Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-05-21
agricultural.
Some Spring Notes.


We are writing on the FIRST day OF May
although farmers have plowed = lit
tie AID made some fence, hauled out
some manure and put in little grain
Tie season is decidedly backward The
irost is nor We, out on The north side ct
buildings and fences, and this morning
the ice had no, disappeared nom the Cob,
bosseoutee pond. April has been cold
dry month, with an abundance oil severe
rough winds. The snow melted oil SLOW
lv. Without The aid OF much rain, and the
roads generally. are in wrctched condi'
ton. From The appearance Of nature
tbs slow starting OF grass, the absence OF
spring birds, the tardy putting forth Of
even the earliest trees. the willows and
naples, and elms. and the piercing,
chilly winds from the norlhward 1T is
plain enough that we are experiencing
"a backward spring"
And yet we cannot say this is an un
favorable opening Of the season. On the
contrary, we believe that practice and
science will confirm the statement that
cool spring Is more favorable TO grass
than warm and early one And while
al farmers are looking auNiously to the
grass fields % see in what condition they
are TO come ont, and at the same time
obliged to feed their animals almost as
much as 40 any time for the past two
months. il would be natural for them to
hold ON to whatever encouragement it
waS possible 10 get ont of such weather
as this we are having az the opening of
this month of May, 1872 While The
month Of April has given rs uniformly
lew temperature, We feel certain that the
grass roofs are in better condition Tor Ii,
than they would have been had it ranged
uniformly higher. And AL practical
farmers know that cool, wet weather
through May is needed to secure u good
hay crop a great amount OF grass seed
has been sown The present spring--let Us
hope the month Of MAY viii bring Us
such weather as will give old fields and
newly seeded pisces good s.at towards
& fair hay crop the coming summer.
New is The tjms-jt it has not already
been doue-to lay and put into execution
plans that shall in a measure redeem the
failures OF the past two seasons. The re-
mark was frequently made during the
summer and ial, OF last year, Had
known how the season would have been,
I should have done differently hut the
remark was idle because the opportunity
had gone past. Just now the grand OPP
pornaity 10 make success 4 dead certain.
Is is with you-See 20 it that /. Is not
Squanderel. We mean, of course, a
dead certainty under ordinarily favorable
conditions, and in this way. Last year
the hay crop was a iailure-but ii You
had only had some fodder corn. and some
roots, and piece of wet meadow TO have
fallen back on, you would have been all
right No one can tell what the present
season Will give Us "a. It's close tui il The
tumer is active and energetic now, puts
in al he can Of fodder corn. Of millet. OF
beets and luuip>, anil il he improves ey-
cry spare day in trimming up the bushes
on some low meadow land. now perhaps
bu, little better than worthless-he has "a
greater number of chances iu his favor.
il one crop tajl>,auothst may succeed, 10
proves poor year lor roots, {. may be
better one tor fodder cora or hay->o
chat his probabilities ol success arc large
~ increased And now is the time 10 lay
out lor patch % roots and q patch of
fodder corn, =, auxiliary feeding crops
After iue fortunes OF the season are de.
cijel !, vii, ts too late Co remedy youc
i..-.ucS. too late % give you Suggestions
Of ,Lis Kind. Put them in operation now.
u may &c woiiloI You 10 lry what top
dressing will DO for some @, Your old
fields Il YOU have not tine manure that
sou can spare for this purpose. try some
plaster or phosphate, or .eached ashes
We 90 day say q vessel loading with
le2caed ashes q, Iailowell, for which the
parties Were paying twenty cent, bush
e., delivered ut The vessel. They were
going 10 down river lowu; and It farm
os there find i, profitable TO charter
vessel to bring them leached ashes fifty
miles. and ,hca haul them 70 their farms
iIou iouy 60 SIX more, 70 viii certainly
pay Ton farmers nearer soap boiling c>-
taliishmea,s 20 use them. So we say to
al LEARNERS, II you can get Ieaehed ashes
tsrtvealy cents buShel, by hauling them
from four to SIX miles. get all YOU can
pay ior--we had almost said-ruu in debt
for. A. a top dressing for old fields, cv.
cry bushel has as an actual money value
of more than twice this sum.
The stock This spring will need much
extra care and feeding. Animals have
come out thin, and we learn OF many
eases OF actual death, simply because
with the approach OF warm weather the
allowance OF feed has been curtaicd.-
Don't pursue 50 short sighted a policy.
Now Is the time, ii ever. that cows and
young creatures. in tact, all kinds of
farm stock. media little extra nursing.
Continue 70 give meal and shorts and
other provcndei-especiaiIy # yea have
been giving il through the winter The
lall amount should be given until the
c-LtLc arc Mell ont 10 nl.tnrn- md nxrn