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Show FARM AND GARDEN. MATTERS OP INTEREST AGRICULTURALIST. lorn CplfDt of tb llortlcelture, Uinta Moil About TO Cultlv-tlo- n Md Tlolda Thereof Viticulture ul riort-cnltnr- e. Cranberry Grewleg. D. WOOLSET of writ e Michigan taking foranarticle on cranberry growing. In response we reprint a paper read some years ago before the Wisconsin Horticultural so- ciety by H. Floyd of Wisconsin. A large share of the effort to reclaim and replant marshes with the cranberry vine have been largely experimental, and many of these experiments have proved failures, In whole or In part The causes of these failures are various. Some have planted In grass, which was not kept down; others have planted in marshes of no depth, with no supply of water to keep them wet, and hence have failed of the wished-fo- r or expected results; while others have planted In marshes not adapted to the growth of the plant, or r, on such as ars flowed with or are so much occupied with other plants as to choke out the cranberry vine after it had beea planted. The great enemy of the cranberry Is sage, a plant common to all marshes naturally adapted to cranberry culture. This plant Increases rapidly, under favorable circumstances, by sending out stolons when the marsh is dry and in proper condition for the rapid growth of the cranberry vine. Hence, all lan dr which are to be planted with the cranberry should be cleared from sage, and nearly so from grass or other plants, especially the small brake or fern that sometimes Infest these marshes. All intelligent cultivators agree as to the importance of scalping marshes that are to be planted to vines. These turf scalplngs may be turned over, or rolled up, then dried and burned or drawn off in winter to the compost, heap. If they are to be burned, the scalping should he done early enough to have the full benefit of any dry time that may follow. When a clean surface has been secured in any way, the Vines may be planted. The best mode of planting I have yet discovered is to cut into the bog with an adze. A spade blade, shaped to the proper angle and handled, would, I think, be a good tool to make the cuts with. With either of these tools make a slanting cut, leaving the slice so that it can be raised with one hand and with the other slide the bunch of vines under and spread them the width of the cut; press down with the foot and the work of planting is done. Vines so planted often push out runners a foot or more in length the first year and look as though they would soon cover the ground, even though planted three feet apart It is not absolutely necessary to have lime-wate- these plants flowed until the third winter, unless insects should make their appearance, working or feeding on the vines. In this case the land should be flowed up to the last of May or first of June. This will prevent the first brood hatching in any considerable number. This first brood of Insects makes its appearance about the middle of May, feeds on sage or vines not covered with xater, and grows to maturity, ties Itself up in its cocoon and passes the chrysalis state. The last of July or first of August it often appears in vast numbers, devouring sage and cranberry plants to such an extent as to almost destroy the entire crop of fruit But if the marshes and plants can be completely covered with water, it will be impossible for the cranberry insect to become very numerous and destructive, unless adjoining marshes are made nurseries for its propagation, and the millers fly from one to the other. The insect deposits its eggs as freely on sage plants as on the cranberry, and the young worms feed and grow as fast on one as on the other, hence all natural marshes are Quite sure to bo stocked with them to some extent The question of how the grower can secure an abundance of water, then, is a very Important one, since with it he can protect his vines in the winter (snow is nearly as good if we have but is not as reliable), and la also a protection against the ravages of the Insect, and a preventive of blight of the bloom or sunscald, which is occasioned by excessive evaporation from the plants during the hottest hours of the day. Hence, when the water is drawn off the last of May, it should not all be drawn from the surface, but a little should bo left to supply the plants with moisture and to tone down the air at the surface of the marsh by evaporation, until after the fruit is set, then it may gradually be drawn to the bottom of the ditches by picking time. Ditching has two objects in view; to drain the marsh when too wet, and to supply it with water. The drainage ditches should run at right angles with the descent in the marsh, except the main ones. The excavations of the former should be thrown into slight dams to hold water on the higher portions of the marsh in the earlier part of the season; then by damming the main, ditches at proper points, we can hold the