The Jefferson news & farmer. (Louisville, Jefferson County, Ga.) 1871-1875, May 26, 1871, Image 4

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: " """"" &6MI CVLTVSgL. Dow Continuous Croppta* Exhaust the Soill It seems to be a favorite proposi tion, among agricultural writers, that continuous cropping is exhaustive of the soil; that cropping lakes from the soil a certain amount of the bans, such as lime, potash, magnesia and the various alkalies formed from these bases, &c ; that unless these are put back by the way, or in the form of fertilizers, the soil will be exhausted and reduced to poverty. Now, this is very specious and plausible argument; and appears as plain as that two and two makes four; or, that if two were taken from four, only two would remain. But just let me tell the farmer that he can as quickly and eSectually exhaust the soil with the use of fertilizers, as he can without them. I state here as a fact, that the ba ses—the mineral constituents assim ilated by a plant as a part of their food, is in nearly all the arable land of our country inexhaustible. It has required thousands of years to convert the stones and rocks that cover the earth into cultivated lands; it will require thousands of years more to accomplish their entire des truction or exhaustion ; and while this disintegration of rocks is going on, the alkalies are set at liberty and made available for the food of plants. I assert also, by the authority of Baron Liebig, one of the%hlest wri ters upon organic chemistiy, that one cubic foot of feldspar contains u sufficient quantity of the alkalies to supply an acre of forest trees for many years. Now, while we have feldspar and formations of other rocks spread over the surface of our lands, who need fear the exhaustion of the soil ? I can conceive of but three tvays of exhausting the soil. The first is, by stopping the dis integration of rocks, thus prevent ing the liberation of their alkalies. Secondly, by incineration ; that is, by permitting the soluble constitu ents of the soil to be burned up. And third, by the grazing of cat tle. We expect in due time to force nearly all of our farmers to plead guilty to all three of these modes of exhausting the soil by their system of farming. — Cor. in vEgis and Intel ligencer. Growth of Cereals. Os late years, the laws controlling the development of cereals from germinating to maturity, have been more carefully studied than in for mer years, and t he results of these researches are not only interesting, but valuable in the highest degree to the practical farmer, as they will enable him to improve in his modes of culture, by avoiding errors that seriously interfere with the growth and development of plants. Among the most interesting of the many papers that have been pre pared on that subject, is one read at a meeting of the British Association, by Mr. F- F. Hal'et, in which were detailed the resu’ts of a series of ex periments conducted by the author for the purpose of establishing cei tain important facts connected with the growth of cereals, darling up on the conviction that grain, and es pecially wheat, is injured by plant ing 100 closely, be found a wheat p'aDl would increase above the grojnd in proportion as its roots had room to develop, and that the roo.s might be hindered by being in con tact with the roots of another plant. To enforce this argument against, close platnting, we may add Liebig’s remark, that “the greatest enemy to a wheat plant is another wheat plant not only because the natural devel opment ol the roots are retarded, but also for the obvious reason that both require the same food ; small head and kernels, and weak, flabby 3traw, are the nateral consequences of this competition.” J. J. Mechi, the widely known farmer and writer of England, says the close sowing of grain is a national calamity. Mr. Hallet conliued his experi ments, planting one kernel of wheat only, and by applying the principles he had previously deducted to iir- E roving the method of cultivation, e succeeded in raising whe, t, whose ears contained 123 grain«. In the coi'r'e of these irvest ho mae'e other (■' cove e? with re gard to the growth ot cereals, which may be summed up as follows: 1. Every fully develop jd plant, whether of wheat, oa L s or barley presents one ear superior in produc tive power to any of the rest on that plant. 2. Every such plant contains one grain, which upon trial, proves mo.e productive than any other. 3. The best grain in a given plant is found in its best ear. 4. The superior vigor of this grain is iransmissittleinxlifFerent degrees to its progeny. 