Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1863-09-12


PRECAUTIONS AGAINST THE WEATHER.
Science has not yet enabled man either 10
certainly predict or to change the weather
Although in general, the succession Of the
seasons, seed time and harvest. are guar.
anteed by the Almighty Ruler, yet they
are not alike proportions to all localities.
At times the North is blasted with un.
timely frosts, while the South is fervid
with sunshine; the East may be pnrched
with drouth, while the West is rejoicing in
refreshing showers. But the cultivator
may do something to provide himself
against such contingencies. First, by q
mixed husbandry. If corn be stinted by
continued rains, the grass in meadow and
pasture will grow with unwonted luxuri.
ance, and what is lost in the plowed field,
may he found in the cattle yard and the
hay NOW. He who depends upon wheat
alone, may grow rich if the SHOWS of win.
ter and the rains of September are propi
tious, but he may also lose all when the
seasons change their aspect and are un.
favorable. Thousands have pasd heavy
price for the experience by which this les.
son has been learned, and no longer trast
to single crop.
Draining is most efficient regulator by
which to counterbalance, iu some measure,
the effect OF wayward seasons. If there be
100 great rain fall the water speedily finds
on outlet from the roots which it would
otherwire drown. If drouth occur, the
porous soil is enabled to draw moisture
from beneath, aud also condenss it from
the air which can enter from above Corn,
on we'll dragged field, will pass ,fely
through soak or drouth, which would
diminish by onethird the yield from an Nh,
daaned compact soil. Frequent stirring
of he soil, keeping it loose and light, is Of
paramount Importance, especially in drouth
The rapid evaporati ton which goes on at
the surface under such circumst anccs. eools
the adjacent air, and causes it to deposit
copious dew, and moisture from below will
also be drawn upward to supply the willing
plants. If, in addition TO this, mulching
De practicable, to prevent the too rapid
escape Of moisture, drouth may be resisted
for heightened period THIS may be
done in the garden and fruit yard, and to
some extent in the corn field. where straw
or refuse hay is plenty.
1t is less easy to keep grass land in heart
dnriug drought and other measures should
be resortcd to where the stock OF cattle is
large, aud the amount of pasture and
meadow is only just sufficient to carry them
through favorable season. A field of
corn or millet should he sown the present
month, to he cut and fed green in August
and September. The latter plant resists
drought even better than corn, and an acre
will yield supply for several head Of cat
tie during the period when drouths are
most frequently injurious TO pastures. There
need neoi be no loss, il the crop be not
wanted TO supply Summer deficiency. A
feed from the soling patch at night will
make itself felt in the milk pail in The morn
ing, and what can not be profitably used
in this manner, can be cured and used to
advantage in the winter. There is always
less difficulty in disposing of super bun
dance of feed, than in ekng out a short
supply, and the vice husbandmaa will en-.
deavor to err on the safe side, if at eli.
American HpricuLuyi,k