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THE SOUTHERN WORLD, SEPTEMBER 1,1882.
seed, and let none be picked from it. By
proper care, the quality of a vegetable may
be improved; in saving Lima beans we have
for several years selected only those with
four beans in the pod; as a consequence, the
greater number of pods in the whole crop
now have four beans. The selection of the
first ripened and best formed tomatoes for
seed will have a marked effect on future
crops, and this is the case with all other veg
etables; and if one has a choice melon he
would preserve in its purity, the surest
method is to fertilize a few female flowers.
Take a male flower of the same kind that is
shedding its pollen, remove the corolla, to
expose the stamens. Select a female flower
that is just ready to open, but has not been
visited by insects; open it, and apply the
stamens to the pistil of that flower. Cover
the flowers thus operated upon by a bit of
muslin until the fruit begins to grow.
INQUIRY COLUMN.
GRASS FOB NAME.
Is the enclosed sample, Bermuda gross?
If not what is it ? Please answer. F. M.
Franklinton, La.
Answbb: We cannot positively say that
the sample is Bermuda, as it is not in flower;
but it has evgry other appearance of that
grass. Bend a specimen in full bloom. It.
JERSEY CALVES.
1 have a Registered Jersey bull-calf, nine
months old and want to make him grow rap
idly, what ought I to feed him on in addi
tion to daily grazing, to push him fastest—
and how much each day and how often ?
You will greatly oblige by answering in the
next (1st September) issue of the Southern
World. Respectfully, W. R. Lee.
Coatapa, Ala.
Answer : While it is true that a bull in
tended for the best and most effective ser
vice should be well fed from his birth, he
should not be forced by too rich food. He
should have been allowed milk as the main
food until six months old. The ordinary
published food standards are not generally
adapted to our food resources in the South,
but our correspondent will find no difficulty
in arranging a suitable Southern bill of fare
for his pet, if be will keep in view the cor
rect principle of feeding. The object should
be to develop the bones, muscles and nerves
of tbe growing animal. To do this he must
be fed on nutritious—not fattening food. If
running on good pasture, the feed night and
morning should be majnly oats and sweet
good fodder, or clover hay. The feed may
be varied by adding wheat bran, a little cot
ton-seed meal, turnips or mangolds and or
dinary hay.
During cold weather a small allowance of
corn meal will be a very proper addition.
While grazing a good ration to be fed at
night would be—for each 100 pounds live
weight—about as follows:
Good bay or com fodder 3 lbs
Cotton-eeed meal 'A “
Wheat bran l'A “
or
Oats 2 lbs
Wheat bran 2 “
and corn, fodder or hay ad lib.
In feeding for the special purpose in view,
economy is of secondary importance. The
above is a liberal day’s ration for each 100
pounds weight while running on pasture.
If not consumed or not sufficient, tbe
amount may be diminished or increased
accordingly. During the winter if not
practicable to supply green rye or oats, tur
nips or sweet potatoes may be given, and
the animal should have opportunity for
daily exercise and pure clean water. The
curry-comb and brush will be quite as ben
eficial as they are in the grooming of a
horse. R.
Pcavlnea aa m Fertiliser for Oata.
Editor Southern World.—Having been a
constant reader of your valuable paper since
its birth, and wishing to learn as much
about my chosen occupation (farming) as
possible, I have concluded to ask you a few
questions which are of much interest to me.
I am a grass and grain planter and am using
all the improved implements and farming
machinery that I can. I have read with
great interest the many letters which have
appeared in your paper on " Peas as a Fer
tiliser.” This year I sowed about two bush
els and a half to the acre after my oats were
harvested, and expect to turn them under
with a Champion Sulky Plow.
(I.) Now the first question with me is what
is the proper stage to do this to get best re
sults. My calculation was as soon as the
vines were turned under to seed the ground
to oats immediately and harrow in with an
Aome Harrow; but a friend told me that if
owed the oats Immediately after turning
under this immense mass of vegetable mat
ter, that the oats would be killed in the
sprout and I would get no stand.
