Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-02-14
farm, Garlfn 4 Apltaehold.
AGRICULTURAL NOTES FOR FEBRU-
AIRY

feld than the management of any month in
the growing season Every farmer and
gardener should have some wel-defned sys
tenn Of operation, so laid down ON paper this
month, that there will be M hesitancy
as 10 what is to be done and what
crops are 10 be raised the ensuing sea-
son. The wonderful improvements M
agriculture aud horticulture wall warrant
peopie in talking about scientific and
progressive agriculture. There IS such
thing as science and progress Ia conducting
the operations of the farm and sardeni and
with iudieious management, crops may be
increased, from year to year, until every acre
and fruit tree viii yield an annual crop equal
TO the nature Of the climate and the capacity
of The soil.
The first thing Is to know what to do, and
the second is, the most efIeelual and feasible
manner of performing the operations.
Science assures us that judiciOus rotation
system ofoperatious, both on the farm and
in the garden, is better for be sod aud more
satisfactory for the pocket Of the proprietor.
And the rotation System extends TO the apph-
cation OF fertiIzing matter to the land, as
well as to the production Of crops. 4 rota-
ton ia the application Of manure is subject
thai is seldom thought of aud It applies es-
pecially to such cultiyators as depend on
mineral and commercial maUuyes.
Lime, for example, is the very foundation
of successful agriculture in certain sections oi
the country. But, instead Of applying this
material every season, eresult will be found
more satisfactory 10 try something else.
Wood ashes have been applied to some land
with results so satisfactory that the bountiful
crops were really surprising to every behold
er. But after few dressings with ashes,
even bountiful application failed to produce
an increase in the crop. dressing Of bone
dust supplied what was lacking in the SOIL so
that the following crop was heavier than any
previous harvest. Ifguano has been employ
ed, let superphesphate or some other fertih
zer be applied
Gypsum has been soaH on some farms for
many successive seasons: and, in some in
stances, the effect is so unsatisfactory that
the proprietors are in doubt as to the eflicien-
cy Of the fertilizer.
Science suggests a rotation in such instan-
ces. The growing plants show that the soil
does not lack sulphate Of lime. There IS IN
most soils, however, o deficiency Of potash.
Instead, therefore, of applying gypsum every
year, give the land dressing Of ashes II
the soil has been dressed With straw manure
for many years, let the value Of yearly dres'
sing be invested in guano. bone dust, super.
phosphate, or some other comm erelaI manure
and let this be applied instead OF so much
straw material Straw will not produce much
frnif. Straw manure viii give heavy bur
den Of vines and stalks. But in order to get
a satisfactory crop of grain, or vegetables,
some material must be applied that will sup
plv the growing plants with the substance
tha, every plant must have to develop the
fra.t in the form of grain or vegetables.
re Is where science comes to our assis-
lance. The man whose mind has been en-
Eghtened by the study Of the soil, who has
made himself familiar vita the requirements
of growing plants, wili be able to determine.
with almost unerring certainty, what is lack,
ing in order to produce a satisfactory crop OF
cereal grain, grass, fruit or vegetables.
Let practical example suffice: Last season
when We were on the experimental farm Of
the Government, at Washington, the Assis-
tant Clerk showed us the growing crops.
The wheat appeared large enough to yield
hfty bushels Of grain per acre. But the heads
of grain were unusually light, and the kernels
small, simply because the land had not been
fertilized with wheat-producing material. He
also showed the heaviest burden Of squash
vines that we ever saw. Indeed they formed
complete mat. But on the entire plot
there was not as much fruit as South Jersey
gardener gathers from two hills There was
deficiency Of pitrogenous material such as
we find in the aceumulations Of cattle stalls
and sheep sheds where the animals have been
fatlened with corn meal and oil cake. In the
manure Of animals fattened on such feed
there is an abundance Of just such papulum
as the growing plants must have to make
them produce bountiful crops, while in the
Accommodations of stables, where horses get
very little grain, where sheep are half starved
on poor hay and mouldy corn stalks, and
where COWS gel nothing put damaged nay,
cabbage leaves and pailful Of dish-water,
with pound or two Of buckwheat bran in it,
there viii be fertiiiziug matter in the manure
to make a heavy burden Of straw and vines,
and only a small yield offruit
At this season of the year, when every stream
of water is icy fetters, see that domestic ami
mails do not suffer for want Of drink.
Sheep that do not get an occasional feed
ing of roots or apples, should be supplied
With all the evergreen houghs they win eat.
Brood mares that are expectedt to rear colts
next season require extra care during this
month, or they viii lose their young. Brood
mares viii perform vast amount of labor, if
they are driven carefully. They need daily
exercise aud enough noarishing feed to pre-.
vent their growing poor. A quart or two Of
wbeatemeal mingled with cut straw, instead Of
twice the quantity Of oats, is better for such
animals, part Of the time, than any other
grain.
Ducks, geese and galliuacious fowls need
constant supply Of finty gravel stones for
trituratipg their food. When the ground is