Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-10-15
AGRICULTURAL.

hUNlSt LII RAL.
| FALL PLowING.-The most bigoted farmer
will admit that fall plowing is beneficial. You
cannot convince him to the contrary. He is
| as stubborn in his belief as he is against
| book-learning, Whatever errors he may
| possess generally-and they are numerous
| his experience of fall blowing is right. He
knows the frost makes the turned-up soil mel
| low: he knows this as a fact, as he has had
abundant experience. Hence, fall blowing
Is practlsed extensively, not only by him but
by all, or nearly all.
Yet this bigoted farmer, who has luckily hit
| upon good thing, carries the matter too far.
We are all apt to disagree here. Fail plow-
ina IS good only for stubborn soils. For sand or
gravel it will not do. For clay, or any
lumpy soil, it is just the thing
And the later the blowing is done the bet
ter, If the ground is not too wet. 1t NAV be
moist, or even wet, but should never be mud
| dy. Avoid mud in all places and at all times.
Avoid it in the fall as far as you can. To
pillow late is to prevent the grass from startinr
towards the surface, and leaves the soil com
paratlvely loose and thus the better fitted for
the penetration of the frost. To ''stand up"
the burrows, as some plows are said to do,
though considered a fault generally, is here
that are presented to the action of the ele-
ments the better-thus leaving sort of hol-
low condition Of the plowed ground, not only
that the frost may work in, but the water
pass off, leaving it comparatively dry in the
spring.
If plowed early the ground will become
more or less compact, preventing the water
from draining off and the frost from penetra-
ting as effectively as it would otherwise Be
sides the grasses and weeds will get started
and show i'll the spring, making compact.
grassy soil, just the thing untitled for crop
and 1t requires blowing over, with 7,aeu7dy
at1daT soil, which cannot be endured for a mo-
ment, as this will give you a brick-faced sur
face, and the effect will be visible for years
the ground will receive almost fatal injury,
There will be Jumps for years; and the frost
cannot restore them, nor the clod-crusher. The
combined action Of both with the aid of the
sun and the rains and SHOWS, together with
lime and other appliances, and time-these
are necessary to overcome the injury which
an injudicious handling of the soil has caused.
Set up the soil, then, and make it as no.
rOus and hollow as may be; and pillow it as
late as can be, consistent with the late rains
OF autumn.
This hollow and porous condition of the
ground when ploWed as we have recommend
ed, will also favor the application of manure.
Manure thus plowed under will get the action
OF the elements, and add wonderfully to the
productiveness of the field will improve the
mellowness Of the soil, and, in word, will be
just the thing for all kinds of grain, corn. roots
everything.
We have never seen better fields than
those treated in this way with manure-mel-
low and productive. Thus, rigid Soils cold
clay soils may be redeemed, and it is difficult
to redeem them in any other way-BoStoa
CtAiVator.
SALT AND Cold WATER FOR SwINE.-It is
not common practice we think to give salt
to swine occasionally, while every farmer
would consider it prime duty to offer it to
his neat stock, horses and sheep, as often as
once a week. 70 be sure the swine get a lit
tie compared with the amount given to other
animals. In proportion to their weight why
do they not need as much salt as the other
stock on the farm?
We find an article going the rounds of the
papers upon the use of salt for fatteninq sci7ae
The writer states that he "selected two pairs
of barrow hogs weighing 200 each. One pair
received with their daily allowance of food
two ounces of salt; the other, similarly fed
none. In the course of a week, it was easily
seen that the sailed pair had much stronger
appetite than the others, and after fortnight
1t was increased to two ounces apiece After
four months, the weight of the sailed hogs
was $50 pounds, while that of the unsalted.
five weeks later, reached only 800 pounds.
The experiment was repeated with almost
precisely the same results"
If such should prove to be the general re-
suit, most farmers have not gained all the
good advantages they might have done from
the food fed out. From the example cited
there Is no indication that the salt excited a
morbid appetite, and produced unnatural flesh
and fat Of course sound judgment must
be exercised in the use of salt, as we'll as of
grain or any other food.
Another neglect of swine-and sometimes |
it must be cruel one-is that of not giving |
them a plentiful supply Of pre- cold water. Why |
it is supposed that the hog should not need |
water as well as the COW and sheep-is more
than we can tell. They do require it, When |
water is not given them, although fed with |
swill, they will drink heartily of the water
collected IN the yard or barn-cellar, after visit
ing their trough several times, and finding it |
empty and dry. Nothing is more grateful to |
them in hot day than bucket of cold water, |
drank from clean sweet trough We trust !
that farmers will give attention to the matter |
and ascertain for themselves whether our sug |
gestions are valuable or not. |
Lieut.. Commander Dobson, of the United |
States gunboat Seneca, reports to the Navy
Department, under date, Dobey Sound, Sept |
oath, that on the night of the 22d he sent an |
armed boat crew up Altamaha river and de-
stroyed Hudson Place salt works, near Dari- |
an 20 entireIv deu1olishino hniIers anoinoc