158 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[ October, 



taking all the plant food which the grass feeds on, to 

 grow wheat to send awaj', thus imixjverishing the 

 country. For the money received for all the wheat 

 does not enrich the inhabitants, as they have to pay 

 all of it, and more added, to buy wool and cloth and 

 clothing of all kinds, which wool would make, if the 

 grass and virgin soil was spared to grow wool instead 

 of wheat. 



Let that quack farmer, Mr. Mechi, come over to 

 this continent and see the havoc made by the plow, 

 and he would never more blame the land-owners of 

 England for their zealous protection of the meadows 

 and pastures. Could anything be stronger proof of 

 the real value of good natural grass land than the 

 fact of farms having more than half grass, or fully 

 two-thirds as mowings and pastures, being always 

 more sought after than others. Moreover, it is noto- 

 rious and beyond contradiction that a good farmer 

 with capital, renting a farm of say oOO to .500 acres, 

 with about the proportion of grass land stated, which 

 he can never plow, is better situated than any who 

 have all arable farms, and also, it can be added, in 

 making more money than any farmer on this side of 

 the ocean who owns his land. This is worth consid- 

 eration, for he pays more taxes, has no protection, 

 and his rent at least $10 per acre. 



Good natural grass land in America, if not violated 

 and robbed of its plant food, would pay well; for all 

 the animals raised by its aid, all the butter, wool or 

 meat produced are nearer dear profit than aught 

 else, and men of capital who would, like English no- 

 blemen, hold this uninterruptedly in grass, only using 

 such as was not so well adapted for permanency, 

 would not have a quantity of unsalable soil on their 

 hands. In the West, and especially in the South- 

 west, there are men who are what is termed " land 

 poor." They own a great many acres, which they 

 have rented to laboring men on shares and some at 

 money rental, but in either case, the land gradually 

 becomes weaker, and after a few revivals of clover, 

 the deepest, best soil succumbs, and poverty results 

 to the soil and to all owners who have not invested 

 the cash as received. — Working Farmer in Mural 

 2few Yorker. 



Destroying Weeds. 



On looking back many years we see the progress 

 which has been made in the mode of attacking them, 

 in successive gradations. Half a century ago the 

 common injunction was, to " pull up and remove 

 carefully those which had gone to seed, to prevent 

 the seeding of next year's crop ;" to " be careful not 

 to scatter the seed" which had already been born in 

 abundance. This was regarded as good and careful 

 management. But an improvement was made on 

 this mode ; namelv, by not allowing the .seed to ripen 

 — their formation was to be prevented — an excellent 

 idea it seemed to be. Under this improved treatment 

 weeds were destroyed when half a foot high, more or 

 less ; but observing cultivators were not satisfied. 

 They discovered that the labor of rooting out these 

 full-grown or half-grown monsters was too great. 

 They struck boldly, therefore, for the destruction of 

 these intruders while they were only an inch high. 

 The labor was decreased incredibly. There was a 

 great difference in the force required to crush a deli- 

 cate little organization as large as a cambric needle, 

 and one a foot high, with roots like sti-orig horns 

 branching and penetrating the soil another foot, and 

 lifting the plants of the crop when torn out. The im- 

 proved mode lessened the labor ten, twenty or thirty- 

 fold. The great point then was to take the weeds in 

 time, and it was found to be better to pay a man five 

 dollars a day to destroy them in their feeble and deli- 

 cate condition, than fifty cents a day when stout and 

 shading the whole crop. 



But still further improvement was made, and this 

 was to destroy the weeds before they came up, when 

 they were just beginning to send out their minute 

 white fibres from the seed. In other words, the steel 

 rake, fine harrow or cultivator is passed over the sur- 

 face while it is yet perfectly clean. The process con- 

 sists in simply mellowing thoroughly the whole sur- 

 face without waiting for any of them to make an in- 

 cipient appearance. 



Perennial rooted weeds, and Canada thistles, milk- 

 weeds, quack grass, etc., which spread mostly by the 

 roots, may be thoroughly eradicated in a single sea- 

 son, and at little expense, by plowing often enough 

 to keep the leaves perpetually under. 



For annual weeds, kill them in earliest infancy, 

 while minute and fragile, and easily swept oflT by 

 myriads ; and for perennials, never let a solitary leaf 

 appear above the surface, and the work will be 

 speedily and cheaply accomplished. — Country Gen- 

 tleynan. 



This is the way to deal with the weeds that spring 

 up in the garden of human life. Men lose much by 

 letting them grow, even if they are determined to 

 keep them from going to seed. 



Sowing Grass Seed Alone. 

 Farmers as a class cannot be made to believe that 

 grass seed will succeed just as well, and often a great 

 deal better, if sown alone than with grain, in the 

 usual way. If the land is rich and the following 

 season is favorable to the growth of grass then a good 

 stand may usually be obtained by sowing with grain; 



but if droughts should occur, the young, delicate 

 grass is likely to be smothered or to perish for want 

 of water. The grain among which it is growing be- 

 ing so much larger and more vigorous will appropri- 

 ate to itself the bulk of the moisture and fertility of 

 the soil. 