5 By repeated careful selection the superiority is accumu'ated. 6. Tne improvement which is first raised gradually, after a series of years, is diminished in amount, and eventually so far arrested, that prac tically speaking, a limit to improve ment in the desired quality is reach ed. 7- Bj still conlinsirig to .sqtec}, the’improvfnerit is in iniaißeu, and practically a fixed tyjie is the result. The progress now beings Jb#ls|u agriculture is the joint workwfhefe ry and practice, and the develop ments ol late years concerning llife structure and physiology of plants, are of incalculable benefit. Chem istry has now demonstrated the oof ditions absolutely demanded by vegetation for its growth, ami points out to the enquiring miml the soui ces whence the requisite mato'dils can be procured, and the process by which the mechanical action can be best accomplished. Every really successful farmer must, to som" ex- 1 lent, be a scientific man, because in developing the capacities ol his land to the utmost, in maintaining and increasing its lertility, .and overcom ing the difficulties that baffle others, he must apply established principles and the knowledge of tacts that constitute important elements ol success.— Farmer’s Home Journal. Essay on Osage Hedgin. By Stillman Slockwell, of Lyons, lowa* How to Germlnate Osage Seed. Take a box, say 14 inches square, fill it with clean sand, take four quarts of Osage seed, put it into a small sack, place the sack in the mid dle ofthe box of sand, pour scalding water into the box until it is full; let the water stand in the box one hour, then draw it offfrom a hole in the bot tom, place the box in a warm place; repeat the process twice every twen ty-four hours, but not have the water hotter than you can bear your hand in alter the first lime; follow this pro cess ibr three or four days; by that time the seed if good, will begin to show sprouts, and time to plant. Plant your seed in drills 1C inches apart, one inch apart in the rows; cover 1J inches deep in tresh plowed ground, pack the dirt with a hoe or roller; cultivate as you would car rots, and if well cultivated they will grow from two to three feet. Take up the plants in the fall after they have done growing, pu> them in a cellar, or a hole dug in the ground, in layers so that the tops of one layer will cover the roots of the preceding layer, and so on until you have them all laid down, then cover the last layer by putting dirt upon it; if in a cellar see that they are [lacked close so that the roots shall not dry up. After corn planting is the best lime for setting them; the buds on the live plants will have started, so it will he easy to tell the live from the dead ones. Prepare your ground by plowing together six furrows, plowed at least ten inches deep and well pulverized with a harrow. The proper dis tance for setting the plants i? six inches, in a straight line. A strong linen twine is the best line to set by; take a shingle or board that will measure twelve inches round, wild your twine around this so that it will cover the shingle one thickness, then take black paint or tar and rub on the edge of the shingle across the twine and when you draw out your line to set the plants by, you w'll have a black spot on the twine once in six inches. For setting the plants first cut off'the lops to within one inch ot the yel'-nv root; lake a pree of wood IS inches long, chisel-shtq -d at the lower end, one inch wide, place it on the end of the root and force it in to the ground until the top ofthe plant comes almost leve' with the ground; in this way the too.s will be drive i straight into the ground, whereas, if set with a dibble, rraiy of the roots will hit on the side ofthe hole or other obstruction and be curled up and die. After the plants are sci, go through the line with one foot on each side and thoroughly pack the ground a round the plants; the young hedge should be kept clean of weeds and the ground stirred often for the first season. Before winter sets in plow a deep furrow on each side of the hedge, co\er-ug as much ofthe hedge as possible for a winter's protection. Second Year. —Uncover the hedge carefully with a hoe as soon as the ground is well thawed out, hut not to trim until it has got well to grow ing, then cut to within one inch of the ground ; plow the ground on each side of the hedge and adil one furrow on each side; cultivate as you would a to .v of corn through the season, and if jv lice is done to it will grow four feet high; this winter it will be able to stand without injnry. Third Year. —Cut to within two inches of the ground alter it has got well