(2.) Is this true, and if I must wait for it
to decompose, bow long?
One more question and I am done:
(3.) If I sow two and a half bushels peas
to the acre on land that ordinarily would
make fifteen bushels of.oats to the acre, turn
tbe vines under, and at tbe proper time ap
ply 500 pounds cotton seed meal per acre, of
a seasonable year, what would be a fair yield
per acre ?
Wishing you all the success your paper
deserves, I shall expect a reply in your next
issue. Catoma. •
Montgomery County, Alabama.
Answer.—(1.) The peas should be turned
under when they have attained their most
luxuriant growth, which will be when a few
peas have been formed, but the vines still in
full flower. It is a growing opinion that
equally good results will follow if the vines
be not plowed under but left to decay upon
the surface.
(2.) It would not be good practice to sow
oats immediately after turning under a*large
mass of green vegetation. The soil would
lack that compactness which is very import
ant in the early stages of a small grain crop;
and the fermentation of the decaying matter
would be deleterious to the young grain. If
eight or ten bushels of lime were sown to
the acre before turning under the peavines,
.decomposition would be more rapid. It
would require six weeks or more before the
land would be in suitable condition for sow
ing grain. For these reasons a late crop of
peas should be followed by wheat, rather
than oats, os the wheat may be sown much
later than oats.
(3.) Under the conditions named fifty
bushels of oats per acre would be a fair
yield, and one hundred not impossible.
Utilising Grass.
Grass is the cream of tbe soil. Every ele
ment in its composition has been drawn
from the soil; and if that grass were re
turned, as it should be, to tbe hungry land,
every leaf and stem would add to the pro
ductiveness of the seed-bed. Yet, a great
many people who supervise the management
of lawns and gardens, direct every great
thing in the form of grass to be cast on tbe
beaten track of the highway, as if such
plant-growth, if allowed to decay where
it grew, would exert a pernicious influence
on the fertility of the land.
There is no better fertilizer for lawns than
the grass which the lawn-mower cuts down.
The mown grass should never be raked off
the lawn. If allowed to remain where it
grew, every spear and stem will soon settle
around the live roots of the growing herb
age, where it will decay, and thus provide
excellent pabulum for the roots that pro
duced the crop. If grass and weeds must be
raked off and removed, let all such accumu
lations be spread neatly around tbe vines of
Strawberries or near the bushes of Black
berries or Currants. If weeds and grass be
collected in a pile, during hot and dry
weather, every root and stem will soon
die.
All the grass, weeds and grass-roots that
can be collected together, should be utilized
for the purpose of mulching growing plants.
Decayed grass will make rich land, and will
keep the surface of the soil mellow. Don't
allow grass to be wasted.—American Garden.
f Preserving Plants.
(American Garden.)
In a small way, as keepsakes merely,
plants may be dried between the leaves of a
book with soft paper ; but to make a Herbar
ium for botanical studies requires more care,
yet expensive or complicated apparatus Is
not necessary.
Two pieces of board, a little larger than
the paper to be used, a quantity of drying
paper, and a stone or other weight, is all
that is needed. If, in addition to the drying
papers,—for which unsized newspapers or
any kind of porous paper are suitable—single
sheets of light printing paper are used, the
changing of the “dryers” becomes consider
ably facilitated.
On one of the boards are placed several
thicknesses of drying pads, and on these one
of the single sheets. The specimen, which
should be as perfect as possible, showing all
the essentail parts of the plant, is then
spread upon it, so that all the organs of the
plant are plainly visible when dry, and yet
that the natural form is not changed more
than is necessary.
Leaves and flowers and stems should not
be crowded upon each other, else the plants
will not dry well; and when this is unavoid
able, small pieces Of paper should be put
between the crowded leaves. A single sheet
is placed directly on the plant, followed
by a drying pad, on this another sheet
and another plant, and so on. When all
specimens are thus disposed of, a few addi
tional layers of dryers are laid on the top
and covered with the second board. On this
is placed a weight of about twenty-five
pounds.
