Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-06-04
agricultural.
Hints For The Season.

1. Do not put off cutting your hay
until the hay has ripened, and the
stalks and leaves become dry and
woody. Good sweet hay is never
made from ripcned grass. For home
consumption or sale in market, the
early cut is always to be preferred
/. contains the elements of nourlsh-
ment nearly equally distributed
throughout the whole substance, when
If left to ripen the seed, the latter ID
almost the only part worth the name
of feed. Cure the hay we'll, and don't
leave it to bleach in the sun and
wind. Letting the dew fall on it is
also injurious. As soon as it is suffi-
GENTLY dry, put it in cocks. Use salt
in the now, especially when your hay
is not of the best quality.
g. Keep all your tools in good or.
der, paying particular attention to the
knives of reapers and mowers. See
that all journals are well oiled, and
don't wait until they squeak. The
draft on machine in want of oil, is
much greater than when oiled, and
besides, it soon wears out. Iron cuts
fast when dry. If You unscrew the
caps, and wipe the dirt and black
grease from all the working parts
occasionally, it will be for your bene-
fit. See that all the nuts are tight /:
if loose, they will probably be lost,
and the machine may perhaps he bro
ken.
3. Don't forget to attend to the ma.
nure heap. Clean up your barn-yard,
and pile up. If left lying around, the
best parts become volatilized by the
hot sun. 1t is also waste Of labor
TO drive your teams TO the barn
through soft dung heap. Sprinkle
charcoal or plaster in privies, or 9th
er places that emit noxious gases
You will fix these by this means, and
add to your stock of manure. Take
every means in your power to increase
the amount in fertilizing matter on
the farm, for upon this depends your
future crops,' and your success as a
farmer. It is a popular error that
some soils are incxhaustible. All will
give out sooner or later.
1. Clean out your barn. Let moth
ing be left in it that smells musty
"A little heaven leaveneth the whole
lump" and this is particularly true o
hay and grain. Mustiness is conta
gious, and spreads rapidly. Let youl
stock feed on good, sweet food, nex1
winter. They will relish it better
and become fatter, with less amount
The air should have chance to circn
late through the barn, and beneath it
Very tight barns are therefore not the
best, unless great care is taken t.
ventilate them. Ifhay is stacked out
doors, good foundation of logs and
rails should first he laid down, so that
the air can get beneath, and the hay
not draw damp from the ground.
s. If you are short Of fodder, corn
and sorghum may still be sown for
soiling. 1t will also soon be time to
SOW buckwheat. The latter succeeds
well on poor land, and is therefore
well adapted for blowing in, as q ma.
nure. This should be done when the
plant is in blossom. IL you see q
portion Of your wheat field that bears
superior grain, save that for seed. II
is Of more worth for that purpose
than for marketing. After grain il
cut, get it under shelter az soon u
possible, if dry. A heavy rain Of
wheat in the shock, followed by warn
weather, is very apt to make the grail
sprout, aud thus lessen its value.