The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-11-15
RURAL READINGS.


WEEDS FLOWED UNDER.-A sub
scriber, Ora Oak, Wisconsin, asks if a
crop of weeds plowed under benefits the
soil. We do not think any benefit is de-
rived from permitting weeds to grow and
then blowing them down. Ii weeds have
grown unavoidably, of course we would
pillow them in, but would rather make a
clean fallow. Great mischief is often done
by permitting weeds to grow, in the hope
OF getting some benefit from them as ma
nure. Seeds will mature and propagate at
very early stage of the plant, and when it
is supposed to be in blossom they are often
ready to seed the ground for many future
crops.
WHEAT AND CLovER.-R. Garcia.
Powhatan O. H., asks how to make forty
acres Of poor land grow good wheat and
clover. If we could answer this satislac-
torily, we should have no anxiety as to the
source of our bread and butter for all time
to come. In fact, we should possess some
thing equal to the philosophers stone.
This must be work Of time and some ex-
pensc. Probably dressing of lime to
commence with, and grass gradually
brought in, would be a proper course.
Ample information on this subject can be
gathered from the back numbers of the
american Aplcul,rist.
OXEyE DAIsY.-A. ID. Burns, Ale
ghany county, Pa, has his farm infested
with the oxeye daisy, and wants to exter-
inmate it. There are hundreds of farmers
in A. ID. BIS position in fact, this is the
most common weed to be seen in the East
ern and Middle States. And yet it can. be
easily destroyed. If plowcd under before
the seeds become ripe, or if pastured with
sheep, it can be got rid Of Moving before
maturity will also prevent its temperance.
1t is often introduced by purchasing timo-
thy seed grown on land infested with it,
Care should be taken to avoid this.
PEAT OR TURF AS MANURE.-A.
Sprecher, Black Hawk, Wisconsin, asks
whether he can use turf or peat as manure,
without preparation, and what would be
the best crop to raise the first year after it
is applied. Peat, when dried, is very inde-
structble, and in this state is a poor ma
nure. Ii piled when dug it will on expo
sure to the frost become fine and fit for
application to grass land, for which it is
best fitted. For any other crop it is not of
much value without some preparation.
Lime -four bushels to the cord Of peat is
the best material to reduce it to a state fit
for use.
THE VALUE or WooD-AsHEs FOR
WHEAT.-A subscriber sends us the
following as his experience in using wood
ashes, viz: that in quantities Of only eight
bushels per acre they have a marked effect
that they push the wheat forward several
days, thus getting it ahead of that critical
period when it is so apt to be attacked by
rust that they strengthen the stem and in
crease its soldity. All of which, and
much more, we can readily indorse. In
fact, ashes are an excellent application for
all crops, and especially for an orchard.
CoMPosTING Muck, ASHES, AND
CoTToN SEED.--J. NJ. Clair, johnson
county, N. c., wants work on the above
subject. We do not know of any. The
process Of composing such simple materials
is easily performed. They need to be
brought into contact in such manner that
the more active fermentation Of the cotton
seed shall induce a similar action in the
more inert muck, which, at the same time,
shall be incorporated in such quantities as
TO absorb all the fcrtilizing gasos-qucstion
upon any particular point, we will try to
answer it to the best of our ability. We
like such young farmers.
SURFEIT. 81. Ii. S." Union City, Pa.
has horse that has the surfeit; he asks
what can be done for him. The animal is
out of condition or has been allowed to be-
come heated and suddenly cooled. Give
bran mashcs and keep the bowels loose
Eao1 r,oict fan1 with cri,chn1 tu and :.
little linseed meal, bat no corn. Keep the
tonic medicine.