Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-08-15
FARMERS DEP PARTMENT,
Head-work in Farming.


II is surprising how much muscular labor
is wasted every year, which might be
saved, or better directed This is true in
all kinds of business, and not the least in
forming. For instance how many far
mers toll on, year after year, with scanty
or imperfect implimcnts of husbandry,--
The modern improvements, which save
much labor, and do the work cheaper and
better, they Will have nothing to do with.
Improved varieties of seed, they hold to be,
almost without exception, humbugs.-
Draining and subsOil plowing are ranked
10 the same catalogue they are labor lost;
but manuring cold, wet lands, and plowing
them late in summer few inches deep,
and gathering scanty crops-this, is not
labor lost Rotation ofcrops and manuring
lands with reference to the grains or roots
to be grown on them, they consider somc-
thing like book -farming-a very dangerous
thing
We never could sec why farmers should
not think for themselves, and be able to
give a satisfactory reason for every process
they undertake. We never could see why
farmers should not endeavor to improve in
all farming operations, TO learn the very
best way of doing everything, and then do
Il ., IL hao Ia
farmer, who had not yet found time to
clear bis stumps from his fields, that his
boys complained bitterly of their troubles
in plowing and harrowing-thc old fash
ioned "drag" especially troubled them by
frequent overturnings while plunging
among the stumps to be right side up at
every few rods. "BOys, said the euragcd
farmer one day, "takc that harrow over to
the blacksmith and tell him to make all the
teotn twice their present length, and sharp
at both ends, and we'll see what thatll
do;" The thing was done the teeth now
pointed both ways, like those of a revolving
rake. "Gcc up, Bill; now go along
"But, father it has upset again, as bad as
before "Never mind, boy; go right
ahead it will work well either side up"
See, now, whst comes from little think.
ing And sure enough, it did work, and
the field was narrowed in spite of all the
Stumps. We might have selected q more
dignifod example of the use of head-work,
but this homely story will answar our pur-
pose.
In the matter Of rotation of crops, there
is need Of forcthought and management. -
Some farmers neglect to manure largely,
because Of its expensiveness, they would
like to underdrain more extensively, and
to subsoil plow their lands, if these things
did not cost more time, labor and money,
than they think they can spare. But it
costs no more to followa good system of
rotation of crops than it does to carry on
farm without any sech plan. Yet such
system may. bring the farmer three fold
greater and better crops. Nor in devising |
such plan has he got to depend entirely
on his experience or sagacity. Books and
agricu'tursl jouanals are at hand, contain,
ing the result Of other mems experience,
and all he h to do is to adopt such infor-
nation 10 the wants of his own case, A
very little head work of this sort would
pay WELL 1t would pay in clean cultiva.
ton. Chess, rcd-root, quack grass, Canada
thistles, butte cups, -daises and what not,
would hide their heads; aud grubs, wire
worms and all manner of insects, would
rapidly diminish if not wholly disappear.
Itwculd pay in the increased and prolonged
fertility of the land, and in more bountiful
crops.