water, if we have a supply, at any desired helgbth. The overseer of bearing marshes should have accurate knowledge of the stage of water after it is drawn nearly to the surface of the marsh until after the crop of fruit is set, since very heavy and severe losses have occurred, and will occur, if this is neglected; also after this time, in case of freshets, care should be taken to prevent an overflow. A word to growers and cultivators in regard to the varieties. On examination of most any marsh which is stocked with vines, we find a number of distinct varieties of fruit, differing in size, shape, season and in solidity. The best berry is one that has a good form, is early in its season of ripening, solid and meaty, and a prolific bearer. The young grower especially may derive benefit by starting plants of vines, from selections of the best varieties that he it can find. Action of Wotor In th Soil. The water existing In the earth forms a mutually adhering mass of its particles, which, in a surface which may be desiccated by a system of drains, commonly stands on a level, with, perhaps, slight differences determined by local conditions of the soil. The function of drains is to remove that part of this mass of water which lies so near the surface as to be injurious to the cultivated crop. Now, if two drains of like depth are placed parallel in the earth to Intercept a portion of the water contained, the following conditions relatively arise: The water below cannot be withdrawn by them, forms a resisting substratum which prevents the further sinking of the water above them. But to this the drains afford conduits in which it is compelled to find its way between the particles of the soil The specific gravity of the water, which Impels it to sink toward the center of'the earth, determines the sinking of the whole mass into the conduits, until a level Is reached, but this cannot take place with the water above the pipes. The stratum of water beneath the pipes is at the same time of great importance, because it forms in the drained surface the foundation, so to say, upon which the water to be drained rests, and, gravity being exerted, causes the flow in the lateral direction, having no other impediment to overcome than friction among the earth particles. The original angle of the water line with regard to the pipes is a matter of less Importance. Accordingly, the known hydrostatic law, every connected mass of water stands at a uniform level. could not exist were it not for the friction which the water must overcome la its passage to the drains. Again, as the greater or less friction Is dependent upon the greater or less proximity of the particles of the soil, this alone is a measure of the proper distance of the drains from each other; that is, they must be placed at such distances from each other that the friction cannot neutralise the motive power (In this case, specific gravity). We base this assertion upon the doctrine of physics that adhesion exerts its influence as soon as it Is stronger than the gravity which carries the adhering body downward. KllpparL the drains, which Thi Seven teen Year Uiul Bulletin No, 87 of the Ohio experiment station deals with the -- ed while in the extreme northeasters counties, a third brood will make its appearance ia the year 1900. Thesi different broods ail belong to the samt species, and the reason why they occur at such dlffeient periods of time and in different localities Is not yet known. The young locusts do not dc any material damage to the roots ol the trees and ths adults do sot feed upon the leaves, as they have a sucking and not a biting mouth. Hence the only injury that a Cicada is capable of doing is to puncture the twigs of young trees and plants, and elthei weaken them so that they break off, oi else cause them to die. The Cicadas were eaten In myriads by the English sparrow, and it is not unlikely that this bird will, in time, exterminate this insect over considerable tracts, but is questionable if, after all, the sparrowi do not do far more injury than the Slrti Celvee (Inly RnleeS. J. 0. Morse of New Tork nevei starts a calf that is not strong and healthy at birth, even though the call is from the best cow he ban The first two weeks feed the calf milk fresh from the cow, and always give the cab the first milk from the cow, never ths strippings, as these are too rich. Whes the. calf is two weeks old, add about sweet skim milk to its feed and gradually increase this uatil It soon has only skim milk. When ths little oae is a month or six weeks old it will begin to eat a little hay and bran or oats; let it have all the dr) bran or whole oats it will eat, togethei with its skim milk twice a day. I: penty of milk Is lacking, one maj make a gruel of oil meal; but begli very carefully, not giving it above s tablespoonful at a feed, boiled up In say a quart of water. Towards spring when the calf gets to eating a good quantity of hay and grain, begin tc