The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-11-10
Agricultural Department.
DRAINAGE.

manure may be applied to the soil, and
however much care may be exercised in
the selection of seeds, and however much
labor may be bestowed upon a crop, with
out some system of drainages we cannot
produce the best results. The reasons for
il are these While water is an essential
element of plant life and growth, yet an
abundance of water about the roots of
plants forms, among other deleterious sub
stances, the black oxide of iron, which is
plant poison.
Again; an excess of water prevents the
free ingress of air, and consequently de-
prlves the plant of part of its sustenance.
1t also keeps the soil cold, which is not ia
vorablo TO plant growth.
These are not all the reasons, but they
are enough to establish the necessity of
drainage for the test results in agricul-
tuie.
POULTRY ITEMS.
One of our most experienced poultry
breeders, speaking of poultry in small yards,
says, "a dozen fowls would do very well
in yard fifty feet square, with little grass
plot in one corner, as fowls must have
grass. This space is as small as can be used
for that number, and if one cannot give
that space to them he had better buy his
eggs and chickens, as fowls cannot be kept
profitably without an area eff yard room.
A few fowls may be put into smaller yard
and they will lay well for few weeks ;
but after a while, with the grass all de-
stroyed, the hens will begin to lay fewer
eggs and will be improbable. OF course,
a large range is always best, but in a viii
lage one cannot do as he could on farm.
Don't forget to supply your fowls with
gravel, old mortar, or ground or pounded
oyster shells, as aids in the formation of
eggs"
Chickens like clean, good-sized poles to
roost on, entirely smooth and firm. 1t Is
an erroneous idea that one kind of wood is
less liable to contract those pests known as
roost lice than another.
A California paper highly recommends
charcoal for fatteulng turkeys, and says
that it should be pulveriZed and mixed with
mashed potatoes and corn meal, as we'll as
fed to them in small Jumps. Others say ii
should be given only in Jumps.
Sheep have competitor as to profit &c
the farmer a farmer gives his experience
by which it seems that he made thirty pei
cent. profit, while he made 40 per cont.
profit in six monthO from his poultry.
CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS.
Soils have rocky origin. Professor
Johnston classifes them according to the
clayey or sandy proportion as follows:
First-Pure clay, from which no sane
can be washed.
Second-Strong clay or brick clay, which
contains from five to twenty per cent. Of
sand.
Third-Clay loan. which contains from
twenty to forty per cent of sand.
Fuurth-Loam, which has from forty Il
seventy per cent. of sand.
Ffth-Sandy loan, which has from sew
enty to ninety per cent. of sand.
Sixth-Light sand, which las less thar
ten per cent. of clay.
Sandy soils, then, are those which con
| sist mainly of grains of sands, or silica, Of
| flint, and are called silicious soil. Ma
ture never bestowed upon man a soil Of
greater capabilitY of being made lastingly
fertile than the ssn1y, light soil of New
England. Gravelly soils need 10 descrip
ton, though there are rich gravels AMI poo
gravels, depending upon the rocks of which
they are composed, and the substance
which are mixed among them. Clay soil
consist largely of alumina, that is, having
such an abundance of clay soil it is callet
the 'clay metal" Clay itself is a com
pound of silica (sand,) acid, alumina an(
water. 1t also contains potash, soda ant
lime. 1t forms compact. fatty earth
soft to the touch, sticky in moist stat
and very hard when it is dry. Chalky soil
have been formed from sin which lin
was abundant. Peaty soils need no cescrip
ton, although they diff very widely. Al
luval soils are formed Y deposits OF sand
lean and gravel, brought down by the riV
ers. They are often very rich, being con
posed of a multitude of thin layers of mud
in which all sorts Of fertiliZing materit
are mixed. Loamy soils contain larg
portion of decayed ma ter, humus or muck
as we call it. Woody fibre, in a state O
decay, acquires dark color, and ultimate
ly becomes mould. Loan contains a va
riety of Ingredients, as clay, sand, lime, l
addition to humus. 1t is a loose, friabl
description of soil, oasy of cultivation, an
as to texture, is the most description of dc
sirable land for tillage purpose.
FALL PLoUGHING.
There are several reasons that nay b
urged in favor of fall ploughing. In spin
there is enough work to be done in gettin
the crops into the ground, without beln
under the necessity of doing the plough
ing. In autumn it can be done more q
|
is cooler, the teams are in good condition
and there is not the necessity for hurryin
the work that there is in spring. If tn
ground is ploughed in fall, it can as a usua
thing be sown earlier in spring, there is n
delay on this account, and we general
find that early sown crops are the best et
pecially has this been So the present sea
son. Late sown grain is more apt to rust
and the yield Is light in weight and info
rior to fully developed grain. Sward Ian
turned over in autumn will be cleaner an
mellower than when plOughed in spring
the snow will press the burrows down fla
the grass will be killed out, and less labc
will be required in the cultivation of tn
crops. Some Of our fields are badly il
tested with the white grub. Last year niue
injury was sustained from these pests dc
stroy ing the rrf So roots, making 1t neCei
sary to plough. Where this difficulty
experienced, ploughing in fall, and as lat
as the season will admit, so as to expos
the soil to cold, frosty weather will be a
advantage
Another thing-we usually plough aboy
the same depth from year to year, and til
bottom OF the burrows from this prOce'
has gradually become compact and har,
The under surface soil needs to b. broke
up and thrown to tie top. III c prort
time to do this is in autumn, whel II WI
be favorably acted upon by the elements {
winter, and more fully prepared for II
growth of plants. The frost will also al
benefcialy upon all hard and clayey sol
when ploughed in fall, rendering thel
more pliable and easy to be pulverized, an
consequently better capable of suslainin
vegetable growth. There is but sma
proportion of our fields or soils that woul
be injured by fall ploughing to any exten
aud that would be principally where the
is liability to washing.
We would urge upon farmers the ecol
omy and desirableness of doing all of Il
, ploughing in the fall possible, and of doil
1t well. There should certainly be no {.
; cuse for a half performance of this impo
! tant work. II distractions are in the wa,
; such as roots or stones, remove them so fl
8 as possible before ploughing; if the ploul
, is not fit for the work have it put in orde
or get new one, and one that is adapte,
far ha 70 kA ,aN, 4