Farm and Garden

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 173, 15 July 1909, Page 4

Farm and Garden

A Farmyard Story o Four years ago Mr [filings, a New Jersey farmer, pi' n setting of ducks' eggs under a ; >.tly Plymouth Rock hen. The ducks took to the water immediately. At first Mrs Plymouth Rock was hysterical, but grew to regard the conduct of her young with philosophical calmness. Mr Billings kept repeating the experiment till she took it as a matter of course that her chicken should jump into the water. Tbi* spring, Mr Billings gave the ben some valuable game chicken eggs, which cost him a sovereign for 13. A week ago she came off the nest with 12 young swashbuckling chicks. She led them to the duck pond. They ran away. She seemed disgusted and made the same fruitless journey every day last week. At 10 o'clock one morning she led her dozen to the pond one by one.and pushed them into the water until all were drowned. Oddly enough, the farmer who tells the *tory himself comes from a village called Caldwell. Cultivation of Dwarf Apple. o —— Dwarf treo» require much more pruning than standards, and the form should be chosen that is best adapted to commercial purposes. This is the open or bush form. It is better to get trees two years old, for the right form can be better started at that age than older. The heads of these trees should be started as nearly as possible with four side branches, the lower two brought out on the body of the tree from 12 to 16 inches from the ground. The centre of the tree should be cut out where it may be done and the tree built up from tnese four branches. Upon these other branches should be established, upon which fruit spurs should be abundantly developed. This is an important part in the management of the dwarfs--the formation of fruit bearing wood on th»* lower portion of the trees. They should not be allowed to grow up tall and produce fruit on the higher portions of the tree for they are not built on that principle. With a high top and heavy weight of fruit and foliage the tree would blow over or break off at the union. even with deep planting, which is recommended. The first year after planting but little pruning will be necessary excepting to get the form of the trees started right. Some pinching of the leading shoots should be done to check their growth and to develop the buds that are desired low down on the branches. The second year the previous year's growth should be pruned off the main branches, to stimulate the growth of the lower branches. All new growth should be pinched or pruned back to stimulate the development of fruit spurs. This method of pruning will need to be continued for several years. When the trees get older and begin to bear fruit freely and regularly less of the summer pruning will be required, for continued bearing of fruit tends to check the growth of wood, and summer pruning produces the same effect; £ence the cultivators of dwarf trees must study their growth and adapt the pruning to their needs. —Cultivation.— Thorough cultivation of dwarf trees is necessary. They will not bear neglect. The roots not extending so far as those of standard trees they cannot so readily obtain sustenance, hence plant food must be made readily available for them. During the early part of each year the soil should be ploughed and harrowed frequently. With the last time harrowing there should be sown 18 pounds clover seed, medium red and crimson in equal parts. This will make a good growh during the autumn, and a valuable covering for the winter, the clover to be ploughed in the following spring. While the cultivation of standard trees is far better for the production of high grade fruit, it is even more essential for dwarf trees, for they must be kept in a thrifty condition, making some growth each year. The ploughing in of clover will keep the soil well supplied with vegetable matter and with the nitrogen necessary for tree growth and fruit. But when the trees begin to bear freely and cor,i tinuously, liberal applications of maunre will be necessary, and especially so when close planting is done. On a block of Astrachan dwarfs only four years from planting, heavily set with fruit trees for a crop the coming summer.a liberal quantity of manure has | been applied. Dwarf trees should not be over stimulated with manure, for excessive growth of wood is not favourable for the development of fruit spurs. Cultivation and manuring like pruning, must be given to an extent that will keep the trees in good condition. Glean Food for Pigs. o The pig possesses certain habits which are apt to create the impression that he is a lover of filth, and while it is true that he possesses a few cleanly habit-t yet after all in this matter other farm animals arc more circumspect in their mode of living. The pig's short neck makes it almost compulsory for him to partly climb into his trough at feeding time, and if attention is not paid to keeping the feeding ground clean there will be considerable filth devoured. While a pig will devour more dirt than any other animal, yet bis system is by no means designed to handle these econmically and successful breeders generally take pains to feed pure food. One common mistake in feeding pigs is to use refuse from the kitchen that is not only worthless as a food, but decidedly injurious to the digestive organs. We have observed cases where all forms of dishwater were carefully reserved for the porkers, and in this semi-liquid, semi-solid conglomeration there is generally considerable soapsuds. Now soap is an excellent thing in its proper place, but as an aid to digestion it is a decided failure. Indeed it is decidedly injurious,and we have known many instances where pigs were thrown out of condition and stunted in their growth by its u%. Next in the list of injurious substances to soapy water or swill as it is generally called, is that of supplying muddy drinking water. We fully

appreciate the fact that where running water is not available one of the most difficult tasks before Ihe stockman is that of supplying bis pigs with fresh, clean, water during the summer. Their nature is such that they simply will persist in taking possession of their drinking fountain with their dirty bodies, or if there is no room for be whole body they will be there with all fours. We have found that a good drinking fountain with a surface just large enough to get their noses in, is about the best piece of apparatus that can be used. If these are attached to barrels or tanks, and a supply of cinders or gravel placed round it, so as to prevent a mud hole from forming, one may have reasonable success in supplying pigs with clean water. Where the old fashioned V-shaped trough is used, the top should be well latticed so that the pigs cannot wallow in it; and even then the lattic •- work should be constructed so as to be easily removed, in order to facilitate a thorough cleansing at least once a week. Filth in the water-trough will, in our opinion, weaken the digestive system of the animal and render him a prey to disease quicker than any other one thing.