i40 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



[ September, 



The flowers are similar to those of the thorouffhwort 

 or boneset, ouly of a purplish cast in the iuvolucral 

 heads. But in this plant, which must have been over 

 six feet in height, the smooth stem has the epidermis 

 striated, or etiped, with slightly purplish bands, 

 somewhat spirally arranged in regular order. This 

 epidermis forms a raised welt or seam longi- 

 turnally along the entire stem on one side, 

 almost in a straight or vertical line, and from 

 this welt or ridge every leaf and axillary and terminal 

 branch of the entire plant springs, so that the 

 whole stem, from top to bottom, is perfectly free of 

 leaf or bud, except on this line, one above the other, 

 apparently somewhat grouped so as to indicate the 

 ordinary internode between the whorls or leaves. 

 The science of "I'hyllotaxis," or the arrangement of 

 the leaves, hardly accounts for this vertical arrange- 

 ment, however elaborately investigated by Dr. Gray 

 and other writers. Leaves are usually alternate, 

 opposite or verticillate. These are normal modes 

 and accounted for on the ground that the nodes are 

 In cycles, two, three or more ranked, also oblique 

 series or secondary spirals are accounted for. Prof. 

 J. S. Stahr suggested that the stipes on the stem 

 might indicate an untwisting of the ordinary spiral 

 elongation, so as to bring all the nodes in a vertical 

 row as we find them; but is the fact accounted for 

 by such a supposition ? The raised welt is suggestive 

 of an injury in its earliest development, sufficient to 

 twist the molecules that give rise to the leaf nodes, 

 while the stem was tender and succulent and emerg- 

 ing perhaps from between stones, causing the em- 

 bryotic leaf matter to be presssed to one side, and 

 thus carried up and developed successively in this 

 one sided manner. All growth is governed by laws, 

 but counteracting laws also e.xist, and hence comes 

 a disturbance to normal law, and abnormal results 

 arise. Whether we can determine exactly how or 

 not — the matter is curious and of interest. 



S. 8. Ratiivon read a descriptive paper (No. 571) 

 on the collection deposited by him, stating interesting 

 particulars respecting the upland mouse (Arvi'cola 

 pinelorura). The red salamander and " Amblystoma 

 punctatum." The " Spirobolusmarginatus," Arach- 

 noida colebptera and larvye — grape vine insects — and 

 about the " Agave Americana," raised by Mr. Zim- 

 merman from a seed sent him by Mr. Frank Diffeu- 

 derfer in 185i), I'rom El Paso, in New Mexico, called 

 Century plant, and American aioe, which is found to 

 flower at the age of 10 or 1.5 years, instead of 100, as 

 the name implies, as tliis plant has proved, having 

 bloomed, though raised from seed as stated. 



A hill presented for cleaning rooms, &c., fl.90, 

 was ordered to be paid. 



On motion of S. M. Scner, a committee of three 

 was appointed to consider the expedience of having 

 a semi-monthly meeting, on some evening, in addition 

 to tl(f regular meeting. The chair appointed S. M. 

 Sener, S. ti. Katiivon and J. Staufl'er said committee. 



On motion, adjourned. 



AGRICULTURAL. 



Working Land on Shares. 



Working land on shares seems to be a poor business 

 for both parties. It is to the interest of the tenant 

 to spend as little for extra labor as possible, because 

 the owner of the land gets half the benefit, without 

 bearing any of the expense. When the country was 

 new and the land rich, a man could, perhaps, afford 

 to give half the products, as he could get fair crops 

 with little labor ; but now that the land is more or 

 less run down, and it is necessary to build it up with 

 manure and good culture, it is impossible for a man 

 to expend the necessary labor and give half the pro- 

 duce for rent. It may be done for a year or two on 

 land in high condition ; but the farm must inevitably 

 deteriorate under the system. A man might afford 

 to rent a grass farm on shares, but not an arable 

 farm. It is difficult to take one of our ordin,nry run- 

 down farms and raise enough from it, for the first 

 few years, to pay the coat of labor and support the 

 teams. It would be cheaper, so far as immediate 

 profit is concerned, to pay one hundred dollars an 

 acre for a farm in high condition, with good build- 

 ings and fences, than to accept as a gift one of these 

 run-down farms. It is time this matter was under- 

 stood, so that those uneasy mortals who are always 

 expecting to sell, and consequently make no efforts 

 to keep up and improve the land, should be com- 

 pelled to turn over a new leaf, or else dispose of their 

 farms at a low figure. — Oliio Farmer. 



Compost. 

