Papurau Newydd Cymru

Chwiliwch 15 miliwn o erthyglau papurau newydd Cymru

Cuddio Rhestr Erthyglau

9 erthygl ar y dudalen hon

RURAL NOTES. - ■ • ■

Newyddion
Dyfynnu
Rhannu

RURAL NOTES. ■ • ■ By Mr. J. Muir, Marram Abljoy, Glamorganshire. t ANBWKRS TO COBRESPOXDKSfP. {Inless tn special cases, no replies will BE Un; to readers by post, but all inquii-ies wil1 hCl' prompt and careful attention unde" fA« heading, and, we invito notes and questions In (ALL rural subjects. AUTUMN WHKAT.— W. Pearson.—You !WVII missed the Mason. It should have been sowr in October or in November at latest. Defer sowing now until the end of January or early in February. You must be cartful in selecting a time tc sow when the soil is in good working order, and co.7 little thicker than you would do in April. UOUIAN HYACINTHS NOI FLOWERING. —" YOUR* Auiait-ur."—You have allowed yonr hyacinths to remain LOO long under the ashes. You should have removed them as soon as tho growths wero IWII inches high. Although four inches, the flowers will Still be there, and If you keep them in a somewhat low temperature and give them time tlioy A ill gtill furnish you with many spike-, but not so fine as they would have been had "ou given Gbci& proper attention. THKRS FOR AvFNIUP.-Il Lai, ..r., quite right in supposing tn avenuo 1.000 ynrdf. in length and passing through a bare field will be improved by planting trees on oach tide. They ,}UUit not be planted t io near the side of the road; if put 20 feet back they will not be li!<ely to obstruct the way. They mav be plan tact from 20ft. to 30ft. apart. The toilowing arc suitiblo avenue treesHorse che&tuut, lime. Norway maple, sycamore, walnut, and yew. They should Oil have stems upwards of 6ft. hish. Tho bitch u tdso used in this position, and, in some enses, the cirauetti-ia ligures largely at the oides of nvenues, but are, in my opinion, too stiff Find formal. C'ABBAOF, PLANTS SICKLY. —- "Cottager."—The frost has of late caused all the young cabbage plants to droop and appear sickly, hut there ia little danger of this killing them. Iodeed, It doe < not injure them very much, HP, whnr. the mild weather occurs again, t hev ooon assume their usual freshness, and by Aprii no one could ;;ay they had been injured by the frost. THE LABURNUM.—T. Granger,-Plon-Ibly you may have seen the laburnum without knowing it. It flowers in May and June, arid produces ft host of yellow, fragrant pea-shaped blooms iu lrtrg- drooping flusters. It is a very ornamental tree and grows freely in or near towns. Tt ia deciduous, oa the leaves fall off in autumn, and yot, would, DO doubt, be pleased with it when once it began to grow in your garden. You should buy pl »hfc» with stems from 5ft. to 6ft. in height, ae ttseso hrO much more handeotno when they attain a 1-irge size than dwarf bushes. They will grow in any ordinary soil, and I have oftta noticed them lux uri.»te in exposed situations. NEWFOUNDLAND DOG.—" Yorks."—I do not. think rflu would gain much by importing a dog of this breed from Newfoundland, as J am assured by 0. gentleman who is a connoisseur in d.ig-- and knows that part, of the world wel- that «ood Bpecimens are more rarll there than hero. EARLY TOMATOES.—T. W. Little.—Many be.Mdra yourself ire anxious to po-sess early tomatoes, but as you omit to say what means you have of growing them, I cannot give you much advioo. If you can place them in a gla^s house wher' ttierf, is plenty of light and a temperature of 60de«. d tiight, wilh lOdég. or more during the day, tllf plants will grow freely and you tmiy begin their julturp early in January. HKDOE cARR AT .BOTTOM.— W. ft. Chapman.— You should have mated what plant your il"dï(" was composed of. Its becoming baro at t.il/! bottom indicates that you have neglected to cut it down at the proper time. As you Kay there aN boles in it that you can pass through, it would be mistake to allow it to continue in that state ..nv longer. You should cut it down to one foot from the ground, and clear all weeds and trash from tli, bottom and around the plants. Purchase fov/ beech, holly, or privet, about eighteen incite high, ind plant them in the vacancies about onr foot ipnrt. Next autumn cut the now and old plunta Sown to the same level, and you wili soon have close, neat hedge. A DISKASK-RKSISTING POTATO.—" Small Farmer." —I regrst I cannot tell you of one that is wholh- to. The Bruce, a North Country v irLity or recent Dtroduction, WaS said to be this, but a friend writing from East Lothian, a real potfito county, ■ells me this variity has ahown much diseiiue in 1890. The Champion has kept up its reputation its a disease resistor very well, and so has thi Magnnm Bonum, but some or the verities off "rod by Messrs. Wllbb, WoniaJey, Stourbridge, hare provel more disease-resisting than any [ have tried. Their Renown I regard as the beat disease- resisting potato in commerce st the present timo. WALL TREES FOE COTTAOB.—" VV. B." (L-nca- Ibire).-You could not introduce >1 better climber to the front of your cottage than a Gloire de Dijon rose. It grows rapidly, carries a good deil of fol aga in winter, and blooms seven or eigh*: months in the twelve. You may buy a plant of it for Is. or so, and you shuuld plant t before the and of March. Give it a firm rich soil. Your west wall exposed to north-west winds would not puit every kind of fruit. A Morella cherry would be the most suitable f>r it, but if you do not earn for this you might try a Victoria plum. Hoth require a good loamy soil, firm but not too rich. WISTARIA SINENSIS AND PYUU-; MANLI.