1880. 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



i37 



is that a lotatioti of manure is as necessary 

 to a successlul cultivation of the soil as a rota- 

 tion of products. — T. B., in Lancagter In- 

 quirer, July 22, 1880. 



CULTIVATING BASKET-WILLOW. 



Many years ago a large aniounl of willows 

 were raised within from ten to twenty miles 

 of Philadelphia, for basket-making purpo.ses, 

 and a considerable amount is yel rai.sed, but 

 nothinp: near what was grown in years gone 

 by. We do not know why there has been 

 this falling-ofV, for the basket-makers tell us 

 that at the prices they pay osier-growing must 

 be profitable. We have not to hand any 

 Statistics as to the actual prolits to be made 

 on an acre of willows ; or, indeed, of the pro- 

 duct, but from the fact that the willow when 

 grown in this way does not mucli interfere 

 with the growth of grass about it ; that from 

 one to two tons of meadow grass to the acre 

 can be had from a lot of willow-land, would 

 seem to indicate that something good ought 

 to l)e made out of it. The willows cost very 

 little in the way of expense. They have to 

 be cared for, to be sure, when young, for grass 

 and weeds, if they do not actually smother 

 them out, will interfere very much witli their 

 growth. Then this care has to be kept up for 

 three or four years, as it is this long belbre a 

 willow plant will be strong enough to cut 

 back, so as to throw out many strong shoots. 

 But these strong stocks once brought up, there 

 is no more labor, as the buyer of the willows, 

 at least about Philadelphia, will cut and earry 

 away themselves, doing their own peeling 

 and whatever is necessary to bring the shoots 

 into a proper condition for use. 



The kinds most generally employed about 

 Philadelphia are the white, gray and purple 

 willow ; the last being a delicate kind for tiue 

 work. The last kind, the purple willow, is 

 not perhaps so well adapted for growing in 

 grass as a meadow, and it is too delicate to 

 grow very high, and it is best to give it all 

 the ground to itself. In fact, wherever we 

 have seen this kind grown in this vicinity, it 

 so occupied all the ground. 



As we have said, we have no facts or figures 

 of any account to hand ; liut it seems on a 

 first view that much more might be made of 

 it than has becTi done. The invention of a 

 process for softening wood, so as to fit it for 

 basket making, and yet not affect its enduring 

 quality, may possibly to some extent inter- 

 fere with the profits of the willow, but as to 

 driving it out of cultivation, the willow is too 

 easily raised, and will grow in land more 

 worthless than any of the oaks, and along 

 streams and swampy places, where nothing 

 else of any use would grow, and so rapidly, 

 too, as in some cases to admit of two cuttings 

 a year. In fact, whatever maybe done in the 

 way of softening or steaming of oak, hickory, 

 ash and other hard woods for the purpo.se of 

 basket making, etc., it has thus far made but 

 little progress, and assuredly not enough to 

 drive, at any time in the future, the willow 

 out of cultivation. — Gcrmantomn Teleyraph. 



WATER AND FOOD FOR HORSES. 



Horses and cattle normally require, in 

 round numbers, foiu' pounds of water for each 

 pound of dry substance in the food, while 

 sheep require but about two pounds, or half 

 as much. This estimate, the result of many 

 careful experimcTits, includes the water con- 

 tained in the food, as well as that in th.; 

 drink. The amount of water needed by pigs 

 las not, I think, been accurately determined. 



With horses we lind a dilVerent digestive 

 arrangement — one that changes the conditions 

 which were suitable for ruminants to a 

 very important extent. Horses have but 

 one stomach, and that relatively small. 

 It contains, when fully distended, but fifteen 

 to sixteen quarts, and in this condition is too 

 full for the performance of its funetion.s. Usu- 

 ally, when digesting the food, the horse's 

 stomach does not contain more than ten 

 quarts, and as more food is eaten some of the 

 contents pass onward into the intestines, to 

 make room for it. In eating a full feed of 



hay the stomach is filled two or three times, 

 so that the part first eaten can remain but a 

 short lime for digestion. Xow, here is a point 

 of great importance. The albuminoids of the 

 fond are digested in the stoinaeh, and a 

 stomaehful f>f grain contains four to six times 

 as nuich of these as a stomaehful of hay. 