After twelve hours tbe weight is removed,
the drying papers are changed for dry ones,
without disturbing the plants between the
single sheet, and the weight replaced. This
process has to be repeated every twenty-four
hours, until all the most succulent parts of
the plant are entirely dry. The dry speci
mens are then arranged upon dry, clean pa
pers, and properly labeled with their names,
locality, and date when found.
tfforlicuUuwl department.
Ornamental Shrubs.
- American Garden.
The proper selection of the kinds of
shrubs best suited to the extent and general-
character of our lawns is always a matter of
importance, and, even after a judicial
choice has been made, the requirements of
each kind should be regarded in planting.
To obtain success, precaution must be taken
as to their adaptability to soil, and that the
more tender ones be placed in sheltered po
sitions. Shrubs may flourish and be per
fectly hardy on one spot, while but a short
distance off they will prove a failure. The
soil must be thoroughly drained and the
wood well ripened, or else the shrubs will
not stand the winter.
The Massachusetts Horticultural Society
during the past year devoted several meet
ings to the discussion of this important sub
ject, and the list below comprises the species
most highly recommended by members of
the Society.
Bydranega panicnlata grandiflora, though
introduced here over a quarter of a century
ago, and one of our most beautiful and de
sirable shrubs, has not been cultivated to
any extent until a few years ago. The plunt
is perfectly hardy, and requires no care
other than that bestowed upon our finer
varieties of flowering shrubs. Hydranega
paniculata, of which grandiflora is a variety,
has a finer foliage, is more graceful, and
quite as hardy. Whether grown singly or in
groups, the Hydranega represents all that is
grandest in a shrub, as Exochorda grandiflora
does all that is most beautiful. To these
may be added a third.
Viburnum plicatum, introduced into this
country some thirty years ago, and, though
neglected at that time has recently taken its
place among our handsomest shrubs. It re
sembles the common Snowball,, but is mucli
more delicate. It produces large trusses of
pure white flowers in great profusion. The
trusses are very compact and the individual
flowers have great substance, It is not as
common as the Hydranega, being of slower
growth and more difficult to propagate.
Fi'iumum macrocephalum resembles Vi
burnum plicatum only the cluster of flowers
is larger. There are several native species
well worthy of cultivation, and which
thrive wondrously under a little attention.
Kalmia latifolia, also a native, is one of our
most beautiful as well as showy flowering
shrubs, though somewhat difficult to grow ;
yet, with proper attention to the condition
of the soil, success will generally reward
our efforts.
Prunu* triloba is a beautiful shrub, with
wreaths of rosy pink blossoms.
Spirea aricefolia, 8. prunifolia, and S. Thnn-
bergii, are all fine, handsome shrubs, and
readily cultivated. Thunberg’s Spirea does
not grow large, and is very appropriate for
small places. It blooms in early spring.
Cornui tanguinea, the Red Dogwood, “ is
well known, and is desirable for its winter
effects, its red branches being very showy
when divested of their leaves.”
Deutxia crenata-flore pleno. The double
flowering Deutzias are rapidly growing in
favor, and they ought to find a place in
every garden, large or small. The dwarf
single-floweiing is a charming plant, which,
on account of its small size, free flowering
qualities and hardiness, cannot be too high
ly commended for small gardens. It has
ample, bright foliage, its flowers are snowy
white, and are produced in great profusion
early in Jane.
Weigela rosea has held its own against all
new-comers, on account of its fine habit.
The Rhododendron! and Ghent Azalea* are
too well known to need any description here.
Few shrubs possess the attractions of these
magnificent plants, and the admiration they
excite should be a spur to their more gen
eral dissemination.
Clethra alnifolia and Catiandra ealyculata,
both native shrubs, are also very beautiful
under cultivation.