 Are not many of our farmers mistaken in their 

 ideas of the value of compost manure ! Is it not 

 often the case that they rate the increased value of 

 the manure by the number of cart loads of earth 

 which they have added to it ? We must not forget 

 that the earth adds very little manurial value to the 

 pile, and in reality does little but induce a much 

 quicker and more rapid action by shortening and 

 dividing the manure and producing a morerapidand 

 much earlier decay. It is ouly a question of the 

 rapidity and duration of action. If quick and rapid 

 action is needed for a short time, then composting is 

 the plan, and the only question in doubt will be 

 whether this kind of action will repay the increased 



expense of composting. If from the nature of the 

 case a gradual and prolonged action is needed then 

 composting is not the proper plan. Through all we 

 must bear in mind that but little is added by this 

 plan, and that for this gain alone it will not repay 

 the expense. A similar mistake is often made in 

 valuing barnyard manure for the large amount of 

 straw which may have been passed through the 

 stables and into the yard. If enough straw or fodder 

 has been supplied to absorb all liquids and prevent 

 their waste, but little is gained in value by a further 

 addition, and in the after-handling the extra amount 

 of long straw may prove an actual loss, and in many 

 cases it would be more economical to apply it directly 

 to the land. We must not mistake bulk for value. 



Killing Canada Thistles. 

 I had on my farm a four-acre field covered with 

 Canada thistles. I say "had," because I am con- 

 vinced that the present season's treatment has made 

 it too hot for them and I shall see no more of them. 

 The land was strong — "it takes good land to raise 

 good thistles." One-half the field was seeded, im- 

 mediately after plowing and a thorough working 

 with a two-horse cultivator, with soiling corn. This 

 was put in drills, 30 inches apart, with a large one- 

 horse seed drill — about S}.^ bushels per acre. By the 

 frequent use of she cultivator the space between the 

 rows was kept clean, and directly in the row the few 

 that have stuck up their heads look very yellow and 

 sickly, being shaded by the dense growth of corn. 

 The remainder of the field was seeded heavily with 

 Hungarian grass. Timely showers have made the 

 season favorable for this crop and it has grown 

 rapidly, smothering the disagreeable former occu- 

 pants of the soil. I do not consider this so success- 

 ful a mode of treatment as the former, because Hun- 

 garian grows so slowly on the start and the thistles 

 had an opportunity to gain a foothold. The crop is 

 nearly ready to harvest. Here and there, in looking 

 over the field, a thistle is seen, but a stranger would 

 never mistrust how foul the field was seventy days 

 ago. At any rate what few there are will be cut 

 before they mature seed. — P., Lichtfleld county , Con. 

 ^ 



Sugar Corn vs. Hungarian Grass. 

 The ScloUific l'\trmer, Boston, has a good word 

 for Hungarian grass, saying . " We recommend a 

 bushel of seed to the acre, on rich ground. On 

 poorer ground the quantity may be increased. Yet 

 fertile land is desirable for this crop, as well as 

 others, and a dressing of dung or fertilizer will be 

 apt to bring its reward in a thick and luxuriant crop. 

 Hungarian is a more dillicult crop to harvest than 

 hay. Always cut during a dry time, if possible, for 

 it will take three good hay days to prepare for the 

 liarn. Wc do not always, however, have our choice, 

 for as the crop ripens very rapidly, and should he 

 cut just when in blossom, a little delay at the critical 

 time, in order to secure favorable weather, is apt to 

 result in over-ripening, or the formation of seed. 

 Dead-ripe Hungarian is ])oor stuff for food, and may 

 even act as a poison, or at least as an injurious food, 

 wlien fed to horses, and hence it is preferable to 

 harvest I'athcr early than too late." This is good 

 advice ; but belter advice would be to substitute an 

 acre or two of sugar corn, sown broadcast. For fall 

 food it comes justS in the nick of time ; or to cut for 

 fodder just before it gets into tassel, and curing it 

 for winter feeding. It is relished exceedingly by cat- 

 tle and especially so by horses, and is very wholesome. 

 The fodder crop of corn, when Lucerne and Hunga- 

 rian grass are under consideration, should always be 

 borne in mind and be allowed its full weight. 



HORTICULTURAL. 



Fall Plowing. 

 Mr. Harris says, in the American Agricidturist : I 

 am convinced that wc shall find it to our interest to 

 work our land more and more in the fall — and the 

 earlier the better. Our springs are short, and we are 

 in a hurry to get in the seed ; tlie land is wet, and if 

 plowed in this condition we do more harm than 

 good. If we wait until it gets dry it is apt to turn 

 up lumpy, and much harrowing, cultivating and roll- 

 ing is required to get it in anything like good condi- 

 tion. And as everything is crowding us, we are often 

 oljliged to put in the crop with some of the land so 

 hard that unless we have an unusually wet spring 

 the seed is a long time in coming up, and the crops 

 are "spotty." And it is these poor spots that pull 

 down the "average yield" to such a low figure. I 

 have in my own barley field to-day portions that will 

 probably give fifty bushels per acre, and spots where 

 the yield will not be ten bushels. And yet these lat- 

 ter spots are naturally the strongest and richest land 

 in the field. 



Coal Ashes. 

 Bliss, the seedsman, recommends the use of coal 

 ashes for potato patches, and say.s that persons who 

 are in the habit of throwing ashes away as useless 

 are making a great mistake ; they are found by ex- 

 perience to be of great benefit in the culture of pota- 

 toes. Many ashes are dumped in the streets and 

 alleys, when they could be used to improve th^ soil 

 of gardens. Save your ashes and use them for the 

 pur])ose of manure. Wood ashes are counted among 

 the first fertilizers, and they command a good price 

 by those who know their value. 



Management of Fruit Trees. 