add water to the milk and gradual!) wean her, so that she may be turned out to grass, when she is allowed tc look out for herself Rural Neu Yorker. one-ha- il Sheep Industry. The improvement in the outlook for sheep growers li the United States is wilting in a verj great development of the sheep rats ing industry on the ordinary Americas farm. Many districts are taking ui the industry throughout their wheli length and breadth, especially in Eastern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. But the demand foi stock with which to do this stocking li almost altogether for sheep. These the ordinary shoes raisers of the United States are not able to supply, at least in sulfides1 quantities to meet the demand. Th prospects are, therefore, that then will, for a few years at any rate, be i very decided demand for Canadlai of the breeds. Farming. locust in Ohio, and especially with its occurrence the present season in the eastern part of the state, as well as giving the years during which each of the four broods will next make their appearance, and the section' of country which each will be likely to occupy. This Insect is really one of the Bugs, and comes out of the ground once In seventeen years to lay its eggs In the twigs of trees, and especially the oak. These eggs hatch within a few weeks and drop to the ground and dig their way to the roots, upon The Customary Milker. The cow which they feed, largely at least, for which has become used to the toucl within a few weeks of seventeen years, of magnetism of one milker will decoming to the surface again only at crease her yield whenever a strange the end of this time. In extreme hand takes hold of her teats. This sugSouthern Ohio a brood will appear In gests the reason why the work of milkthe year 1906, but north of this and ing can never be done successfully by west of the middle of the state another a machine; the mechanical operation li brood will appear in the year 1902, there, but the magnetism is lacking. seventeen-yea- r mutton-produci- ram-lam- mutton-producl- bs ng sf AGRICULTURAL -- Mj'i.J BU1LD1NQ. TRANS-MISSISSIP- PI EXPOSITION, OMAHA, - NEBRASKA. Trrg7TS;z CA55 CILBEBT ARCHITECT On this page we illustrate one of the buildings being erected for the Exposition to be held at Omaha. On either side of the Administration building stand Mines and "Agriculture, twins in size and general form, and the largest of the exposition's main buildings. The Agricultural building is located Just west of the Twentieth street axis of the Kountxe tract, and faces soutfi on the lagoon. Its architecture is free Renaissance with details conventional In proportion and arrangement, but natural in subject and all indicative f the purpose of the building. There will be capitals of corn and wheat, festoons and cornucopias of vegetables, fruits and flowers. The strut-In- g with sipreading tail turkey-coc- k trans-Mississip- pi very successfully replaces the afithe-mlo- n In one of the most important friezes. The fitness which marks the choice of motives throughout will extend to color decoration. The mass will conform to the general old ivory tint of all the buildings, while in the ornament the colors of nature will be adhered to. The yellow of corn, purple of grapes, red of apples and green of foliage will predominate. The effect will be enhanced by focussing. Thus the central niche will blaze with color, and here on either side of the doorway will be paintings, the "Sower and Reaper of Millet The structure is something over four hundred feet long by about one hundred and fifty wide, and averages fifty fret high. The main entrance is a hexnl- - cycle in plan, surmounted by a circular niche, and Is central in the south facade. Smaller doors pierce the stylobate at Intervals along the whole front The ends have triple doors, with loggias above. A single dignified order of architecture surmounts the stylobate, and is crowned with an entablature that is elaborate even for the Corinthian style. The roofs are low, showing only balustrades above the cornice, except where broken by central and corner pavilions. The moe is relieved by notony of the of statuary, appropriately repgroups resenting the seasons, with Prosperity, supported by Labor and Integrity, dominating the whole. Over the main entrance there will he a statue of Abundance, flanked .by lesser figures, sky-lin- and the arms of sti te and nation. The sculptured subject! include groups representing the si pis of the Zodiac, the Favorable Wlnfb and the Seasons; and everywhere par els and friezes will bear the names of aatrons of agriculture, its celebrated Inventors and appropriate inscriptions. It is doubtful if any exposition hns yet given its agricultural Bhow as beautiful and elaborate a setting as this will be. When one realizes that, seen from across the lagoon. Agriculture and Mines with the Administration Arch and connecting colonades will present an unbroken front one thousand feet long, and