Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-09-10
farm anu 4ause6om.

-.
farm anu 4uuse6om.
From the American Farmer.
Work for the Month-September.
The work to which the farmers hand is
is now turned is of such character, that
nothing will make amends for present
neglect or imperfect preparation. We
hope that every reader of the Farmer will,
as far as lies within his ability, perform
well and in good time the operations
which are before him.
Wheat Culture.
For wheat, clayey loans to stiff clays
are the best soils, and the presence of lime
IN appreciate proportion tends to the in
crease OF the crops. Its presence in the
soil is considered by some farmers, nota-
bly, by the late Hill Carter Of Virginia, as
tolerably sure preventative ofrust. Light
er soils than those named often yield good
returns of wheat, but it is almost invaria-
bly, found that they are strongly impreg-
mated with the calcareous principle.
The deep and thorough preparation of
the soil is an essential to success in grow
ing this grain. Careful blowing and pull
verization undoubtedly increase the yield
In soils of even moderate fertility, and in
an increasing degree in those of greater
richness. This, by separating the parti-
cles Of the soil and admitting to their full
est effect the influences Of the atmosphere,
the rains and dews. Besides this, the su-
perf1uous moisture so injurious to the
plants IN winter, the season of suSpe nded
growth, the more readily escapes-this be-
ing always an essential to successful wheat
culture. This crop will not endure wet
land, and it is useless to attempt to grow
it on land not drained either by nature
or art. Provision must be made both for
undertaking and for the rapid passing
off of surface water.
Flowing for wheat should be done as
early in the season as possible, and the
land ought to be narrowed and cross-har-
rowed, but it ought to have time to be-
come compacted before seeding. The use
of the roller is very advantageous in the
preparation of the ground, and is too
much neglected. As far as possible the
land ought to be clared of stones and
clods.
Where lime is not naturally present in
the soil it ought to be added, but it is very
unwise to pillow it under deeply,-the best
plan being to keep it as near the surface
as possible. The addition of ashes to the
lime spread is an advantage to almost
every soil, they being one of natures own
fertilizers, apparently adapted to every
crop and soil. Both these substances con-
tribute to the growth directly of the plant
and make other ingredients available, es-
pecially in rendering silica soluble.
A clover ley gives the best promise of
good crop, the roots of the clover con-
tanning large quantities of nitrogen, an
element indispensable to the growth of
the cereals.
The heavy use of barn-yard manure is
Objectionable with the wheat crop, Great
ing tendency to lodging and rushing
When applied it ought to be well rotted
or composted, and if plowed under at all,
only shallowly.
Wheat needs some stimulating manure
to give it push forward in the fall
where rough and undecomposed stable
manure is used it is preferably applied to
its use in this way is that the strawy parts
which are not at once broken down act as
a mulch to, and protect against the cold
ings, of the young plants.
In the way of fertilizers, nothing to our
mind exceeds in mixture of good Peru
Wan guano and bone ta.se+, 49, tia .axA4aar--
ltion, say, of SO lbs. of the former to form
Ito 300 lbs of the latter to the acre
6--3ano furnishes sufficient ammonia
to give the plants start and its phos-
pilates are soluble enough to serve for
their use during the fall; whilst the mois-
ture of the soil in winter SO prepares the
bones that the.warmth of the air and sun
shine in the spring decomposes and makes
available not only the ammonia but also
the phosphoric acid OF the bones. The
same result is obtained, and perhaps with
more certainty of gradual and unremir-
ting action, in the use of ammoniated su-
perphosphates. Any good article in doses
to Weld more than double its cost, and
the expense of application.
The past season was one very profitable
to the employment of artificial fertilizers,
and with very rare exceptions the profit
decided What the Peruvian guano now
coming in is worth we cannot say but
the chemical tests are said to show very
unfavorable results.
The distribution of the fertilizers by
the drill attachment is commended as Sc
curing greater uniformity and requiring
less quantity. The manurial materials are
placed contiguous to the sprouting grains
and their solutions are at once taken up
when most needed by the young plants.
In most seasons the use of the drill in
seeding is advantageous. This was con-
spicuous. generally, last fall, though at
the East Penna. Experimental farm, from
the results given in our last issue, the re-
verse was true. As rule we believe the
economy of labor and time, the regularity
of the work done and the saving OF seed,
all combine to favor the use of the drill,
while the comparative exemption of drill
ed grain from wfnter-killing speaks loud
ly its farvor A suggestion of Mr.. Goddess,
given elsewhere in this issue, and always
offered by him with emphasis, that the
drill be run across the direction the pre-
vailing winter winds, deserves attention.
The quantity of seed drilled in this vicin-
ity varies from to pecks, according to
the quality of the land the poorer the land,
the more seed used. When sowed by hand
broadcast, 8 pecks are mostly used. When
sl4e seed plump and large more seed is
used than when the grains are small and
shrunken.
The time of sowing in this latitude is
from the 25th of this to the 18th of next
month. EARLIER sowing than the first
date incurs liability to injury by the fly ;
later sowing runs risk of loss by rust
The preparation of the seed for sowing
to secure it against smut is generally &C
T. -s< ,oI ~,