Macon beacon., 1873-04-19
Agricultural,
Breaking Land.

Breaking Land,
The Southern CjR.jrltor fayors us
with the following pointed hints The
present aud the next month are spt to
be rainy, and the land in conseq qcence,
not often in condition to receive the
pillow. We urged our readers in the
sutumn months to press forward theii
plowing, Il they do 50. we congratu,
late them now on freedom from the har.
RAISING apprehension that il they wait
for land to get in proper condition they
may fail TO finish up before plantinz
time; or, if disregarding the condition
OF their lands. they push on, many fnt
them, after the winds OF spring hay.
passed over them, in worse condition
than if they never had been touched
To those who have been SO unfortunate
as to be caught between the two horn.
OF thi, dilema, our advice is, Take the
chances Of getting through in time, and
plough only when the land is sufficiently
dry. See the plough gear, the double
and 81 gle trees. and the ploughs them,
selves, in the best possible condition, SC
as not to lose a moment Of precious
time: Provide extra ones OF such things
as are liable to get out Of order, and be
on hand yourself to repair evaSY breach
promptly. Look well ahead. and dur
ing wet weather do all necessary work,
as milling, hauling wood, sending to
blacksmith's shop, and other avoidablo
things, so that none OF these may claim
attention in fair weather. Substitute
management for routine, and you will,
in all probability, come ont right in the
end,
Stubble and rested land should re-
ceiYe attention first, Instead of plough
ing these in lands 16 or 20 feet vide it
is decidedly better to lay off the rows
and bed up regularly. 1t is easier to
run the level on the smooth surface be-
fore ploughing, than on the rough one
after Besides, the laying off Of guide
rows can be done leisurely during wet
times, whereas, if delayed till spring,
time is apt to press heavily. But the
greatest advantage is, that lands thrown
up in beds, does not become so badly
"water sogged as that lying fat and
the healthy action of the atmosphere is
very much greater in the former than
the latter.
WHEN I was boy, says a distin-
guished man, my first saving Of ten
cent pieces, earned by Saturday after
noon work-for school kept half day
then-were expended in buying a heifer
calf. Then | worked ont, and paid
my father a certain sum each month for
keeping. When the calf was one year
old traded it for two steer calves, and
now had to pnt in good and strong to
pay for their keeping ; but I occupied
all my spare time in teaching these
calves to work in the yoke, and at one
year old they would gee and haw as
well as any old oxen, and my father
paid me for their use in leading the
team for breaking his two and three
year olds. Again, | had a piece of
ground each year, after | was fourteen
that could plant and work on shares ;
and, if | wanted help, why l had to
give two days of my time to their
hired mans one day, grew just what
my fancy and reading dictated, and
from the proceeds [ dressed as well as
any Of the boys at the present time.
always had some time to play and read,
and now look back with love and pleas
ant thoughts to the old farm and farm
hand who taught me to use tools, and
whipped me when | neglected to drive
the team out straight at the end of the
furrOW in blowing. The rempmhrouca
of my boyhood days always induced
me to favor all items of encouragement
at home on the farm ; and / believe if it
were more generally practiced we
should have more goC d farmers and
less broken-down merchants, or loafing,
hanging-on, time-serving clerks, ready
for anything except honorable labor
and usefulness.