Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-05-11
farm, 6aytlfn & glouseholtl,
MANTRTNG CORN IN THE HILL.


When manure IS scarce and the greatest
effect IS demanded the first season, or when
corn is On good sod, and little start is
wanted at first, or when the land is rather
cold and the season uncertain, It is best to
manure ii the hill for corn. If one has a fine
compost, say Of swamp muck and manure,
containing one,foirth of the latter, after
marking out, good shoyelfnl may be DIS.
tributed to three or four hills, and the corn
dropped directly upon it. If however, the
compostis madeup of ashes, snperphosphate,
guano, poudrette, ETC., singly or mingled, it
must be mixed with soil aud covered with a
little earth besides, or the seed may be killed
by coming in contact with it. Such active
fertilizers, and the list is large, must always
be used with care, not to have the seed In
jured Yet they are needed close at hand,
for the encouragement of the young plant as
soon as it starts Superphosphate, ashes,
gypsum, soda-saltpeter, ETC., may be applied
upon the hill after the corn is up, or, at least,
after planting, with quite as good effect as if
put in the HILL
The list of concentrated manures which
may be made on the farm, or bought, is quite
large, and if any person visits the manufacto
ries of various kinds in this vicinity he Will
often be able to secure much that is of value
to himself, and do the shoemaker soap boil
or. brewer, tanner, butcher, or glue boiler,
favor aIso.-American Agricultarist.
GRASS LAND, HOW re IMPROVE IT.
Ifyou ask this question OF many farmers,
the only reply viii be, break up and sod down
afresh. Others will hesitate before giving
this uniform answer They viii insist on
looking at the land first, or at least viii wish
to know what is the matter with the present
grass crop. Is some part of the field mossy
or boggy? or does it grow certain coarse
grasses which indicate undue moisture at the
bottom? If 50, their eyes VIII be opened,
and they win reply, in medical language, that
understanding is indicated Nothing does
the land need so much as this; nothing will
do it material good, until this is first attended
10. Flowing and manuring viii be nearly all
useless, so long as the land is clogged with
surface water.
If this is not the trouble, they will enquire
whether foul weeds have got possession, to the
exclusion of wholesome grasses. If not, but
the trouble is simply an impoverishment of
the surface by long cropping, they will advise
to scarify the sward in the fall with heavy
harrow, tearing up the moses, and disturb
ing the soil little, so that it viii receive
fresh seed. Then they viii SOW from ten to
fifteen quarts per acre OF clear Timothy and
Red Top in equal parts, and cover the same
with light harrow. We should have said,
too, they viii apply good coat of old man
ure before the seed sowing, In this way re-
peating the manure once in two years, many
a meadow or pasture can be brought up to a
high state Of productiveness. If, however,
the land is infested with white daisy, dock, or
thistle the Only way will be to breek it up
th oroughly, cultivate it FIVE years with crops
and grain, and finally seed down again. Man
uring should go along with this cultivation,
Of course. When seeding down, be not spar
ing of seed, but use half bushel of Timothy
and the same of Red Top. fired Clover is
desired, it should not generally be sowed un-
til in the spring, as it is apt to Winter-kil. If
our farmer is progressive man, perhaps he
viii enquire whether the grass crop could not
be improved by irrigation. We believe much
is to be realized from this practice during the
next generation. 4gricaltmiSt.