The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-04-22
Spring Work:

AS SOON as the frost has left the
ground and the soil has become settled
unless this work has been done in the
fall-the ground should be raked clear
of trash, preparatory to spreading ma
nure and blowing or digging the beds.
Wherever the soil is sandy the earth be-
comes firm before the frost is out: but
on all loans and other fat land the soil
always remains soft until the frost is en-
tirely gone. Wait, therefore, until the
earth is firm under the feet before you
commence, and then make all ready for
work.
One serious mistake with those who
have not intimately studied the nature
of soils is, that, in their eagerness to
have their crops early, they pillow or dig
while yet the ground is too wet. This
should never be done until the soil is
thoroughly friable, or will crumble
easily between the fingers. When it
will compact into firm mass upon
being squeezed in the hands let it
alone; for you may do mischief that can
not be repaired in years. Remember, q
lumpy garden-plat will cost you double
the labor that one will friable and disin-
tegrable; and it will be lumpy, or fra
BILE, according as it is worked wet or dry.
Therefore, when it is right, seize the op-
portunity to get it ready for planting.
From the lawn rake all trash, of what
soever kind-dead grass, leaves, sticks,
etc.-as soon as the sod becomes firm
enough to bear the feet; and if the sur
face is at all rough rub it repeatedly with
a narrow roller, such as may be drawn by
one or two men. Clean off the graveled
roads and walks, rxking the surface
toward the center from each gutter,
leaving the larger gravel along the
crown. Then finish with the roller.
Thus you may have all tidy about the
place, and the sun, when it does come,
will soon start the young grass into
greenness.
If the tulip and hyacinth beds and
those containing other hardy perennial
bulbs have been covered with mulch dur
ing the winter, as they should have been,
remove the covering as early as possible
unless you wish to retard their growth !;
and this is not, of course, advisable,
since the objest is to get them in bloom
as early as possible.
Cut out few pretty beds for flowers
in the hollow portion of the corners of
the walks, where you may mass bedding
plants and annual flowers; for they are
all the more charming if you come upon
them Unexpectedly. A little time spent
in identifying the grounds is we'll spent.
1t not only adds to the charm of the house
but endears the children to its pleasant
precincts. Happy the man who owns o
home to make pleasant and beautiful
The one who does own home and neg
lects to beautify it deserves but little of
his fellows and nothing of posterity.
Seeding small grains seasonably is
seeding them early. If upon land fall
plowed, as they always should he if pos
sible, then, just as soon as the frost
leaves the ground sufficiently so that the
harrow, the drill, or the broadcast seeder
can work without striking frost, work
early and late to get in the crop. But,
says one, you have told us that land
worked when wet will bake and
become lumpy. Yes, after the frost
has once left the soil-not before
for the subsequent freezing and thawing
set all right again.
Some years since, farmer in Central
Illinois worked large farm that was
not subdivided by division fences, ex-
cept one through the middle of the farm
and one on each side. These were a
mile apart, and consequently the fields
there were four of them-contalned q
section of land each. He had been get
ting in his wheat at such times since the
Goth of February as the frost would per-
init. His neighbors-some of them-had
prophesied all kinds of bad luck. 1t
would freeze out, or drown out, or blast,
or at any rate come up weak. One day,
while engaged overseeing q power-ma-
chine sowing and q string of teams har-
rowing, the following dialogue occurred
between himself and q neighbor who
was passing by:
Meadowman, what on airth are you
doin' therei Sowin' wheat? It'll freeze,
won't it,"
"If l thought it would, should not
SOW it until the frost was well out and
the ground settled"
won't the ground baker"
mo, think not, if it freezes again,
and it probably will"
"But won't the seed rot?"
"Of course it will"
"Then what in the name of goodness
are you sowin' for?"
Because ON the earth is the proper
place to SOW it. Did you ever get q crop
without the seed had first rotted?"
. Well-n-o; but, of course, l didn't
mean that. But, really, is it right to
sow spring wheat in the winter?-for
they say you sowed some in February
"Oh! If 1said yes and left it at that
you would not be convinced. Come and
see"
Taking the skeptic to q portion of the
field sown in February he showed him
the grains of wheat. fully sWelled, but
elastic and just ready to sprout. Going
rye the previous October, but which, for
the want Of rain, had not come up the
previous autumn, he showed him the rye