to growing, and con.inue to cul tivate well; this year it ought to have made a grow h of six feet, and where it has done well will turn cattle; add two furrows to the width of cultiva- tion. Fourth Year. —Lop the hedge af ter it has got well to growing to with in ten inches o ; ' the ground by cuf ting each branch one half off", bend ing it down as close to the ground as possible by placing your loot upon it; will generally split up or down and lie in the right position, if not, fasten, it down by twisting other branches around, or fasten it down with sticks, at any rat'd' make if femamln a horizontal position, wfedn. each plant will throw up some,hal£doz£p shoots, and in this wayyrtoMnlHiaiie go thicK a hedge that.the"smallest bird cannot go through it, and «o close to the ground that nothing can get under it, The great failure of many are aiVaid tq cut it the ground, and cerartMice M to make a hedge' where iljey 3hoi|l«l leave off, viz: four or five foil from the ground. If justice has IbeMßfeiMSihe hedge, it will this year make a to stop any ordinary stock, although horses or battle might be driven through it, but rarely the second time. Afier this fomrth-yeaf it should lie sheared, sides andtop, and not allowed to grow above five feet high, unless for a wind break. RSrAdrks. —The Osage Orange is a native of ihe tropics and grows to the size of 18 incites in diameter, there fore it has to be dwaited to a shrub to make a hedge; any disposition of the plant to grow into a tree should be stoppejl joy cutting down. Some say that the fiest way is to let the hedge grow until the third year, ami then cut close to the ground, if that is the case there is no witchery in dwar6ng trees. lihink the better way is to cut in June until you have a perfect hedge, after that it will do to trim in the fall, but to trim a young hedge in the fall will ruin it. Those sel ling out hedges should always have spare plants of the same age as the hedge, to fill up all places killed in the winter, if a large plant is killed, fill the place with a large plant, never a small one. The foregoing way of raising a hedge ’I have got by experience, and know irfullowed will be sure to make « live leipce, that no kind of stock can pass, jmd the cost can not exceed 20 cents per rod; my fence has not cost tne 15 cents per rod. It is a rather cu/ious coincidence that the first bridge for carrying water, for the purpose of naviga tion, over a navigable stream, should have been built for the Earl ot Bridgewater, yet it is ueverlhless an historical fact. In 1758, a plan was made for the construction ol a canal from the coalmines of that nobleman to the city of Manchester, a distance of some seven miles, across rivers and val leys and through subterranean pass ages, by an engineer named Brind - ley- He surveyed the ground and declared the canal practicable, and although assailed by ridicule from every side, the earl had confidence enough in him to determine on the execution of the project. When the canal had been completed as far as the river Irewell, (navigable for large vessels,) and Brindley was preparing the work for an aqueduct high above the river, the eminent en giueers ofthat time declared it agreat folly saying, “ They had heard of castles in the air, but had never seen the place where they proposed building them, much less the place [where they proposed building can als in the air.” Ten months afier this, the first coal-boat passed over this elevated canal, while the ves- sels in the river sailed past be’ow it as before, without interruption- This success caused several other canals to be immediately planned, and Brindley was ofien consulted in their construction. That ihisT now almost forgotten engineer was a true genius, appears from the fact that he never received a good education. Till seventeen years of age he worked for his fath er, who was poor, and then bound himself as apprentice to a mill wright, where he soon showed so much ingenuity that he often in structed his master in the perform ance qf new kinds of work. He never resorted to books, nor to the labor ol others, nor did he make plans on paper, nor calculations for iiis own use; he was not tamil-ar e nougti with those th-.igs; but mo.e so in pure mentallabor; he made his who'e [dans and calculations in his mind arrr lged all the parts otthe most complex machinery in his iinagina i'on, and retained the whole in his memory, wfrch by this habit be came most surprisingly vigorous. When he had a difficult plan to elab orate, he locked himself up in his room and went to bed, and remain ed there till his plans were ready. When