328 
[August, 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Quack Grass: How Subdue It. 
“W. A.,” Fort Atkinson, writes; “Will you kindly 
tell me whether there is any way of ridding a piece of 
land of Quack-Grass. 1 have a pie.ee in corn this year, 
but cultivation only seems to spread it, and make it 
worse.” This complaint is but one among many, and 
we make a general reply. The grass in question ( Triti - 
cum repens ). has a number of common names, among 
which are Quick Quitch-, Twitch-, Quack-, and Couch- 
Grass. If the grass has taken complete possession of the 
ground,forming a tough mass of “roots,” there is only one 
way of ridding the soil of it. The ground should be 
plowed as deeply as possible in fall, so that most of the 
“roots” may be loosened, and turned up. Leave the 
land thus plowed until spring, then go over it with a 
cultivator every two weeks, until time to sow buck¬ 
wheat. So soon as the buckwheat is harvested, begin 
cultivating again, not allowing the Quack-grass to make 
any start to grow. After cultivating each time in autumn, 
the ground should be raked to remove the “roots” of 
and of preference through acquaintance with a particular 
pattern. With these, as with other farm implements, it 
is better, other things being equal, to purchase of the 
one made nearest home, or the most accessible, so that 
should a part be broken, or otherwise out of order, it can 
be replaced with the least possible delay. 
Pot-Grown Strawberry Plants.— For the 
benefit of those who would establish a fruiting bed in the 
shortest possible time, and are willing to take the trouble, 
we described some twelve or fifteen years ago the method 
of layering strawberries in pots. This method has since 
been adopted by the nurserymen, and nearly every one 
who deals in strawberry plants at all offers those that are 
“ pot-grown.” As some of our correspondents do not 
seem to understand the matter, we explain. The straw¬ 
berry plant is propagated by what are called “ runners.” 
A runner is a long very slender branch, with a bud at the 
end. Ordinarily this bud rests upon the surface of the 
bed and strikes root; the young plant grows rapidly, as 
it is supplied with nourishment from the mother plant, 
and soon is fed by its own roots, 
and when it becomes established, 
sends out runners of its own to 
form other plants. If the plants 
from the runners formed early in 
the season are left where they 
started, they would bear fruit next 
year, but we wish to make a new 
bed elsewhere, and the young 
plants are taken up either in the 
fall or next spring and planted 
out. Plants thus treated, having 
their roots disturbed, must grow 
a year in their new place before 
they are strong enough to give a 
good crop. It makes little differ¬ 
ence whether we take up such 
plants and make a new bed in 
Sept. 1880, or in April, ISM, they 
will require all of 1881 to become 
sufficiently well established in 
their new bed, and strong enough 
to give a crop of fruit. They may, 
and often do, bear a few berries 
the first year, but not enough to 
be desired. If, instead of allowing 
them to take root in the bed, 
we place under the runner 3 
small pot filled with rich soil, 
and let it strike its roots in that, we have then what is 
called a “pot-grown” or “pot-layered” strawberry plant. 
In practice these pots are filled with rich compost, and 
each one is sunk in the soil of the bed where it can be 
reached by the end of a runner; the runner is placed on 
the soil of the pot and held in place by means of a small 
clod or hooked stick until it strikes root. When the 
roots have filled the soil of the pot and need more room, 
the new plant is separated from the mother plant by cut¬ 
ting the runner, and the ball of earth is turned out of the 
pot and placed in a new bed, where, its roots not having 
been disturbed, it goes on and grows without any inter¬ 
ruption. Plants so treated are in just the same condition 
with those that take root in the bed and left undisturbed, 
and will bear a good crop the next spring. The runners 
struck in pots in June and July, and planted out in Aug¬ 
ust and September, 1880, will bear a fine crop in the sum¬ 
mer of 1881. Of course such plants cost much more than 
those grown in the ordinary way, as the labor of produc¬ 
ing them is considerable, but those who are in a hurry 
for fruit are usually willing to pay the extra price. A 
reference to our advertising columns will show that the 
leading dealers offer strawberry plants that are pot-grown. 