The severe drought which has prevailed in the At- 

 lantic States the present season, will make re-seeding 

 of many thousands of acres necessary, and we suggest 

 to those who have never given the sowing of grass 

 seed alone a trial to do so this fall, and see if a better 

 stand of grass cannot be obtained in that way than 

 by the old doubling-up system. When grass and 

 grain are sown together both must necesasrily suffer 

 more or less from crowding, if not for lack of mois- 

 ure, and as the grass is the weaker, it is injured 

 most, the result being a feeble growth not worth 

 gathering for hay, and of little value for pasture 

 until the second year. But if the grass seed is sown 

 alone in early autumn, or about the time of sowing 

 winter grain, it will generally grow sufficiently rank 

 to yield a fair crop of hay the following season, and 

 will not be half so liable to be destroyed by droughts. 



This system of sowing grass seed alone, may not 

 answer equally well in alf localities and soils, but it 

 Is being practiced by our best farmers, some of whom 

 have expressed to us surprise at their own stupidity 

 at so long practicing the old system. We have tested 

 both systems time and asrain, and invariably the grass 

 seed sown alone was far the best; hence the above 

 suggestions to those who may have failed to get a 

 good stand in their fields the present season. There 

 is, however, this disadvantage in sowing grass seed 

 alone, that one plowing and harrowing does not 

 answer for two crops, as when it is put in with grain. 

 — .V. Y. Sun. 



The Chinese Management of Roses. 



It has been stated that the Chinese method of lay- 

 ering roses is sometimes more successful than ours. 

 Late in the summer they select a vigorous shoot of 

 the same year's growth and tongue it in the usual 

 way; they put in a small pebble to keep the slit open, 

 and bind a handful of fresh roses around the tongue, 

 keeping it constantly dampened. In about six weeks 

 it will have struck roots, and can be planted without 

 disturbing the mossy covering. Many of the garden 

 roses can be increased by suckers from the roots, 

 which can be severed with a sharp spade in the au- 

 tumn and new bushes formed of them. Budding 

 roses is a simple process, by which amateur cultiva- 

 tors often increase their stock. A sharp penknife 

 can do duty for a budding knife, and the handle of a 

 toothbrush, if ground down smoothly, will answer 

 for a spud to aid in lifting the bark. From the last 

 of June to the last of August is the best time for this 

 process, as the bark can then be more easily raised 

 from the wood. Take a smooth stalk and make a 

 horizontal cut across the bark, through to the wood, 

 but not into it. From the centre of this cross cut 

 make another straight cnt down the stem, an inch or 

 more in length. These two cuts should resemble a 

 T. Slice off the bud you desire to propagate with one 

 cut of the penknife, cutting it close to the main stalk. 

 Now, with the edge of the spud turn back the stalk 

 on each side of the straight cut and insert the bud on 

 the wood of the little branch to be crossed cut. With 

 a bit of soft yarn bind down the bark, leaving the 

 point of the bud exposed. A handfull of dampened 

 moss must then be bound round the stem, taking care 

 to leave the tiny point of the bud exposed to the air. 

 In six weeks the wrappings can be removed, but all 

 other shoots must be keptfrom growing ou the budded 

 branch. By this means a rosebush can be made to 

 bear half a dozen different colored roses. — Scientific 

 American. 



Bat Guano. 



That a little creature, not very common in the north, 

 could congregate in sufficient numbers to make ex- 

 tensive deposits of excrement which have a commer- 

 cial value, seems almost incredible ; but in numerous 

 caves, from Virginia to Texas, are found deposits of 

 this material, sometimes reaching 20,000 tons in ex- 

 tent, and yearly increasing. During the war it was 

 thought to extract nitre from it for powder making ; 

 but though the manufacture was somewhat success- 

 ful, the nitric acid was present in such small quanti- 

 ties as to render it so expensive as to be abandoned at 

 the close of the war. The material has been used as 

 a fertilizer to a slight extent, and is found to exert 

 a considerable influence on the crops treated. The 

 attention of Mr. .McMurtric, chemist to the department 

 of agriculture, having beeu called to the matter, 

 analyses have been made of samples collected. These 

 are all of a similar light to dark brown color, accord- 

 ing to the moisture, except those containing much 

 insoluble matters, which resemble soil, of which they 

 probably largely consist. The physical condition', 

 when air dried, is excellent, both for handling and 

 application, being highly pulverulent. The analyses 

 fairly represent the average composition, which, ac- 

 cording to the valuations of Professor Goessmann, 

 the Massachusetts State Inspector of Fertilizers, 

 adopted by the department, show them to possess a 

 value of from $1.5 to $.55 jjer ton lor use as fertilizers. 

