1877.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
283 
one, it can hardly be dispensed with, if the crop is 
to be gathered and put away as quickly as it should 
be. There is no other crop that follows potatoes 
so well as fall wheat, and no ground so easily pre¬ 
pared for it as potato ground. Potatoes may be 
pitted and lightly covered with the vines, and some 
boards over these, and remain until frost. 
Turnips .—The White Norfolk Globe, or the Cow- 
Horn Turnip, can be sown upon an oat stubble, if 
wheat is not to follow the oats. If the ground is 
fairly clean, the seed may be sown broadcast at the 
rate of three pounds per acre. But it is better to 
sow with one of the small hand-drills, in rows 27 to 
30 inches apart, when a pound and a half to two 
pounds of seed will be sufficient. 100 to 200 pounds 
of guano, or a fertilizer prepared expressly for tur¬ 
nips, should he sown immediately after the seed. 
Meadows and Pastures will be greatly benefited 
by a light dressing of artificial manure. TOO pounds 
of nitrate of soda, with a bushel of finely ground 
gypsum, per acre, will work a great change for the 
better. Pastures should not be used until after a 
good shower has washed the nitrate into the soil. 
Thrashing .—When grain is thrashed, it is safe 
from the majority of its many enemies. It is also 
ready to sell at a moment’s notice, when the price 
suits, or money is wanted. Perhaps no further rea¬ 
sons than these need be given, why it is well to 
thrash as early as possible. One of the most con¬ 
venient things about a farm is a thrashing machine 
and horse-power, or for larger farms one of the 
many good and cheap steam engines, which will be 
found described in the advertising columns. It is 
a great convenience to be able to thrash just when 
one wants to, and without the fuss and bother of a 
hired machine. 
management, two litters of pigs may be turned off 
from one sow in the year, the pigs being sold at 
three to four months old as “ market pigs.’ ’ There 
is evident profit in this, and because every one does 
not know how, or care to take the trouble to do 
this, there is the more profit for those who do. The 
best work pays best in everything. 
Poultry .—As we go about and see the poor mixed 
lots of fowls in farm-yards, the improvidence of 
it is too palpable to be overlooked. Where a good 
breed is kept, and well cared for, the profit exceeds 
that of anything else on the farm. Now is a good 
time to clear out poor fowls and procure a few 
good pullets; after a run ou the stubbles, the old 
fowls will be in good condition for market. Moult¬ 
ing fowls will be greatly helped by a little of the 
“ Imperial Egg Food,” which we have referred to 
already. We have found it very beneficial. 
Sundry Matters .—See that the stock, of all kinds, 
do not want for water. A good force pump and 
some hose, by which water may be led to a trough 
wherever it is required, will be found useful. Clean 
out root cellars, and make them ready for the root 
harvest. Granaries should be thoroughly well 
cleaned, and every crevice filled with hot lime-wash, 
put on very thick. The windows should be pro¬ 
tected by wire gauze, to keep out the grain moths 
and weevils. Save all the straw and chaff for feed¬ 
ing, and use leaves, muck, sand, or earth for bed¬ 
ding ; a store of these should be gathered by and 
by. In spare hours make repairs, clean machines, 
and remember that the summer is fast slipping 
away, and the fall, with its rains and 6torms, will 
be upon us, and many things that may be done 
now, can.not be done then. 
Composts .—All the different waste matters about 
the farm, and such purchased material as can be j 
cheaply procured, may now be usefully gathered ; 
into a heap for a compost for the wheat crop. One j 
of the most valuable materials for a compost, is j 
castor pomace, which can be procured so cheaply j 
as to make it a very desirable fertilizer to be used 
in this way. It costs only $10 a ton. in St. Louis, 
and as it contains per cent, or ISO lbs. to the ton, 
of ammonia, it is the cheapest source of this indis¬ 
pensable material that can be procured for composts. 
