74 



THE LANCASTER .FARMER. 



[May( 



known as rakings should be allowed to remain 

 for two reasons : One is that it will not pay 

 for the labor in gathering up : the other that 

 it does pay, and twice over, iu being scattered 

 over the field, and acting as a mulch to the 

 exposed roots of the stubble. These rakings 

 keep the roots cool and moist and will add 

 largely .to next year's yield of timothy or 

 orchard grass as the case may be. Many 

 first-class fanners pursue this method at all 

 times, but there are so many who do not that 

 we regard it as worth while to remind them 

 of the advantages of it, and ask them to give 

 it a trial. 



Muck for Sandy Soils. 

 It is encouraging to see that in some por- 

 tions of tlie Southern States, where they are 

 tardy iu adopting new methods of culture or 

 hints leading to experiments, tliey are begin- 

 ning to find out that muck hauled upon sandy 

 soils acts almost as effectively as adres.sing of 

 manure, while it is far more lasting, and 

 greatly adds to its productiveness. This, 

 however, is no new discovery. We recom- 

 mend it, as did correspondents, as long as 

 thirty years ago, and pointed out instances in 

 which muck was applied to sandy soils that 

 had been attended with marked success. 

 Even pure clay hauled upon very light soils 

 and intermingled therewith, by the simple 

 operation of cultivation, has been followed 

 by excellent results, the land increasing its 

 crops fully one-half "Where clay or muck is 

 as convenient of transportation as manure, 

 there is no question that its application as 

 here suggested, would prove of the most 

 decided advantage. Even in gardens, where 

 the soil has become exhausted by long contin- 

 ued cultivation, a dressing of clay is far 

 better than a coat of the best manure. Coal 

 ashes, when applied to very compact soil, 

 acting in a reverse order, will cause it to be 

 more friable, and iu this way — which we 

 believe to be the only way — are these ashes of 

 any benefit. — Oermantown Telegraph. 



FARM AND GARDEN. 



We find in the April number of the Agri- 

 cultural Beview an elaborate essay on free 

 trade, written by a gentleman who hails from 

 the State of Iowa, and who seems to labor 

 under the delusion that the principal markets 

 for the products of western agriculture is to 

 be found in Europe, and this in face of the 

 fact that our exports of cereals amount to less 

 than ten per cent., while the home consump- 

 tion is fully ninety per cent I In the course 

 of his labored eftbrt to prove this, he asserts 

 and assumes as a fact that the Eastern States, 

 meaning thereby the New England and 

 Middle States, are very nearly self-sustaining 

 with regard to food. Now, any such state- 

 ment as this is simply based on ignorance. 

 The State of New York is not only not self- 

 sustaining, but depends upon the West for 

 fully four-fifths of her breadstuffs, and more 

 than half of the meat she consumes, while 

 the case of New England is still stronger. 

 Here, in Pennsylvania, we do, it is true, make 

 a much better show than this, but our case is 

 gradually becoming assimilated to that of New 

 York, for the simple and obvious reason that 

 the Western competition against us is abso- 

 lutely overwhelming. 



The Peach Prospects. 



The tone of letters received within a fpw 

 dfiys from "peach centres" in Delaware and 

 Maryland, is in the highest degree favorable 

 for one of the largest yields of peaches ever 

 grown. Everything will depend, however, 

 upon the absence of sharp, damaging frosts 

 from this time out. The only other fear now 

 is that from the great superfluity of buds the 

 trees may be so crowded as to interfere with 

 the size, and as the thinning-out the fruit 

 would be a herculean work where the planta- 

 tions are extensive, it would probably not 

 pay, and we believe it is seldom done. A 

 farmer in the adjoining county of Montgomery 

 told us the other day that he raised last year 

 sixty bushels of as fine peaches, both in size 

 and qualit}', as he saw during the whole of 

 last year's past season, which he sold in the 

 neighl)oring towns at a good price, thus bear- 

 ing out what we have repeatedly said, that as 

 good crops of peaches can be grown in Penn- 

 sylvania as any where else. 



Horseshoeing at Exhibitions. 



We desire again to call the attention of our 

 agricultural societies proposing to hold exhi- 

 bitions the ensuing autumn to the oflering of 

 a good, solid premium for the best horseshoe- 

 ing. We are very certain that if our sugges- 

 tions, presented some weeks ago, were to be 

 carried out generally by our societies, it would 

 exert a vast influence upon skillfulness in 

 shoeing, and would secure the usefulness, if 

 not save the lives, of thousands of liorses 

 every year. We are pleased to see that a 

 number of our leading agricultural as well 

 as other journals have endorsed our recom- 

 mendation by publishing the article to which 

 we allude, which was condensed as much as 

 possible in order that it would save space, and 

 thus induce its general publication. We refer 

 to it again that it may not be overlooked in 

 making up the lists of prizes which are now 

 being prepared. 



