JfLY 2, 1883.]; 



THE THOPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



import has been made up of low class kinds. Cauton seems 

 to have given itself up to the manufacture of spurious teas, 

 the facing-, colodug, and otherwise reju'-cuatiui^ old samples, 

 so that imports from this quarter must be looked on with 

 the greatest suspicion 



Ceylon grows aud manufactures after the manner of India, 

 and some very choice samples have reached us, but the bulk 

 goes to London. 



Japan teas have not given satisfaction, as most of the 

 samples to hand have been too high fired.* Java teas are 

 prettily made, but rather thin in the liquor. Late shipments 

 show improvement. 



Tea as a popular bevei-age is steadily spreading all over 

 the world. Probably it is the most harmless solace that can 

 be takeii, and is credited which promoting thought and 

 sobriety. Indeed, it is "the cup with cheers and not in- 

 ebriates/' The properties of tea are those of a mild stim- 

 ulant, due in part to the presence of a small percentage 

 of theine, and for this reason it is advisable to drink it 

 shortly after a meal and never fasting. Essential nil is 

 present to the extent of about one percent. It pleases the 

 palate and excites the digestive organs. The tannin in tea, 

 if taken in quantity, is very indigestible, so do not stew tea 

 to get color, for the same process extracts a heavy amount 

 of tannin. See that the water used is good and"just brought 

 to the boil, poured on the leaves without delay, and after 

 five to ten minutes' standing use at once. Milk and sugar 

 are highly nutritive, and the practice of adding them to tea 

 a good one. A,cup of good tea will, generally, thoroughly 

 refresh thetire*,! and depressed and often remove headache. 

 It is onr- of the greatest blessings to the women of our race, 

 and an important adjunct in the daily life of all sorts aud 

 conditions of men. 



^^^A.TERMELONS— PROTECTION AGAINST BUGS. 



TO THE EDITOR "SOUTHERN PLANTEE." 



As it will soon be time to plant watermelons, it may 

 be not out of place (even to our Hanover friends, who 

 raise them as fine as can be found anywhere) to make 

 some suggestions about protecting them from the ravages 

 of that Uttle enemy aud destroyer — the yellow or striped 

 bug. The young vines are frequently destroyed by them 

 in twenty-four hours after they come uj). To protect them 

 against this little enemy, until the vines are large and 

 tough enough to be free from ranch harm from them, is 

 to enclose the top of each hill, when the seed are planted, 

 with four shingles (as broad as you can get them), which 

 is done by imbedding them slightly in the groun<l, inclining 

 them iiui'aril to each other, and compactmg a handful of earth 

 against them on the outside. You then have, as it were, a 

 box arounil them. This is a little ti'ouble, but it had better 

 be taken than have them destroyed and the consequent 

 replanting and thi-owing back the crop a week or so. 



It is too obvious to explain how and why this method ^vill 

 shield or jirotect the vines from the bugs. SuQice it to say, 

 the]/ don't get within the enclosui'e. I di.scovered this plan 

 after losing my cucumber and cymling \*incs repeatedly dur- 

 ing one year in my garden, antl the-}/ should always be pro- 

 tected, as it is a small job to do so. A\'hen the vines are 

 large enough to thin, tlie shingles should be removed to a 

 shelter, and they will last for years for the same purpose. 



To raise a late and fine crop of tomatoes, be sure to stick 

 into each watermelon hill a tomato plant. They do not inter- 

 fere with the former, and come in after the garden crop 

 gives out. Those coming in late are the best for canning and 

 putting up for winter use. 



INCUBATORS VS. HENS. 



vVhether there is more profit in artificial hatching than by 

 the services of setting-hens is an unsettled point, for every- 

 thing depends on the management in either case. That there 

 are good, reliable incubators is a fact, but that "a child can 

 manage them," as is claimed for some, is not established to 

 the satisfaction of many adults who have engaged in such 

 work. The advantages in favor of incubators are that chicks 

 can be hatched at any season, the danger of vermin is lessened, 



■'The "all-fired " Japan Oolongs have so got hold of the 

 i.i-^te of Americans that pure Indian and <_'eyIou teas will 

 have a Imrd battle to tight in the markets of the States 

 — Eo. 

