The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-05-20

HINTS tOh HE hLAboN'
Sod Land can be plowcd after a soak
ing rain earlier than fall.plowed or stub
blc5. And steel plow will make q clear
furrow slice where cast.iroH pillow vii
clog. But it is doubtful whether it is OF
isnot advisable to avail ourselves Of these
facts. Sod land is Just rs wet as tn,
stubble land, and il one would be injured
by blowing, it is not easy to understand
why the sod land would not be injured
also. 1t il one Of those points, however
on which we need more light.
Oats can be sown on n great range o
soils, from black muck to the hoayics
clnys. or NIL the small grains they viii
stand the greatest neglect, but well re
pay good cultivation. They are sowI
onncw.plowcd sod land, and OCCASIONAL,
do well enough TO induce farmers TO con
tinue the practice, Notwithstanding tn
fact that in nino eases out o. ten the re
suit is anything but satisfactory. Bette
plant corn on the sod land, and SOW oat
inter the corn,
Poasin many sections arc SO much af
fcctcd by the pcH.beGtlc, or what is i'm
properly called "tho bug," that theil
culture is almost entirely abandoned.
There is OF present no known remedy.
Getting seed entirely free from bugs, OF
dipping the seed for moment in boil
ing water, are popular remedies, but are
not based on any satisfactory reason.
Late sowing is TO a certain extent rem.
cdy, but the crop is almost invariably q
poor one. Better SOW rs carly as posi-,
bic, aud try to raise great crop, and
feed out the crop to pigs before the bug
eats out much Of tie substance Of the
peas.
Potatoes do much better on rich clio.
yer sod than on rich stubble land. II is
time We paid more attention to enrichine
the soil for this crop. The labor Of dig.
ging m acre yielding only 30 bushels, is
nearly or quite rs great as digging an
acre that WIKI yield 80 bushels, and il
the soil is in good condition, the latter
yield can be safely calculated on, with n
good variety, and good cultivation. Ma.
nurc, il thoroughly rottcd andy work.
ed into the soil, does not increase the
disease. Planting in hills three feet
apart each way, saves seed aud labor in
planting, hooing, and digging, and whore
land is cheap, is undoubtedly the better
plan but planting in drills, three feet
one way, and sets dropped from IL to Ii
inches in the row, will, provided the
land is rich enough, produce greater
crop per acre.
Clover seed on winter wheat should he
sown already. But wo have sown il az
late rs the middle Of May, and had good
crop. Much depends on the season and
the condition Of the land. We prefer
to delay sowing until the ground is dry
enough TO harrow.
Grass aud clover seeds should not be
covered more than half m inch deep.
Far more seed is lost from covering too
deep than from being left wholly ex-
posed TO the surface. ~ fine, mellow
soil is the great essential condition.
The roller is not ms much used as it
should be in the spring, though it is
sometimes used where 1t docs more harm
than good. 1t is easier to break clod.
when wet than when dry, but il You can
break them when dry, The pulverizing
effect is far greater. Claycy land rolled
when wet, forms a hard crust
Horses, utter their winters rest, should
be worked only moderately at first. Look
to their shoulders, and wash them fire..
quontly with cold water.
Working oxen should be well carded
every day, and be Literally fed. They
have a much larger stomach than horse,
and do not need as concentrated food,
but they require more time to cat.
Cows can hardly secure enough green
grass Tor their support yet, and he is n
fortunate farmer who has plenty Of man.
COLDS for them. But bran and good hay,
with good carding every day, to keep
open the pores, will keep milch COW in
good condition, and prepare her fer Civ.
ing a large mess Of milk when grass
comes,
Raise your own calves, aud let them
have good care, nutritious food, and
plenty oft, with the kindest treatment.
Cows will be high again in year or two.
Good cows are always scarce.
Poultry.-Clenn the house, sprinkle
with crude carbolic acid and water. Car.
bolic soap, rubbed on to lhe roots. finds
is way to the feathers, and kills the
lice.
Sheep, like cows, in tine northern lnti.
tudes, will hardly fluid grass enough vet.
Nothing is better for sheep than clover
hny. Let the breeding ewes have MI
they can cat. And those with n lamb at
their side should have pound of bran
each per day, in addition, aud few
roots, II they can be spatcd. Make a
small pen in the yard, with stats about
ten inches apart, or just wido enough to
allow the lambs TO go through, md put
in few small troughs, and keep the
llmbs supplied with OTIS, corn.meal, bran,
rad sliced roots. This is one secret Of
missing good lambs.
Pig,-Last falls pigs should have
liberal allowance Of corn.mcal and man.
colds, to keep then, growing rapidly till
hey can get clover.
Clean ort the cellar.-As health is the
yreatest OF earthly blessings, cleaning
he cellar from ali decayihg vegetables,
md other impurities, Is the most impor.
ant work TO be done now
whitevash the cellar walls, pig.pen,,
heep-shedI, horse and COW stables.