Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-10-14
agricultural.
October OH the Farm.

In this month much is to be done. both in
gathering the crops on which the summers
labor has been la1ishcd, and in making prep
aratiOns for the demands of the coming win
ter.
In clearing the fields Of their crops, There
are any weeds left standing, as there should
not be, level them with the ground before the
leeds are ripened now is the all-important
time. one weed can scatter seeds enough TO
start 4 myriad of plants the coming season.
One can form no idea Of the mischief which
results from negligence in this matter to
illustrate the rapidity with which noxious
weeds spread, we insert the following account
of an experiment recently reported In of
our exchanges
- Desiring 10 know what might be the
influence Of a single weed upon the agrIcul-
ture OF field or garden, selected plant OF
pursiane, tpusley- or pursley as called by
some,) and carefully counted its number Of
pods IL was large, but not the largest
sized plant, from a rich spot ofgrOund. The
number of its seed pods was ,6l3 | then
took fourteen OF the pods, seven small ones,
four medium, and three of the largest, and
counted the seeds in them. The result gave
as an acreage ninety seeds to the pod. Thus
in this single plant we have the enormous
number OF 4l5,I70 seeds. If these were
spread over plat of ground and should all
terminate and man should attempt TO cut
them with a hoe, and should average SIX
plants at every blOw, and make thirty strokes
Of his hoe per minute, it would take him
thirty-eight hours and twenty-three minutes
70 cut them out. Or, If these seed were
equally disseminated at the rate of four to
the square foot, they would cover over two
and third acres Of ground. Again, allow
ing only one-third Of these seeds TO terminate.
and that the product shall only be one-hali
rich in seed this plant, yet they will
produce the astonishing number of 2S, 121 :
6SS, $50 seeds. enough u cover broad fields
with weeds the third year from one seed
Do not these figures show the immense i'm
portance of cutting and destroying every weed
before it goes 10 seed? There is doubt
that many other weeds are as fully or more
prolific than this. =
In digging potatoes, it is a bad plan to get
out more in the forenoon than can be hand
led in the afternoon. Much has been writ
ten the great Importance of having the
tuhers thoroughly dry before they put in
To the cellar, and authors have even gone so
far as to assert that potatoes should be dug
only on bright, sunny days, and that they
should receive the full action of the sun until
they are dry enough % be housed. Now,
while believing that these roots should be rea-
s0nably dry and clean, we think that there is
such thing a. carrying the summing and dry
ing process too far; in fact, it is opinion
that potatoes should have the least possible
exposure 10 the sun rays
We have experiment stored them
when freshly dug and partially covered with
loan they kept remarkably well, and when
they were eaten, were vastly pal
atable than Others that had been dried in the
sun, and which were cooked at the same
time the sun-dried ones were watery and
heavy, and had the unpleasant bitter taste
which we have always noticed as being pres
ent in tubers thus treated.
Potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark
cellar where the temperature is always low
without being freezing. When the tops of
carrots and other roots are given TO stock,
care should be taken that the earth be well
shaken out of them The action of the grit
of sand upon the enamel covered teeth of
cattle Is always quickly injurious, and should
be carefully avoided Many of the roots are
harvested during this month. If not too
late we would earnestly recommend the con-
struction of a cellar especially for their re-
ception; such be made at small cost.
and it Will pay for itself IN year two.
In excavating, choose the southern side of a
natural or artificial hiIl0ck wall up with
rocks to the surface of the earth and cover
with a tight roof and ventilator- Storing
roots in the cellar of the dwelling house
should be avoided.
In picking and marketing apples, too much
care cannot be exercised in handling and
asserting the fruit. 4 lot that opens well
and runs through evenly, brings a much
better price than one that has been picked
and barreled carelessly. The old rule that
apples should be handled as carefully AZ IL
they were eggs ought to he ALWAYS observed
Instead of having but two market grades we
should make at least three, even four. There
Is no doubt that the very choice fruit of the
orchard, marked A. No. i, would sell for a
oh rot n soil a.
when barreled with apples which are not
quite SO good, to more than pay for the high
grade.
Ii is time to begin to fatten the swine,
even If YOU did not begin some time since
hogs, as the rule, will put ten pounds OF
flesh in August or September easily as
they will five or six pounds in October or
later.
Fall ploughing may be commenced in this
month. Fortunately, owing to the plentiful
rains, our fall feed is remarkably good.
Where it falls little short make up for it
with a liberal feed, at night aud morning, of
fodder roots. BY all means get the
greatest possible flow Of milk now, for in
September and October is made some of the
best butter of the year. We have eaten
June and September butter from the same
dairy and We could not pronounce either to
be better than the other. Resist every offer
no matter how tempting. that may be made
for the purchase of the animals which you
exhibited at the recent exhibition of your
county society, and which took the first
premiums in their different classes. If they
are worth the money offered to the would-be
purchaser, they are worth certainly as much
TO you. Better hundred times keep them
Is stock getters than let them 90 for others
benefit. Premium animals are none to good
for breeders, and tho pity is that we have
been SO long oblivious Of the fact.-PlOug h.
man.