The Indianapolis daily herald., 1865-12-23

IArnovIalnNrs ~ mn soli H.

IMPROVEMENTS ~ IHE soil.
There are many farms which require that the
nature Of the soil should be changed by mix
ing difi'rnt Kinds q sali very often pydrimI
ing portions from one portion Of the farm 20
another. aud rice rersa. This work may be
done 10 advantage IN winter. n the ground l.
not too hard frozen. An excellent article on
this point j. from correspondent II the
Country Gentiemdn:
BY fertilizers i meant anything that in
creases fertility. Their sftion may be regard
81 n thrccfold.
First 4. mechanical, by changing or modi-
fling the nature Of the soil To- which they are
aPrliea< 9hs~ .ly ,siSsl fsapSi, taHsa -, s.bLo
manure. etc. with, lsssIls tenacious. clayey
soil. II j. made more porous and lighter; and
per contra, clay, muck, etc. used on light.
sandy, graycly land, modities II. making IL re-
tentive ~ heat. moisture. or any cnrichin4 ma
tcrial applied 10 IL.
second Their action on the soil j. chemical,
hy generating or exciting action In the ele-
ments of the soil itself-causing fermentation
among the organic and chemical afhnities dis
Indignation, etc. among the inorganic elements;
Ia this way better iltlng both 70 become plant
food, llle usfsd Al rolif aud clayey soils X An
example 81 this. stable manure added, causes
both chemical and mechanical actOn-one 10y
fermentation. the other by making II less tena-
con-. - a'yra
Thir,i-Ry ". ,lirsctIs cnrichlns poa Il. -or
/ furnishing plant food for immediate use. n in
the ease Of using well rotted composts, or liquid
solutions.
/ In most soils IL IL "a necessary 10 modify or
stimulate IL l. 10 enrich them. often more
80. While the advantages Of all these may be
I combined by an application Of the right fer
tllizrr at one time, there Is great saving iu
time. labor and expense and very great
gain in crops. Except I'm ease Of using liquid
fertilizers, an intimate admiXture of these
with the soil. by the Use Of ,the plow. spade or
similar implement, l. absolutely necessary 10
secure full mechanical or chemical action, or TO
place the plant food in immediate proximity
TO the roots 20 be benefited. There are iussek
from washing rains, from evaporation. nom
frost, from many causes, which can not be fore
seen or avoided If applied TO the surface OF the
land. by which thorough admixture with
the soil will surely prevent. In almost oil
cases the merely mechanical act of stirring the
soil adds much To it, fertility. The additional
labor, then, Of carefully mixing Tie tertlllzer
/ with the earth should not be regarded as lost
Very few fertilizers are used that are suitable
/ for plant food till their concentrated nature is
/ modified by rains. evaporation or mixture
! with the soil. Used for changing or modify
ing the nature Of land, they should usually be
] mixed with the earth t0a considerable depth:
for chemical action. fermentation, disintegra-
| tion and the like, they should be used nearer
| the surface where the influences Of light heat
/ and AIR can act more effectively in INCREASING
/ this: and applied as plant food, place at the
/ depth where l. found the greater proportion of
/ roots, /. e., near the SURFACE. Moisture also
modihes the application or fertilizers, Is 1t
/ carries with II the soluble elements. On dry
I soils and IN dry seasons this II from below up
\ ward: In wet seasons il il downward A sur
/ face or top dressing with animal or vegetable
substances, in the former case. where all the
/ tendencies ara upward, and suhjecttp eiIpOr-
/ alton il most evidently great waste of both
time and material. Top-drcssing" has re-
spect merely 10 cnriching the surface. Ii loses
sight Of NIL taose advantages 1f mechanical and
/ chemical action in the soil, which accrue from
\ am intimate a,lmNture with it-from tha bene-
fits TO be derived from stirring and deepening
/ the soil; II runs the risk Of waste by evapora-
\ ton. or INJURY ~ fusszinsc. IL applied I'm cold
ATTITUDES Just before winter, and in short has.
on arallc lands, little IN recommend II but the
saving a. ~ little time and labor. which moot
crate amount Of reflection will convince any
one Is a saving in the wrong place. " lie that
sowcth plcnteously" in seed. fertiliZes and
labor. shall reap also plenteously," j. rule
I which experience demonstrates has seldom
failed. aud marking the results IL il we'll 10
examine carefully into the cailse~ and reasons.