The Eucalyptus Tree.— Notwithstanding that 
there are about 100 species of Eucalyptus recognized by 
botanists, one species, Eucalyptus globulus , the Austra¬ 
lian Blue Gum, is generally spoken of as the Eucalyptus. 
This is due to the fact that it is more widely known 
than any other species, as it has been more generally 
planted outside of Australia than any other, as a rapid¬ 
growing timber tree. A few years ago it was claimed 
that this tree had the power to render malarious regions 
healthy, and much was said upon planting the Eucalyp¬ 
tus, in the daily papers as well as in the agricultural 
journals. The American Agriculturist stated at the be¬ 
ginning of this excitement that the tree would not be 
hardy in any of the Northern States, but papers which 
should have known better continued to set forth its 
alleged anti-malarial properties, and it was only after 
there had been many disappointing failures that the ex¬ 
citement subsided. We were surprised to find the sub¬ 
ject revived, and the planting of Eucalyptus advocated 
anew by a journal so generally well advised in such 
matters as the N. Y. Evening Post, which, in an otherwise 
well-considered article on “ Trees in the Streets,” in its 
issue of July 10th, has the following:—“ The Eucalyptus 
is said to be a safeguard against malaria; and in that 
HOME-MADE HORSE-RAKE FOR QUACK-GRASS. 
the grass that have been loosened and left on the surface. 
A rake for this purpose is shown in the accompanying en¬ 
graving. The head is made of a piece of hard wood. 4 inches 
square, and 5 feet long, in which a tongue is set and 
braced. A pair of old plow handles complete the wood 
work. The teeth, oi iron, should be 114-inch wide, by f 
thick, made somewhat scythe-shaped, and provided with 
a shoulder brace, and nut and screw. The position they 
take in the head-piece is shown in the engraving. With 
this implement, the “roots” of the Quack-grass can be 
gathered rapidly into windrows, after which they can be 
raked into heaps, and carted off to a safe place, where 
they may dry and be burned or rot into manure. For a 
small patch, a potato hook will serve the same end, 
in removing the “ roots ” from the soil. 
Saving an Historic House.— A pint or less of 
water applied at the right instant will stop a conflagra¬ 
tion that a few minutes later can not be subdued by the 
most powerful steam fire engine. An illustration of this 
was afforded not long ago at the College of William and 
Mary, Williamsburg, Va. The President’s house was 
erected in 1782, and being accidentally destroyed by the 
French troops in 1781, was rebuilt by Louis XVI. out of 
his own private funds. This dwelling accidentally caught 
fire on the roof from a burning chimney. The roof, being 
a French one, is very steep and difficult to reach, but 
fortunately one of the neighbors had one of Whitman’s 
Fountain Pumps which enabled him to throw a small 
stream just where it was needed and the building was 
saved. In this case there was, an abundance of water, 
and of assistants, but these were of less use in subduing 
the fire than a small quantity of water sent to the right 
spot by this excellent little hand engine. 
“ Which is the Best Grain Brill ?”-A 
question like this, in regard to the various kinds of 
farm implements, is frequently asked us, and is very 
difficult to answer. In the present case, it is impossible 
for us to say which grain drill is the best. The agent for 
the “Farmer's Favorite” will claim that his is superior. 
The “ Champion” men will bring up all the arguments 
in favor of their drill, and the “ Hagerstown” and 
“ New Gearless Buckeye” will have their advocate, while 
one who has used the “Victor” will be warm in its 
praises. The fact is that each one of the leading drills 
is so nearly perfect that it is a very difficult task to 
decide which is best, it being largely a matter of taste 
case parts of Manhattan which are notoriously infested 
by malarious disease might be fringed with this tree to 
infinite advantage.” It might be of “ infinite advan¬ 
tage” to fringe other “ parts of Manhattan" with orange 
trees or with pine-apples, and either would succeed 
about as well as the Eucalyptus. It is a matter of regret 
that this subject has been revived, and that by a journal 
of influence. It should be generally understood that this 
Eucalyptus is barely hardy in Georgia, and that it will 
not succeed north of that State anywhere on the Atlantic 
slope. On the Pacific coast the conditions are favorable, 
and it has been extensively planted, and with remarkably 
successful results as to rapid growth. Whether there is 
any real foundation for the belief in its anti-malarial 
powers is doubtful. If the tree does prevent malaria, it 
is impossible for the people of Manhattan or other 
northern localities to avail themselves of its powers, as 
it will not survive a single winter in the open air. In¬ 
deed, the tree, so far as the climate of New York is eon 
cerned, cannot be regarded as half hardy. Having a tree 
in the grounds that had grown too large to return to the 
greenhouse on the approach of winter, we, by way of ex¬ 
periment, carefully protected it with a covering of straw. 
