Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-04-17
AQtitpItutal
Ready for Spring.

"April is near, so the robins and blue
birds say. and am nearly ready for it,
Let us see. My tools are about all in
working order. Last Fall, some OF them
we're in bad plight, but they have been
well stored through the Winter, and by
using odd spells of leisure, have go'
them thoroughly repaired The handle
ola plow was broken my harrow had
lost several teeth one of my scythcs was
hadly nickcd, and another was bent; the
horse rake was out of gear in several pla-
ccs. and my hoes, shovcls and rakes, we're
pretty badly used. Well, now have
5ycrhauled everything, mepding, paints
ing, buying where necessary, and so have
.ot all in serviceable trim. This season,
,here will be no time wasted or patience
sried in tinkoring tools just when want
most to use them How many time
have beaten my unollcnding cattle and
horses, and scolded my hired men, solely
because of my previous neglect to buy
good tools and then keep them in order J!
il shames me TO think Of it, but II shall
not be SO this Summer.
Then, there are the fences. In few
days, shall have them all in complete
order. Many OF the posts in the corner
lot are badly thrown out by the frost, and
then blown over by the strong March
winds. The soil there is clayey and wet,
and always racks my fences. What can
be done with it! Doubtless, q thorough
draining of the land would help the fence.
The posts must be reset and in doing it,
mean TO Gil up the holes with small
cobble stones pounded in hard, instead of
Garth. 1t is the freezing and thawing of
the wet soil near the surface which lifts
out the posts and if | can keep the soil
away FROM them, perhaps it will keep
matters straight. Pm bound to try it and
see. Their, some Of the gate posts near
she house are ont Of perpendicular. the
eatos sas and won't latch. Before l
-leep again, they must be put in order
have nailed on the boards which were
broken eff from the orchard fence the
garden, ;is safe from the pigs and COWS
and The rails are all replaced on the
fences, around the wood lot and pasture.
What fine assortment Of seeds have
storod up! Sweet corn for tie garden,
hing Philip and the eight roSed yellow
,orn for the field, aud Pop corn for the
children. Here are oats, spring wheat,
suckwheat, clover, and timothy, and po,
iatoes etc, all sorted and ready for use at
five minutes notice. The kitchen garden
has not been forgotten. Here, in these
drawers, which are divided Off into separ-
ate boxes, are beets, (seedl onions, carrots
parsnps, vegetable oysters, tomatoes, eau.
siflowers, oabbagcs, cucumbers, melons,
,quashes an array And the seeds
are sound and plump, being chiefly of my
pw raising, Warm ur the soil, sun for
these early kinds can hardly refrain lorg-
er from sprouting.
Who has better reason TO be proud Of
tho manure heap than ? See, there are
ten piles, Of no mean size, which have
peen shot out during the Winter from the
port holes behind the stables. Then, the
hog pens have made fair supply. The
sheep yard will furnish some rich scra p-
ings. The barn yard .or tho cattle has
nearly two feet deep of composted straw,
muck and dung. Won't this make the
Indian Corn grow apace, and won't it give
she grass an carly start and heavy
swath, and wou't il make the whole farm
fairly laugh And then the hogsheads of
plaster for the clover, and the ashes for
tho pasture lot.
| don't think neighbor Brown has kept
his cattle and other stock rs we'll for the
last two months as he should have done,
20 have them como out strong and hearty
u the Spring. His cows and steers and
Ye9rlipg lock leaa ard scrawny. II lie did
but know it, the opening Of spring is
trying time for stock, and they ought to
be led little better now than usual, in.
stead of beipg kept on short commons
Hope he won't lose any by his false econ
olny Or neglect. should not he ashamed
TO show my stock now to anybody Ny
hplses in particular are in the highest
keeping, and ready for thehard work they
may have to do. 1t is a pleasure to look
at their plump, sleek sides.
Next week, I'm going to have . regu
lar clearing up" Chips, saw dust, ash
heaps. old boards, brush, bones, sticks,
leaves, and all kinds Of rubbish that accu,
mulate around house in Winter. sha
be rallod up, and picked up, and all the
promises, shall be put in apple pie order.
HARp CRUST FORMED IN PLowINC,-Itis ia