—"FI. ,F. C." (Fail field).—The first is n rapid-growing climber. It should be plan'ed to be trained Cgainst a house, wall, or fence. The loaves fa 1 off it in winter, and it produces numerous massive drooping clueters of pale blue fl"W"r.) in early rummer. The flowers are extremely fragant. To Introduce it you will have to buy h pl-mt from a nursery. It should be planted before the middls tf March. It will succeed in any well-drained toil, but should net be planted in a north aspect. The Pyrus Manli may also be used ae a climber, but it is of slow growth, and is often treated as an ordinary bush. It produces very bright flowers, and afterwards a quantity of fruit-, like Awtill tpplos, which may be made into an excellent folly. PRESERVING SKINS.—("Vlertbyr).— Sue remark 3 in present issue. XKS. MACllEN.- Thanks for your letter. INDIGO DriNO.—J. Qoiolan (Ireland).—I 110 Dot fully understand which plant you refer 0. Qan you send me a little of the seed you write of? I am anxious to ba of assistance to you, and tint would help me. CHAFF FOR HORSKS.—" S. W." (Peterlioroup')t) wishes Sqme rendel's to give their experience of feeding horses that are used for ordinary hauling purposes on chaff alone, as he crumbles ttbout. th,; price of oats. I fear he will not have many satisfactory replies. No w r!ting horso can do without corn, and many find it prulitable to add w»s and beans. I presume l'S. VV." is a "screw." »^BEES DYING.—"Anxious" (Birkenhead).—Ao it ^as a latt June swarm it w nild not be very strong from the first. No doubt, it would be deficient of etores, and probably you had not given sufficient protection against the recent severe weather. The remedy in the case of others is t. feed well in early winter, or now, if necessaiy, und giTTe ample protection to keep them war JO. Their being without a qoecii would not cause their death. Bl e m«y have becomo shrivelled amongst the aers. BBKOVATINO OLD FHUIT 'IKKKS, A good deal of advioo is frequently given on this subject, bat in the majority of oast's I am of opinion that the renovating does not pay. Naturally, "nyone is proud to point to any "ubject that ha been re-juvenated, bu^ with fruit treea i' is a tedious operation, and the results tre rarely of 0 compensating oharacter. Tho worst of fruit treeu that hav- ouofe been in bad heAl, h is tha* they may beoomo so again when expectations from them are at tir highest "nd at best renovated fruit tree never produces the larfre quantity of perfect fruit that is yielded by n treo thft has alway, been in perfeot health. UnlefiG under *ome special oircumstancci, T am, therefore, not in favour of trying to reoruit xbauated or improve trees that are in very bad health, but I am nnxiou that all who have such trees should consider the con- ditions under which they bavA fallen into an unsatisfactory condition. Koot all sooh out, end bogin with a fresh lot, avoiding the treat- ment that has ruined tho othcrr, and with thin as a guidj there rhould bo no difficulty in producing young healthy tree1 that will pro- dnoe abundance of the finest fruit in half the 6imo that would be necessary to got the oM trees into n condition which rt best Ooald only b0 regarded as uncertain. Fine young trees cf all the b -st arietbc of fruit are now so cheap and may be bought in each fertile and promising condition th-i* T am surprised those with worn-out orchard; and trees of that ctamp do not root them eu. wholesale and re-place 'iliiun with the kind I suggest. Tree* that have on 1;; begun a back- ward course may, if treated in time in ways I have already wdvised ,r these column? 1x induced to assume their original fertility and good qualities, but it it trees that have bben neglected for years and are in a thorouAlhly bad condition that I would discard and ro-plam with trustworthy plants 0* good repute « PjRESEitVINGr THE SKINS JT BrjiDS .NP ANIMALS. Fome readers are anxious to preserve »!rins, Ilnd ask for « reoeipt that will do it. Tbe materials used for bird" and quadrupeds Ire 4oiyjewhat different. For tho former tlr* following is generally used :—Whitw arsenic, two drachms corrosive aublimata, two drachms; powdered camphor, six drachm*; nutgalls, one ouned; sal ammoniao, half an ounce; and powdered capsicum, half an ounc". These are all well mixed together, and applied in powder form, and must be well rubbed into every part of the skin. A solution generally used for large skins may bo composed of tho following Spirits of camphor, ôoz. corrosive sublimate, 1dm., and spirits of salt, 2dm. Tho corrosive sublimate ehould be dissolved in the spirits of camphor, and the spirits of salt added afterwards, which makes a solution that is applied to the skin with a brush. Any chemist will supply trust- worthy person with thes* ingredients, but is the majority of them art highly poisonous, the ulmost care must bo taken in their dis- posal. Bird stufling requires considerable practice and experienco to give the. cubjeots anything