1878. 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



ii9 



to become very dry. Dcpii plowini; and plant- 

 iiif; without ridging would inobaljly Ix; a pre- 

 vention to some extent. In all these cases 

 when no rain happens until the seed head 

 commences to show itself, the tobacco be- 

 comes stunted, and when once so far advanced 

 there is no dau^;er of fox, but the tobacco will 

 be short and "heavy." 



But in all the above soils the disease will 

 make its appearance in si)ite of deep plowing 

 or Hat iilanting, and that is when the land Is 

 naturally wet. In all eases of wet soils, to- 

 bacco (and all other crojis) have their roots 

 near the surface ; they never i)enetrating to 

 any depth, and never going down to the water 

 line. If the weather becomes very hot and 

 dry the water line is lowered a little, and the 

 surface of the soil, where the roots all are, 

 may become hot and dry, and a rain happen- 

 ing at this time will have the same effect as 

 it would have on the lighter soils. 



AVe will now have to discuss the prevention, 

 and the cure, if there is any. 



On dry soils, such as mentioned, there is 

 probably very little that may l)e done to i)re- 

 vent the disease, unless it is to bring them 

 into a high condition so that the tobacco has 

 become large enough to thoroughly shade the 

 ground before very hot weather comes on. 



On low soils the disease will seldom, if ever, 

 manifest itself if such land is thoroughly 

 drained to the depth of four or live feet. We 

 have al)out two acres of such land that shoidd 

 have been drained long ago, but the outlet 

 would not allow it. This spring a neighbor 

 of ours deepened the brook that llows through 

 the two properties, and we then commence<l a 

 drain after the tobacco had been planted, but 

 did not get it finished. As far as the drain 

 extends the tobacco is A 1, but outside of 

 where the drain acts there is more or less fox. 



I believe the cure was discussed by the 

 Tobacco Growers' Association, but I did not 

 liappen to notice it in the daily paper. When 

 the July number of The Farsiek came to 

 hand 1 expected to see the proceedings of the 

 association in that number, but was dis- 

 appointed. I have been informed, however, 

 that it was recommended to take a fork (a 

 regular digging fork would be best) and insert 

 the tines into the soil, under the stalk, and 

 pry it up. I have known cases in which hold 

 would be taken of such stalks and a smart 

 pull given. The result is the same in both 

 Ciises, the plant is root-pruned. 



If the cause of "fox" is as we have sup- 

 posed, viz : too much sap in an abnormal 

 state supplied by the roots, this root-pruning 

 is just what is needed ; by prying up the stalk 

 many of the roots are broken, and thus the 

 amount of sap is greatly lessened and the 

 plant given a temporary check, and by tlie 

 time the new roots are formed the soil will 

 have become cooled and a natural growth 

 follow. 



To fully establish the cause of the disease, 

 its prevention and its cure, will take consider- 

 able observation and interchange of opinions, 

 but as theie are so many persons engaged in 

 fanning tobacco it should not be very long 

 before the remedies are known. 



Prices of Farm Produce 

 range lower than has ever been known to 

 many of our younger farmers ; wheat is fiuoted 

 at but i)Octs. by oiu- local millers; butter ranges 

 from 12 to 1.5 cents per jHiund for good ; eggs 

 12 cents per dozen ; cheese 8 to cents i)er 

 pound ; honey 10 to 18 cents per pound for 

 white ; and so on in the list ; but this is not the 

 worst, as there is little sale even at these low 

 prices. 



To the specialist, who produces only butter, 

 or cheese, or eggs, or honey, this is very dis- 

 couraging, iis, with the excejitioii of the latter, 

 they have to be worked otT in a reasonable 

 time or they will deteriorate in (piality. 



The regular farmer, with his mixed hus- 

 bandry, has greatly the advantage, as three- 

 fourths of what he rai.ses can be held for more 

 remunerative rates, if he so chooses. 



