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rr Sugar Beet Experiments.
The results of experiments with
sugar beets by J. J. Vanha and by H.
Claassen have been summarized In
the Experiment Station Record. In
r Vanha's experiments beets were
grown 20 , 25 and 30 cm apart in rows
Y 35 , 40 and 45 cm distant. The distance -
tance allowed each plant ranged from
700 to 1,350 sq cm. The smallest
yields were obtained from the 35 em.
rows with the plants at intervals of
30 om. Planting the beets 30 cm.
apart in rows 45 cm. distant gave
, much the best yields.
Mr. Claassen' undertook
to deter-
mine the effect on the development of
the plant ot removing or injuring the
leaves of sugar beets , while the plants
t
were still growing. In one row the
small inner leaves of the plant were
entirely cut away ; in another row the
larger outer
leaves were removed ;
while from all except the smaller in- ,
. ner leaves of the plants in a third
row , one-half of the leaf surface was
cut away ; and in a fourth row the
- . . . . . l leaves were mutilated In a manner
\ approximating injuries due to hail
The smaller inner leaves were soon
replaced after their removal by a new
growth. The larger leaves were nol
replaced , but
the remaining ones
made a good vigorous growth so that
- - . by the end of the season the ground
, was again well covered. The injured
leaves remained green and fresh and
I . the smaller inner leaves of these particular -
titular plants were induced to make
a better growth by this treatment. The
results showed that the removal of
the leaves and injury to the same had
. . . . practlcalIy no effect on the sugar con-
-,4 : I tent , but that it reduced the weight
t'
of the beets. Cutting away the inner
u leaves "had the least effect. It Is esti-
mated from the data obtained that the
& removal of the entire leaves or parts
. . of the same whether by han or other-
- wise , may cause a reduction of 30
. - per cent in the weight of the 'crop.
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. Potato Scab.
A Kansas reader asks for the for-
mula of the Bordeaux mixture for potato
tate scab. Bordeaux mixture is used
on potato vines for the blight or
downy mildew , but not for potato
. . scab. Potato scab appears on the sur-
face of the potato. The best preven-
> , tive is to soak the seed for about tylO
hours in formaldehyde and refrain
from planting on infected lands.
ltAd From Weed's "Fungi and
Fungi-
cides" we Quote : "Experiments at
the North Dakota Station by Professor -
ser BaIley , show that the disease may
be prevented by soaking the seed in
a weak colution of corrosive subli-
mate. Procure an ordinary barrel and
fit into the base a common wooden
faucet. Purchase of a druggist two
ounces of . fincl ' -pulverized corrosIve
sublimate ( MercurIc Bichloride ) . I I
Empty this all into two gallons of hot
water and allow it to stand over night
or until apparently all dissolved. Place
In the barrel thirteen gallons of water
and then pour in the two-gallon solu-
tion. Allow this solution to stand in
. . the barrel four or five hours , during
which time it should be several times
thoroughly agitated ; to Insure equality
of solution before using. Select as
. _ fair seed potatoes as possible , wash
,1uM. off all the old dIrt , and Immerse as
many as possible , leaving them in the
solution for one hour and thirty mitt
utes. At the end of this time turn off
the solution into another vessel. The
same solution may thus be used a
number of times if .wished. After drYIng -
lug the potatoes may be cut and
I planted as usual. Plant upon ground
that has not previously borne the dis-
ease. The potatoes may bo cut before -
tore treatment if wished.
We believe the formalin treatment
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4 IIi1 i the best , because formalin is less
dangerous than port 'vp ' p HD1ate. !
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Locating an Orchard.
The orchard and fruit plantation
should be located on sloping land.
The soil will bo drained of surplus
water and will not balm and become
as dry and hard in time of drouth ,
says O. M. Morris of Oklahoma. The
north and east slopes are the best.