his own mind was satisfied, he felt easy, being confident of suc cess, and success always crowned his labors. He died at the age of fifty six years and left behind him many, other works < f engineering and me clianieal skill, which lor many gener ations, past and lulue, testify to his superior ability. [Manufacturer and Builder. Treatment for Chicken Cholera. BY A. H. DAWSON. In a recent number ot your pa per I find a communication from G. Bohrer on the diseases of fowls, par ticularly what he considered indi gestion, or chicken cholera, in which he gives a diagnosis of the disease which I suppose is probably correct. He also says that, “up to the pres ent time no treatment with which he is ai quainted has proved satisfacto ry.” Now I wish to say to him and all of your readers, that I have found a very easy and cheap reme dy that is satisfactory. During the yearslßfiSai:dlS69 I lostneajriy allof my fowls, both chickens and tur keys, .{entirely all of the latter,) by this same disease. In one instance an entire brood of chickens, some two or three weeks old, seventeen m number, all died under the hfcn in Wie night. Asa remedy, I bought one pound of Spanish brown, «tkl mixed abmut one-fourth of it with peibaps* three quarts of wheat bran, (corn meal is just as good), and placed it to a large sugar trough near the, hen-house door. In a short time they had devoured it all. A week or two aflerwards J gave them another portion, and SO on uptil the whole pound wak administered. In the meantime I gave them every day, buttermilk, clabber, dishwater, Sec., as much as they would drink through the day. 1 also whitewashed my hen-bouse completely inside and out, and gave them, in a trough placed in the hen-house, about half a bushel of slacked lime to cat and wallow in at pleasure. And the re suit has been that I never had healthier fowls in my life, and I do not think I have ever had a lousy chicken under this treatment. I would also state that for some years past I have always raised a patch of popcorn to feed young chickens on. They will pick it up freely at four or five days old, and as soon as they can eat it, I feed them on large corn. This, I have thought tends to pre vent trouble with gapes. Cultivation of ths la tits Adriatic During the past few years, Dr. Oscar Schmidt, professor of zoology at the University of Gratz, hat em ployed several weeks of the early summer in artificially producing and rearing the bath sponge. His la bors have met with such success that bis system has been adopted by the Austrian government, and by it carried on, on the coast of Dalma tia. It has for some time been a well known fact that several families of zoophytes have such great powers of reproduction that a portion of one will grow and form on an entire new body. This property has been tak en advantage of by Dr. Schmidt, his process being to cut the sponge into pieces, fasten each to a pile,and im merse it in the sea. The pieces then grow, and eventually from each one a spherical sponge is obtained. According to the estimates of Dr. Schmidt, a small piece of sponge at the end of three years will represent a value of ten cents. The total cost of raising 4000 sponges, in eluding the interest on the exp ended capital lor three years, is estima ted at $42.40, and the income atabout SSO, leaving therefore a net profit of $37.60. There is no doubt but that the practice of this branch of indus try will be the means of.considerahie benefit to the inbabitanlsoflhe Ibrian and Dalmatian coasts. The Journal de Pharmacie et de Chimie contains an account of some experiments by M. H. Violette, on the best method of preserving eggs— a subject of much importance in France. Many methods had been tried ; continued immersions in lime-water or salt water; exclusion ol air by water, saw-dust, etc., and even varnishing has been tried, but respectively condemned. The sim plicity of the method adopted on many farms, that of closing the pores of the shell with grease or oil, had, however, attracted the attention of the author who draws the following conclusions from a series of exper iments on this method. Vegetable oil, more especially linseed, simply rubbed on the egg, hinders any al teration for a sufficiently extensive period, and presents a very simple and efficacious method of preserva tion, eclipsing any methods hitherto recommended or practiced. To Ci.ean Paint. —There is a very simple method to clean paint that has become dirty, and, if our housewives would adopt it, would save them a great deal of trouble. Provide a plate with some of the best whiting to be had, and have ready some clean