It is very probable that prices of farm pro- 

 duce may not be as high again in a genera- 

 tion as they were some years ago, nor vary as 



much as they did then. (Jne re.ison of high 

 prices was in our depreciated currency; lor 

 supi>o.se that wheat was82..'JU i)er bushel when 

 gold was (luoled at 250, then SI. 00 in gold 

 would buy one bushel of wheat ; now, if wlieat 

 would \h: (|Uote<l at $1.00 it could be bought 

 for '.)'.)k cents gold. They will not vary as much, 

 becau.se the increase in the area being brought 

 underc\dtivation is in a greater ratio than the 

 increa.si: in theiiopulation. 



This is to be attributed to the dulhu^ss in 

 trad(^ and the manufactures, many of these 

 two classes having no eniploynient, and not 

 being abU^ to get work at their own or any 

 other trade, many of such as had a little 

 money on hand yet took advantage of the lib- 

 erality of th(^ government and have become 

 "homesteaders." This is to th(^ advantage 

 of those remaining in their particular branches, 

 but tends to lower the profit of the farmer for 

 a time. This will be the case until farming 

 brings so little i)rotit that many will get into 

 old employments again or seek new ami more 

 promising fields of labcu', and then the farm- 

 er's profit will be better again. 



This is in accordance with the law of trade, 

 that when anything is produced beyond tlie 

 point of consumption, then prices will fall 

 until there is little or no i>rofit, and the pro- 

 duction will now cease or be curtailed until 

 the consumption is greater than the produc- 

 tion, and in the degree that the two vary so 

 will the price rise or fall. — A. B. K. 



For The Lancarteu Farmkii. 

 AROUND THE FARM— No. lo. 



Several months ago 1 promised to furnish 

 readers with a list of tools 1 found handy to 

 have "around the farm." The first thing 

 necessary is a room of suitable size, say 2() 

 feet long ami as wide as convenient. This 

 room should be \w\\ lighted at least on one 

 side where a work-ljench should be erected 

 two and one-half feet high and as wide. 



The tool chest should contain the following 

 tools : A cross-cut haud-saw, a rip saw, a 

 key-hole saw, 1 brace and set of bits from 

 quarter inch to inch, increasing by sixteenths, 

 I doz. gimlet or spoon bits of dilTereut sizes, 

 screw-driver, reamer, and countersink lo fit 

 brace, 1 gauge, 1 drawing knife, 1 sjioke- 

 shave. six chisels from \ to 2 inches, a mallet, 

 nail hammer, hatchet, common axe, 1 broad- 

 axe (short handle), 1 screw-wrench, 1 strong 

 screw-driver, 1 steel square, 1 small try-square, 

 chalk line, three planes — jack, short pointer 

 and smoothing ; steel nail-punch, wood rasp, 

 an assortment of files and a pair of strong 

 nippers. Foi harness repairing, some copper 

 rivets of different lengths, with punch to 

 make holes through leather, will enable you 

 to mend anything about harness. A heavy 

 block of wood will be found useful in the shop 

 to work upon in hewing and i)unching, etc. 

 We must not forget the grindstone, one of the 

 most necessary articles "around the farm." 



Once you have the tools don"t forget to 

 keep them in order. Working with dull or 

 rusty tools is poor satisfaction. It will require 

 some attention to keej) them in order, but it 

 is quite essential if one wislies to work with 

 success. I have also made a box with com- 

 partments, each holding two or three pounds 

 of nails, which I kcej) filled with sizes rang- 

 ing from 4(1 up to 2Ud. While another box 

 has screws of all sizes, brass tacks, clout nails, 

 rivets, &c., in fact everything in the small 

 nail line wliich one may possibly want on the 

 farm, while I don't neglect to keep an a.ssort- 

 inent of bolts of sizes to fit such wagons and 

 machinery as is usual "around the farm." A 

 good set of useful tools, such as we have 

 named, will soon save enough to pay for them- 

 selves and aflbrd anuisenient and satisfaction 

 to every member of the family. Don't be 

 afraid to let the boys handle the tools, al- 

 tliough they spoil some and cut their fingers 

 in the bargain. Let them make kites, toy 

 boats, windmills and many other contrivances 

 their busy minds will suggest, as nothing 

 tends to give them skill with tools like early 

 jiractice. Besides, while they are engaged 

 with tools they are not on the streets or in 



mischief, and by tending to make liomc at- 

 tractive to them it may give a partial solution 

 to that threadbare (piestion : " How can wo 

 keep the boys on the farm ?" 



