268 Transactions of the American Institute. 



Mr. P. T. Quinn. — This suggestion is correct regarding this tree, 

 but it will not apply to pear trees, because the fruit spurs become 

 permanent, and, gradually increasing in size each year, continually 

 bear fruit on the same spurs. 



Dr. Wm. B. Peck. — Pruning is done in much less time than it 

 should be. Farmers take a saw, or perhaps an axe, and remove 

 large limbs, when they should take ofi' the ends of limbs. I have 

 spent a whole day in profitably trimming one tree. If trees are 

 rightly managed from the start, the thumb and finger nails will do 

 much of the pruning — a pruning knife certainly will be a tool large 

 enough. 



SUBSOILING. 



Mr. C. W. Sexton, Monitor, Tipton county, Ind., asked for infor- 

 mation on this subject. 



Dr. Wm. B. Peck said the subsoil might be brought to the sur- 

 face, if there was manure to mix with it. 



Mr. P. T. Quinn said the soil only needed to be lifted, when it 

 would completely pulverize, while lumps would only be on the 

 surface. 



Mr. Solon Robinson said the soil in that county is four inches 

 of black mold; the subsoil is barren clay, which would do great 

 damage if brought to the surface. 



Mr. N. C. Meeker said the result of experience of such soils is 

 to bring the subsoil to the surface a little at a time each year. 



HOW TO IVIAKE GOOD BUTIER. 



Mrs. N. Noman, Adrian, Mich. — Having read a good deal on 

 butter making, I thought I would -write a little on the subject for 

 the benefit of farmers' wives. Set your milk where the wind will 

 not blow on it, for the wind dries the cream, and dried cream will 

 not make butter. In warm weather keep 3'our cream still, for if 

 you want your cream to become sour stir it often. Very sour 

 cream will not produce a good quality of butter. In cool or cold 

 weather, don't think that you must let your milk set until it is 

 sour before you take ofi" the cream. Forty-eight hours is a suffi- 

 cient length of time for milk to produce all the cream it is capable 

 of producing. In a right temperature it will rise in a less time. 

 Much poor butter is the result of bad management of the cream. 

 It is a good plan in warm weather to save strippings, about a quart 

 night and morning from each cow, and churn every day. Churn 

 your cream as cool as possible in warm weather. Much butter is 



