The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-04-13
From the Boston Journal
EVERY DAY THOUGHTS ABOUT
EVERY DAY WORK,
ny A Young Farmer.

ny A Young Farmer.
With the advent of April comes the pros
pect of better weather and a chance of
commencing the spring work. If were
not 80 unfortunate as to have been sick for
about two weeks | should have been at a
stand-still for lack of work suitable to the
weather. or weather suitable for my work,
or should have been obliged TO begin to do
work that can be done much better and
easier after the frost has gone from the
groun d; have mended and oiled my har-
nesses, repaired my old wagons so that
think they will do for another years work;
have cut my supply of wood for year in
the woods and some of it at the door, and
finished number of small jobs that might
have turned up next summer to hinder me
when / should not like to attend to them.
Now want to get my rail fences thor
oughly repaired, but cannot get it done UNI
til the frost Is out OF the ground so as to
admit of driving stakes. Some of the stone
walls need to have gaps laid up, and stones
replaced that frost and boys have thrown
down. (What is the reason young rowdy
cannot 60 past bit of old wall or fence,
when the owner of it is not in sight, with
out giving it help to destruction by push
ing off a stone or pulling off n rail p l
have plenty of it to attend to, but cannot
do much while the snow covers the stones.
Then will come the drawing out of the
manure and blowing. have determined
not to throw over my manure in the yard
this year before drawing it out, if the
ground dries so that 1 can draw it on the
land which propose to plant, by the time
I have the other work done.
While believe in the proftableness of
thoroughly mixing the manure and allow
ing it to compost until it has so heated and
mixed together as to bring all parts to an
equal strength and to thoroughly rot the
bedding and other coarser parts. until all
shall be fine and tit for the small roots of
the young plants to get hold of, and also,
if possible, to kill any weed seeds that may
find their way into the manure, yet to be
properly and probably done it should have
been done much caller in the season than
1t can be now, or rather it should be done
now and the manure applied in the fall.
II we could only get manure enough ahead
for one years supply it would be much
easier and better in many ways. Then the
heaps OF manure, which accumulate in the
winter could be put IN the compost heap in
the spring, and by fall, especially if it was
forked over once or twice in the meantime,
it would be in but the right condition to
apply to the land which was intended to
be planted the next season, or to use in the
summer for topdressing the meadows after
the cutting of the grass. Failing in this,
if the manure could be in q arn-cclvr, or
under shed, it might be worked over in
February, so that it would be in much bet
ter condition for use in the spring plant
ing, and that which would accumulate af-
ter that time could be put in another heap
for later planting. Under favorable con-
dition it would decompose as rapidlyin one
week in May as in three weeks in April, or
as in three months before that But with
my manure IN the open yard, or in heaps
by the side OF the barn, exposed to rain,
snow, wind and sun (not too much sun at
this time of year, the gain in Mo king it
over, in the short time that will be between
Its thawing and the time to cast it out, will
not pay for the labor which it would be to
do the job. do not like to have my man.
ure 80 exposed. do not think it is worth
over one-half as much as it would be if
properly taken care of, but ''needs must
when we can't do better. l shall therefore
begin drawing it but as soon as / can work
it, and shall let it remain out until the
ground is fit to pillow.
think have made mistake in years
past in plowlng part of my ground before
it was really fit for it. AS some of it lies
very flat and is not drained, it turns up wet
and Clammy, even after it looks quite dry
upon the surface. l am thoroughly salts
fled that land in that condition does not
work as easily or produce as good a crop
as it would if dry enough to crumble when
turned by the pillow, and l do not propose
to pillow it 80 early this year as l have in
years past. Though it may make the plant
ing of it little later than usual. do not
think the crop need be later, if by waiting
the ground gets into better condition tor
planting. l need to think differently.
thought the ground dried faster after being
plowed, and then little extra narrowing
would make it right, but / changed my
mind last year by finding a part of one Of
those fields, which was plowed some days
after the other part, to bring forward its
crop more rapidly than that which was
plowed first, and which was wet wheE
plowed. / shall therefore begin blowing
upon side hills and upon such land as
think is drained, even if they are not the
pieces which l wish to devote to the earlies,
planted vegetables.
Let me say word in favor of the beasts
that will have to do the hardest part of the
labor in preparing our ground. will mo-
insult any agricultural reader of this col
umn by supposing theirs are not in goo6
condition for commencing the spring work
Every farmer knows that it is necessary
that they should be in good heart from hay
ing been well fed and well taken care oil
through the winter. If they have not beer
they cannot be made so by few hearty
meals u day or two before work begins
But not every farmer realizes that horset
and oxen are subject to "spring feelings,
as much as their drivers. If they have moi
been at steady work during the winter, they
should be put to it very moderately at first
Their loads should be light, and they SHOULD
have long mornings, and good beds at night
Care should also be taken to see that col
lars and Jokes are of the right size anC
proper shape for them to work in comfort
ably. Many good team has been spoiled
by being put to work in an ill-shapen YOKE
or collar which hurt their necks. They
have no means of making the trouble know
excepting by refusing to work, then SOM
brutal driver who does not know as mucl
as the team that is put under his charg'
begins to ply whip or goad, and the contes
begins, to see whether the load shall b.
reduced, or the team shall pull it in spit
of chafes and gals. If the team conquer
1t has lost one-half its capablity for draw
ing heavy loads. If the driver conquer
the contest will very likely be renewed
every time the team is in sufficient goot
heart to dare to try it, and thus when tn
team is best fit to draw heavy load it i
least reliable.
As for the incoming, | would rather TIN