Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-09-01
NO. POI.
Misfflla
WORK FOR AUTUMN.
FALL SEEDING.

Land from which early crops have been
taken should be sown to grass as early in
September as possible. If sown imme-
diately, clover seed will probably grow
and live through the winter, and give one
or two splendid crops of hay next year.
For land which is in fair condition. Au-
gust is probably the best month Of the
twelve for seeding to grass alone. but if
the land is under high state of cultiva-
ton. September is edually as good, if not
better than August. We do not want it
to get large enough to need cutting the
first year. Always apply some manure at
seeding time, and the nearer it is to the
surface the better. Our grasses are very
strong growing plants, and are capable Of
taking full possession of the soil and keep
ing it, but, when small, they find many
kinds of annual weeds that are stronger.
Most of our cultivated grasses are peren-
mails. and do not naturally make great
growth the first year, while many such
weeds as wormwood, pig-weed, hearts
ease, smart weed, and several kinds Of
coarse, millet-like grasses are ANNALS
which grow very rapidly. and come to
maturity in very few weeks. These are
troublesome companions for our grasses
while young, and to give the grasses
start we should always supply dressing
of manure at seeding time. Ashes are ex-
cellent where clover seed is sown, and
any kind of barn yard manure, If fine and
rotten, will push grass along in its early
stages. The new fertilizers from the
slaughter houses are also excellent for
giving grass a start. They act very quick
". and are altogether ahead of course,
crude manure, for this purpose.
FALL PLOUGHING.
Green sward which is TO be planted next
year may be ploughed now, and if the
ploughing is followed by the Shares har-
row, once in two or three weeks, to keep
the grass from coming up between the
burrows. the practice is good one. limo
after-cultivation can be given it perhaps it
would be as we'll to let the plowing 60 till
later. We much prefer the former course,
for we then have field next year as clean
and as easy to work as old ground, while
the sward at the bottom of the inverted
burrows keeps the ground light and lively.
We like new ground best for nearly all
crops, but we want it as fine and free from
weeds and grass as an old field. Septem-
ber often affords more leisure for ploug-
ing than October or November, and the
work is more likely to be well done. 1t
should be well done, let the time be early
or late.
DRAINING AND CLEARING.
Draining wet land and clearing off rocks
and stones which are in the way of culti-
vation are operations which are always in
order on farms which need it. Now is
Just the time to begin some job in the way
of permanent improvements of that kind.
Look the matter over carefully before
commencing Try to start right. ''Well
begun is half done" Most beginners
at draining fail by making the drains too
shallow, and, if stones are used, by filing
the bitches too full with them. A four
foot drain is generally worth more than
double one which is but two feet deep,
while an open course at the bottom, equal
to two or three inches in diameter, is
equally as efficient as if it were ten times
as large. Almost every one not familiar
with the working of undertaking supposes
the water gets in at the top of the stones
or stiles, and that the nearer either are to
the surface the more valuable they will be
than which greater error could hardly
entertained.
An underdrain takes water from the
soil and carries it off just as long as there
is more water in it than it can hold in a
state Of dampness. We want our land
damp all the time, but saturated as little
as possible. Now, soil drained four feet
deep will be damp four feet deep, and be
capable of holding twice as much water,
without being wet, as soil drained only
two feet deep. Deep drains appear to act
II little more slowly, but their action is
more constant, and, on the whole, they
are much more economical.
People often err by making more drains
than are required to carry off the water.
They do not realize how much business a
good, well constructed drain is capable of
doing. There are thousands of narrow
swalcs scattered over our New England
farms, where the water now ooZes through
the whole width of them in its way, to
find a lower level. One good, we'll made
underdrain would often be sufficient for
taking all the surplus water, and would
leave the surface dry enough for produc-
ing the best of English grasses. After a
heavy shower the water comes down
through them now in torrents, and one
would think that several drains, or at least
one very large one, would be required for
carrying off such streams. But it must be
remembered that now the soil is full of
water all the time, and can hold no more.
SO shower makes great flood, but if
the land was drained thoroughly, it might
hold within itself. for short time,
all the water which would fall dur.
ing the shower. and pass it out gradually
through the drains. No one should lay
out a a great amount Of capital in drain
ing before reading some of the best books
on the subject, or consulting those who
are familiar with the subject. 1t costs too
much to make mistakes through igno-
rance. Draining and clearing land of
stones are operations which may often be
carried on together successfully. 1t saves
one handling of the stones if they can be
put into the drains as fast as dug.--New
England Farmer.