They are much cooler in summer and
are not subject to as great variations
of temperature in winter. The effect
of the afternoon sun is somewhat
weakened by the slope and the early
blooming trees are not forced Into
blossom so early and more frequently
escape the late frosts. The protec-
tion from the wind is perhaps the
greatest benefit derived from such
slopes. The warm dry winds of July
and August do not strUm the orchard
with their full force and thus a great
amount of moisture is saved for the
use of the trees and fruit. This pro
tection from the wind is also of great
I value to young trees while they arc
formIng their root system and bei i
coming well established. The south
ern slopes are warmer and earlier in i
the sprIng and for some purposes are
to be preferred , but usually the fruit
matures early enough and with apples -
plea in particular the latest varieties
mature almost too early for wInter
use. A sandy loam soil with clay
subsoil is best adapted to the use 0 Yf
all kinds of fruits. The trees set on
heavy clay soil will produce a heavy
growth of foliage and wood but will 1
be slow to come into bearIng , and
the fruit will not be as brIght in color
as that grown on sandy soil. The
trees grown on a poor sandy soil will
usually make a poor growth and be-
gin bearing young. These trees will
be short-lived and wealr. The poor ,
thin , gray and black soils are poorly
adapted to trees. The trees set on
such land are almost sure to maIm
a very poor growth and be shy bear-
ers. Good upland is the best for orchard -
chard land. The bottom land will
grow better and stronger trees , but
they will seldom be as productive.
This is especially true of the peach ,
plum and aprIcot. The late frosts are
more liable to destroy the crop ' while
the trees are in blossom on low land.
The lowland also maintains better
conditions for the plant diseases that
are sure to Infest the orchards sooner
or later. If the land was formerly in
timber , it should be carefully ' exam-
ined for evidences of root-rot before
setting out fruit trees.
Cantaloupe Seed.
The Rocky Ford is now the best .
known muskmelon In the country. It
was originally "Burpee's Netted Gem. "
Under the warm sIdes of Colorado
and the stimulating influences of water -
ter it developed Into a melon that Is
probably without superIor in the mar-
Itets or the country. There may be
better ones grown for home use , but
if so , they have some characterIstics _
that keep them from coming generally -
ly Into the marItal. The Rocky Ford
melon of the past was probably better
than is the same melon today , for the
reason that at first the eastern seeds-
men were able to produce all the
seed of this variety that could be
sold. But as the demand increased ,
the seedsmen began to gather seed
from almost all sources where canta-
loupes were grown. The result was
that much of It was not pure , some
crossing having taken place with other
er and inferior varieties of melons.
This has caused some deterioration
In the case of Rocky Fords , and a
good many melons have to bo thrown
out as culls when being paclted.
The pure-bred animal is more likely
to transmit its qualities than is the
animal of mixed breeding.
The value of manure depends o nT
the feed from which It was made.
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Green Food for Poultry.
To be kept in n. healthy condition
poultry must have a constant supply
of green food III the winter this Is
not always lone nor is It frequently
Mono , and when the spring comes
there is aU the more reason why
green food should be supplied. On
the farms where the fowls are given
the run of the folds in the spring and
early summer , there is no particular
need to provIde for a supply of green
food , but on thousands of farms the
hens are kept shut up , especially durIng -
lug the season of garden planting and
the early perIods of growth of the
vegetables. As farmers are coming
more and more to growing fruits and
vegetables and raising flowers this i Is
necessary ; for hens and gardens do
not work well together.
Too often the hens are shut into a
yard and are given no systematic attention -
tention in this regard. The yard may . .
have had green graGS in it at the time
the fowls were put In , but In n. few
weeks not a green thing is to be
found there. This in itself shows the
great craving the fowls have for green
food. A little system in this matter
will supply the fowls with the things
they desire in the way of green food
In the first place the yard should be
divided into two parts by n. . cross
( onco. There will have to be two
places through which the fowls can
enter the house , so that the two yards
may be readily used. Then coop the
fowls in one of the yards while green
stuff is being grown in the other.
Rape is one of the best things to
put into such a yard and it has the
advantage over some other things
that the ground will not have to be
prepared for it-provided the graBs
has been eaten down to the roots .
by the fowls. The rape seed is quite
large in size and the sprouts readily
take hold of the ground. In a couple
of months a good crop should be grow-
mg. It is best not to turn the fowls
in before the rape has become twelve
or more inches high. Then they may I
be turned in and will quickly convince
anyone that they have a fondness for
rape. They will strIp off all the thin
parts of the leaves leaving only the
midvelns. This may take thorn a
month to do. But in the meanwhile
the rape goes rIght on growing , and
when the hens are taken out of the
yard , the plants grow again from the
midveins. This produces a second
growth more quickly than the first.
In the same yard should also be sown
lettuce , of which the fowls are very
fond If they can pick it themselves.
