The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-06-10
FARM AND GARDEN.

EARLY OR LATE PLANTING.
Is 1t best to plant IA early as possible,
or to defer this work as long M cal be
safely dOnc2 This in II question in
which all farmers are Interested, and 10
which each year they are practically
obliged to reply. While there are many
advocates for each of these extremes, |
think there il n "golden mean" which
will lead to much better results. Either
OF the extremes are open to grave Objec-
tions, which do not lie against n time
half way between. IL is true, as the
advocates of early planting claim, that
If the seed il got into the ground very
early, the work is done and ont Of the
way of other things which then need
attention. But the objections to this
course are that the ground and weather
are so cold early in the peason that the
seed either rots in the ground or else in
a long time coming up often falls n
prey to wire-worms the plants, if
any appear, are tender and grow very
slowly, while the weeds, which ARE
more hardy, Mt once go in and possess
the land. Late planting IL not open to
these objections, but it is open to some
which are quite serious. If the season
is backward, and the planting is put of
NJ late as possible, the plants are not
large enough to be hoed more than
once before hnying time, and there il
danger that the crop will not be fully
matnred before the autumn frosts. |
think the best way is to begin the prcpa.
ration of the land quite early, pillow,
and get it nearly fitted to r. ceive the
seed. Keep blowing and fitting, but do
not put in the seed until both ground
n weather are warm. Then go over
the land with II harrow, in order to de-
stroy the weeds which have started up,
II also to make a fine bed for the
Heed, nnd do tho planting as soon as
possible, Then the crop will get rs
good a start as the weeds, grow rapidly,
be ready for tho second or third hoeing
before the time for getting the hay, and
have abundant time in which TO get
perfectly ripe COnnit7y Gcntkemun.
LICE IN Fowls For lice upon fowls
the best thing is, prevent by cleanliness
generally. Not too many birds in one
.hennery. Should lice make their APP
pcarance the best application il, train
or other oil II pint, araenic one
drachm, well incorporated, and rubbed
under the wings n little at II time also
upon the back and head. One or two
applications will be sufficient to kill all
lice. Then wash off the filth with warm
soapsuds.
THE GREATEST CRo IN WORLD.
We find in the Colorado Agricultural
and Stock journal the following statis-
ticH concerning hay and grass, which
nre worth the careful attention Of
those land owners in this section who
are IN the habit of renting their land
every year for tho purpose of raising
corn, oats, and other crops; for, besides
the injury done those lands by the care
less cultivation of II majority Of renters,
the Immediate profit to the owner il
greater, particularly when he can afford
to Craze his wi stock The hay r
in the United States for the last year il
reported mt over 81, 600, 600 tons cured,
TINS Mt 800 per ton il about $500, 000,-
GOO, and does not include that what was
eaten but not cured. The live stock of
the United States was worth 1888
OOO. 600. These had to get their living |
ont of grass. The value of animals |
slaughtered for food in that year was
S3O9, 600, 600. The butter crop was
nbont SD, 900, 900 pounds. This all
came from grass. There were produced
600, 900 gallons of milks, worth
s25, DOC, 900. This, too, came from
grass. Next, 100, 600, 900 pounds of
wool, at 1926, 900. 600. This got it's liv-
ing from era n. Next, 80. 900, 900
of cheese, worth So, 900 600.
Add all these items together, and the
grass product of 1874 of the United
states was no less than 81, 292, 900 900.
me total value of nil agricultural pro-
p roo sr IN the United States was ~, A.
ooo,ooo In other words, the grass
crop Oh the United States can pay off
the national debt in two years.
EXPLORATION OF MOISTURE FROM soIr.
An important consideration MT this
season OF the year ia to prevent. 50 far
as possible, the evaporation of moisture
from the soil. One means of doing th;s
is to frequently stir the surface. A..
other is shade for the ground, The
last is best obtained by mulching-that
il, by covering the soil between the
rows and closely around the plants with
hay, straw, balf-rotted leaves, pine.
straw, or any convenient vegetable
trash. This mulch should DO several
inches in thickness, and will not only
prevent the rapid evaporation of mois.
ture and the reflected heat from the
ground, but also the close packing and
baking Of the soil, from the beating
rains and the hot sunshine which gen
orally follows them. This mnlching
should be done while the soil in still
moist. With heavy mulching the Irish
potato crop may be saved, and can be
dug az wanted, far into the summer.
and the earliest planted tomatoes often
kept in bearing nearly the whole
season. IL may be applied with profit
TO nearly all the crops, but especially
those most liable to be injured by
heat and drought.
Tomatoes should be tied up to stakes
Or trellises and we'll mulched. Seed