/ Of II.
For those who raise and cure their own
meat. the following will be
-' NSFNcTtrESr ir.tIrE.--
To one gallon of water.
Take | lbs Of salt,
y III. Of sugar.
= o.. of saltpctre.
%. Of potash.
+ In this ratio, the pickle To be increased 10
any quantity desired Let these bc boiled to-
gethcr until all the dirt from the sugar rises 10
the top and i Skinned OFT Then throw IL
into tub N cool, md When cool pou. il Oier
Your beef or pork. to remain the usual time.
say four or live weeks. The meat must be well
covered with pickle. and should not be put
down for al least two days after killing, dur
in ~ hich time should Ice slightly sprinkled
with powdered salipeire, which removes all
the surface blood, etc, leaving the meft fresh
and clean.
some omit boiling the pickle, and find it to
answer we'll, though the operation Of boiling
puuies the pickle 10y throwing OH the dirt al
ways to be found IN salt and sugar.
Ii th, recipe i properly tried IL will never
bc abandoned. There Is none that surpasses
IT,. 20 good.
NOTES FOR THE MONTH.
Barns should at once pd put 1t order. Loose
shingles and boards should he nailed; the large
cracks between ridge boards need closing up
with long nails; and the siding should some
times bc taken OF, jointed and replaced, to eX
clude snow and keep rain from rotting the TIM
hers Whenever the ground desceuds toward
the foundation walls. a fsv, loads OF earth
should be hauled in. 10 turn the surface water
oil before the ground freezes, a. the expansion
oithe earth Will often crowd walls inwards after
freezing a lew times. II the ground dcsccnds
from the W all. the water viii bc carried away
and the eNPsnsiN will Ia less forcihle against
the wall. Make little mortar and stop all
sill, ana foundation. 10 exclude cold air from
the apartments Of the animals
Concerning harn-Na ards. II i recommended
that before the ground freezes. scrape all the
tine manure into heaps and haul IL 20 meadows.
or pasture for a top dressing. IL will act ~ A
r mulch To the grass roots. Clean out all sur
face thtCbts near The yards. and ycrt .slal lQw
channels where they are needed 20 prevent
: surface water from flowing into any part IL
the yard. Remove all stones and sticks liable
f.s. hfst.l.
ing.
Dry and she'll all unripe beans before freez-
ins, ~ they viii make good feed for sheep:
FREEZING before they are ripe Spoils them.
BullOcks or dry COWS should be confined q
large proportion q the time In close yards, or
spacious halls. we'll Uttered. Feed with hay.
corn meal and some pumpkins or roots. Better
feed houutifully and fattcn rapidly, than 10
give small all ow ance and fatten slowly. Bear
IN slinsithst itis e>iinst@a taseo-i ~ nrintaiu
the animal heat 81 bullock during one cold
nlsht in thc open air, no les than one pound
IL fhe best meat.
, % "a. fail To provide comfortable winter
qlzrter> a. annc animals. bsf they lo>e aestl.
run down, st oa their feed, and become what
j. called spring por.
BEEF i. >carce and the price l. high. aud for
thi~ reason, the iviculturiSt considers. the
policy il not 10 stl good COWS for beef. as
many people did last season. because thew COM
manded high price. Better hold on 70 good
COWS Tor breeding.
J Spread all soft ears n corn On aoor in an
, airS flace where 81 WIN shortly BE dry enough
, 10 grind fyr feed. save beet ears for seed-
clear The outlets Of UNDERSTANDS by shovel
ing cit all sediment that will 0hstruef tn Il ow
b & water from the drains during the winter
auf fr ,,,t them against BEING entered by
mice.
. Before freezing weather, remove leaves and
8 ail other sediment which settles la the cave
, troa-hs. When ei>tcrn water i not used fol
drink. for culinary purposes. or for stock. II J.
b. good plan O. paint the troushs over with -,
1 az coal tar. applied hot after boiling al hour
!. 10 - a Eood pre>trvatiNe.
p NaIS thnfpial Of AZ ain, h az sioOs A. much
~ possible within reasonable limits. Ii L
better L. change IL on different days. or evei
K 80 dIfcrcut meals. than 90 make too great mix
l lures Hay and straw nay be- mixed gruun,
3 grains. bran, oil meal. etc, NAV D. mixed witt
D. haH- straw. stalks or roots. Feed dihercn
4 kinds &C roots separately.
u Il |.