1879.] 



tHE LANCASTER FARMER. 



189 



tallied the seeds is still preserved by the monks of 

 Quito. Wiieat was introduced into tlic present limits 

 of tlie United States contemporaneously with the 

 settlement of the country liy the English and Dutch. 

 I'ull Mall Gazette. 



A Senator's View of Fanning. 



Senator Chandler of Michigan, had lived many 

 years in Washington, and is familiar with ollicial 

 lite as it exists in the Senate and iu the departments. 

 What his opinion is of it when compared with farm- 

 ini; may he learned from the following : 



If I had a boy today, I would rather put him on 

 ail eighty-acre lot that never had a plow or an axe 

 upon it, than place him in the best (Jovcrnmeut 

 oHice in the land. 



Make your houses pleasant. Make them so at- 

 tractive that your sons and daughters will love their 

 homes better than any other place on this earth. 

 Make tlie business of I'arming so agreeable that your 

 sons will see that It is the most healthful and prolil- 

 able occupation in which they can engage. Build 

 good houses and buy good implements. Don't get 

 an old cracked cook-stove, but put iu a good range. 

 In fact, have every conveuienco that you can, so that 

 your wives and daughters will deem it a pleasure to 

 perform their household work. 



In this way you can bring up your sons and 

 daughters on the farm; but when you make the 

 home repulsive, you drive them into clerkships and 

 other menial positions, when they ought to be God's 

 anointed lords of creation. 



Depth of Sowing Wheat. 

 Farmers who are wide awak^ and given to iuvcfti- 

 gation don't sow so much wheat per acre as they 

 formerly did, and they don't sow it so deep. The 

 great, heavy harrows of ten or twenty years ago are 

 not now employed, by them in covering seed, and 

 the drill, which can be depended on better, is be- 

 coming universally popular. In broadcast sowing, 

 after the ground is thorouirhly prepared, the 

 Thomas smoothing harrow covers the seed deep 

 enough. A Wisconsin writer gives the results of an 

 experiment in planting at different depths— on the 

 surface, one-fourth inch, one-half inch, three-fourth 

 inch and so on to several inches. That on the sur- 

 face lay two weeks before sprouting ; that oni- 

 fourth to three-fourth inches deep came up iu four 

 or five days, and so on, getting later as the de|)tli 

 increased. The last to come up was planted thico- 

 and-a-half inches deep, and wis fourteen days in 

 reaching the surface. None planted deeper ever 

 reached the surface. At the end of six weeks that 

 planted one-fourth to one-half inch deep stood far 

 aliead of the rest.— ijecord and Fanner. 



Wheat and Oats. 

 A number of agricultural journals have advocated 

 sowing oats and wheat together. The leaves of the 

 oats are supposed to keep the snow from blowing 

 away, to prevent the sun from thawing the frozen 

 ground and to make a good top-dressing for the 

 growing wheat in the spring. But it seems plain 

 that if wheat make a fair growth in the fall its own 

 leaves will arrest the snow as well as oat leaves, 

 while they would serve ju.st as well to arrest the 

 action of the sun upon the frozen ground 



'top-dressing" we do not belli 



the wheat 



■rop 



vould be appreciably benefited. Not until the 

 leaves were plowed under and rotted in the ground 

 could any benefit be derived from them as a manure. 

 So far as we can see, therefore, the oats, instead of 

 benefiting the wheat, would simply exhaust the soil 

 of nutriment and moisture. 



Feeding Mowing Lands. 

 Of the many errors that farmers are likely to fall 

 into there is none more prolific of injury than that of 

 closely feeding those fields from which the hay crop 

 has been taken, and from which it is expected in the 

 future. During the late summer and early fall 

 months, when the feed in pastures becomes short, 

 and the flow of milk diminishing, with a field of good 

 feed that.has sprung up since cutting the crop of 

 hay, the temptation is very strong to "turn in the 

 cows" for a baiting. This may be all well enough 

 if not persisted in; but A-hen animals are allowed to 

 feed in such fields until the whole is gnawed so 

 closely as to be nearly as smooth as a house floor, 

 such a field cannot be depended Ui,oii for much of a 

 crop of'hay the succeeding season, unless a liberal 

 top-dresjSing of some sort of fertilizer is applied. 



Plowing by Electricitj . 



Some interesting experiments of plowing by elec- 

 tricity took place theother day atNoisiel, in France, 

 in the park of the well-known Deputy and chocolate 

 maker, M. Menier. The motive power was supplied 

 to the plow by a Gramme machine, itself set in 

 motion by water power, which is abundant on M. 

 Menier's estate. The plow did about the same work 

 as if it were drawn by four oxen. It was a Fowler 

 plow, with six shares. The motive power was sup- 

 plied by a wire at a distance of nearly half a mile. 