 ('onse(piently, for a sullicient (piantity of gas- 

 trie juice to he mixed with the grain and 

 produce its full effect, requires a much longer 

 time than with hay. If, then, we feed oats 

 or corn, and inunediately afterward hay, we 

 may b(^ very certain that the grain will be 

 forced from the stomach befoK^ it is perfiM'tly 

 (liirested ; but if we feed the hay first and then 

 (he urain it is not dillieult to understand that 

 the latter can remain in the stomach a sulli- 

 cient lime. 



Theie is one advantage in mixing oats or 

 trround teeil of any kind with cut hay or 

 straw, and that is tlie more perfect mastica- 

 tion which the animal gives in this case ; but 

 it is doubtful if this advantage holds good 

 with cattle, as they do not chew their food 

 perfectly when eaten, but rely on the rumina- 

 tion which follows. In mixing feed for horses 

 we should not put a great amotuit of coarse 

 food with the grain, or we will give more than 

 the stomach will hold, and the last portions 

 eaten will force the first ones into the intes- 

 tines before they are thoroughly impregnated 

 with gastric juice. Thus two pounds of hay 

 and four pounds of oats are about as much as 

 should be fed at once when mixed, and if 

 more oats are given the hay .should be de- 

 creased. For instance, five pounds of oats 

 and one and a half pounds of hay may be 

 given. 



Now, the.se facts will give us a better under- 

 standing of the effect of water on digestion. 

 If after feeding hay and then oats we allow a 

 horse to take a large drink of water, a con- 

 siderable part of the oats will be carried by 

 the water into the inte-stiiu^s, and we get lit- 

 tle of the advantage of feeding the oats after 

 the hay. If such a drink is taken soon after 

 eating hay alone, the effect will not be so in- 

 jurious, because hay does not need so long a 

 time fin- digestion as grain. If only one or 

 two ((uarts of water are allowed, it will jiass 

 the food in the stomach without changing its 

 )iosition to any great extent. When the 

 stomach has got rid of a considerable jiart of 

 its contents it seems a difficult matter for it 

 to force out the remainder, and fermentation 

 and colic sometimes result. A drink of water 

 at such a time, by carrying on the substance 

 which has remained long enough, relieves the 

 <!oudition. This |)roliably explains why some 

 horse-car companies have fouiul it advisable 

 to have their horses watered at midnight. — 

 Michigan Farmer. 



CULTIVATION OF CELERY. 



Many edible plants most valuable as food, 

 or as a relish, are omitted in the list, even 

 when a respectable garden is attemjited by 

 the farmer, and for the reason that, without 

 some definite knowledge as to the cultivation, 

 failure is pretty sure to follow. One of these, 

 celery, quite easy to grow and most valuable 

 in itself, is (piite generally neglected, <ir, 

 when its cultivation is attemi>ted, failure re- 

 sults oftencr than success. One rea,sr)n is the 

 )irevailing idea ihat it must be grown in 

 trenches, carefully watered and specially 

 manured. When very early celery or extra 

 long stalks are desired, it is better to grow it 

 in trenches. Such had better be left to the 

 professional gardener, who has plenty of 

 means at hand to force and protect it during 

 dnuights. 



For early and late winter use it is easily 

 raised by planting near the surface of the 

 ground ; though there is no objec^tion to plant- 

 ing in a shallow trench, thrown out with a 

 horse hoe ami enriched in the bottom with 

 good comjiost. In any case, the richer the 

 .soil the easier the cultivation and the better 

 the celery. In fact, on a i>oor soil success 

 will never be attained without plenty of 

 manure, and the manure used for the current 

 season must be thoroughly decomposed. 