Among shrubs of recent introduction, the
following are named as being of great prom
ise, and desirable for hardiness and beauty:
Clematis Davidiana and C. Tubulosa are
erect-growing species, from two to four feet
high, and in midsummer are covered with
beautiful blue flowers like panicles of Hya
cinths. Unfortunately they do not seed
freely, and are difficult to propagate. C.
Davidiana is the most desirable of the two.
Dctmodium pendulaflontm, D. pendulceflorum
album and D. Canadetue are hardy on dry soils.
All ore suffruticose rather than shrubby.
The first two are especially valuable on ac
count of blooming late in autumn, when
there are but few flowers. The flowers of the
first are purple, and all are pea-shaped.
Styrax Japonica is perfectly hardy in dry
soils. It has white flowers, similar to those
of S. Americana, but perhaps a little larger.
The latter is a very pretty shrub, from four
tp six feet in height, which ought to be in
every collection. The flowers resemble those
of ITaletia, or Silver Bell.
Andromeda polifolia is a native species
which under cultivation becomesjone of the
gems of the garden. The foliage is of a glau
cous color. It is perfectly hardy.
Andromeda Catesbcei is of rapid growth and
easily propagated. When planted with rho
dodendrons nothing is more beautiful, and
with the protection they afford is perfectly
hardy; if not sheltered, the ends of the
shootsare sometimes injured.
Andromeda Japonica is perfectly hardy. It
wants to bloom too early in spring, but five
years out of six it will be good.
Berberis Sinentis is perfectly hardy, grows
two to three feet high, and is of drooping
habit. When full of ripe fruit it looks like
a fountain of scarlet Berberis Thunbergiihas
fine autumn foliage, and when the fruit
which is of a deep, rich, scarlet color, is ripe,
forms a picture. It is a low growing shrub.
Neviusia Alabamentis belongs to the rose
family; it has numerous bunches of pure
white-flowers, and is quite showy. Though
from Alabama, it is perfectly hardy.
Erica vagans, E. v. rubra, E. cornea, and Cal-
luna vulgaris all do well on thoroughly
drained land, with a slight covering; if the
snow blows off and leaves them bare, they
burn.
Leiophyllum buxifolium has stood in the
Botanic Garden at Cambridge, for twelve
years. It is a small evergreen bush, grow
ing about one foot high. A larger form,
from tbe mountains of North Carolina, has a
larger leaf, of a more waxen appearance.
■’reserving Rustic Work.
The difficulty to preserve in our climate
natural wood when exposed to the influence
of the weather, deters many from the em
ployment of this kind of lawr furniture.
The Country Gentleman suggests a cheap and
easily applied remedy which seems to an
swer its purpose well: “Rustic work, if
neatly and tastefully constructed and cau
tiously introduced in the more wild and
picturesque portions of ornamental grounds,
may give a very pleasing effect. But if fully
exposed to the weather, without any kind of
protection, it speedily decays—a result
which is hastened by the slendor young ma
terial used and the numerous joints and
crevices where water can enteT. Nothing
can appear much worse than decayed and
broken seats; distorted summer-houses, and
crumbling and rotten bridges. To avoid
these bad results great pains and expense
are sometimes incurred in procuring branch
es and poles of red cedar and other durable
kinds of wood; but a cheaper and more last
ing way to prevent this difficulty is to apply
two or three heavy coats of crude petroleum
to any kind of wood employed, by means
of a coarse brush, the oil quickly penetrat
ing the pores and entering - tbe cracks and
joints. We have now on our grounds light
ly constructed work of soft and perishable
wood, which has been exposed to the weath
er for fifteen years without any sign of de
cay, having been well impregnated, when
new, with petroleum.”—American Garden.
Two directions are now open to capital
and industrial enterprise. The development
of tbe iron and cotton and jute and hemp
interests of the Southern States, and the
sugar, and flax, and machinery interests of
the West in mining and manufactures. An
astonishing amount of capital is hastening
in both directions.—Chicago Journal of Com
merce.