The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-08-07

Afrtcuitul1St.1
Hints About Work for August.
WINTER WHEAT.-When wheat
sown after barley or oats, the land shoul
beplowed as early after harvest as possibl,
II this can not be done at once. harrow I'll
49,. land, to break down the stubblc and de
iasa5 stroy weeds, and cause the seeds to germ
y nate. The rubbish will act as a mulch an
Keep the ground moist, and it will plo,
easier than if left unprotected to bake 4
the scorching sun. The fallows must NO
De neglected. Get everything ready, bu
uo not DC IN too great hurry to sow.
the land is in good condition, from the 5tl
to the 25th of September is the best time il
our latitude: 10 prevent smut, the oil,
fashioned plan of moistening the seed witt
fermented chamber-lye, and then driving 4
with quicklime, is safe, and if thorough,
~ done, effective. N :
The liquid from the stables, if fcrmented
SO as to develop the ammonia, is equally
good. The main point is to turn over the
heap until every seed and every part oI
each seed is mostened with the LIQUID. and
the same is true in regard to the lime. A
similar and entirely effective plan is to dis
solve, for each bushel of seed wheat, three
ounces of blue yitrol in one quart of water.
When cool, sprinkle it over the wheat, and
turn carefully until every seed is complete
" moIstened. Oldwheat will require three
pnts OF water to each bushel. No lime IS
required to dry the wheat, and. in fact.
would decompose the vitrol. The seed
wheat, after being treated with the vitrol.
may be kept for days or weeks without in.
jury, which is not the case in the old plan
above. described. Wheat is sometimes
treated with brine to prevent smut. but we
have always thought it rather risky.
RENEWING OLD PASTURES. bv har-
rowing them and sowing timothy, can be
done any time this month, or the beginning
of the next. e r
MANURE may be drawn out and spread
on the pastures or meadows, or on grass
ga or clover land intended for corn next spring.
Many farmers are afraid that the hot sun
Will eyaporate all the ammonia. 1t would
10 SO II tnere was any free ammonia in the
manure, but such is rarely the case.
Spread the manure at once, and be careful
to break up all the Jumps. Thomas,
smoothing harrow is capital implement
for this purpose.
ROoT CROPS must be hoed and thinned
out. Most people are inclined to leave the
plants too thick. White tlrnips NAV be
soWn any time during the month, and even
ruta-bagas sometimes afford a fair crop on
good land, sown early this month.
SEED SOWING IN Dry WEATHER.---I
do not remember. to have heard so many
complaints Of seed coming up badly as have
been made this year, in consequence ofcon-
tinued dry weather. Even those kinds of
seed that terminate most freely. such as
cabbages, tumips and beets, have been
complained OF, and celery plants particu-
larry VIII be scarce, in consequence of the |
unusually dry May. Such, in many cases, |
have been the results when seeds have haan
treated in the ordinary way. and cont;n,,ed
drouth ensued; but il is necessary that the
gardener should always apply common
sense to his work, and not Simply follow
routine, for what will suit for one Condition
sof soil or atmosphere, would be unnecessa- I
ny or even wrong for another. l will give
q case to illustrate. About the fin If
May of this year. | sowed a large match in
the open ground with celery seed. and ar
other with cabbage seed. The soil was in
fine order, and the beds after sowing, were
raked the celery with fine steel rake.
the cabbage with large wooden rake
which covered the seed Of each to the regu-
dications of continuing SO. and after sow
ing had both the cabbage and the celery
beds rolled heartily, leaving, however.
strip Of each unrolled, so that could clear
" show to some of my young men what
the result OF this commission would be if dry
weather continued.
Had heavy rain fallen within day or
two after sowing it would have compacted
the soil, excluding the air from the seed
in fact, producing the effort of rolling it.
But we had no rain for three or fnnr wnel,c
anu pafning,hot atmosphere, passing
ellvusIi tle swallow, loose covering of the
seeas, snilyeiea ana dried them up so that
n., was T Tnpos ss.1 they could ever gerni-
naIe. ms little experiment resulted ex-
ac.ly as any one having experience in seed
S soMn'g Alew y must our celery and cab
s oage plants were as fine as need be on the {
a4n ~. pea, wnlie not one seed IN thousand
~ 'ne celery, ana not one IN hundred Of {
ms me cabbage started IN the strips left loose. .
Inc season Tor sowing tuInp seed is at /,
nand, and the same care is more likely to :
DC necessary now than in May, for July 5
anu August are always hot and often dry !
months, and it is imperative that seeds be !
closely covered SO that the dry, hot airs as
iar as pfacueabie Kept from them. In the