For late celery, open such a trench or 

 trenches as you may be able to with a horse 

 hoe, and about livi^ feet apart, if more than 

 one is wanted. Fill the.se half oi- more full 

 with rich, rotten manure. Run the lior.se hoe 

 again through the trench, not so deep as be- 

 fore, to spread and p.-irlially mix the manure 

 with the earth. Plant tlie (celery therein, 

 pressing the earth pretty firmly about the 

 roots. Water thc! whole well, and after the 

 water has settled entirely away draw the 

 mixed earth from the sides well about the 

 base and stalks of the plants, taking care that 

 the earl li does not cover the heart or central 

 shoot. If the plants are larg(^ and rather 

 long, it is better that the tops of the leaves be 

 cut away, as it will prevent undue transpira- 

 tion from the leaves. 



From .Inly lOlh to 20tli is the best time for 

 ))lantin^ late celery, though we have grown 

 fair stalks from jdantings made the loth of 

 August in a favorable season. Planted as we 

 have directed, at a disance of six inches in 

 the row, using oidy dwarf .sorts (White Solid 

 is as good as any) the weather must be very 

 hot and unfavorabh; to .seriously injure the 

 plants. If this occur, water once again 

 thoroughly, and they will be all right. 



All the subsecpicut cultivation is to koej) 

 the ground clean; from time to time draw the 

 earth around the glowing stalks, so they may 

 grow u-right. If this is neglected, you will 

 have dillieulty in the blanching. After the 

 heat of the season is over and (tool nights 

 come on, the celery will grow fast, and so 

 continue until jmdty liaid frosts come. It 

 must then lie lifted and taken care of for 

 winter, the princiiial part of the blanching 

 being done in the trenches in which it is 

 stored for use as wanted. 



If celery is re(piired for use in October and 

 November, the same general directions are to 

 be observed. The celery may be grown with- 

 out trenches ; but some means must be at 

 hand for thoroughly watering the groinid if 

 drought Occurs. There should also be at least 

 three feet of space-left on each side of the 

 row, to provide for soil for eaithinu thejilants, 

 since this must be entirely perfornu'd and the 

 plants blancheil in the rows, where they grow. 

 The fiirmer's family will, however, care but 

 little for celery so early in the season ; for at 

 tat time there is a variety of green stuff at 

 command. C'lkry is most valuable during the 

 winter months. Then it is one of the most 

 delicate, as it is one of the most healthful, of 

 relishes, and should be found ui)on every far- 

 mer's tal)le. — Prairie Farmer. 

 ^ 



THE LARGEST TREE IN I HE WORLD. 

 In Nelson's ".■^cienf ilie and Techiiia l>ader," 

 there is an account abridged from llutching's 

 "Scenes and Wonders in California," of a 

 grove of trees. This grove is situated on the 

 water-shed, belwt'en the San Antonio branch 

 of the Calaveras river and the north fork of 

 tlut Stanislaus river, at an elevation of 4,370 

 feet above the .sea level, and at a distance of 

 ninety-seven miles from .Sacramcnfo city and 

 eiirhty-seven from Stockton. Within an area 

 of fifty acres there are 1(12 large trees, twenty 

 of which exceed twenty-five f<>et in diameter, 

 and are C(msequciitly over seventy-live feel in 

 circumference. The "father of the forest,'' 

 the largest of the group, lies prostrate and 

 half buried in the soil; it measures at the 

 root 11(1 feet in circumference, is 20(1 feet to 

 the first branch and from the trees which were 

 broken by its fall is estimatetl to have been 

 4:i.") feet in length ; :i(KJ feet from the roots it 

 is eighteen feel in diameter. The '"big tree" 

 was bored off some years since with jiump 

 augers and then wedged down ; the stump, 

 which stands \\\■^• and a half feet above the 

 soil, is sound to the core, and has been used 

 as a ball-room. This tree was ninety-six feet 

 in eireuniference at the ground, and 302 feet 

 hiL'h. The "mother of the forest" was strip- 

 ped of its bark in 1S.">4, for exhibition in the 

 New England States, and now measures, with- 

 out the bark, eighty-four feet in circumfer- 

 ence ; several feet up it is thirty-nine and a 

 half feet (also without the bark) ; its height 