To a profane looker-on it was amazing to see a plow 

 propelled by an unseen agency without teams or 

 steam. The Gramme machine employed was the 

 same that supplied M. .Menier's manufactory with 

 electric light 



iba\xt Corn and Wheat. 

 Corn loses one-llflh by drying, and wheat one- 

 fourteenth. From this the estimate is made that it 

 is more profitable for farmers to sell uiisholled corn 

 in the fall at 7.5 cents than at $1 a bushel In the fol- 

 lowing summer, and that wheat at 9l--5iu Decem- 

 ber is equal to $1.50 In the succeeding June. In the 

 case of potatoes — taking those that rot and arc 

 otherwise lost— together with the shrinkage, there 

 is but little doubt that between October and June 

 the loss to the owner who holds them Is not less 

 than thirty-three per cent. 



Rolling After Se-wing Wheat Fields. 



The objection to rolling wheat fields after being 

 sown has been made that the snow will blow off or 

 collect in drifts here and there. But If wheat Is 

 sown early the leaves should cover the entire sur- 

 surface before winter, and we should suppose would 

 hold the soil as well as a rough soil surface. Whether 

 this supposition is well founded or not, we have this 

 fall rolkii five fields after the seed had been drilled 

 in or sown broadcast, and another season will prob- 

 ably enable us to test the question. 



Horticulture. 



Principles of Pruning. 



Barry, in his "First Garden," rests the theory of 

 pruning of fruit trees on six gen(>ral principles ; 



First. The vigor of a tree subjected to pruning, 

 depends in a great measure on the equal distribution 

 of sap in all its branches. To accomplish this the 

 following means are devised to be successively em- 

 jiloj'ed : (1) Prune the branches of the most 

 vigorous parts very short, and those of the weak 

 jiarts lo :g. (2) Leave a largo quantity of fruit on 

 the strong part, and remove tlic whole or greater 

 part t'roiii the feeble. (:i) Bond the strong parts 

 ami kro|i the weak erect, and the more erect the 

 livaiiclirs are, the greater will be the flow of sap to 

 I ho ;;ru\viiig parts. This remedy is especially 

 apiiHoil to CBpalier trees. (4) Kemove the vigorous 

 part.s (it the superfluous shoots, as early in the 

 Boasoii a.s piiBSible. (.5) Pinch early the soft extrem- 

 iiios nl' I ho shoots on the vigorous parts and as 

 lato as possible on the feeble parts, except always 

 any shoots which may be too vigorous for then- 

 position, (fi) Lay in the strong shoots on the 

 trellis early, and leave the feeble parts loose as long 

 as possible in espalier trees. 



Second. The sap acts with greater force, and 

 produces more vigorous growth on a branch or 

 shoot pruned short than one pruned long; hence the 

 practice of pruning short where wood branches are 

 desired, and long for fruit branches. 



Third. The sap tending always to the extremities 

 of the shoots, causes the terminal bud to push with 

 greater vigor than the laterals. 



Fourth. The more the sap is obstructed in Its cir- 

 culation, the more likely it will be to produce fruit 

 buds. 



Fifth. The leaves serve to prepare the sap ab- 

 sorbed by the roots for the nourishment of the tree, 

 and aid the formation on the shoots. All trees, 

 therefore, deprived of their leaves, are liable to 

 perish . 



Sixth. When the buds of any shoot or branch do 

 not develop before the age of two years, they can 

 only be forced into activity by close pruning, and in 

 some cases, notably the peach, this even will often 

 fail. 



Fruit Exports of the United States. 

 From a paper issued by the Agricultural Depart- 

 ment at Washington, we And the following on the 

 subject of dried fruit : "The European demand for 

 American fruits increases with the supply, and 

 proves to be very generally remunerative. There is 

 enough fruit raised in the United States to supply 

 both our own country and Europe. The first ex- 

 portation of apples was made MO years ago, when 

 the apples commanded from six dollars to eight dol- 

 lars a barrel in Liverpool. That city now receives 

 00,000 barrels of apples annually. The value of the 

 fruit exported last year was ?2,!):i7,025. The ex 

 portation of canned fruit is rapidly increasing. The 

 supply of dried fruit has never been equal to the 

 demand. The extraordinary increase in the pro- 

 duction of dried fruit in the last few years has been 

 met by still greater consumption." 



Fastening Zinc Labels on Trees. 

 Unless frequently examined, the wire used to 

 fasten labels to trees, as recommended by "Gris- 

 wold" in a late Hural, is apt to injure the tree by 

 cutting into apd sometimes girdling it. An im- 

 provement on|this is to make and attach the labels as 



follows : A convenient size is five or six inches long, 

 an inch wire at one end, tapering to a point at the 

 other. Write the name, date of setting, and auv- 

 thlng else of special Interest in connection with the 

 specimen, on the widest end with a common lead 

 pencil, and wind the pointed end around a limb. As 

 fast as the tree grows the flexible zinc unwinds with- 

 out Injuring the tree. The pencil marks unite chemi- 

 cally with the ziuc, and soon become indellible. The 

 best zinc for the purpose Is that which is thin, old 

 and corroded. I obtain them at the tin shojis here, 

 cut to order, for twenty-five cents per liundrcd.— 

 Correnpomlent of t/tr. Hiiral .Yeif Yorker. 