that the effect will be doubled by reflection Jn the water at his feet, a very good idea may be had of the scale of the coming display MAY CHANGE ITS COURSE. CIUimi if y St. Jeeeph Fear the MlMoarl IlfM Will Saak Aaatkar Channel. From the New York Sun: The Mis-- ! sourl river again threatens to leave StJ Joseph, Mo., high and dry and ten miles from water. It is not the first time the towa has had a dry scare.1 Once a year what Is known as (he June rise in the Big Muddy cuts across and farms, washes away gives employment to surveyors. But the prsasat scare is caused by some- -' thing worse than a June rise. The river seems to be deliberate in its intention to break a new channel. All there is to check it is a railroad embankment five feet ia height. Unless the breaks on the north side of the peninsula are repaired the water will cut across the neck of land and IrriThis would gate Kansas territory. leave St. Joseph without any river traffic, injure railroad property and, probably necessitate a change in the water supply of the city, during which time its sanitary condition would be It is a habit with the deplorable. river when it changes its course to leave great sandbars formed in front sf ths elty. It Is no reflection on the Intelligence of New York people to assert that if they never saw an exposed sandbar in the Missouri river they know nothing about the capacity of such a formation to raise Cain ip more waye than one. When one of these arid plains is kept, by reason of ths fickleness of a stream, in the front of a city which has enjoyed steamboat trade, it changes the levee and that class of business which thrives about a steamboat landing moves as the inThe fractions of ths river demand. entire water front of a river town of the west will change a dozen times In as many yaars. Ths property holder who owss a froat lot oot year is four salles from the levee the next, but he only creasna bin lags and whistles, because he knows that sooner or later ths levee will come kla way unless the river changes its course entirely, as it is lew threatening to do. There one of !e another thing for which these saidhsre is famous. For three months in ths yaar, daring the dry season, the prevailing winds are from the southwest. They blow day and night. Just an they blew across the lands of Arlsosa and Oklahoma. Some yaars ago property owners of this dty and n few engineers met to discuss n plan by which the Missouri river could be kept In its channel, and hy which the sandbar might he. removed. It was a hot day, and the sunlight wan darkened by clouds of sand, which blew upon the town and settled against the windows like haiL One of the committee Informed the meeting that it would be a useless expenditure to attempt any removal of the sandbar as the wind would transfer it all in the course of time. Appropriations were made, however, and skilled engineers were employed, and the work of saving the dty, and of coaxing the river to resume its old course was begun. The old style of breakwater was constructed from the Black Snake hills out into the old channel of the river. Breakwaters were alaq constructed on the other side. Then the June rise was awaited. It came; K changed the course of the current for awhile, and then it smashed the breakwaters, washed away more- farm lands and town lots, showed a fondness for the Kansas shore, and another sandbar came up out of the water and stretched its brown length The work if in front of the town. was the again undertaken. saving dty For several years the winters In St. Joseph were devoted to discussing how the Missouri could be kept in its channel during the summer. The railroads were the serious sufferers, and to them is due the embankments which for many years kept the river In Its old place and which gave the dty a more stable steamboat landing than it had had for years. But now that 1b threatened. The dty has no money. It has appealed to the railroad commissioners for help, but there Is no fund in the commission. The Missouri legislature has never been known to vote a cent for the benefit of a city, and It will not be In session in time to do St. Joseph any good if it were favorably disposed. The people of the town are tired of the antics of the Missouri river, and some are preparing to go away. It it a lamentable fact that the uncertainty of the river at this point has done more to Injure businees and to depredate the value of property here than all the panics since the war. lead-mar- ks - Eloquent. Airs. Johnson Am Parson Jackson vey elquent? Mrs. Whitewash (ecstatically) Am be eloquent? Oh, my! I wish yo could hab hoard his sermon las Sunday bout Balaam an' da ass yo could almost magine yo heard de ass Harpers Weekly. . FauHnc Problem. From the Boston Transcript: Bass I suppose you think I'm a fool? Cass That's what troubles me. If your supposition is correct, then yon are a mind reader, and therefore you can not be a fool; and yet well, you understand. |