 The values compare favorably with those of fish fertil- 

 izers, and even of Peruvian guano. Microscopical ex- 



amination shows the material to consist largely of 

 the hard parts of insects upon which the bats feed. 

 Mr. McMurtrie wisely concludes : " With these facts 

 before us, we may readily recognize the importance 

 of the development of these deposits in the south, 

 where fertilizing materials are so much needed and 

 are so costly, and especially when they may be ob- 

 tained for the mere cost of removal." 



Seed Wheat — Its Preparation. 



It is now time to make the best preparation possible 

 for the fall seeding. An experienced writer in the 

 Maryland Farmer says : 



In our own experience, we always obtained the sur- 

 est crop and largest yield when we carefully brined 

 our seed. For want of better convenience, we always 

 use a wash tub, or half of a tight barrel, carefully 

 sawed in the middle; into this we put a bucketful of 

 common salt, and pour in as much clean water as 

 will dissolve or saturate it; then pour in as much 

 good, sound wheat as the vessel will hold; in a few 

 minutes, when it is fairly settled, skim off the light, 

 foul stuff, and throw it into the swill tub; then stir 

 and skim until no more light stuflT would float on top 

 of the brine, then take out the wheat, and spread it 

 on the barn floor, or any other dry place, and sprinkle 

 over it ashes, lime or plaster, to dry it for sowing. 



Proceed in the same way with as much as you de- 

 sire to sow, adding salt and water as may be neces- 

 sary. With this preparation the seed conies up quicker 

 and more evenly, while it is clear of weed seed and 

 other foul stuff, and is less liable to injury from rust 

 and insects. 



It is also a 2:ood plan to use the Montgomery zinc 

 screen or cylinder for cleaning the seed before putting 

 it into the brine. These precautious carefully carried 

 out will more than pay the cost and trouble in the 

 clean, sound, increased crop. 



The same beneficial results will be realized with rye, 

 oats and barley. Some farmers prefer and use cop- 

 peras instead of salt ; but we always preferred the 

 salt. 



For seed corn, as a protection against worms and 

 birds, undoubtedly copperas is the best, but either 

 is useful. 



Sending Plants to Sleep. 



Several members of the Parisian Biological Society 

 have recently been engaged in a series of experiments 

 which seem to prove that everything endowed with 

 life, whether animal, plant or ferment, is susceptible 

 of being brought under the influence of aniesthetics 

 — in other words, may be sent to sleep. It has been 

 proved that the influence of anaesthetics extends to all 

 the animal tissues, and last of all, to the central 

 nervous system. Hence, it was argued, plants hav- 

 inir tissues must also be subject to the influence of 

 ether, etc. Experiments prove this to be the case. 

 Germination is arrested by anesthetics. The water- 

 cress, for example, germinates within thirty hours. 

 Ether arrests sermination in this plant, but does not 

 destroy that faculty. It merely sends the plant to 

 sleep, for germination recommences as soon as the 

 use of ether is suspended. But the sensitive plant 

 furnishes a still more striking illusti-ation. Its sen- 

 sitive faculty is rendered completely dormant by 

 etherization, while the other living properties remain 

 unaffected. On suspending the action of ether, the 

 sensitive faculty of the plant is quickly restored. The 

 capability of being sent to sleep is not confined to 

 plants ; it extends to ferments. Thus the ferment of 

 beer, when submittCTl for twenty-four hours to the 

 influence of ether, becomes perfectly dormant, but re- 

 covers its activity as soon as the aniesthetic action is 

 suspended. In future the practical botanist must not 

 pursue his cruel rambles without the assistance of 

 one of the Chlorine family. — Medical Examiner. 



Questions and Answers. 



How can evergreens be made to grow stocky ? 



By nipping the tip ends. 



How to prevent mildew on grapes ? 



Sprinkle them with sulphur. 



What process is required to make good onion " sets" 

 for next spring ? 



Sow onion seed now, thickly ; allow them to get to 

 the size of peas, then pull and dry them, and they will 

 make fine "sets." 



Thick or thin planting, which, for hedges? 



Thick versus thin planting is the subject of many a 

 controversy. An Iowa correspondent advocates thick 

 planting. He says twenty thousand plants per mile 

 of Osage orange is his rule for an Osage hedge. 



Will smoke injure grapevines ? 



A paper read before the French academy of sciences 

 recently asserted that vineyards in close proximity to 

 limekilns are often badly injured from the smoke, 

 and that in some instances the fruit becomes, in con- 

 sequence, impregnated with noxious odors to such a 

 degree as to unfit it for wine. The smoke from brick- 

 kilns has, accorking to other authorities, proved dis- 

 astrous to grapevines. 



What is a good remedy for hoof-bound horses ? 



Strong brine apjdied three times a day is recom- 

 mended tor foundered or hoof-bound horses. Wash 

 the legs and pour upon the bottom of the feet. 



A correspondent who believes in liquid manures for 



