The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-09-12

THURSDAY EVE'G, SEPT. -. 1872.
[From the American Agriculturist.J
Hints About Work.

ones tnat sag. Hy0u have pasture field,
where there isno water for the stock, it IS
good time to dig a new well, or if you
have an old one that is dry to drill it down
into the rock. 1t often happens that a few
blasts of powder will open seam
in the rock that will furnish abundance of
water. In digging a new well, possible,
MT itin the corner of a field where the
water may be conducted into two, three,
ffour lots. -.a-
We do not know how it is with other
farmers, but in our case we find it more
difficult to get "odd jobs" properly and
promptly done than the steady, more pro-
longed, and in some sense more important
operations Of the farm. We can get field
OF wheat plowed, narrowed, and drilled in
with less personal care and supervision
than we can get the implements and tools
put in Their proper places. Happy is that
farmer who has not to depend too much on
hired men; or, if he must employ them,
who knows what work they can best per-
form and what he must himself attend to.
For such a farmer to do steady work is UNI
wise. He can make more by putting things
in order and keeping others at work with
out loss Of time than by going to plow him.
self. He must especially look well to the
state of his flocks and his herds. The char
acter Of our farming is rapidly changing.
Machinery does much of our heavy labor,
but it needs much care, forethought, skill,
promptness, and ingenuity to keep it in or
der. This is a lesson which many farmers
have yet to learn. Machinery expedites
and lessons the drudgery and back-breaking
nature Of farm work. 1t changes the char
acter Of our labor, but does not do away
with it. There is as much necessity for
work now as there ever was. And it is as
true now as it was of old, that "the hand
of the diigent maketh rich.o
Sewing Winter Wheat.--In the middle
and northwestern states nearly all our
winter wheat is sown the first, second, and
third week in September. Occasionally,
some farmers who like to be ahead of their
neighbors SOW in August, but four times
out of five the later sown wheat, on good
land, proves best at harvest. Last year was
an exception. The carly sown wheat, as
rule, was the best. We do not think it de-
sirable, however, to sow wheat before the
first week of September, and on our own
farm prefer to SOW from the 10th to the
10Th. AS we 60 south, where the plants
grow more or less all winter, the wheat is
sown later.
. Picking Wheat to Prepeh Smut. Mois.
ten the wheat with fermented chamberlye,
and dry it with lime. Or, take three
ounces Of blue yitriol and dissolve in one
quart of boiling water, for each bushc of
wheat. When cool, sprinkle it over
the wheat and turn repeatedly, so as
to be sure that each kernel is .moistencd.
This is the simplest AMI best remedy we
have yet used. We can confidently recon-
mend it.. No lime is needed to dry it,
and in fact lime should not be used,
as it decomposcs the blue vitriol
and weakens its action. If the Wit
riol is applied several days before the
wheat is to be sown, all the better. With
chamberlye and lime, or with salt and lime
pickle only just before sowing.
Drilling az IVheM. This is by far the
neatcst way of putting in wheat, and when
the land is dry it often makes all the differ
ence between a good and poor crop. If
everything is favorable, sewing broadcast
will give as good crop as drilling--some
say better, but this is doubtful.
Quantity Of Seed per Acre.-Our own
rule is two bushels per acre. Thick seed
ing fayors early ripening. Many excel
lent farmers think / to | J bushels per acre
il plenty of seed, and when the land is
rich, clean, mellow, and moist, we have
seen heavy crops obtained from bushel to
the acre. iu.a
Wheat likes Firm Soil, but we prefer
10 have it mellow underneath and some
what clody on top, rather than to have the
surface very fine and the bottom hard and
dry: gsl,,5
Hn9o,emg Wheat IN tie FaU to Kill
Small Weeds is very common in England,
and is well worthy of trial here. Any
fine-tooth harrow will answer, but those of
our readers who have Thomas's Harrow
will, we think, find itjust the thing for the
purpose. Repeat the narrowing often
enough to kill all the weeds, and commence
as soon as the roots Of the wheat have suf-
ficient hold of the soil TO withstand the
tearing action of the harrow.
K Se,oing Grass SeedsioM Wheat. Where
the wheat is to be narrowed, either in the
fall or spring, we must give up sowing
timothy with the wheat. We do not think
this serious objection, especially where
clover is largely sown on the wheat in the
spring. The repeated narrowing will almost
insure good catch of timothy and clover
in the spring. Where no clover is sown, it
is better to sow the timothy in the fall with
the wheat.
iSoloing Grdss-Seed Atoae.--Thls is
good practice, and one which we should
like to see greatly extended. The ground
should be very fine and mellow. The earlier
the seed is sown in September the better.
If timothy alone is sown, we would put on
half bushel per acre. Harrow it in with
light fine-tooth harrow, or if this cannot be
had, roll after the seed is sown.
Rye.-This crop may be sown at any
time this month, or late in October. Where
the straw is in demand, it is often very
profitable crop, and can be grown on soil
too light and sandy for winter wheat. But
good crop can be expected only on clean
land in good heart. From II to 2 bushels
is the usual quantity of seed. The later it
is sown the more seed will be required.
Fail Plo,omg.-Except on very light
land, there can be no doubt of the advan-
tages offall blowing. The earlier the work
is performed the better will the sod rot,
and the more weeds will be killed.
" Cutting up Coan.-We usually take five
rows. Commence on the centre row, and
cut two hills, and stand it up against the
third hill which is left uncut to form sup
port for the stock. Twenty-Five hills are
placed in stock. Make it as upright and
compact as possible. Bind firmly with two
bands. Where corn is to be husked with
machine, it is much the better plan to