warm water and a piece of flannel, which dip into the water and squeeze nearly dry; then take as much whiting as will adhere to it, apply it to the painted surface, when a little rubbing will instantly remove any dirt or grease. After which wash the part well with clean water, rubbing it dry with a soft chamois. Paint thus cleaned looks as well as when first laid on, with out any injury to the most delicate colors. It is far better than using soap, and does not require more than half the time and labor. Olieographs; Marbled Paper. A so-called novelty has been ad veitised in England lately, under this name. It is simply paper, on which peculiar accidental figures arc formed by the following process: Oil is dropped on Water; paper is laid on the surface; this is allowed to float an instant, and then drawn through ink, and washed with water. It appears to us that the main principle of this so called novel method is identical with the manner in which thus far all marbled papers have been manufac tured namely, a shallow bath of wa ter mixed with some ox-gall is pre pared and sprinkled with watercol ors mixed with gum, etc., on the surface, so that they float and form qll kinds of accidental figures*. Then a sheet ol white paper is laid on the water for an instant, and taken up directly;after which it is dried. Sharpening Edge Tools. The Mark Lane Express copies the following recipe Tor sharpening edge tools from a German scientific journal, for the benefit of farmers, mechanics and laborers:—“lt has long been known - that the simplest tneihol of sharpening a razor fs to put it for half an hour in water to which has been added of iis weight of muriatic or sulphuric acid, then lightly wipe it off, ancf af ter a few hours set it on a hone.'—- The ackl here supplies the pfacebF a whet-stone by corroding the whole surface evenly, so that nothing mete than a smooth polish is - necessary. The process never injures 'good blades, while badly hardened <Bms are generally improveb by it, al hough the cause of improvement remains unexplained. “Os late this process has been ap plied to many other cutting imple ments. The workman, at the begin-, ning of his noon-spell, or when he leaves itin the evening,moistens the blades of his tools with water acidu lated as above, the cost of which is almost nothing. This saves the con sumption of time and labor in whet ling.” Influence of the Moon. Young plants, like human babies, must have plenty of rest. If they shoot up from the seed in the wan* ing of the moon, they enjoy the re pose of the long, dark nights; if in the growing moon, their young life, over stimulated by the light, perish es or suffers deteiioralion more or less. The latest observations make it certain that the sun-heat reflected from the full moctn’s face is suffi cient to dispel clouds, and it must modify, therefore, notably, the cli mate of the kitchen garden. One of the most brilliant astro nomical discoveries of the last ten years is that of the so-called eleven year cycle, during which Jupiter and the other planets alternately col lect upon one side of the sun, and then at other times disperse them selves around it, producing in the one case an abundant supply of spots upon the sun’s disc, with a corres ponding lowering of the climate of the earth, and in the other, the dis persion and disappearance of spots,, and a higher mean temperature of the earth.— Lesley's Lectures. Greasing Wagons. This is of more importance than many wagon owners imagine. The following, from an unknown source, is valuable information on the sub ject, which we trust will be duly heeded:— “Few people are aware that they do wagons and carriages more inju ry by greasing too plentifully than iu any other way. A well made wheel will endure common wear from ten to twenty-five years, if care is taken to use the right kind and proper amount of grease; hut if this matter is not attended to, they will be used up in five or six years.