Though the following winter was a mild one, it was in 
spring found to be thoroughly dead, root and branch. 
Potato Bugs Valuable.— It's just our luck! 
Yesterday we wished to try a new remedy, and found 
that there was not a bug on the potatoes, and we re¬ 
joiced. To-day we learn that potato bugs have a market 
value, and, of course, we have none 1 It must be true, 
for it is in print I A man in Queens Co., Md., tried 
burning his bugs, and didn’t like it; then he tried 
boiling, and made the great discovery that the pot-liquor 
would dye leather and linen a brilliant crimson. More 
than that, the goods, after dyeing, were stronger than 
before. As we read these wonderful things, we thought 
we might raise some bugs, but some one has got ahead 
of us on that, and even the boys are engaged to pick 
’em. There is a company that will go into the dyeing 
business. They have engaged 10,000 quarts of bugs at 
six cents per quart, and expect to want more. The bugs 
must be kept alive until the company is ready to begin 
operations—that is, they mustn’t die until they are 
wanted to dye, and the company has erected a building 
in which to feed the bugs. The beauty of a hoax of this 
kind consists in keeping just withis the limit of proba¬ 
bility, but this is a very clumsy piece of hnmbuggery, 
quite overdoes it, and breaks down of its own weight. 
Altitudes.— “J. S.,” Salt Lake City, Utah—The 
barometer is used to take altitudes with the greatest 
accuracy, but as you only wish to do so approximately, 
you may find the boiling point of water to answer your 
purpose. It is a well-known fact that water boils at a 
lower temperature when the pressure of the atmosphere 
is diminished. Another fact is, that the higher the alti¬ 
tude the less the pressure of the atmosphere. As we 
ascend a mountain, water boils one degree lower for 
every 550 feet we go up. With an accurate thermometer 
and a contrivance for boiling water, you can come very 
near the altitude. We doubt if there is any satisfactory 
answer to your other question. 
Clean Fruit Baskets.— J. R. Hawkins, Moun- 
tainville, N. Y., thinking that many fruit cups and bas¬ 
kets are not improved for future use, by being taken to 
hospitals, and being kept for a while in sick rooms, and 
considering that these receptacles are rarely returned in 
a clean state, sends with his fruit a card insisting that 
the cups and baskets be sold with the fruit, and he will 
supply new ones with each shipment. The great trouble 
in this matter is, that people do not want the cups, etc. 
The majority of those who buy berries take a basket to 
market and have the contents of the small packages 
emptied into it. It seems a matter more easily arranged 
with the consignee or retailer than with the customer. 
A Farm Forge.— A farm without an anvil, a vise, 
blacksmith’s tools, etc., is not thoroughly equipped for its 
best and most economical work. To these tools there 
shonld be added one of the small forges that have been 
so much improved of late, and are now so perfect in 
their action and handy in the fanners’ blacksmith shop. 
These forges are so cheap that they are within the reach 
of all, and, if proper use is made of them, will pay for 
themselves in a very short time. As the use of a forge 
means the presence of a fire, it is important that they 
be used with due caution. 
Grass Named.— H. M. Charlevoix (no State)—The 
grass of which you wish the “ name, history and use” is 
Orchard grass, Dactylis glomera/a. If by its “ history” 
you refer to its origin, we may say that it was introduced 
from Europe. Its use is as a meadow grass, it being by 
many preferred to Timothy, by itself or to sow with 
Clover. It should be sown very thickly, as otherwise it 
tends to form clumps or tussocks ; thick seeding also 
makes the foliage finer. The seed is kept by seedsmen. 
