The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-07-07
FARMERS COLUMN


0lRl IN the ueluSS Ieduy 10 CUT 1ue
corn and potatoes demand the active
work of all the laborers; farmers must
rise early and work late, and make
prodIgious efforts to roll off the great
task which each recurring July heaps
upon them. Among the many items
to be thought of, and should be put
down on the farmers calendar, are the
following:
HoE1Na.-Keep at IL; don't slack q
single stroke. Most farmers suppose
that the only value of hoeinR is mere
ly to kill the weeds. But there are
benefits beyond this, to be consideredi
the soil must be warmed, moistened,
and manured. Frequent hoeing and
stirring expose the soil to the quick
action of the sun and shower, and ac-
complish wonders. a field often hoed,
withstand a drought better than one
that is not SO hoed. A carefully Guilt
waited, well-drained field will be cover
cred with luxurisnt crops during dry
season, while those on a hard surface
may be perishing for want of moisture.
The truth is that the air about us is al
ways moist; and, whenever the surface
is frequently stirred and loosened, the
air penetrates it freely, and carries
along the moisture 1t contains, thus
watering the field.
STRAwBRRRIES.-B your vines
may have done bearing, do not stop
cultivating; you may think they de-
serve no further attention because they
have yielded all the good you can get
ont of them; yet, II you desire good
crops in the future; be sure and remem-
Der the plants now-keep off all the
runners, without fail, and keep of all
the weeds. The best method of culti-
walton is in hills; rows or beds are like.
ly to lead to slovenliness and ne Elect.
WoRMs-Duripg this month vegeta-
troubled with all kinds of worms.
Bugs can be kept off melon aud Gu
cumber vines by dipping little rags in
kerosene, or coal oil, or petroleum,
and spreading a couple under each
plant. The offensive odor dispels
them completely. We know this from
experience.
Another well-tFied method to save
melon and squash vines from injury
by the squash bug is to cover the vine
with earth, half an inch to an inch
deep, all along from the root to the first
flower.
For the turnip fly use air-slacked
lime. 1t should be put on as soon as
the plants make their appearance, and
as often as Is necessary. 1t should be
sprinkled when the dew Is on the
ground.
For cut.worms good medicine is tC
put small handful of salt on the tor
OF the hill, and around the stems OF
cabbage or cucumber plants. This Is
another we'll tried and efficient remedy.
To kill the currant or gOesebeTry
worm, dissolve one pound OF cOPPeras
| in gallon of hot water, add four gal
| Ions of cold water; after stirring well,
amply to the bushes with sprinkling'
pot by showering. This also has been
tried with success.
ExPERINIENTs.-Iti is a good time fol
farmers to put to the test some of the
ideas they have heard or seen we'll
spoken OF in their favorite papers,
There is to some extent prejudice
against experimental farmers yet
think progressive agriculture demands
frequent and long expert
ments to test many of the problems
\ public. Don't have too many irons In
the fire but 1t Is desirable to select
some subject and test 1t well. We won
| der how many farmers know that they
can raise more potatoes to the acre by
planting a single eye or piece of potato
one foot apart in the rows; instead o.
planting In bills. The Goodrich potato
| is the successful result out of 16.OOC
seedlings, and a most profitable exper.
| iment it has been to the country. Don't
be afraid to make experiments.
| TINE TO CUT HAY.-Some kinds o.
grass need to be cut early, because
| making sWeeter and better hay. Glover
orchard grass and timothy attain Their
| growth and maturity rapid and early
and If not cut soon lose their gooC
quality. This is generally true of grass
| growing on highly cultivated land, OF
| rich and warm uplands; but meadow
hay should be left for several weeks
later, as 1t requires longer growth; al
| long us it continues to grow ttimprove:
in quality, and retains its good colol
and aroma quite late in the autumn
The Ohio Farmer gives good advice II
a nutshell concerning curing hay:
"Don't dry your hay too much: Hay
may be dried till Ii Is as worthless a!
straw. As s good coffee.mAker woulC
saw. Don't burn your coffee, but brown
it;' so we say, DON'T dry yonr hay bu
cure it, Our good old mothers, WIFI
relied on herb-tea instead Of 'pothe
cary medicine gathered their herb
when in blossom and cured them II
the shade. This Is the philosophy o
making good hay. Cut In the blossom
and cure In the shade. The sugar
the plant when 1t Is In bloom Is in tn
stalk, ready to form the seed. II tn
plant Is cut earlier, the sugar Is NO
there; If later, the sugar has beeom
converted to woody matter. Hayshoul
| WllL6u Lu6 6uuS Dut ~
the cock. Better to be little gree
than too dry. II, on putting It into tn
barn, there is danger of heating in tn
moW,1 put on some lime and salt. Cat
tie will like 1t none the less.
CATTLE AROUND TREES.-keep then
off. 1t is q noticeable fact that u tree
be it ever SO thrifty, OF of any kind
but to which cattle gain access, and IN
der which they hapitually stand, VIII
very soon die. The reason Is that n
roofs of the tree need air and moisture
but the tramp of the cattle hardens Sn
ground and forms crust ike prlch
through which neither the warmth
the sun nor the rain have any inVlgC
rating influence.
TooLs.-Improye odd spells an
rainy weather in repairing yonr too
and farm-wagons. Examine and g
that all is right-eYery nut, screw, {
bolt in its place and tight. Sharpe
your knives, and oil your machlner1
7 Protect your hoes, shoVels, rake
plows, and cultivators from the weatt
er. It Is easy after work Is done to tai
visp of straw or grass and rub tt
metal parts clean and dry. More mi
q lchinery is spoiled by rust, decay, an
IeXposure to the weather than by actui
wear and tear. If implements are le
r out in the rain, the water Will MI u
cracks in the wood, enter into ever
Joint, cause the grain OF timber 10 81
pand, then dry In hot weather. and
length rot. The exposure OF iron
: the weather causes the formation
scale or rust, which rapidly eats on u
valuable metal, and implements go
destruction with astonishing raptdtt;
Good care of impIementsi is like Franz
Inns maxim-.tA penny saved u LW
pence gained" Lastly, concerning
Z WREAT.-Wet tell farmers to be car
: fuI when thew harvest, that Il be n
TOO early: A farmer once lost Soiv ssSII