— Lard should never be used on a wag on for it will penetrate the hub, and work its way out around the tenons of the spokes, and spoil the wheel. Tallow is the best lubricator for wood axle-tree3, and castor oil for iron. Just grease enough should be applied to the spindie of a wagon to give it a light coating; this is better than more, for the surplus put on will work out at the ends, and be forced by the shoulder-hands and nut washer into the hub around the out side of the boxes. To oil an iron axletree, first wipe the spindle clean with a cloth wet with spirits of tur pentine, and then apply a few drops of castor oil near the shoulder and end. One teaspoonful is sufficient for the whole.” We would add, that for journals on which there is a heavy pressure, it is a good plan to mix with the oil some lamp-black or common soot; powdered plumbago or black lead is also employed for the same purpose. Exchange. Sow to Zssp s Chain from Frothing Over. Happening one day to visit the house of a friend who kepi a cow and made butler, I there saw a sim ple method he used to overcome the great trouble of all butter makers using the old-fashoned upright chura, viz: the overflow of the cream dur ing the process of churning. His plan was as follows: Take the body of the churn and cut a groove around the inside of the mouth, about thtee inches front the top and three-eighths of an inch deep, and then remove half the thickness of the wood, making a shoulder all around; then lake the cover and cut it nicely inside, and now done away with all the old nuisances of cloths, tubs, pans, etc., heretofore required to save the cream that flowed over. Any man, almost, can do this, of the churn may be taken to a carpenter and treated for a few cents. Many an idea of less consequence than this is patented, but all may take this one for what I gave for it.— Cor. in Scientific American. Bain Statistics. Water is so universally present in the air that the influence of the moon upon the rain-fall, as on the sea, in the tides, may be watched wiih in : terest. Mr. Glaisher asserts, aftipT, much long and patient investigation, that the ninth day of the moon is the most rainy of the whole twenty eight, and that ift the first and last weeks of the muon’s age, the rain fall is less than the average. The recotds kept by Mr 1 . Glaisher also indicate four o’clock in the afternoon as the rariiest hour in the day. What is the difference between a belle and a burglar ? One Barnes false locks, and the other false keys. BPARTA SOUTHERN BRANCH BOOK AND M fcSICffTUBRSCOtUMWS. _ met* wlbsS! ***, .uor.-rO i ... .’ “ ~ ~ Books, Music, Stationery *c. Knowing the advantage afforded tbs raoniseta Southern Branch Book and Music Btprf, v« hay* accepted the management of a branshof aevaral (ergo u« House*, bj which arrangement we are aaahlnl te Mil Books, Music, Musical lustnmeits, SuUttefr J** |u„*e* at New York price*. IN oar Book Department we offer at lowest pobliahera’ rates. LAW AND MEDICAL BOOKS, SCHOOL BOOKS, MISCELLANEOUS BOOK*. TBSOLOQICAL BOBUS Music IBooks! Mlusic IBooks 11 PIANO FORTE METHODS, PIANO STUDIES, PIANO MOSPS. Primer*, Dictionaries and Theoretical works, Mtuical Literature, Organ laetnetien an Music. HARP AND GUITAR, VIOLIN INSTRUCTION BOOKS, FLUTE INSTRUCTION BOOSES, FLUTE AND VIOLIN fIHRUO. ACOORDEON, FLUTINA AND BANJO, FIFB, DRUM, BUGLE AID BAND MUSIC. VOCAL METHODS and Eaercises for Adulte and Juvenile Class**. GLEE BOOKS AND PART SONGS, VOCAL MUSIC, CHURCH MUSIC, ORATORIES, p SABBATH SCHOOL MUSIC * Ac., A*. Under each of the above heads we have a large and varied enlanUrn AM Made of Tint Class writing papers. Note, Cap and Letter Papor, Cards, tinvolopet BHl4tad ftlir.ltlil Blanks Sus, Ac. ' ■ As wo have a Job Printing Office in eonneotlon with oar stora, wa aaa ter Heads, Bill Heads, printed Envelopes Cards Ac., Ac., at asnhEedvaMee «atart irg Pianos, Organs, Melodeons and any other Musical Instrument faraiahad at ' anufaoturers* 1 1 011 , When a large organ or piano is sold, we send a man to pnt it np, free es charge. 0- Mis c ellaneous. GOLD AND STEEL PENS, GOLD PEN AND PENCIL CASEB, ENGLISH, FRENCH AND AMERICAN WETTING PAPERS COPYING AND SEAL PRESSES, : ENGLISH AND AMERICAN COPYING, WRITING AND INDELIBLE INKS, " i LETTER, NOTE AND WEDDING ENVELOPES, PORT FOLIOS, WRITING DESKS, CHESS AND BACKGAJdKQN eoakq§ AERsnoL DOMINOES, CROQUETS, PLAYING AND VISITING CARDS, BKAUNGWAX, INDIA RUBOR BARBS, " , ; 1 ; * 9 rmtmrm. DRAWING AND TRACING PAPMt, H MATHEMATICAL INSTRUMENT^ SURVEYORS’COMPASSES, PORT MONIES, Ac., &c. - . :■ ‘ V 4 ; ■ Subscription*received set any Periodical, Ameri«s l lr^Vgii|L.|ipMdgMMßMl | f. advance. i [j'f wo/C fth I , ii Foraignßefak* imported at Near. York price*.. Books are being constantly ordeaad,antf volume of the ratlin* r* w MMPSt fST timeßeamdfcri -Z UIT ; j f j * . / ' ‘Small packages sent by Eapreee or mailat* m# atjghteeirt, , ‘ ‘‘ PmSM unknownM earnest remit with theirordarm ‘‘ v * Packages sent by Express collect<* desired. All impiMw S*St> dpstof sap must ; hs aoeOmpsflUdwlth a Stamp tHr NSmS MEW with price lists SK. - - : vites*} is* oi n *>** .e»i;«*<?•; :r*% '' (Uiu: i j g... A4dp» ; aUoomni^ipatiM|«'loj. ( , a#i 3<M . ** .fl/JO'-ITAHT'. A lAWGcfcijf ;-itiU'q** lo htUM3% ,r -* u—itei “i t «K 1 MayS,lß7l. If