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114 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



Apkil 



such practice was mnde the most striking in an 

 instance that came under the writer's observation 

 during a severe winter that occrred some years 

 since. Two extensive fruit gardens, both devoted 

 to the various fruits and occupying adjoining en- 

 closures; one was protected on the Northwestern 

 side by a belt of young native timber, and the 

 other was open and exposed to the winds from 

 these points. A severe cold wind occurred during 

 the winter. In the exposed grounds the trees and 

 vines were more or less injured, and many were 

 killed outright — while in the other enclosure, pro- 

 tected by the young timber, not a tree was killed, 

 and few sustained any injury at all. — Rural Rrg. 



Training of Grapes. 



During a visit some months ago, to the extensive 

 vineries of Messrs. Underbill, Croton I'oint, they 

 pointed out the importance of allowing the vines 

 sufficient room to extend themselves, especially in 

 soil of much fertility — rich soils requiring higher 

 trellises and greater distuncc for the vines. JSoils 

 of moderate fertility are preferred. 



It is becoming a common practice to insert the 

 stem of a tree into the ground, with the branches 

 trimmed and cut at a uniform length from the body, 

 but tapering upwards in the form of a pyramid. 

 The vines, properly trained on these, and thinned 

 during the summer, present a beautiful ditsplay 

 when loaded with the ripened clusters. Cedar and 

 locust trees are the best for these purpose.s. 



The Annual Register, some years ago, 

 described another mode of training: Stakes eight 

 feet high are set seven feet apart, a vine planted 

 at each, and immediately cut down to two eyes. 

 The first year two shoots are allowed to grow, and 

 are carried up spirally, both in the same direction, 

 about five inches apart, until they reach the top. 

 They are pruned back in the fall to eighteen inches, 

 two shoots are carried up as before from the two 

 upper eyes, the laterals requiring some pruning. 

 In the fall, the vines are cut back to within eigh- 

 teen inches of last year's wood. This course is 

 continued till the vine permanently covers the 

 whole stake or post. Whatever surmounts it is 

 cut back. The fruit is borne on the side shoots, 

 the pruning is done on the short spur system, and 

 a handsome pyramidical form is given to the whole. 

 — Cultivater. 



Important Discovery. 



A curious discovery has just been made regard- 

 ing the influence of iron on vegetables. Prepara- 

 tions of iron are used as medicine where the blood 

 is poor in red particles. The pale cheeks of the 

 invalid often regain their bloom under the influ- 

 ence of such tonics. It is the same, it appears, 

 with plants. On the chalky soils of France and 

 England, where there is an absence of iron, vege- 

 tation has a sere and blanched appearance. This 

 is entirely removed, it appears, by the application 

 of a solution of sulphate of iron. Haricot beans 

 watered with this substance acquired an additional 

 weight of sixty per cent. Mulberries, peaches, 

 pears, vines, aud wheat, derive advantages from 

 the same treatment. In the cultivation of clover, 

 wonderful advanages have been gained by the ap- 



plication of the sulphate of iron on soils in which 

 that ingredient is wanting, and in cases where it 

 was desired to produce an early crop. The mate- 

 rial is of course cheap, and the quantity applied 

 small. All the scales falling around the black- 

 smith's anvils should be saved for the land — they 

 are worth five cents a quart to the gardeners. No 

 fruit is so much benefitted by iron rust in the soil 

 as the pear. — Selected. 



Flax and Hemp Manufactures. 



The manufacture of flax-cotton goods has been 

 successfully carried on by Messrs. Daniels & Co., 

 at Lockport, N. Y., for some time. They have 

 met with ?uch reward for the enterprise that man- 

 ufacturers farther East have, in some instances, 

 changed their cotton goods mills so as to work 

 flax. 



Recent improvements have simplified the meth- 

 od of preparing flax-cotton so that it can be fur- 

 nished at less than half the present price of cotton, 

 and the demand for it has stimulated the erection 

 of mills for the preparation of the article. Mr. B. 

 0. Warner has constructed such a mill in Toledo, 

 with facilities to manufacture 2,000 pounds per 

 day, in the production of which 4,000 pounds of 

 raw material are used. The flax-cotton is contrac- 

 ted to an Eastern house engaged in the manufac- 

 ture of Satinet goods, at 85 cents per pound. The 

 Blade states that the supply of flax for the mill is 

 abundant, for which ten cents per pound is paid at 

 the mill, and eight cents on railroad lines leading 

 to Toledo. We wit^h the enterprise great success. 

 — Cleveland Herald. 



*f 



Hop Growing in Iowa. 



You have not forgotten the series of letters 

 which I wrote you several years ago, and which 

 you pdblisehed over the signature of an " Otsego 

 Hop Grower, " giving minute directions for the 

 growing and curing of hops. Well, having some 

 little knowledge gained from experience in cultivat- 

 ing hops in New York, I thought I would try the 

 experiment and see if this soil and climate would 

 produce good hops. Accordingly I have been ex- 

 perimenting (on a limited scale) for the past two 

 years, with hops. My success in this line has been 

 fully equal to my expectations. I have grown as 

 good looking hops as any I ever saw, and they have 

 yielded well ; but, like most hops grown in the 

 West, they are not quite as strong as the Otsego 

 hop. The difference, however, is slight, and would 

 only be discovered by pergons who are fiimiliar 

 with hops. I am also the pioneer in hop growing, 

 as none are raised in several counties around, ex- 

 cept mine. — Country Gentleman. 



. 4*. 



A Snow Story — Deacon Chamberlain of Nevin, 

 Adams county, 111. has a large flock of sheep. 

 During a late snow storm many of them were 

 whelmed in the snow, but were soon relieved. 

 Twelve days after being thus relieved, the Deacon 

 observed what appeared to be the crater of a small 

 volcano, steaming up, but upon sounding discover- 

 ed to his surprse one of his sheep patiently awaiting 

 the resurrection day. It had been buried twelve 

 days and thirteen nights ! It appeared as usual, 

 excepting an unusual partiality for corn. 



