The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-16
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD
Hints nbout Work.

Wheat requires better soil than rye,
and where the soil is not good enough to
yield at least fifteen bushels of wheat to
the acre, it would be better to SOW rye,
which might bring twenty-five or thirty
bushels. 1t is useless to SOW the more
delicate white wheats, except in the very
best soils. The amber and red wheats
are safer to SOW on medium and light
soils. The past has been wet summer,
and there will be few complaints of a
soil too dry for sowing. Fields not yet
plowed should be turned over at once,
and narrowed thoroughly until the soil
is well settled. A firm, mellow soil is
needed for wheat or rye. Sowing by
drill is the safest method. The saving
of seed will nearly pay for the use of the
drill. Drills may be hired for fifty cents
an acre or less. The next best manner
of sowing, is to broadcast the seed, and
cover with cultivator. If the seed is
sown broadcast, the ground should be
rolled thoroughly after being narrowed.
Drill sowing saves the labor of harrow
ing afterwards. Where the fly is not
feared, early sowing is to be preferred.
1t is choice of evils between the dam
gers of the fly on the one hand, and of
winter killing on the other. If the soil
is i'll good condition, the time of sowing
is matter to be decided according to
circumstances, locality, and the judg-
ment of the individual.
The small cost and labor of sleeping
the seed is well repaid by the security il
affords against rust and smut, and the
quickening of termination. A steep that
is very effective against smut, is solu-
tion of four ounces of sulphate of copper
(blue vitrol, to gallon of water. This
is poured over the wheat, heaped on the
barn floor, and the grain is rapidly SHOW
eled over and mixed, until every seed is
moistened with the solution. 1t is left
i'll heap for twenty-four hours, after
which it may be sown. A solution OF
one pound of guano to pail of rain
water, or stale chamber lye, is an excel.
lent steep, not only preventing the smut.
but fastening the sprouting of the seed.
Ground gypsum (plaster) should be used
anything is needed, but lime should not
be used with guano water, or lye. Strong
salt and water is frequently used as 9
steep, with good effect; after which the
seed is mixed with finely slaked lime
ttull III IJ, dllu SOWu lulDleulaIely.
1t has been found by experiments that
at one inch below the surface every seed
of wheat grew, if the ground was moist,
while at two inches seven-eighths of the
seed grew, and at three inches three
quarters grew. Notwithstanding thi.
we would rather SOW two inches deer
than one.
If timothy seed is sown with the whea
now, and clover is to be sown in til,
spring, from four to six quarts per acre
may be used. If no clover is to be sown
peck of grass seed is not too much
We prefer to go over the ground as soo1
as the wheat is drilled, and SOW with {
broadcast sower, or by hand, rather
than drill in with the seed. 1t is easy
to measure the proper distance for the
land by the foot marks in the soft soil
The seed will find it's way into the mel
low soil, and be sufficiently covered.
quarter of an inch is the proper deptl
for grass seed. The Gne manure from
the poultry house will make a valuable
top-dressing for timothy, and will helI
the wheat. In place of it one hundred
pounds of guano to theacr may be used
-Agricultrist.