Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-05-09
Farm and Garden.

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Farm and Garden.
iSproutinq Potatoes to Aduance the Crop
The Germantown Telegraph says
"Sprouting white potatoes will advance
the crop two weeks. They should be
cut SO that about two eyes are allowed
to each piece, and these should be
planted in hot beds with very thin
covering of soil or it is better to plant
in boxes and set these in a hot bed, so
that after they are properly sprouted
they can be at once carried to the place
of planting. If the nights should be
anyway cold, protect with thin cover
ing of straw when the plants make their
appearance above ground. Some per-
sons who want large quantity sprouted,
cut the potatoes as desired, and spread
them on boards, boxes or crates, in a
dark place, and when sprouted, say
from an inch to an inch and half, ex-
pose them to the light, moistening two
or three times week with tepid water.
They should be planted out so that
there is not more than two inches of
soil over the top of the sprouts"
Poultry on the Fdrm.-The ordinary
farmer has this advantage over the pro-
fessional poultry keeper-his fowls cost
him little in the way of food and almost
under the disadvantage of not giving
his fowls enough care, and of managing
some things about them with great
disregard for true economy. His fowls,
during much of the year at least, live
on food that would otherwise have been
wasted, or on that the eating of which
is a positive advantage to the owner.
This makes the eggs and poultry
obtained almost a matter of net gain.
But because the fowls cost little, fur
nishes no good reason for keeping those
that are useless-and such are kept on
many farms. In many cases the stock
is never reduced by sale-only by
deaths from old age, disease or accident,
and by killing good share of the
young for home use
We imagine that quite a number of
our readers, if they would take the
trouble to look at their stock of poultry,
would find one to q half dozen cocks
which had better be disposed of,-on ac-
count of old age, quarrelsome disposi-
ton, or because they are. in every way
inferior fowls, simply left over, having
accidentally escaped . killing when
young-and also goodly number. of
venerable hens, or those hobbling on
frozen feet, etc To keep such fowls
over the winter will cost something,
ana all tnlS COSb WILL D0 d lOSoJ 1OIJ even
if they do not die, such fowls are almost
useless. 1t will be much better to dis
pose of them now, sending those fit for
eating to market or to the home table,
and killing and burying the Others.
Many farmers would do well to thus
reduce their stock one-half. Better care
of the remainder might follow with ad-
vantage in many cases. 1t possibly will
be neither advisable or necessary to
build a poultry house, but some comfor-
table place should be provided where
the fowls may be protected from storms
and cold winds, by day as well as night.
Every consideration of economy will
dictate good feeding during winter, SO
as to prevent the fowls becoming poor.
Fowls with insufficient food or exposed
to severe storms will not lay we'll while
| it is equally true that very many
persons do get goodly number of eggs
during the winter months, by giving
good food and comfortable quarters to
young, healthy hens.
We certainly would not advise farm
ers to purchase large numbers of fancy
poultry, but on many farms the old
stock has run down by long interbreed-
| ing, poor care, and no selection. In
such cases change is certainly deslra-
| BILE, and this should be had by obtaining
a good cock, either from a neighbor's
| yard or from some fancier. For our
selves we should decidedly prefer to
have fowls of some established breed,
and would not feel satisfied with stock
widely varying in size, color, and form.
But whatever class is kept, some care In
selection will be necessary to keep them
| from degenerating.- Western Farmer.
ALsike Clover IN Michigan.-Samuel
Booth, Branch county, Michigan, writes
the Western Rural; +" A year ago last
spring, Ihesitatingly purchased enough
of the seed to SOW twenty five acres, it
taking at the rate of four and one-third
pounds to the acre, at one dollar per
pound. l sowed in the month of April
on ground prepared for and sowed to
wheat. l narrowed the ground and
afterward plastered it. Notwithstand-
ing the dry season, I cut from the
ground about forty tons of hay in July.
| drew in my barn five tons for feeding ;
the balance L stacked, and in Septem-
Der thrashed it and got eighty-five
bushels of seed. Before cutting ]
brought in some stalks which measured
four feet in length. The field on
which it was sown is high, rolling land,
soil dark sandy loan. l am feeding
this winter my entire stock, consisting
of horses and cattle, on the hay that
was thrashed. They Fever thrived
better on any feed than they do at the
present time. 1t is free from fuz and
dust, and the stalk, unlike the other
clover, remains green after the seed has
ripened, and the cattle seize it with
an avidity that would plainly indicate
. its superiority over the common red
! clover. 1t is also excellent for thf
, honey bee, equal if not surprising the
: white clover. The first cutting pro
duces the seed, and afterwards excel
} lent pasturage, but if preferred for hay
and no seed,a it produces two crops
With the knowledge | have of it,
would not recompend it for light
yellow, sandy soil. ;" = q TO- 90 =