Weeds .—Gather and put in the compost heap all 
the weeds that have not yet seeded. Burn all that 
have ripe seeds. This work should not be neglected. 
Upon many farms the road-sides, barn-yard fences, 
and the sites of old grain stacks,are most prolific nur- 
sevies for weeds. These should be cleared up at once. 
The Swamps are now dry, and work on them 
should not be neglected. Getting out muck for use 
in the winter, and digging ditches, can be better 
done in August than at any other time. 
Fall-Fallowing .—As a means of preparing land 
for spring crops, there is none better than what is 
known as fall-fallowing. Our drier season makes 
this as effective in cleaning the soil, as the English 
farmer’s summer-fallpw. Two plowings may be 
given,if necessary, before the winter,and a final deep 
plowing for the last, will leave the soil in fine con¬ 
dition in spring, for root crops or corn. If any fall- 
fallowing is to be done, it should be begun at once. 
Milch Cows will need some fresh fodder as soon 
as the pastures have become dry and hard. Those 
who have provided some fodder crop, will keep up 
the supply of milk, those who have not, will now 
regret their neglect. There are some farmers who 
make more than others, some make but little, but 
the best might often do a little better, and at this 
season this truth comes home. 
Sheep .—Lambs should now all be weaned, and the 
ewes fed well for breeding. Next month the coup¬ 
ling season will begin. Nothing is gained, but 
much is lost, by using a poor ram. A pure bred 
ram, of whatever kind is chosen, should be pro¬ 
cured at once. None less than a year old should be 
used for breeding. The ewe lambs should be sepa¬ 
rated from the old ewes, and kept in a good pas¬ 
ture, or otherwise well fed by themselves. 
Notes on Orchard and Garden Work. 
Last month it was suggested that July and Au¬ 
gust were the months in which the cultivator could 
avail himself of the recreation and instruction af¬ 
forded by travel. Perhaps fruit-growers and gar¬ 
deners generally, lead less isolated and secluded I 
lives than do farmers, but at best they go about all 
too little. Next month the fairs will demand at¬ 
tention, and the harvest of the larger fruits will be 
coming on ; hence the present is the most favora¬ 
ble time for a brief vacation. If one has an idea 
of changing his residence, and moving to a locality 
that he regards more favorable—and our corre¬ 
spondence shows that there are many such—now is 
the best time to visit the proposed locality. We do 
not say that places will show at their best; on the 
contrary, after the heats of July and August, es¬ 
pecially if the usual drouths occur, every place will 
look at its very worst, and that is the condition in 
which an intending purchaser should see the place 
he proposes to make his future home. If he knows 
the worst, no disappointment can follow. Many a 
place that in the freshness of spring or the ripeness 
of autumn seems charming, presents a sorry aspect 
at the present season. As usual, last month’s 
Notes are to be referred to for many hints that we 
do not repeat, but which are as timely now as then. 
Orchard «Md Nursery. 