Tomatoes and Egg-Plants. 



While tomato plants can be set out any 

 time now, if they are protected at nights and 

 whenever there may likely be a frost, the egg- 

 plant should not be set out before the last 

 week in May, and then should be protected 

 during cool nights. They are one of the most 

 diflicult vegetables to grow, and require at all 

 times particular care and attention. The 

 space occupied by the roots being very small, 

 they require the richest soil and heavy man- 

 uring from the barnyard. Both plants should 

 be well mulched. To aflbrd them certain 

 protection, prepare boxes of rough half-inch 

 boards, about ten inches wide at bottom and 

 five or six inches at top, from twelve to fif- 

 teen inches high, made of four pieces, and 

 open at top, as there need be no fear of the 

 frost disturbing the plants through this aper- 

 ture. With ca: a in stowing them away in the 

 dry when not needed, they will last fifteen to 

 twenty years, and are a sure protection for 

 any tender plants. 



Clear Up and Cleanse Your Premises. 



The warm weather is here, and it behooves 

 every citizen to cleanse his premises of all 

 oftensive matter in order that they may be- 

 come perfectly clean and healthy. There is 

 no doubt at all that a great deal of the sick- 

 ness visiting families proceeds from filthy 



cellars, sinks, yards, outhouses, styes, etc. 

 These things are neglected by many as are 

 other duties from pure thoughtlessness, while 

 others never dream of paying any attention 

 to them, not thinking it worth while. There 

 are several remedies for this bad, unhealthy 

 condition of things that can be easily applied. 

 The first is to put one pint of the liquor of 

 chloride of zinc in one bucketful of water, and 

 one pound of chloride of lime in another 

 bucketful of water, add and sprinkle over de- 

 cayed vegetable matter. For this purpose 

 nothing surpasses it; indeed, it is a perfect 

 deodorizer. The second is to take four 

 pounds of sulphate of iron or copperas and 

 dissolve it in a bucketful of water. This will 

 in most cases prove a sure remedy in destroy- 

 ing all offensive odors. The third is to take 

 simple chloride of lime and sprinkle in damp 

 cellars, over outside heaps of filth, dirty 

 yards, &c. Before this, however, is done, let 

 there be a general cleaning up, removal of 

 everything offensive or nasty, to a place 

 whence no harm can arise. These chemicals 

 can be purchased at the druggists, and as 

 prices go are not dear. 1 



Tlie labor of cleansing one's premises by 

 either one of these remedies is trifling, and 

 the expense is not worth mentioning. If it 

 were ten times greater, both the labor and 

 expense should be willingly incurred. But 

 perhaps the best procedure is to cleanse your 

 cellars, yards, outhouses, styes, &c., systemat- 

 ically. Especially should the cellars, sinks, 

 and everything about the house be kept free 

 of all offensi veuess at all times. Cellars should 

 be thoroughly cleaned out twice a year and 

 whitewashed once. Sinks about kitchens 

 should be particularly attended to by once a 

 week pouring into the pipes a quantity of 

 boiling water. Privies can be rendered com- 

 pletely inoflensive by the application of fresh 

 earth from time.to time. 



Protect the Partridges. 



There was a meeting of horticulturists held 

 some time since iu the West, at which the 

 question of preserving partridges upon our 

 farms and in our gardens to destroy insects 

 and vermin generally was presented and facts 

 given to show that they are very destructive 

 during the growing seasons of the enemies of 

 our plants, flowers, fruits and grain. One 

 speaker said that in view of these services the 

 partridge ought to be protected against the 

 hunter, and the farmer and his boys as well ; 

 that no bird is more harmless and none more 

 useful ; that to shoot or to trap it for stewing, 

 broiling or making potpies, was very much to 

 be deplored and should be prevented if pos- 

 sible ; and that it was the only bird that re- 

 mained with us through the winter, after 

 being deserted by all others. But this is easier 

 said than done. Human nature, we are a 

 little apprehensive, will need a trifle of change 

 and educating before this partridge millenium 

 arrives. 



To show, however, hnw useful this beauti- 

 ful and harmless domestic bird is, it was at 

 the same time stated that a flock of partridges 

 were seen running along the rows of coru just 

 sprouting, and seeing them engaged at some- 

 thing which was believed to be pulling up the 

 young plants, one of them was killed and its 

 "crop" examined, which was found to con- 

 tain one cutworm, 21 striped bugs, and over 



