The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-24
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ACTsI Ut II u II A l. ,

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A "Farmers' Club" has been organized
in Meckenburg county. Referring to this
subject, the Roanoke Valley says:
The farming of these days cannot be
carried on as the planting of ante bellum
days. The planters cannot send into the
field fifty or sixty able hands under an over
seer, leaving it to him to make the most he
can Of the labor. Farming must be close
business. To be sure, man can live on
farm, have log house, mule, scrubby
COW, who's, calf runs with her till it is six
or seven months old, an old shovel plough
aud can cultivate little corn, little to-
bacco. and enough collards to do them
through the winter, and can raise children
who will not be more than halfstarved,
and be may call himself farmer, but he
is hardly decent farmers devil. What
we need is good, intelligent farming ma
king use of all the abilities God has given
us, and all the advantages lie has put in
our power to use.
There is no doubt that where one blade
of grass grows in this country, ten may be
made to grow the waste places may be
made to blossom, and plenty will come
smiling over the land.
One of the greatest advantages to the
farmer is to profit by the experience of
himself and others and for the purpose
of giving and gaining this good, farmers
clubs should be organized and we'll at
tended all over the land. There are scarcely
two farmers living whose experience is
- alike, and by comparing notes, examining
each others systems, &c. &c., knowledge
may be extended and the science improved.
Son. FOR POTATOES The best SOIL
probably. aside from burnt land. for grow
ing sound, mealy, and healthy potatoes. and
which is accessible to agriculturists in
general, is light, loamy, green sward
pasture land, moist but not wet, and suffi.
GENTLY fertile to produce one hundred to
one hundred and fifty bushels per acre,
with the common alkaline fertilizers
applied to the hills. 1t is very important
to select soil congenal to the growth and
perfection of the potato for, unless this is
done good potatoes canno te grown even
from the best varieties. 1t should be plow-
ed in autumn as deeply as possible, and
sufficiently early for the sod to decay by
the next spring. Early in the season, as
soon as the ground is dry enough to work,
it should be cross-plowed and carefully
farrowed, SO as TO mellow the soil, and
pulverize it thoroughly. If the land is not
sufficiently fertile, it will be safe to manure
it carefully with com post of lime, ashes
and muck spread evenly on its surface be-
fore cross blowing. If great crop is de-
sired, and there is no fear of rot, the land
may De heavily dressed with barn yard
manure, and a crop of corn, which will bear
stimulating fertilizers, taken from it the
first year, and potatoes the next. The barn
yard manure would become SO much de-
composed during the year, that no very
serious Injury need be apprehended, pro-
vided ashes and gypsum are used in hills.
Old land, or that which has been previ-
ously cultivated in some other crop than
potatoes, SHOULD be plowed deeply and
thoroughly pulverized-M Maryland Farmer.
SMALL FARMs.-Small farms make near
neghbors; they make good roads, they
make plenty of good schools and churches;
there is more money made in proportion
to the labor; less labor is wanted, every
thing is kept neat less wages have to be
paid for help, less time is wasted, more is
raised to the acre, because it is better
titled there is no watching of hired men,
the mind is not kept in worry, fret all
the time. There is not much fear of
drought, of wet weather, of a frost, of
small prices. There is not SO much money
to be paid out for agricultural Implements.
Our wives and children have time to read,
to improve their minds. A small horse is
soon curried, and the work on small
farm is always pushed forward 10 season.
SHEEP AS this is the season when, by
careessntss, some permit their ewes to
commence yeaning, those most forward
should be separated from the main flock
and shut in some warm shed by them
selves Don't allow more than half
dozen together. Some of the lambs may
with care, be saved, but little negligence
will lose most of them. Lambs ought not
to be dropped before the first of April, but
some people will hurry matters, and by SO
doing, lose all. Give the sheep few roots
to put their blood in order. Potatoes Will
do them good. Don't over feed still we
presume there is little danger from this
source.
FRUIT TREEs.--We would urge the pro-
priety of going over the orchard, tree by
tree, aud removing all dead or superAuous
branches. Cut ont every sucker, whether
it springs from the ground, or from body,
or branch. Don't burden the tree with un-
necessary growth of wood. Remember
that whatever goes to superfluons wood, is
so much taken from the growth of fruit,
and the remaining wood will not ripen 50
well. One who has given amount of la
Dor to perform should not be overburdened
with unnecessary weight or other hinder
ing incumb ranee.
Our In Wisconsin they are thinking OF
passing bill making the united opinion
of eleven men out OF twelve legal YER
dict. There is much sense in this. Very
freouentV one cOrrnpt Juror is enabled to