approaching a natural appearanco, but anyone may preserve akins of all linda without special knowledge or instruction, ( rVKEPING Tivsxs, It id generally admitted that no form of tret, ie ao graceful ti the weeping one* wh^a seen on a good stem and drooping on all fides in equal proportion. But weeping trees are not common. A scraggy specimen may -orp #- times be seen in an out-of-the-way corner, but isolated plantti on lawnn and in prominent poaitions are rare. There is ample room for more everywhere, and their general introduc- tion might be profitably advocated. Tho purple beech, cilver birch, mountain nrnh, common ash, laburnum, willow, x-horn, and some other pretty trees are all appropriate is weeping cubjecte. They an excellently adapted for smalt lawns, front gardens, and grave- yards. The proper plants are grafted or budded on tall stems, and this makes them somewhat more expensive than low-grown bushee, but this should not deter anyone from introducing them, as they will soon grow into plants of great beauty. ♦ w JAPANESE MAPLES. While we are in the midst of the planting season I would strongly urge all who Are anxious to possess bmbea with the most orna- mental foliage to plant some of the Japanese maples. Of all shrubs that frow well in the gardens of this country they aro the most beautiful in leaf. They arc moderately fast in growth, the shoots being profusely produced in sprays, and when these are plentiful by growing a number of plants they may be cut and mixed with cut flowers in glasnes with charming f ffeot. The variety named negunda variegata it the one generally seen. It has a pale green and puro white leaf, and may be planted in the flower beds. The variety named pi»lma- bum panguineum has very bright red leaves slegantly formed, and the two make striking jompanions. These two should always b., planted, and other pleasing varieties are lurea moculatum, rosea marginatum, and ilogans atropurpurea. They do beat in the tull sunshine and require rich soil. u FARM-YARD MANURE HEAPS. I There is no greater waste about farms than that which is allowed to go on with the manure heaps. There is not one farm in 50 provided with a proper receptacle for manure, and many farmers spend large sums in buying artificial manure, while fertilisers and stimulants of more value are allowed to be consumed by the wind, or dissolve and run away through the drains and sink into the ground irrecoverably. The manure heap in the garden and the manure heaps en the farm are treated very differently. As a rule, in the former case the manure is kept oarefully thrown up in a heap that the atmosphero cannot dry or exhaust it It is generally placed on ground with an incline, and at the lower end there is a tank into which all the liquid is received. A strict eye is kept that none of this overflows, and all is used as fast as it is deposited to feed vines, flowers, and vegetable crops, and this it un- doubtedly does in a remarkable manner. But in turning to the farm we find the manure thrown about in a most oareless manner, fre- quently littering the plaoo from end to end. One cannot reaoh a shed or pass through a yard without going ankle deep in the manure. It would be impossible to expose more of its -urface to <:te air, and the liquid is allowed o make it" escap' as beat it may, sometimes in dr iim, often into the ground, and not unfreqaently into the foundations of th buildings but little or none of it is retained or conveyed in a proper manner to fertilise the land. This unprofitable waste of the vory best manure that can possibly be produced cannot be too strongly condemned, and th advantages to be secured by economising in this respect are manifold and substantial. No manure can lie spread out over a large surface without deteriorating greatly. Both sun and wind rob it of its best virtues, ¡end reformation on the farm may in numerous instances begin with thl') dung heap. Neglect of it is not confined to thov ignorant of chemistry. Many do nothing to rectify it who know better. A little mone} spent in forming a watertight manure recep- tacle, with a proper outlet and means of collecting and distributing the liquid over the land, would prove one of the most remunera- tive investments that anyone could be con- nected with in the cultivation of the soil. The liquid from the stable, cow-house, and sheds should also be saved and used in th" same way, as having a direct tendency to benefit the land, and reduoewhat is often an important item in the annual expenditure of the farm, viz., the artificial manure bill. m MANTTRRNG GREEN (,RO-g. S^ed, olover, and meadow hay art all bene- fited by a surface dressing of manure, and rather than allow manure to remain in tho yard after it is half decayed and have the remain- ing qualities washed out of it and the bulk more reduced, it should be hauled out and spread on thi surface of thr green crops. In the catw of olover it will form a valuable pro- teotion to the plants, and it will do all itinds of grass much good. Besides, tho soil will absorb the properties of tho manure when washed into it an(1 enable the grass to start into luxuriant growth at an early period, GjiAl'JS-VINES AT Mil) W'TNT* In largo gardens the earliest; vine are already in b'af and will soon