Fowls never seem to care much about
Teen stuff if Jt is cut for them. Doubt-
less this is because they find a blade
of grass 01' the like too difficult to eat.
When it is growing on its own roots
they pick off just the amount they
can swallow at a time , while if it is
cut for them they cannot easily di-
vide it.
Oats are sometimes sown for pour
try , but the writer has not generally
found that the fowls cared for the oat
plant. However , at the North Caro-
Tina experiment station we saw oats
growing in the poultry yards , and the
superintendent of the poultry declared
that the fowls ate them readily. Of
any single green feed we are more
pleased with rape than anything else ,
which is both easily grown and read-
By eaten by the fowls.
Soaking garden seeds Is a commendable -
able practice when the soil is not
moist enough to readily supply the
water to swell the seeds. The seeds
may be soaked in water at a temper-
ature of 100 to 120 degrees , and should
be continued only till the seeds have
fully swollen. This is often practiced
in the starting of sweet corD and gar-
den peas.
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An Outrageous Practice.
The men that buy and sell cows at
the Union Stockyards , Chicago , are
frequently charged with practices that
are far from humane. A story we recently
contly heard illustrates the point. A
lady living in the outskirts of Chicago
visited the stockyards to purchase a
milk cow. She happened upon a cow
with very fine development of udder
and milk voins. As it happened the
cow had not been mlllwd that morn-
ing , and the
dealer at once had a man
attend to that ; Important function , itl
the presence of the lady. The milk
yield of the cow was very great and
the dealer assured her that he got the
same amount of milk each time he
milked the cow. The lady paid the
prIce asked for the cow and took her
away. In a few days she returned ,
saying that the cow gave only a mod-
erate-very moderate-amount of
milk , and wanted her money back for ,
the cow , , as she claImed deception had
been used in selling the animal. The
dealer told her he could not give her
back the money , but that no deception
had been practiced. "Madam , " said
he , "how often do you milk that cow ? "
"
"Why replied the lady , "I milk her
twice a day , as everyone else does
that milks a cow " "Ah , madam , " said
the dealer , "that accounts for It ; I
only milked her twice a week "
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The Jersey-Holstein Rivalry.
Many , no doubt , have heard of the
Holstein and Jersey breeders' tests for
their respective breeds. A Holstein
breeder was boasting about the rich
, mille that his COWA WArn " , Ivln , . , . IJ1hn
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Cb' . . . .u
Jersey man said "
: "Friend , are you i
sure that your cows are full-blooded
HolsteIns ? I have a sure test for
determining Holstein cows" The Hol-
stein man wanted to know what his
test was. He said : "When you begin -
gin to milk , put a silver dollar in the
pail. It the mUlt Is thin enough so
that you can see the dollar when the
pall Is full of milk -
, you may be 8Ul'0
that yOU have a Holstein cow. " The
Holstein breeder replied that he had
a test that never failed to detect a
Jersey. When asked for an explana-
tion he said : IIput a slIver dollar in
the mUle pail when you begin to milk ,
und if the milk does not cover the dollar
lar when you are through you can be
sure that , you have a Jersey cow.-
Prof. G. L. McKay.
Sawdust as Mulch.
Sawdust makes a good mulch for
various kinds of fruits , especially for
strawberries. Many of our readers
doubtless JIve near saw mills whore
sawdust can be obtaIned at a very low
cost. This will save the strawberries
from becoming dirty and will prevent
the loss of moisture between the rows.
It also makes a good mulch for gooseberrIes -
berrIes and currants. In the case ot
tree fruits It is also useful , but should
not be permitted to pack too closely
around the trees. Perhaps It Is most
useful where it is not turned under.
Some men are of the opInion that pine
sawdust Is rather harmful to the soil ,
but It would be difficult to demop. .
strate this.
Failure of Orchards.
Orchards fall for various reasons
but chiefly for lack of r.aro. In some
of these cases the owners declare that
they have given their orchards the
best possible care ; but the fact is
that the people in charge have not
known what was good caro. Sometimes .
times manure has been put on when
the ground was rich enough anyway.
In that way a growth has been stimu-
hated that has resulted to the detri
ment or the trees. If a man wants 0
good orchard ho will have to study
along several lines before ho wilt nn
derstand the various factors entering
Into the care of an orchard of afy I :
kind.