S 6 ° 



FARM, ORCHARD, DAIRY AND GARDEN. 



upon drills is altogether preferable to 

 sowing on the level ; not only can a much 

 larger crop be produced, but the weeds 

 are far more easily destroyed. The 

 distance between the drills should be 26 

 to 30 inches, and the plants should be 

 left, by thinning, 12 to 15 inches apart. 

 When a good braird has been secured, 

 the great secret of success is in stirring 

 the soil frequently when dry, and keep- 

 ing the ground pefectly free from noxious 

 weeds. 



WAGONS, To Grease — But few people 

 are aware that they do wagons and 

 carriages more injury by grasing too 

 plentifully than in almost any other way. 

 A well made wheel will endure common 

 wear from ten to twenty-five years, if care 

 is taken to use the right kind and proper 

 amount of grease; but if this matter is 

 not attended to, they will be used up in 

 five or six years. Lard should never be 

 used on a wagon, for it will penetrate the 

 hub, and work its way out around the 

 tenons of the spokes, and spoil the 

 wheel. Tallow is the best lubricator for 

 wood axle trees, and castor oil for iron. 

 Just enough grease should be applied to 

 the spindle of a wagon to give it a light 

 coating ; this is better than more, for the 

 surplus put on will work out at the ends, 

 and be forced by the shoulder bands and 

 nut washers into the hub around the out- 

 side of the boxes. To oil an iron axle 

 tree, first wipe the spindle clean with a 

 cloth wet with spirits of turpentine, and 

 then apply a few drops of castor oil near 

 the shoulder and end. One teaspoonful 

 is sufficient for the whole. 



WATERMELONS, Large. — Mr. Stan- 

 ley, of South Carolina, gave his plan for 

 raising watermelons which weighed from 

 twenty-five to forty-five pounds apiece. 

 Holes are dug two feet square and 

 eighteen inches deep, twelve feet apart, 

 filled with fresh stable manure tramped 

 down, the surrounding soil drawn over; 

 or better still, fresh soil from the woods or 

 corners of fences, mixed with road 

 sand. Make the hill of the shape of 

 an inverted saucer, a little well-rotted 

 manure or guano being slightly raked in, 

 and some coal dust applied to absorb the 

 sun's rays, which also prevents a crust 

 from being formed. Let no grass or 

 weeds appear, and never disturb the 

 vines when the dew is on them. The 



best varieties are Orange, Bankright, and 

 Bradford. 



WHEAT, To Prevent Mildew in.— 

 Dissolve three ounces and two drachms 

 of sulphate of copper, copperas, or blue 

 vitriol, in three gallons and three quarts,, 

 wine measure, of cold water, for eyery 

 three bushels of grain that is to be pre- 

 pared. Into another vessel, capable of 

 containing fifty-three to seventy-nine wine 

 gallons, throw from three to four bushels 

 of wheat, into which the prepared 

 liquid is poured, until it rises five or six 

 inches above the grain. Stir it thoroughly^ 

 and carefully remove all that swims on 

 the surface. After it has remained half 

 an hour in the preparation, throw the 

 wheat into a basket that will allow the 

 water to escape, but not the grain. It 

 ought then to be immediately washed in 

 rain, or pure water, which will prevent 

 any risk of its injuring the germ, and 

 afterwards the seed ought to be dried be- 

 fore it is put in the ground. It may be 

 preserved in this shape for months. 



WHEAT, to Prevent Rust in.— Some 

 hours — at the longest six or eight before- 

 sowing — prepare a steep of three 

 measures of powdered quicklime, and 

 ten measures of cattle urine. Pour 

 two quarts of this upon a peck 

 of wheat, stir with a spade until 

 every kernel is covered white with it. By 

 using wheat so prepared, rust of every 

 kind will be avoided. I have often 

 noticed, while in the neighboring fields, a 

 great part of the crop is affected by rust ; 

 in mine, lying closely by it, not a single 

 ear so affected could be found. 



The same writer says he takes the 

 sheaves and beats off the ripest kernels 

 with a stick, and uses the grain thus 

 obtained for seed. 



WHEAT (Slugs Upon), to Destroy.— 



Collect a number of lean ducks, keep 

 them all day without food, and turn them 

 in the field toward evening; each duck 

 would devour the slugs much faster than 

 a man could collect them, and they soon 

 would get very fat for the market. 



WORMS, Wire. — For the protection ot 

 grain crops against wire-worms we advise 

 the sowing of six bushels of salt per 

 acre, just as the plants are coming 

 through. 



