THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



47 



Agriculture. 



Deep and Shallow Plowing. 



Few eulijectt atlnicl more atleutioii ami i,'ive rise 

 to more discusBioii ami want ofa^'roriiifiiL, tliantliat 

 of the depth of plowii);;. Many do uol consider tlic 

 very important fact tliat deep and shallow plowing 

 depends upon the nature of the soil. The truth Is, 

 there are many soils in which if one plow deep lie 

 may find great protlt in so doing ; but on the other 

 hand, there are thousands and thousands of acres of 

 land where it is sheer madness to plow deep. On 

 flat clay land where water cannot drain rapidly 

 away, and where the lack of drainage is the bane of 

 the cultivator, It is found by experience that a shal- 

 low but rich surface soil is much better than a deeply- 

 stirred one. And the reason is obvious. If water be 

 an injury, and it cannot get into the soil by reason of 

 the hardness of the subsoil, the rain will pass over 

 the surface to the open ditches, which always have 

 to be made in a Hal country. If we loosen such soil 

 deeply, we harbor more of our liquid enemy, and 

 that counterbalances what otherwise might be a 

 good thing in a deep soil. Besides these, there are 

 other cunsidcratlous. If the surface-soil be poor, 

 and we turn this down into a still poorer subsoil, we 

 bury what little good there might have been in the 

 surface soil far below the reach of the roots. 



A little learning is undoubtedly a dangerous thing 

 in farming. There is no department in industry 

 wherein circnmstanccs alter cases more than in this. 

 While deep plowing is an excellent thing when cir- 

 cumstances suit, there are innumerable cases when 

 it is wise to go the other vfay-.—Oermaiitoum Tel. 



Sowing Oats Early. 

 In few things have the advantages of an under- 

 dratn soil shown to better etfect than in oat-growing. 

 Light soils are not lavorable to the oat, and yet it is 

 the light soils which are the early ones. On the other 

 hand, the oat requires a moderately low temperature, 

 of at least two months, to perfect its root-organiza- 

 tion. It ought to be one of the earliest crops sown 

 j 1b the spring, but our strong soils, on which the oat 

 does best, are often wet soils, and very unfavorable 

 to early sowing. 



Those who have strong soils, and yet tolerably dry, 

 have the very best of oat laud, and those who have 

 not must watch every chance to get the seed in early 

 if they would have the best results. Those who 

 know this and yet have land for oats which they feel 

 they will hardly be able to seed before the end of 

 April, sometimes prepare the land in the fall, and 

 then sow the seed on the snow in February. Snow in 

 our regions is too precarious to found any system 

 thereon. We may have snow or we may not. But 

 in the Western States, where snow is a regular thing 

 at that time of the year we notice that the practice 

 is growing into favor. Those wlio have tried it say 

 the seed sprouts as soon a.s the first warm days of 

 spring come, some two weeks at least ahead of the 

 regular April sowings, and the crop proportionately 

 increased. We may not find this plan everywhere 

 feasible, but we may be encouraged always to sow at 

 the earliest time practicable. 



American Wheat in Spain. 

 The first cargo of American wheat was landed in 

 Barcelona, Spain, about November 15th, and created 

 quite a sensation among the dealers. Previously 

 most of the wheat handled at that market has been 

 Black Sea and Hungarian, but the American was 

 judged to be equal to the best grades of those varie- 

 ties, and this cargo has called tor about ^^5 cargoes 

 more. The amount of the shipment was 7:;,000 

 bushels, the price obtained 8:i.70 per VlO lbs., and the 

 cost of the freight was $18,000. The only unwelcome 

 feature of this item of news is that the grain 

 was carried in a British steamer, and that the 

 cargoes further bargained for are to be carried In 

 British vessels. We have at present no direct steam 

 communication with the ports of the Mediterranean. 

 Not until American steamship lines arc established 

 to all prominent foreign markets can we hope for the 

 best returns from the sale of the products of our 

 farms, mines and factories. — thiterican Agricttllurht 

 for February 1. 



Salt as a Manure. 



We have applied salt to our garden, say at inter- 

 vals of from six to eight years, for twenty-flve or 

 thirty years. We could not discover that it had any 

 particular effect. We believe, however, that it had 

 a good effect, besides destroying insect life. We use 

 it almost annually on the asparagus beds, as most 

 persons do, and know that the plant greatly thrives 

 upon it. In wheat fields it tends to stiflen the straw 

 and acts thus as a protection against storms, which 

 lay low so many llclds. It also attracts moisture, 

 and in times of drought acts favorably In this way. 

 But that it is a manure in any sense, or that it will 

 show Itself after the first crop is removed, we do not 

 believe. It is a question for the observing farmer to 

 decide whether or not its application will " pay." 