The writer of this, while growing up from a 

 lad, had the advantage of the use of carpenter 

 tools in all kinds of farm work ; he can speak 

 from experience, and not oidy believes but 

 knows, that a knowledge of the use of tools, 

 and how to do work of all kinds, is the best 

 liarl of a liberal education. It fits a man for 

 almost any avocation in life, and makes him 

 more nearly indeiiendent in a grapple with 

 the world than a pile of money or a college 

 degree without such skill. Together with 

 good bleeding, jiroper study and studious 

 thought and practice, it should make a perfect 

 farmer. — liura list . 



Fur TlIK I.ANlASTKn FAnMKK. 



REVU OF JULY NUMBER. 



The Ckcrnj CVoj).— The editor's remarks 

 and strictures under this lied ar wel worth rc- 

 rcding. 



Lancaster Cherry. — Judging from the re- 

 jiorts ov yur societe, this mustprova valuable 

 aqnisition to our list. 



Jiriijhton Grape. — This.luks wel on paper, 

 but we hav also tested it and think it worthy 

 ov trial. 



(hu- Whtat Cro;;.— This articl contains som 

 gud hits and hints, but iis ther ar som poiuts 

 stil unsettled, ujion which II. II. E. and P. 

 S. II. hav erosed sords, we ma exi>ect another 

 contest next seson. We lik to se thes litl 

 controversies very much, for tha help to 

 whill things to finer points. 



Dqyrahkirmx of Insects.— This is a mater ov 

 mor than ordinary importance. The editor 

 ov The F.mj.mei! has sed and riten so much 

 and so wel upon this subject, but it requirs* 

 gud del ov hamering to get pepl to giv any 

 lied to it, xcept when the insects destroy 

 cntir crops. 



Hdtiny a rioxo.—J. G. no dout nos what he 

 rits about. It wil requir no extra cxpcns to 

 try it. 



r/ie 7/o?icy Uee.— We fer J. T.'s nu theory 

 on queens wil requir further ventilation. We 

 very much dout that tha kep mor than one 

 quen in one hiv a grat whil. 



Itandnm Thought.^.—A. B. K. is alwas on 

 hand with something practical. He pases 

 som stricturs on our opinion ov the progresiv- 

 ness ov farmers. « )ur criticisms were intended 

 only for thos hum the .shu fits, and we can- 

 didly belcv it fits a gud many. No credit to 

 thos hu ar mad to progress by fore of circum- 

 stances only. 



Enf/Innd's Qreat J^or?/i.— This must l)e a 

 grand affar, and ov grat promis, but we hop 

 Uncle Sam wil start .somthing to tet it. 



The Millers'' Convention.— "W^ hop this wil 

 not be a short livd societe. 



Scientific Potato Culture.— We don't under- 

 stand which end the Frenchman cals the top, 

 and so we can't get up a controversy with him. 



mnning Fruit. — This is a subject that is 

 not likly to lie repeated tu often. The injury 

 to tres and the los by groing inferior frut, by 

 leting tres overbar, is enormous, and thining 

 wud be atended lo if 1*1)1 cud only be induced 

 to try it. 



Whijyping Horses.— Tl^a articl contains 

 xcelent advic as to treatment ov horses, but 

 the contrast with treatment ov thildren is 

 not a far one, for many children ar whiped 

 lik horses. 



7/oi/; to Choose a Good C<n».—Vfe hav beter 

 marks to judg by. We giv it gratis. We 

 find the contents ov the pail after milking, 

 and the proceds ov the churn the only infalli- 

 ble metlKxIs wherby to judg a cow. 



Condiments in Poultry Diet.-ThoT is a 

 prcvaling notion that becausman has habitu- 

 ated himself to al maner ov condiments to 

 tickle the palat, that fowls must hav them 

 al.so, but anything that Ixirders on the ridicu- 

 lus wil generaly tak wel with most pepl. 



For good resons our revu is bref this 

 mouth. — Von HumboU. 



SuBSCKiBE for The Farmer. 



