Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 105, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 September 1899 — FARMERS CORNER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARMERS CORNER

Plant Frnit Trees. Many persons fall to set out trees and vines because they fear they will not live to eat the fruit. Some years ago the writer heard an old man say that he had planted and eaten the fruit of three different orchards, and that at seventy years of age he had planted a fourth orchard for others, but at eighty-seven years of age be still lives to eat the fruit of his own trees. Strawberries bear in abundance the second year after planting; blackberries, currants, grapes and gooseberries the third year. Peaeh trees will often bear full crops the third year. Early bearing apple, pear and plum trees will often produce abundantly for the family the fourth and fifth years. It is possible for a farmer in the Northern States to have fresh fruit of his own growing upon his table every day in the year. He will begin with strawberries the last of May. These will last three or four weeks, and before they are all gone raspberries will be ripe, and will continue about five weeks. Cherries will begin to ripen during the raspberry season. As *the raspberries go out, blackberries, currants and gooseberries will be* ready for the table. As the last of these go, the early peaches, pears, apples and plums will begin to be ready for the table. During August, September and October he can have a great variety of fruit. After October until the next June he will have to confine himself

in the main to apples. But of good apples the family will never tire. —New York Weekly Tribune. Well on a Novel Plan. Selecting the point where the well was to be located, I dug a trench, as If underdraining, only deeper, being six feet in depth, and dug it 200 feet in length. In this I carefully laid a sixinch drain tile, e, covering It in the usual way, using care to prevent sedifnent getting into it. At the lower end of this drain a pump, g, was placed and here was constructed a curb, a, 2x3 feet for the first 3% feet, laying it with brick and Portland cement. Above this the curb was built of % inch pine boards, b, tongued and grooved, to prevent worms and vermin from getting in the well. Three feet from the bottom an outlet, c, was made, leading to a main drain, lower, where other underdrains discharged. By this method I

drained effectively a piece of land which needed it and secured an ample supply of the very best water, lasting all the year round.—T. F. Van Luven, In American Agriculturist. /-• 1 A rhicken’a Growth. The question of how much will a chick gain is an interesting one. The following is about correct: The eggs weigh 2 ounces; the newly hatched chick weighs 1% ounces; at 1 week old,’ 2 ounces; 3 weeks old, 6% ounces; 4 weeks old, 10 ounces; 5 weeks old, 14 ounces; 6 weeks old, 18% ounces; 7 weeks old, 23% ounces; 9 weeks old, 32 ounces; 10 .weeks old, 36 ounces; 11 weeks old, 41 ounces.—The Poultry West. Spraying Hok> for Lice. When lice get into a drove of hogs It will not be long until the effect is noticed. Hogs will not remain healthy with lice present The easiest and alsd the most effective way of ridding the swine of the pests is by spraying them with water tn which kerosene is stirred. For spraying, use a common •praying pump, one of those handy Mt-

tie hand pumps which set in a pall of water being easily managed. Into a pen a few feet square turn two or three hogs and turn the pump with sprayer attached upon them. Drendh them thoroughly, driving the water upon them with full force of the pump. One spraying will kill the lice in a hog, and where the whole herd is treated, including the shed floors, the lice will be exterminated. This is much easier and less disagreeable than greasing and is more effective. Le’flfi, and Triumph Radishes. The Rural New Yorker recently made a comparison between the two unique varieties of radish—viz., Triumph and Leafless. This showed that both kinds are early and that there Is but little

difference between them, the Leafless being about three days earlier. Now the Rural Illustrates the two, showing a little bunch of the triumph and a single specimen of the Leafless. The quality is much the same, the Leafless being a rich, darkish crimson, the Triumph white and crimson, variously splashed and dotted. The latter is nearly round, the other generally oblong. Doubtless a larger quantity of the Leafless may be grown on a given

i plot because of its scanty leaves. The question of relative value seems to depend upon which would sell more readily in the market, the solid colored Leafless or the variegated Triumph. Trapping Hon Hawks. Wherever there Is low shrubbery around the house hens with broods of I chickens will naturally seek that, less for the shade than as protection against depredators who might swoop down and carry off a young chick to be torn Ito pieces and eaten. The hen hawk usually finds some place where he can watch the brood unobserved, and make his seizure before the hen’s warning cry causes her little ones to run for shelter. If a steel trap is set on top of a pole where it will be convenient for the hawk to alight he will be very quickly caught. The trap should be secured by rope or chain, so that the hawk can not fly off with the trap. In this way the worst enemy*of the poultry grower may be easily and cheaply disposed of. improvement of Hiuhwa’ o. Good roads are so popular in Connecticut that the State’s appropriation for helping out the towns will not be large enough to supply the demand. Over 100 <towns have voted money for roads. The law passed by the last General Assembly says that the State shall pay In the case of towns whose grand list is $1,000,000 and under, three-fourths of the sums appropriated, and twothirds of the appropriation in the case of towns having a grand list of $1,000,000 and over. The State’s annual appropriation is only $175,000, which will not nearly suffice. ♦ Fe-'Hnjr Grce” O <ts. Horses that are idle in the stable or that have only light work may be fed a few green oats without Injury. But they should on no account be given to horses that have much work to do. Green oats will give a horse the scours more quickly than any other feed. The oat hull irritates the intestines at its best, and it therefore needs to be thoroughly dried out before being fed. If given it should have some old timothy or meadow grass fed with it. Potash for Potatoes. The potato plant requires the larger proportion of the necessary potash in its early stages. The reason is that it is the top that makes the heaviest demand for potash and needs it at the start. If potash is applied late during the growth of the plants much of it will be unserv iceable for the crop. How to Trim a Mule’s Feet. Clean hoofs thoroughly to remove dirt, gravel, etc., then take a sharp saw and saw off carefully as short as desired. Place foot on box or block, so as to hold firm while sawing. This la much quicker and easier than a knife, as their hoofs are very hard.

A NOVEL WELL.

LEAFLESS RADISH—TRIUMPH RADISH.