In England it has loDg been experimented with in 



every way, as a fertilizer, and the farmers there are 

 as much in the dark about it to-day as they were at 

 the beginning. The .Uark Lane Kxprest, regarded 

 as good authority tlicre, says that there is no clear 

 eviili'uce even as to Its mode of action, as the results 

 arc BO varying that they are "conflicting and con- 

 tradictory." 



American Produce Abroad. 

 At the dairy shows in Kngland, American factory 

 cheese took such a prominent position as to cause the 

 London rimex to say It was driving " English Clicd- 

 dnr's out of the market." Be It understood that 

 English Cheddar cheese is of a similar grade to the 

 American factory product, and is the main reliance 

 of the English market. A prominent American gen- 

 tlemen writes from Vienna that the prospects of this 

 country, as viewed from abroad, promise an era of 

 great prosperity, because .we arefinding a market In 

 other lands for so much of our produce : horses, cat- 

 tle, dead meat, butter, cheese, grain and manufac- 

 tured goods. The larger proportion of animal pro- 

 ducts we can ship abroad the better, for that means 

 that we are feeding grain, and thereby saving the 

 fertility of our farms. For, they are more exhausted 

 by selling grain than by feeding it and selling meat, 

 butter, cheese, etc., and by the latter course we get 

 two prices for the grain ; one in the product sold and 

 one iu the manure.— America;* Agriculturist for 

 Febrnanj 1. 



Horticulture. 



Pruning Fruit and Ornamental Trees. 



We read a great deal about the proper time of 

 pruning trees, and especially the apple tree. Some 

 prefer fall, some midwinter, some early spring, but 

 scarcely one recommends the very best time in our 

 humble opinion— mirfsMmmfr. Doubtless some old 

 fogies will open their eyes and hold up their hands at 

 such an innovation, and denounce it as an absurdity; 

 but we think we will be sustained by a majority of 

 the "live" men of the day. 



If we desire to improve the form of a fruit tree 

 and get rid of some of the superfluous wood, we 

 should prune in the winter ; but if we desire fruit 

 and a perfectly healed stump, we should prune from 

 the fifteenth of June to the twentieth of July. We 

 have done this often with the happiest results. The 

 fruit-buds form af.er this, and the operation In sud- 

 denly cutting off its growth, produces buds ; while 

 the winter or early spring pruning will produce only 



In pruning ornamental trees in midsummer, the 

 bark, instead of receding from the stump, grows 

 over it, and in a few years will completely cover it 

 :iii(l iiKike a perfect amputation. We have noticed 

 tijis ii|i(iii our own premises, as well as upon those of 

 otlicr.s, nuiny times. This pruning is done when the 

 tree is taking its midsummer " siesta," and then 

 wakes up, refreshed for another start, and the bark 

 gradually steals over the stump as if ashamed of the 

 shabby-looking exposure. 



When the tree is in full leaf, and presents its full 

 form to us, we can see exactly where the pruning 

 should be done, in order that while the overgrowth 

 may be removed, the symmetry of the tree may be 

 preferred. Especially is midsummer pruning to be 

 preferred, first, tc produce buds on fruit-bearing 

 trees as before stated ; and second when large limbs 

 are to be removed. 



Hide-Bound Trees. 



The practice of slitting the outer bark of fruit 

 trees perpendicularly has its friends and enemies. 

 We are of the latter. It deals with the effect instead 

 of the cause. The cambium layer is that from which 

 a zone of growth (in exogenous plants) is annually 

 added both to the sap-wood and to the inner bark. 

 The outer bark is flually exfoliated, or rent in fissures 

 and scaled off by the action of the weather. Trees 

 that are starved increase in growth slowly, and the 

 outer bark becomes so indurated as to resist, to a 

 certain extent, their growth by retarding the upward 

 passage of the crude sap from the roots to the leaves, 

 and of the elaborated sap from the leaves downward. 

 But we think it may be questioned whether it is not 

 well that its growth should be retarded. Surely If 

 it is true that a treebecomes "hide-bound" because it 

 is starved, increasing its size is not going to remedy 

 the evil, since we do but furnish more mouths, so to 

 speak, to be fed by the same amount of food. 



W« have seen many trees thus treated. The stems 

 would noticeably Increase in size the next year or so ; 

 but there was no corresponding evidence of vigor 

 apparent. In most instances it has seemed to us 

 their vigor was impaired. These perpendicular slits, 

 moreover, afford convenient lodgments for water or 

 moisture, ai d insects seek such crevices for shelter 

 or for depositing their eggs. It seems to us tliat the 

 natural remedy for hide-bound trees is to enrich the 

 earth as far as the roots extend, and that then the 

 cambium layer, increased In quantity and nutriment, 

 will so form new liber and alburnum that the outer 

 bark must expand and the stem soon become evenly 

 and sufficiently devdoped. 



Early Cabbages and Tomatoes. 



