Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-03-22
agricultural department.
seme Hints on Spring Work.

MARCH, the" surliest month Of all the year"
has come again, and though 10 many localIlies
lev winter still continues TO reign, the tocSin oil
preparation sounded on every size by nature
begins to be heard.
New is the time for the farmer to exercise
all his vigilance and forethought, and to see
that every moment OF time is turned to account
See that sufficient stock Of fuel is laid in at
the house for summer wants, and that the rails
are drawn and laid where they are likely to be
handy for repairing fences. Put the fences
and gates into repair as soon as the grounds
thawed enough to fix the stakes.
Have you a stock of roots on hand Every
good farmer ought to have. Now is the time
to feed them out to the animals on the
farm, especially mich cows and breeding ewes
to enable them to give full supply of milk for
their young.
See that the yeanng ewes are separated
from the rest of the flock, given little extra
food, and all tags and dirt removed from them
At lambing time, keep them comfortably hOus-
cd, with plenty of good, clean straw to lie on
and do not.forget TO let them have access TO
clear, puge water at all times. They require
constant care at this time, if it is desired to
raise the lambs. The ewes may be let out
into the yard every afternoon, but the lambs
are better to remain in the house till they are
at least week old, strong and healthy. All
changes and exposure, especially TO the sun or
rain. is injurious TO them as also is lying on
the cold, damp earth The lambs Will soon
learn to eat, if little fine chopped hay or oat-
meal is placed in a shallow box or trough in
their house, while the ewes are out, and if it is
desired to bring them forward early for the
butcher, this extra feeding will help them great
ly.
Feed the cows well, and do not let them
fall off In their milk while waiting for the grass
to come. Give the working animals enough
of such food as will produce muscle,-not fat
and give them moderate amount Of daily
exercise.
Keep the yard we'll Uttered with straw, and
the cattle confined to it, There is nothing
gained by letting them wander over the farm
making tracks in the soft ground wherever they
20. Stock should never go to grass till the
ground becomes settled firmly enough to bear
them without showing footprints half an inch
deep. Pile up the manure in the yard as fast
as it is made, mixing into the heap all the
scrapings of the house, fowl and sheep yards,
hog pens, etc.
Pick over the potatoes, and select the lar
roll them in plaster of Paris, and sprinkle
plaster over them while lying in the cellar. Il
it said to act in some degree, as a preventive
ofthe rot. We know Of some farmers who SOW
tablespoonful of plaster in each hill, or over
each set, at the time Of planting, and who as
cribe the freedom of their potato crop from
disease TO the use Of plaster. From the known
tendency of the salt to destroy fungoid life in
its early stages, we think sowing it on the
potato plant might be the means of mitigating
the rot We, however only throw this out as
a suggestion to those who may be willing to
try the experiment.
Sow bushel Of plaster per acre on clover
q as soon as the ground is dry.
Clover and grass seeds may be sown this
month,-on the snow if you like-thOugh they
will do as WELL if not BETTER when sOwn just
after the warm spring rains. Narrowing is
generally unnecessary, but light brush har-
row is used sometimes with advantage. Where
it is desired to ameHorate the soil, or obtain
good pasturage, aud plow it again in year or
twowe should SOW nothing but thepure clover
at the rate Of 10 to Is lbs. per acre. But
where permanent moving meadows are desir-
Cd, it is well to sow mixture Of equal parts
of clover and timothy, with the addition, per-
haps, of some other grasses, Of such sorts as
can be grown in the locality with advantage
say 3 lbs. Of Italian rye grass, or lbs. OF
meadow fescae, or lb. Of red top, or 2 lbs. Of
meadow foX-tail or lbs Of Kentucky blue
grass or 4 lbs of orchard grass. Clover or
grass seeds do better when sOwn on barley OF
spring wheat than on any other spring crop.
Roll the meadows and winter wheat as soon
as the frost is out aud the land tolerably dry.
Old meadows will be.the better for a good
narrowing in the spring before rolling.
Do not be in too great a hurry to set the
pew to work Let the land become dry en-
ough to turn over mellow. The surface then
soon becomes warmed and you can SOW i'm
mediately.
Peas can be sown earlier than any other
crop, and no farmer should be without small
field of them. The white varieties are most
suitable for light soils, the gray kinds for strong
clays The best sorts Of white pea we know
Of, ore the Golden Drop,and Racehorse Peas
DO well on an old sod plowed rather fat, but
not shallow, and the land may be rolled, after
narrowing in the seed, with advantage II
the land has been plowed the previous fall they
may be sown at once and lightly plowed or
cultivated in. Three bushels per acre is the
usual allowance for seed in Canada, where peas
arevery successfully and extensively grown
After the young plants are well forward. a
topdressing of mixture ofashes and plaster
will be of great benefit.
Spring wheat comes next the soil for which
out to be in good heart and free from weeds
and moisture. The land for this crop is better
TO be plowed ridgy, so as to harrow down well
over the seed unless a seed drill is to be used
1t is more liable to smut than winter wheat
and as preventive of this disease, use so
luton Of three OF. of blue ytriol dissolved in a
quart Of hot water to each bushel. Let it cool
and then snrinkle the sClnfinn oHnr the uhent