The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-12-06
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Hints About Work.

Fields that have been cleared in time
should be plowed in readiness for early
sowing OF oats in spring. Ii roots are to
follow the corn, the stubble may be
plowad at once and sown with rye.
Three ur four bushels should be sown to
the acre. This rye will furnish a heevy
crop of green fodder next May, or an
excellent early pasture in the spring, or
may be plowed under as a green manur-
ing. In either case the expense OF the
seed, which is the only outlay, will be
many times repaid in the increase of the
following crop.
Potatoes that are already dug should
be secured in pits or cellars at cnce, be-
fore sharp frosts occur. If pitted, do
not neglect to amply ventilate the pits.
A one inch drain tile, placed chimney
like in the top If the pit for every six
feet il length, will be sufficient; instead
of the tiles, wisps of straight wheat
straw, four or Ave inches thick, may be
used. Any potatoes still in the ground
should be dug, and secured without
delay. What are intended for sale are
best sold frrn the field; it rarely ever
pays to store potatoes for sale until
spring. It ia we'll to remember that po-
tatoe4, when boiled, are worth at least
twenty-five cents q bushel for feed.
OATS AFTER CoRN.-There is no ques-
ton of the desirability of avoiding this
rotation if possible, when wheat follows
the oats. In most cases it is better to
take q root crop after corn, and then
oats may follow the roots, and clover be
sown down With the oats. With very
favorable experience in seeding down
with oats, we never hesitate to do it,
and wheat may follow the clover. A
longer rotation is made necessary, and
this is advantageous. If this change is
made, it necessitates a change in the
fall work, and thorough blowing OF the
corn stubble. Here is a point worth
close study.
Storms may now be looked for, and
everything should be put under cover
hat needs protection, and the cover be
made weathcr-proof. Stacks should be
completed and thatched; sheds be tight
ened, the windows made good, and
beard roofs we'll nailed down to prevent
leaking. Yards should be drained, and
all the litter gathered in where it will
be kept dry. Every arrangement for
economy IN the use of material, and for
the comfort of live stock of all kinds,
Should be made now, when it will cost
less in time and labor than II done later.
kooT CnoPs.-Mangels and sugar
bcpts should be harvested without de-
lay. Later and harder roots may be
left to mature as long o. growing wealth
er holds cut, but not so late as to be In
'jured by heavy frosts. Parsnips may
be left in the ground all winter, and will
be improved in quality.
Cows.-As soon as COWS are put on
dry feed, the milk falls of, but if they
are well fed, what is lost in quantity is
gained in quality. A cow that is milk
ing should have at least two quarts OF
mixed corn meal and bran daily, with as
much chaffed hay as she will eat. A COW
will usually eat two bushels OF the chaf
in q day. Some roots in addition would
be useful. Dry COWS should have one
quart daily; it will not hurt a COW to
take on a little fat at this season, nor
make her milk any less when she comes
in.
Calves and yearlings should be kept
growing. A check at this season cannot
be made up through the winter.-Agri-
culturist.
Fruit Garden.
PLANTING should be done early this
month OF all hardy fruits. If the soil is
not in good condition heel in the plants
in a sheltered place.
STRAwBERR1Es.-Cover the soil of the
beds with straw or leaves, just before
the ground freezes hard :; let the ove
ing over the plauts themselves be slight
or they may be injured.
CURRASEs AND GoosEBERR1Es. The
bushes when crowded should have the
old branches thinned out, and the new
growth shortened one-half or one-third.
The prunings OF new wood may be made
into cuttings six inches long and set ont
at once.
BLACKBERRIEs AND RAsPBRRRMs..-H
the old fruiting canes have not been cut
out and burned as directed last month,
do it now. While the ground remains
open, it is better to set out plants as
they start early in the spring, as the
shoots are apt to be broken off if moved
then.
TRELLIsEs are repaired, or new ones
made, more conveniently nov than in
spring. Use the most durable wood.
Chestnut is durable in some soils,
red cedar lasts well; locust is the
most durable, and where this is scarce,
pieces three feet long may be set two
and a half feet in the ground and up
rights of pine or other lumber spiked
to them,
GRAPEv1NEs. Beginners make q great
mistake in setting out old vines. We
see offered in the city markets stems an
inch or two in diameter without as much
root as a good year old vine should
have. Young vines, n or two years
old, with abundant fbrous roots are pre-
ferable to old ones. Cut back the stem
to q foot, plant in good, not over-rich
soil, spreading the roots well, and then
cover the surface with litter. It is not
practicable to give directionsfor pruning
fruiting vines, as all depends upon pre-
vious treatment and present condition.
It must be borne in mind that the bear
ing shoots came from the buds now visi-
BILE, and n must leave buds where
shoots are wanted. Most varieties may
be propagated from cuttings made from
canes Of last seasons growth. Cut the
canes removed in pruning into lengths
of two or three buds, tie into punches,
label, and put away in earth in q cool
celia Observation-Disclosures.
Stable Floors.
The Germantown (Ga.) telegraph
says: The long debated question as to
the best material for stable floors is
being revived. 4 clay floor was held
out for years, and such was the earnest
ness Of its advocates and the many ar
guments bTcuai. to bear upon it, that
we were induced some fifteen or twenty
years ago to try it. In three or four
months we had the planks back again,
being severely satisfied OF the disadvan
tages of clay for. horses. Our present
floor of plank is simply inclined a little
from front to rear, where the usual gut
ter is made to carry off the liquid void
ings. We do not believe in sand, coal
ashes, sawdust, asphaltum, flags, cob
BILE stones, OF any of these modern de-
pioac fo iniy1ro horcoc Tb,, Co. -o