The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-03-31
The Early season.

Spr;ae time Is here in its lovely hcauty-earlier in
its advent By six weeks than whc, last it came a year
ago. 1t is welcome TO the farmer, who desires these
early times, while the ground is preparing under the
genial rays Of the sun - secure his heids with subrtan-
,iai fences and here is one thing which we desire to
;nculcate, in passing through the country We have
Noticed very many errors in fence building nor Is the
scarcity O: timber any palliation OF the error in ba'ld-
;ug rail fences, care should be taken never to lay a rail
mon the ground, when s small block would raise the
fence in height, and preserve the lower rail from decay.
To azure perraaAence and beauty the rails should be Of
equal length, and lap at The junction eight inches; the
fence should be made straight, and the stakes should
stand at eaual distances from the tence, and the largest
rails be put upon the Top to serve for pressing the stakes
szairs, the fence, and therefore SECURING stability. In
building nos, and board fences there az. several things
70 ne guarded against. We should DC careful! TO know
that " "re putting them III place. whence VIC shall not
desire their removal. 1t would be vel! TO saake all
boundary fences Of posts and boards, or posts aud bars.
The last Kind mentioned are durable fences. DO not
pmt q part il the ground that is decayed, OF one that il
CUT from the smaller branches of the Tree. If you do,
YOU NAY ye-t assured that in i year or Two the fence
will need repairing. and time aud labor and money must
be expended in repairs. Avoid il possible l'opple OF
soft maple posts, as they decay III " short time, hardly
paying the cost Of putting them in, besides ia 4 mcas-
are destroying she lumber ,as: IS put os them. 1t Is
SAID BY old sarmc.s--the experience ot whom VI must
pay Difference to~-taat 3 post should always j., placed
With the rcp enc in the ground, il WE would secure q
more lasting fence this opinion We think IS universal.
These remarks Gu fence building may be Objected to
hy many asserting they have not the tacilitics--thc
timber OK the means-so build 50 good fences. There
are truly exceptions, but ie" IN Dakota County. But
shere are MANY who have good timber, oak and black
ash. who commit the error Of which | write. 1t is evl-
dent to the mind Of every one who expects TO lay o1
his farm in order that good fences are necessary, and
what is worth doing at all is worth doing well, and fit
be possible to fence, the FIRST year, a few acres only, 1t
ought to be we'll done, and time will show that money
has been made by the operation. There is, in Dakota
County, o large quantity of the best oak TIMBER, Tor
posts, and If we choose, during the long winters, may
it them Cor bars, and thus save pine OF maple lumber !;
az il we are able to purchase the lumber, we will lind a
post and board fence, superior N every respect 10 a rli
sence. But enough Of this.
AZ shis seasou of the year-ero the ground has ioas
its winter GOODNESS and humidity, the plows are brought
out, and the teams are Sc. 30 work. y question rise,
here-is it profitable 10 the soil, and therefor to the
farmer, TO turn up the soil, while it is still vet and re
mains packed. Common experience teaches that every
loot Of earth should be in a powdered condition before
st is tit to receive seed. Turning up the wet earth ex-
poses it to TOO sudden evaporization, and the result is
1t is baked in which condition 1t cannot be pulverized !:
i. absorhs the dess and the rains ofhcayen without in,-
parting to The growing grain any Of the elements needed
in the composition Of the future kernel, and therefore
81 inferior crop is the result. Let the ground be well
prepared, we'll pulverzed, and if We hove to wait 4 week
longer, there is always enough work to Do, 50 We may
not be idle.