Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-03-16
Anrifaltnral,
NOTES AND sUeGEsrIoNsFoR THE MONTH

Tleating hocks may be heard while in other
regions the fields and meadows are covered
with snow, and desolation reigns. With
March, farmers in some of the States COM
mence farming operations, while in others
chilling winds and pelting storms conhne
the husbandman to the indoor labOrs of the
farm. In one State the soil will be plowed
and the seed put in for various crops, but
III some others the fertile fields and the bab-
bling streams will still be bound in icy tct-
ters Everything shou d be on the march
towards Improvement. Should the pro
gramme of farming operations for the sea-
son not have been already completed, let it
be done without delay. If a good system
of rotation has not been already adopted
plan it at once Where no field labor can
yet be performed, put every thing in order
TO do it as soon as weather and soil are ia
vorable There are hundreds of good far
mers who do not know the great value OF
crop of peas They have never raised
crop, and they donot understand how to use
them up advantageously. Procure good
seed in time to have it ready to SOW when
the soil is dry enough TO plow, and put in
few acres of peas instead of harley, oats,o
Indian corn Peas will leave the ground in
an excellent condition if the soil be we'll
prepared for them, and if sowed at proper
time They will be found excellent food
for all kinds Of stock, and there is no better
meal for feeding milch cows or sows that
are raising young pigs, for the purpose Of
producing an abundant flow Of milk, than
an equal quantity Of good peas and Indian
corn ground into meal
What crops will you raise? What will
your soil produce or what kind Of grain,
grass, or roots appear to be best adapted to
the kind Of soil, or what kinds of grain or
other crops have grown for several years
past on the soil These are questions that
every farmer ought to consider before he
decides what kind Of crops he will raise
during the coming season. farmer should
Cndeavor, as far as may be practicable, to
adapt the right kind of crops to his soil
rather than to adapt the soil 10 the crops
If the soil is not adapted TO either winter
or spring wheat, do not attempt to raise It,
If the soil is good wheat soil and it has
produced more wheat III years past than
any other grain, it may be well to try some
other crop that is also adapted to the soil,
which will return perhaps as much, or more
than a crop of wheat.
Draining.-Before the soil is fit to plow,
let it be examined for the purpose of ascer-
tanning whether or not some portions of it
may not be drained very advantageous y,
where it is excessively wet Let wet por-
tions of d field be stakcd out and drains cut
for tile, stone or wood. During the month
of March long line Of underdrain may be
made before the soil is fit to plow, if the
proprietor only has energy enough to lay
out the work and commence at once. If 1t
be delayed until the soil is fit to be plowed,
~ IL. he
not be done.
CaHe-Begin TO increase the amount of
meal fed daily to all fattening animals
Bullocks and dry cows that are designed
for early beef should be we'll fed, watcrcd
and protected from storms during this
month Indian meal and oil meal fed now
to fattcn animals will start them right and
return a good profit next June III early beef
H9rSes-Givc horses daily exercise, either
by turning them loose i'll yard for Il few
hours, OF by driving them in the harness.
Mares with fOal should be handled with
great care, and if there is much snow and
ice they should be sharp shod TO prevent
their slipping down, which would he very
liable to cause slinkink Feed breeding
mares a pint of unbolted wheat -four daily
in connection with their other food, as Il
small quantity Of wheat flour is more highly
esteemed than any other grain by expert
enced horse breeders for developing the
growing tetus
H0uScS-Paint dwelling houses and other
buildings during this month as the pores Of
the wood and sun-shrinks are now closed
and the paint will form more durable
coatirg on the surface than if applied in hot
weather
Indictments and T0ols--Begin in good
time to procure new tools and implements
Of husbandry, and to repair old ones
TOdd's Young Farmers Manual treats Of
the mechanical part ofagriCulturc and edge
tools and implements of husbandry, giving
many useful hints.
Hanuyes horse manure over the
heap and never allow it to heat and become
iirefanged. Haul manure to distant fields
while there is slcighing, or before the
Ground has tbawed when the soil would be
so wet that it would be injurious to drive
over it and when team would be unable
TO haul off load. See that the rain from
the caves of buildings or from any Other
source does not wash away the soluble pOr
tons, the best part of barn yard manure.
Peas and Odts-The oats keep the peas
more erect than they would otherwise grow
and as they both ripen at about the same
time the yield per acre is usually mucl
greater than if either were sOwcd alone
There is no better feed for young swine
horses, neat cattle of all kinds, and sheep
than peas and oats Seed may be obtained
by the barrel or sack of seed dealers in mos
cities and large towns.
POtotOeS--Assort potatoes and feed Uu
the small ones to stock lay the best aside
for seed
Roots-Every animal should be fed few
roots daily Save few of the best to be
planted out for seed. If you have ncvcl
vet raised roots, procure seed and make ar
rangcments for an experiment with a crol
ut them the coming season.
.Stoacs-Both large and small ones may
he hauled off the field as soon as thawec
loose, before the soil has become soft. /
the ground is soft pry up the large stones
on meadows and place billets of wood Ol
small stones beneath them so that they may
be hauled off as soon as snow has fallen, ol
the ground will bear up team Remove
brush, logs, and other rubbish from fields il
likely to be i'll the way of the plow