 10 



and cleanliness is facihtated by the method. By early hatch- 

 ing, the chicks come into market to sell at high prices and the 

 pullets that may be kept over will lay in the fall and thi'ough 

 the winter. The ilisadvantages are, the possibility of danger 

 from oil-lamps that are kept continually burning, and the 

 Uability of accident, or irregularity of heat, which may destroy 

 all the eggs. A slight accident to an incubator holding 

 several hundred eggs, at a time when eggs are scarce, occa- 

 sions a heavy loss, and one or two occurrences of such charac- 

 ter rather weakens the faith of the operator. It is better, 

 therefore, if large numbers of chicks are to be hatched, to use 

 several small incubators, in preference to a single large one, 

 for then an accident to one incubator ^viU not occasion an 

 entire loss. No matter how well they may be regulated 

 experimenters will have to watch them carefully, as the 

 weather, turning the eggs, and pro\iding moistm-e call for 

 regulai;and prompt attendance at certain periods. Some 

 incubators arc heated by gas, some by projections of the stove 

 pipe, and others by large quantities of hot water. Nearly all 

 of them will hatch, hy proinpt attention and management, but 

 that they bring forth ninety per cent, as claimed, cannot l)e 

 depended on. After the chicks are hatched, they are reared 

 in brooders, which arc heated in severpJ ways, generally with 

 hot water, the heat being appreciated by the chicks when itis 

 above them, as few survive when the heat comes from below. 

 In managing the hens, however, the nests should be placed 

 in warm locations in winter and cool places in summer. If 

 the flock is large the hens will commence setting at different 

 periods, and an advantage may be taken of hatching by using 

 the following plan: Suppose, on the first day of April eggs 

 are placed under a dozen hens, as all can be set at one time 

 by keeping those that get broody before the others a few 

 days, and suppose after the lapse of ten days a second dozen 

 are set; and we will further suppose the breeder to continue 

 the practice by placing eggs under all the broody hens on the 

 same day, when a svifiiciont number is ready. Now, we go 

 back to our point: wlien the first dozen have finished hatch- 

 ing, give all the chicks to as few hens as can properly carry 

 them, and takes eggs that are under the second lot and place 

 them under the remaining nrunber in the first lot. Then re- 

 set the seaond lot with fresh eggs. ^Ye can by that method 

 keep each hen at work four and a half weeks, and two hens 

 will hatoh three broods. We give the above as a supposition. 

 It is entuely practicable, and also profitable, and with the 

 same care and management as is require^l for incubators 

 will give much better results. The hens and incubators 

 may be managed together by placing eggs in the incubator 

 every day or two, and when the chicks are hatched give 

 th^m to the hen to be cared for. This will save valuable 

 time on the part of the hens, and will enable the brooders 

 to raise a large proportion of chicks. We have no doubt 

 that many of our breeders dread the care of the chicks more 

 than the fear of bad hatches, but the hens will assist the 

 incubator in that respect. — I^'eir Southern PovXtry Journal. 



CUTTING POTATOES FOR SEED. 



TO THE EDITOR " FARJIERS* HOME JOURNAL." 



It is too generally the custom wheu cutting Irish potatoes 

 for seed, to cut at random, heedless of the number of eyes 

 to the piece, and the depth to which the pieces are cut. 

 Farmers are often in too gi-eat a hm-ry at planting time, 

 waiting until almost the last moment and then rushing up 

 matters, and frequently losing in the end. Potatoes shoulil 

 be cut before haml. and spread out to di*y. Says D. F.Heffron. 

 the originator of the famous Early Rose, aiwl, perhaps, thi 

 highest authority in America, on the Irish potato: ''Cut 

 sometime before planting. It is srud that potatoes cut four 

 or five weeks beforehand, if dusttd with lime aud plaster, 

 and spread out or stirred frequently if in heaps, to keep 

 from heating, will ripen ten to fourteen days earlier than 

 if cut and planted green. Potatoes sprouted in a warm 

 room or hot-!>ed, will likewise give an earlier crop." The 

 miscroscope reveals dehcate filanu-nts running from each 

 eye or bud of the tuber, towards Ihe centre of the potato, 

 hence, in cutting for seed always r/'t deep, so that the grov - 

 ing bud may derive all the noui islmient natm-e intends f( r 

 it. The hair-like rootlets show that the eye, when develoj - 

 ing, feeds on the substance of the potato. Says Heffron ; 

 "The tuber is a .short, thick stem, and each eye is aside 

 shoot, that feeds on the neighbouring starch. Then, if an 

 eye is cut to the centre, it takes in the whole branch, aud 

 has enough flesh to nourish it. 'J'ho eyes are arrangetl 