What may be now a tender, qiiick-growing sprout 

 will, in October, be a strong, woody branch, and per- 

 haps a branch just where it is not wanted, and which 

 must be removed by the use of a saw or a strong 

 knife. At the right time the shoot could have been 

 rubbed ofi', and not only the trouble of removing the 

 branch avoided, but the useless growth would have 

 been directed to parts where it was needed. If one 

 has a careful eye to his young trees, he can, by rub- 

 bing off a bud or shoot here, and pinching a shoot 

 there, so direct the growth that by the time the trees 

 come into bearing they will be of proper form, and 

 very little work will be required for the pruning-saw 

 and chisel. If large limbs are to be removed from 

 neglected trees, this month or next (according to lo- 

 cality, at any rate, when the spring growth is made 

 and the leaves have attained full size and substance) 

 is by many preferred for the work, as wounds now 

 heal rapidly. Cut all large wounds smooth with a 

 drawing-knife and cover with shellac varnish, melted 

 grafting-wax, or thick paint. Borers do not breed in 

 the tree, as some suppose. Every borer in the treo 

 went in. The parent winged insect laid the egg on 

 the liark. The little borer hatched out at once bored 

 its way Into the tree, and there it will stay until it 

 comes out a perfegt insect, or is cut out or is punched 

 to death in the hole. But please observe, no patent 

 stuff that is to be laid in the crotch of the tree, no 

 stuff' that you may paint on the trunk, no "invigora- 

 tor" or anything that you may apply to the soil, to 

 be taken up by the roots and thus poison the borer, 

 will be of any earthly use. While you are fussing 

 with such treatment the borer is quietly at work, 

 perhaps stopping now and then to laugh at the folly 

 of the performance. Cut with knife and punch with 

 wire. The slug, so called, but wliich is really a cater- 

 pillar, will appear, especially on the pear and cherry 

 leaves, and, unless checked, often makes sad work. 

 It is a dark-green leach-like creature, that leaves a 

 slimy trail. Slaked lime, dusted from a coarse bag 

 at the end of a pole will soon end it. In a dry time 

 fine dust from the road may he thrown into the trees 

 with good effect. — Inilepemlfnt. 



^ 



A Propagating Secret. 



Under this head the London (Jardmrr'A Chronicle 

 says : It will be rcinemborcd that a month or two 

 ago wc alluded to an alleged extraordinary secret for 

 pi-opagating trees and grafting roses, whereby much 

 time could be saved, offered for a small sum by an 

 .\u6trian nurseryman. This gentleman has since 

 communicated an article on the subject to the Wietier 

 narlcnfreimd. Briefly, his new method is as follows : 

 Cuttings of shrubs and trees are taken otf at the be- 

 ginning of July, from six inches to twelve inches 

 long, according to the kind. The leaves arc removed 

 from the lower portion which is to enter the ground, 

 but those which will come above the ground are left. 

 Beds are prepared for them in the open air by thorough 

 digging and leveling, and afterwards apjilying a 

 superficial layer, aViout two inches thick, of rotten 

 manure from a spent hot-bed. The cuttings are then 

 stuck in aliout two inches apart, and in a somewhat 

 oblicjue direction. Each bed when filled is surrounded 

 with a lath fence, so that 8h,ide m.ay be given when 

 the sun is very hot, and the cuttings are well watered 

 with a rose-spouted can. This completes the opera- 

 tirn. The only further care necessary is a sprinkling 

 overhead three or four times a day during the first 

 week, if thff weather be very hot, and once a day 

 afterwards. In the course of five or six weeks treated 

 in the manner indicated, the cuttings of most plants 

 will have formed a callus, and further shading will 

 be unnecessary. Late in the autumn a layer of rough 

 manure, two Inches or three inches thick, is spread 

 over for winter prorection. It also serves as manure 

 when the cuttings start growing in the spring; and 

 cuttings treated thus make extraordinary progress — 

 forming plants equal to two-year old plants from 

 winter or spring cuttings. Very few, it is asserted, 

 fail. The new method of grafting roses is the inser- 

 tion of growing eyes early in spring, instead of dor- 

 mant eyes in the summer. They are inserted in the 

 main stem, one on each siele, to form symmetrical 

 heads. These make, it is said, as much growth the 

 first season as the dormant eyes the second season. 



Cracking of Pears. 



Why some pears crack, seems one of those queer 

 things which no one can find out. We have never 

 claimed much luck at finding out these riddles, but 

 wc do think that there may be several reasons and 

 that all kinds of pear-cracking are not from the 

 same cause. All around everywhere, except in 

 closely built up cities, so far as we know, the old 

 Butter pear, or white Doyenne, cracks badly. It is 

 rare, indeed, that we see a perfect fruit. The Seckel 

 never cracks — at least we never knew of a case. But 

 some seem to crack sometimes and not at others, 

 and why this should be so is more of a mystery than 

 in the case of the Butter, which has the disorder as a 

 regular thing. In this region the Bcurre (Jiffard is 

 one we have frequently recommended in our lists and 

 elsewhere. So far as we know, it is regularly good 

 everywhere about here, and no one need fear to 