Many people go without these nice llllle garden 

 thIngB; lieiause they are a long distance away from 

 where the plants are sold ; or because they don't 

 want the trouble to make a bed to raise seeds of such 

 plants when they want but a few dozen of each kind. 

 But where this Is the case all one needs may be raised 

 in a box of earth on the kitchen window, or any part 

 of the house where ihers is light and a very little 

 warmth. 



This is often done with the tomato, but the cab- 

 bage can be raised In the same way, or even better, 

 for the tomato must be always secure from tlie frost, 

 while a little of this will not affect the young plant 

 or seed of the cabbage. Of the early cabliuge few 

 people want more than '^5 or 50, and a ten-cent paper 

 and a box of about a foot square will proilucc this 

 quantity with a very little trouble. For early cabbage 

 tliey may be sown at once In this way. 



There "is often much tronble in raising late cabbage 

 seed, on account of the ravages of the fly, when tlie 

 attempt is made in the open ground ; but where only 

 a few are needed they might probably be raised In 

 this way, and thus be secured against danger from 

 this little pest. No doubt from fifty to a hundred 

 could very well be raised in a small box of this kind, 

 and unless where there Is a tolerably large sauer- 

 kraut barrel, ought to furnish a respectable supply 

 for any moderate family. The late cabbage seed 

 ought not to be sown before the middle of .March, 

 and the tomato not much before that either. 



Household Recipes. 



How TO Nectkalize Ski-.nks' Odor.— Take the 

 odorized clothing and bury them under ground for 

 three or four days ; then take them out and give them 

 a good airing. 



How TO Pickle A UTifnoKES.— Scrape and wash 

 a peck of artichokes ; put vinegar in an earthen pot, 

 enough to cover them ; add to each pint half a pound 

 sugar and a teaspoonlul of ground cinnamon, five or 

 six blades of mace, or half a grated nutmeg. Boil 

 them in this vinegar until you can run a knitting- 

 needle through them. 



How TO Destrov Motus in Featueks.- Take 

 them out of the tick and put them on your fruit- 

 dryer, and then put them into your oven after you 

 have taken out your bread. Put the tick into the 

 oven also in the same way. Let them remain in for 

 an hour or two and it will kill them all. If your furs 

 are infested with moths wrap them in newspapers 

 and treat them in the same manner. 



How TO FmcASSEE Chickrx.— Take your chick- 

 ens and divide them ; boil them until they are nearly 

 tender, in salt water ; take them out of the water 

 and drain them. Put a piece of butter in a pan ; let 

 it get hot, and then lay in your pieces of cliieken and 

 fry them into a nice brown. Take them up and put 

 a very little flour in the pan and let it brown. Pour 

 three tablespoonsful of water in the pau and let It 

 boil up, and then serve. 



Potatoes and " Nep " (Ksepf) — An frith 

 Z)i«A.— Boil some potatoes that you have previously 

 sliced about half an inch thick. When they b;gin 

 to get toft, put in the 'nep dough, which you make 

 by taking one quart of wheat Hour, one teaspoonful 

 of soda, and salt to taste ; mix these with the flour ; 

 add two eggs well beaten, and thick milk enough to 

 make a stiff batter. It raises up very much, but 

 should be eaten as soon as it is done. 



How TO Stkw Soup Beans.— Take one pint of 

 soup beans and pour boiling water over them until 

 they are covered two or three inches, for they will 

 swell ; let them stand at least three hours ; put them 

 over the Are in pure hot water— no salt. They will 

 boll soft in about 30 or 40 minutes. Drain the water 

 off and put In one cupful of sweet milk, a lump of 

 butter the size of a walnut, and salt to the taste; 

 turn them into a "boat," add pepper, and send them 

 to the table. 



How TO Make Turnip Salad.— Take six turnips 

 and slice them on a slaw-cutter ; put them in a stew- 

 pan with water enough to boil them soft. While 

 they are boiling take another pan and put in a large 

 tablespoonful of butler, and let it get hot, but not 

 burn ; as soon as your turnips are lender turn them 

 into the pan containing the butter, having previously 

 drained all the water off the turnips ; put In one 

 spoonful of sugar, pepper and sail to suit the taste ; 

 let them fry, but not to make them brown. Pour in 

 a half pint of vinegar ; stir it a few minutes longer, 

 and serve either warm or cold. — LeoHne. 



Tahle Sauce.— There is no reason why you should 

 not sometimes have a nice relish for cold meats when 

 you can make a pint of It for six cents, so I will give 

 you a receipt for it. (let a bunch of tarragon; it 

 wiircost five cents In the summer, when it Is green 

 and strong, and not much more in the winter; put 

 it in an earthen l)Owl and pour on it one pint of 

 scalding-hot vinegar ; cover it and let It stand until 

 the next day ; then strain it and put it into a bottle, 

 which you must cork tight. Either put more hot 

 vinegar on the tarragon or dry it, and save It until 