be in fruit but -ti,.d those with limited experienco of vino oultnre will do well to be in no hurry to start their vines into growth until dw days have lengthened considerably and thll Bun is strong, as light and natural heat faoilitates growth to a much greater extent than the greatest amount of artificial forcing at mid- winter. There is no exception to this rule, as it has been proved everywhere that the longer the vines are in being started into growth the less attention they require and the better the results. Many vines if forced into growth in January would only produce a small quantity of diminutive bunches, where- as if the same vines had not been allowed to grow until the beginning of March they would have doubled their produce in every respect. A long rest is highly beneficial to the vine. Those which have little of this, but are started into growth again in a little while after the leaves have fallen off, soon became weak and degenerate. If possible all vines should have three months' rest from the time the wood and foliage are ripe until they are started into growth again, and this should never be reduced to less than two months. Amateurs, as a rule, allow their vines to make too much growth. If they can only see the roof crowded with foliage, they infer they are in robuat health and doing well, but one of the secrets of keeping them in good health and fruitful is to allow the light and air to penetiate freely between the shoots and foliage. All vines are now ready for pruning, and in doing this avoid allowing too much wood to remain, as all young wood left now will produce leaves, and it is more difficult to remove superfluous growth then than now. I do not approve of allowing long side shoots to remain on the main rods. If the latter are from 3ft. to 4ft. apart- not less than 3ft.— other side shoots are not. required, and should all be cut away. The buds at the bottom of this year's shoots will he found very close together, much closer than further along the branch, and if two good buds are allowed to remain on the spur that is left this will be ample as side wood. The pruning should in all cases be done with a very sharp knife, and when the prunings have been removed the vines should have the loose bark removed from them and be thoroughly washed with soft soap and aot water. The glass and woodwork should also be washed, the floor made thoroughly clean, and the walla lime-washed. « THREE ACRES OF LAND. "A Little Ash Tree" (Barnet) writes:- "We have lately taken a cot age about 40 miles from London, and Il>r.'e milai from a railway stution, It stands high, faces south, and is olieltered at the back by a wood. Basides a garden in front and small orchard behind, there nre fields on each side to the extent, of throe ncr«s. How c,in we best utilise the land to make a little money out of it ? Wwiilii fowls or pigs pay, or should we grow grass and hay ? Suggestions would be carried out by an energetic husband and wife, nnd help of a hired boy." This letter is greatly to the point, and, no doubt, represents the case of many. Th" position indicates capabilities that might be made very profitable, but a hay crop would not be the most profitable. One acre might be cultivated to supply roots and green stuff for pigs. These would, no doubt, pay, as I hey can be reared and marketed as well 40 miles from London and three miles from a station as if they were in a town. The other two acres should be planted with fruit trees, chiefly Victoria plumsandLordSuflieldapples, for which there is always a profitable demand. These should be planted about 20ft. apart on the grass, with a good stock of fowls on the same. Turkeys are admissible, but I do not approve of geese and ducks on a small run or with fowls, as they soon render the ground unhealthy. The two acres given up to fruit trees would not require much outlay annually, and if the other acre was found too much for the labour at command, the half of it might be sown with choice annuals or filled with perennials, the flowers. of which can always be disposed of remuneratively. Another alterna- tive with the three acres would be to keep a cow, but this would interfere with the crops.would notaffordmuoh amusement,and be leas profitable than the other suggestions. ( am greatly in favour of always combining a fruit crop with fowls, as neither interfere with the other, and both pay handsomely when oombined. I w COVERING SWEDISII TrUNIPS Y/ITH THE PLOUGH. Yorkshireman remarks:— "Some growers draw up their Swedish tm nip, *) out this time and itoie them, to be away frrui fiostand severe weather. I do not approve of this. I htivo stored ninny, nnd invariably fuund that all such roots soon became very hard and stringy, and by March they were hardly woitii cutting up for tho stock. A much better way is to run the plough between each 70W and cover all the bulbs ovtr with soil; 2'n. or Sin. 'f soil will exclude many degrees of fros-t, and "iio roots remuin plump and juicy under this protec- tion until far into spring."

SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN'S NEW-OPERA.

An Unrehearsed Incident,

[No title]

A Moment of Peril.

MET HALF-WAY.

- The Toboggan Slide.

Sam Wellerismc,

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