Cleaning Fruit Trees. 

 Autumn is the best time, says the Rural .^t." 

 Yorker, to cleanse fruit trees, and, indeed, all 

 plants, from scales and other InsectB. Now the 

 fruit trees can be handled with less Ifabilfty of 

 breaking buds and spurs than in the spring, after 

 the buds have begun to swell, and the work will be 

 as efrecflvc now as then. Use strong soapsuds of 

 whale oil soap. Apply It with a stiff brush ;,and do 

 not confine the washing to the trunk, but go over all 

 the small branches and everywhere on the tree 

 where scales are found. 



Manuring Fruit Trees. 

 Now is the time to mulch and manure fruit trees, 

 and prepare them to endure and thrive under the 

 severe cold of the coming winter. Well rotted 

 barnyard manure, mixed with loam, is probably the 

 best— but a sprinkling of wood ashes n-vind each 

 tree will have a good cflTcct. Even cu.i. aohcg Is 

 better than nothing. The spread keeps the roots 

 wariTi ami moist, and keeps out the frost to a large 

 cxtini. I'niii i]o. s need manuring and care just as 

 muoli ah (ilhci- iijanls and crops. 



Domestic Economy. 



Chickens to Boil. 



Dress in the usual way, cutoff the neck, legs, 

 wings, and break the back in two; put into cold 

 water till the animal heat is gone, then put Into a 

 kettle of cold water and boll till nearly done; salt 

 and pepper and boil the water nearly out. If the 

 fowl is not fat add a lumpof butter v lien thoroughly 

 done, and It is ready for the table. Or, a belter 

 way, after cooking as above, mix a spoonful of flour 

 with one egg and a quart of milk; add to the chicken 

 and boil one minute. 



Fried Chicken. 



Chickens must be younir to fry well. If no larger 

 than pigeons they may be fried whole; if larger, 

 dissect as above, wash, rub salt on while wet, 

 pepper and fry in butter or lard, keeping the dish 

 covered. Mix one or two eggs with a spoonful of 

 flour and a teacup of milk, and pour over the 

 chicken when done, setting the frying-pan in the 

 oven long enough to cook the egg. 



Roasted Chicken or Fowl. 



In dressing do not scald enough to shrink the 

 skin; it Is troublesome. Cut as little as possible In 

 cleaning; remove the neck bone as low as you possi- 

 bly can slip the skin down. Loosen the crop all 

 around with one finger and draw it out at the neck. 

 Hold something hard under and with a hammer 

 break the bone an inch above the joint at which you 

 cut off the leg, then you can easily remove it when 

 it becomes bore and perhaps burnt by touching the 

 oven. Kub salt outside and in while the fowl is wet, 

 pepper, cut the neck, gizzard, liver and heart iu 

 small pieces; put in cold water enough to fill 

 the fowl ; boll half an hour, salt and pepper. 

 Adil as much old bread sliced thin as the water will 

 wet ; put in a little butler, stir well niid put into the 

 chicken ; sew up with coarse thread ; fill the neck 

 and tie it. Put Into the oven, keeping the bottom of 

 the dripping-pan covered with walir, which dip over 

 t.he fowl occasionally, and turn carefully twice. 

 Chickens eight months old will roast well in au 

 hour, old fowls require half a day ; they had better 

 be lioiled. When done take out the chicken, dip off 

 most of the oil and make a gravy by adding a 

 spoonful of flour and a pint of rich milk. 



The above directions are good for turkey, goose or 

 duck, except the two last especially, should lie tat to 

 be good, but not to be eaten. Keniove all the fat 

 you can easily both before and after cooking ; 

 enough will be left then.— 5. A. It. LimUcy, Smr/ue- 

 haniia comity. Pa. 



Roast Duck. 



Pluck, singe and draw ; blanch the feet and re- 

 move their skin ; make a stutling with sage, onions 

 (previously blanched and chopped fine) and bread- 

 crumbs, using twice as much onion as sage, and 

 twice as much bread-crumbs as onion, add a little 

 butter, pepper and salt to taste. When stuffed 

 truss them, tie some thin slices of bacon over the 

 breasts, roast for fifteen minutes before a brisk fire, 

 basting well with butter ; remove the bacon from 

 the birds a minute or two before they are roasted 

 Serve with gravy in the dish, but not over the birds. 

 — Theresa, 'Germantown Telegraph. 