If every fruit-grower could go to the market 
where his fruit is sold, and see his own packages in 
contrast with those of many other growers, and no¬ 
tice the preferences of the buyers, he would learn 
a useful lesson. If his own parcels went off well, 
he would see why this was the case, and study to 
improve upon their present style; if, on the other 
hand, his fruit was passed by, and that of another 
preferred, he would learn that what seem to be tri¬ 
fles have a money value. A new half-barrel, lined 
with clean, white paper, may contain no better 
Bartlett or other pears, than his own second-hand 
package, but his are not touched until all the clean 
and bright parcels have been taken up, and at a 
price that much more than covers the difference in 
cost between the two packages... .We have men¬ 
tioned the matter of 
Swine .—Some breeders make a business of having 
their sows litter in August, so as to get the pigs 
ready by the holidays for small pork. By proper 
Assorting fruit, until it is irksome to repeat it; 
but our daily walks among the fruit dealers, show 
that a very few of the fruit growers understand, 
or at least practice, this—one of the easiest meth¬ 
ods of increasing their profit. If we insist upon 
the importance of that which experienced fruit¬ 
growers do, as a matter of course, it must be re¬ 
membered that these Notes are for novices, and 
those slow to adopt new methods, and must have 
precept upon precept. It is very easy for one send¬ 
ing fruit to market, to test the 
Money Value of Assorting. —Let him try it with 
pears, early apples, or peaches, sending some pack¬ 
ages of fruit as it runs, and the same number of 
which the fruit has been separated into two quali¬ 
ties, rejecting from the second grade all that is im¬ 
perfect and absolutely poor. He will be astonished 
to find that there is but little difference in the re¬ 
turns from his second quality and the unassorted 
parcels, while the returns from the first quality will 
show that there is no more remunerative labor than 
that he has given to them... .Recollect that 
A Few Poor Specimens will spoil the looks of a 
whole basket of fair fruit, while many good speci¬ 
mens will not bring up the grade of an indifferent 
lot. Just as the strength of a chain is that of its 
weakest link, so does the buyer estimate the fruit 
by the poorest that are visible. Assorting pays 
with all kinds, but is especially necessary in 
Marketing Peaches, as not only the appearance has 
to be considered, but the degree of maturity. On 
page 303 will ‘ be found an article devoted to the 
crop, which the inexperienced may find usefuL 
Pears. —There is scarcely an exception to the rule 
that these are much better when ripened off of the 
tree, and some, unless gathered early enough, will 
be absolutely worthless; those beautiful pears, 
Clapp’s Favorite and Flemish Beauty—a beauty in¬ 
deed, where it will grow with a clear skin—are 
marked examples of this. Hence it becomes a 
matter of profit that the fruit-grower should know 
the peculiarities of the varieties he raises.—“There’s 
money in it.” 
Large Pears are apt to be blown off In gales, and 
we have known the ground around the trees to be 
covered with marsh hay, to prevent the bruising of 
the fruit, the owner finding it profitable; where 
there is grass, that will prevent bruising; if there 
is no grass, keeping the soil light and removing all 
stones, will be of use. 
Fallen Fruit should always be utilized; swine 
may be pastured in the orchard, or the fruit picked 
up daily and carried to their pens ; in case neither 
is done, some other methods should be adopted to 
destroy the larva of the codling moth that is com¬ 
monly within it. Vinegar makers grind and press 
the windfalls daily, to add to the vinegar crop. 
Insects. —The Notea of June and July treat of the 
principal insects. The traps, cloth being the best, 
as described last month, for catching the Codling 
Moth, should be looked to every 10 days. The 
Late, or Fall Web-worm, a different insect from the 
Tent-caterpillar, though resembling it in building a 
web, is common on forest as well as fruit trees, 
and should be killed wherever found. Cut away 
the twig upon which the web is found, and crush. 
Budding is a method of propagating fruit trees 
less frequently practised by the farmer and cultiva¬ 
tor, than grafting, but the nurserymen employ it 
extensively, and for 6ome fruits exclusively. In 
the instructions given in the April Notes, in graft¬ 
ing, it was stated that in that process “ we take a 
piece of a stem, and instead of putting it in the 
soil, we plant it in the branch of another tree,” and 
that the object in doingthis was, “ toplant the twigs 
of a fruit that we know and want, upon the roots 
of a kind that we know nothing about, or of an un¬ 
desirable kind.” 
Budding is a Kind of Grafting, indeed, the French 
call it “ grafting with an eye.” In grafting, a twig 
with several buds is used; in budding, we use but 
one bud, and the end to be accomplished is the 
same as in grafting. The old term was inoculate, 
(from the Latin in, and oculus, an eye), and is occa¬ 
sionally used at present, but the same term is also 
used for imparting disease, by inserting the virus 
into the flesh, as in vaccinating, and many persons 
think that inoculating a tree imparts to it the power 
to bear better fruit, while really the bud that is in- 
