Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-10-23
Work for Indian Summer.

"THE summer is passed, the harvest is
ended" the equinoctiai storm has spent its
| force, and the early frost has put a stop to
the growth of every crop; but there still
remains to the farmer the pleasantest and
| fairest season of the year-the Indian
Summer In too many instances this
| beautiful season is allowed by farmers to
run to waste, although there are few por-
tions of the year that might be improved
to better advantage
| In many instances the farmer can ma
terially hasten his spring work, by getting
his fields ready in the fall. 1t seems to
occur to few farmers that the fall is a
| good period to set new fences and to re-
pair old ones. The ground is ordinarily
in better order for digging post holes /;
| while fencing materials are almost invaria-
| bly, cheaper than in the following spring.
| Ordinarily, the spring is bad time in
| which to do fencing; the roads are in a
wretched condition for hauling lumber ;
| the frost is not out of the ground so that
the posts can be set, till after the fields
| are ready for the pillow, and then every
voted to putting in his crop. The conse-
quence of this delay is that stock are liable
to tramp down the fields after they are
sown, and are tempted to take sumptuous
meals on the fields of winter grain. We
all know how difficult it is to keep stock
out OF a field that they have once become
accustomed to going into, and from this
we should learn the advantages of having
our farms well protected in the fall.
Next to the fence, the farmyard should
claim attention. The droppings of the
cattle, which have been accommodating all
the summer; the coarse manure that was
not sufficiently rotted to be carted out last
spring, together with the manure that has
been thrown out from the horse stable,
should all be taken out to the field which
is to be planted next season. After the
spade and fork have done their work, the
hoe should be brought into requisition
and the yard shonld undergo thorough
scraping
After the farm yard has been treated in
this manner, the farmer will fiud various
apartments where horses, COWS, calves,
hogs and poultry are kept, these will re-
quire vigorous hoeing and brushing.
After this, the floors should be repaired,
and all the cracks closed by battens, or
filled with mortar.
The orchard may be improved in"pro-
ductiveness, and the back yard il, appear
ance, if the chips and leached ashes in the
latter are carted off and placed around the
trees in the former. The yard will now
be in good condition to receive the wood,
which should soon be got up and prepared
for winter use.
The outer cellar-door ordinarily opens
into the back yard, and probably if you
will look in thereat, you will find there is
work to be done there. Several barrels
have fallen to pieces, and had better be
used as fuel. Considerable dirt has accu-
mulated on the floor, that could be well
disposed of in filing up various holes and
ruts about the lawn or moving field.
When this is done, you will undoubtedly
think that the wall will look better for
coat of whitewash
Having gone thus far in putting farm
matters to rights, it would seem to be
sin to stop and leave the walks and drives
that lead from the road to the house in so
bad condition as many of them are.
The frost has already helped you in killing
the vegetation that grew upon them, but
you must complete the job with the hoe
and shovel. Lay straight edge along
the border, and cut the turf by it; then
round them up carefully and they will be
in good condition to be travelled over DUR
ing the rainy seasons of winter and spring.
-PrdiTie Farmer.
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