usual amount in crop products. At the Maryland experiment station careful tests have been made in strawberry growing to determine the relative merits of the hill versus the matted row system. In nearly all varieties the matted rows gave the larger yields and generally the larger fruit. Probably for success with the hiTl system richer soil and higher cultivation than were given are necessary. It is reasonable to suppose that cutting off all runners and confining the plant solely to the production of fruit would lead to the beat results, provided all the cultural neods of the plant were

satisfied. With ordinary soil and culture the matted row would belter meet the requirements. So many side branches of farm work fail to pay because they are either not done intelligently or are carried out in a negligent way. The farmer leaves his few stands of bees to take care of themselves, merely "keeping - his eye on them;” but a dozen hives could bring him as much revenue as his tenacre wheat field. Especially frequently does he underrate the return that a little care of his chiokens would bring. Let him at least train his children into a proper interest in them. Every branch of the poultry business can be made to pay, whether he makes a specialty of producing eggs for market or young fowls for table when the spring market is high, or hundreds of good, fat birds for next winter's market. The use of sulphur in drying or evaporating fruit has been carried to lan unwarranted point, and tho reacj turn bas set in. it is dangerous to ! health, better results can be obtained | without it, and its use will soon be a thing of the past. The most successful growers of prunes in Oregon use no lye to eat the skip, so that drying will be facilitated; they use no sulphur; they have no sweating process. Their method is simply to put the prunes into the dryer for from twelve lo eighteen hours, witli a rapidly circulating current of air at 150 degrees. The fruit is then put in barrels and covered, so as to exclude dust and flies. After about six weeks it is put into five and ten pouDd boxes, neatly packed, wrapped and labeled. The advantages of this method are purity and heallhfulness, a natural fruity odor, taste, and color, and better keeping qualities than can be had by any other process. We Bhould presume also that it had an additional recommendation on the score of oheapness. The little bills of the blacksmith, carpenter, machinist, etc., for incidental work and repairs about tne farm and to the tools and machinery, amount to a considerable item in the course of the year, and constitute a burdensome tax. Much of this expense can be done away with by having a well-appointed workshop on the farm and learning bow to hanale tools, n tho giaaary or loft a workshop may be readily arranged. Plenty of light is cssent>t*l and should come from directly over the bench. There must be a chimney and stove, so that you can work during the leisure days in winter. Build a secure chimney, and set the stove in a wide, shallow box of sand, so as to avoid danger from lire. The first thing in furnishing the shop is to build a substantial bench. It should be p aned on the top. at least To one end socure a wood vise, with broad jaws. .Get a good grindstone, with treadle and crank, so that tools may be kept sharp. A small scroll saw and lathe will often be needed, and can be bought for a few dollars. With your own tools make a shaving horse and harness bench. In your outfit of tools should be included an ordinary hand saw, a rip saw. a tenon saw, and a compass suw; a good hatchet, a claw and riveting hammer, from six to twelve chisels (assorted sizes), a wooden mallet a good brace, with a sat of assorted bits. In planes there should be smooth, a jack, and a fcrs plane. Then a few gouges, a plumb bob, a small and a large square, a compass, a bevel, a level, a two-foot r lie, a monkey-wrench, a saw set, files, a drawingknife, a spoke shave, etc- together with a lot of harness needles, thread, knife and awls. From SSU to SIOO may bo spent in furnishing such a shop, and It will prove tho best investment of the farm. For blacksmithing a small portablo forge nod tho few tools needed may bo added at small expense. Often tho saving in time by not having to run to town for repairs will boos great as the saving io money.