Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-04-18
From the Utica HERALD
Sowing Early,

A crying need of the day is early sow.
ing and planting. There are failures
sometimes, or at least partial failures.
We have heard them reported, but we
do not know that we have ever seen q
decided case. We have seen land put in
badly, when wet and undrained, and
bad results following, but these results
we expected to see. We have yet to see
land put in, ever so early when the
ground was dry and mellow and well
drained, and the crop fail in consequence
of being put out early. Do farmers
know that the spring grains are in gen.
eral tardy and will stand good deal of
cold and wet weather. not water to
drown them? A drained soil will pass
off the water as it falls, or nearly as fast.
And what then? There is only moist
ure, and air is admitted, and the land is
seldom so constantly cold and wet that
no progress of the seed is made and
once begun, it will stand a good deal,
protected asst is by the soil
Trust your land if it is drained either
naturally or otherwise, especially if
there is considerable fertility, and the
soil is dry and mellow at the time of the
sowing. Fertility has a warming effect.
At least this is our experience and the
experience of those around us.
Early grain is pretty sure to have a
clean stem and a plump berry. Late
sowing, almost as a rule, has more or
less of rust and lighter berry. Some
times a later saving will yield the most
straw. This used to be the case more
than it is now. The droughts have in
creased and the straw grows less there
is more heat in summer of late; early
sowing seems to yield the most heavily,
both straw and grain, and both improved.
And this improvement is Considera-
bic. The grain will weigh more, will
feed better, and command more in mar
ket. If cut in due time, when the Der
ry is in the dough which will further
improve the berry-the straw, which is
yet somewhat green, will have the quail
ity and worth of ordinary hay. Besides,
early sowing will be done when there is
little other work to do, making less to
do when the usual sowing time occurs.
And, point of considerable Importance
there will not be that crowd when
harvest comes. The first sowing can be
got out of the way we'll by the time the
next arrives, which is, or should be. i'm
mediately upon its heels. Begin with
the dryest, and if possible, the best
land. Sow it the first time it gets dry
enough, remembering always that every
rain that follows pelts it harder, and the
rains may put it off quite late. The
first mellow SOIL left as the frost left it,
is always the mcllowest.
Then you have the advantage also of
putting out early grass seed or clover if
you wish to seed down. This cannot be
put out too early.
Potatoes are included here you can
not well get them out too early, espe-
cially the Early Rose, which seems to
thrive in bad weather, outstripping all
other sorts. That is our experience
Plant deep as well as early, five or six
inches at least, and let the ground be
rich, or, better, use ashes and some hen
dung, or guano, or bone dust in the hill
The Early Rose will bear forcing, Peas
also may be put out early as well as
oats, barley and wheat. But corn wants
the warm weather to start it and to keep
it thriving.