Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-04-08
farmrr's department.
Hints on Farm Work for April.

tHkI mOnD.
Get out the manures and composts for the
Spring and Summer crops. in this, better
fsrtilize half the ground well than to 60 over
the whole with scant supply.
If the meadows have not been already top
dressed with manure for the season, they had
better be postponed till after haying, as the
raw portions of the dung will remain, and be
in the way of the scythe, and moving machine.
Besides this, the soil will be badly cut up by
the teams, aud wagon, or cart wheels. doing
more hurt than the dung will do it good. Let
the loose stones be also picked off the moving
lots, and carried off altogether Putting them
10 heaps, large or small, only gives a harbor
for mice, moles, and other vermn intent on
mischief
Clean up the door and wood yards of their
Winter litter Put the chips under cover, if
you have any, and pile up all stray and loose
lumber. Rake and pitch together the litter
Of the barn yards where it can rot down into
muck or compost Slick up" generally, so
that the whole premises may look tidy and
comfortable.
This is the month to set out shade and fruit
trees. Dig large holes" not as big as your
hat" but three, four five, or six feet in diam
eter, so as to give ample space, and more too
for the roots, which the trees now have, hut
for the young fbres that will strike from them
in the next year or two.
Put in the pIows for the coming crops PIow
deep not while sluggards sleep only, but plow
deep always Recolcct you have amost excel,
lent farm right below the one you now occupy
and only about six or eight inches under it.
where the roots Of your previous crops have sci.
dom penetrated. Only work into this new
farm thoroughly, say three to six inches. and
let it see daylight by throwing its fresh soil up
TO the sun, and the effects, after the first year
or two will surprise you. Don't mind the
hard plow!ng". Put on an extra team or
two or if you have not that extra team of
your own, change work with your neighbor,
and you will be we'll compensated in the crops
next year. if not this Don't be afraid of
that nasty yaller clay" or that "leachy
gravel" or poor sandy stuff, if it does come
up. If not quite as good the first year, it will
be the second, and soon you will have deep
rich soil foot deep where you only had from
two to six inches before. When we'll plowed,
and the surface dry, put on the harrow, the
teeth sharp, and thick, and tear it mp as fine
ly as possible for the young seeds
Plant early potatoes as soon as the ground
is warm enough. Let the peas, barley, Spring
wheat, and oats be in as soon as possible
One day of early Spring growth is worth
week of June or July in giving thrifty stalk
and well filled head
Fix the ground for corn and beans, the lat.
ter part of the month, and let it lie up to the
sun to thoroughly warm. so as to be ready to
plant in good scason-the right time to plant
you know better than We do, as We are igno-
rant of the exact place YOU live. Corn ought
to come up quickly, and then grow right on,
without stopping day till it ripens Stunted
corn, be it either By cold in the ground after
planting, or frost, or drought after it comes up,
never gets forward like that which has no pull
backs And in corn country, like ours,
where we rely largely on that crop to make
meats as well as to sell, and eat it, it should
receive the very best part Of our attention
If the apple and other orchards trees have
not been pruned all they need-and which is
not much, if they have been attended to as
they ought to have been for years before
take off the useless sprouts and limbs of the
last years growth. Cut out the broken branch
es, if there be any put crutches under and
straghten up the leaning trees throw the
head into shape, and let them 60 on rejoicing
in the protection Ct good master who appre-
Ciates their value.
Get the tools all in order and keep them So
When the field is plowed bring the plow in,
and put it under cover SO with the harrow
and other tools Have place for them, and
let them be in their place, so you can put your
hand on them in the dark The same with
shovels hoes, aXes-ndeed everything that
you work with on the farm, as sedS, wagons,
carts, exclusive.
The cows are now bringing their calves
We have already told you how to manage
them, as we'll as sheep with their lambs
Young colts usually drop in this month, and
May. Look well to the mares about this time
Don't work them hard for few days before,
and after dropping the foal. A sweuted mare
is more injured in the way of her milk for the
young foal than is almost anything else. She
may work constantly after the colt is week
old, but the work must bo uniform, and not
hurried. Her blood must be kept equabIe, and
her feed generous, Chopped hay, or straw
with meal Of some kind is the best, being easy
of digestion, and producing plenty Of milk
Let the cows be still stabbed every night un-
Ill the weather is warm enough for lying out
Cows are just as liable to catch cold by expo,
sure as folks are, and as their coats are now
coming off they are thinner haired than usual,
for month or more
In short, look we'll to everything about the
place. " Whatsoever your eyes sees, or your
hands find to do. do it with all your might, and
in good time" Eternal vigilance is the price
of'-success in anything, except windfaIl of
good fortune but as we common folks
have no especial expectations in that line we
must trust to our own stout hands and willing
minds for the achievements of what good for
time is to attend us in life, and as " April
fools" day is now past, we hope the balance
of the month is going to be appropriated TO
the getting ofwisdom, and understanding, as
IL. e G..