Middletown transcript., 1876-02-19
Farm Work for February.


farm will soon be upon us, and we
should be prepared for it, by embrac-
ing every opportunity this month in en-
couraging preliminary matters. and first
as to manure. Increase as much as you
can the manure piles Keep it under
cover, or covered with earth from the
woods. swamps, river or creek deposits,
tussocks or sods, with fine charcoal and
plaster strewn over the layers, salt,
SCOT, ashes, rottiag straw, hay, &c
We had, when farming, small sink.
two or three feet deep, ten feet long and
eight feet wide, at convenient dis
tance from the kitchen door and poultry
yard. In the bottom was put weeds or
straw, leaves from the lawn and gar
den, and cart load Of woods mold or
sods from head-lands on this was
thrown the ashes. contents Of house
buckets. soap suds, old brine. SCOT,
sweepings of poultry house and yards,
end from the lawn and the varied ac-
cumulations Of dirt about the premises
Every few days it was whiteued with
plaster or Stacked lime. and occasion
ally leveled and another layer Of earth
added. 10 three months. usually,it was
all hauled out and spread on ground set
apart to be improved in this way. 1t
was spread heavily on the poorer spots
and less so on those places which we're
more fertile.
Thus treated, there was never any
offensive smell or unpleasantness ema-
mating from this sink, which was not
unsightly, though it was so situated as
to be as much out Of view as possible.
Our farm diary will show for years
that, from this little source, an aver
age Of two acres yearly was enriched SO
as to bear rotation of crops for two
years without further fertilization. and
then in condition to produce heavy
crops Of clover
If you design to use lime or mari,
now is good time to spread it on the
grass lands, or on newly plowed land
for crop the coming spring. Haul out
manure and spread it at any time you
have the opportunity. Do not wal, for
it to be perfectly rotted. Coarse ma
nure spread lightly over grass land now
will greatly increase the product and
earliness of the grass.
Sow1Na CLOVER AND OTHER GRASS
SEEDs.-Sow clover seed on the wheat
fields. Use twelve pounds per acre.
Sow, also, other grass seeds with the
clover, such as orchard grass. Italian,
rye grass. red top or Kentucky blue
grass, in such proportions, or if Of one
sort only, enough to make thick set
Of grass. It is good economy to SOW
plenty Of seed A few pounds Of blue
grass with the above quantity of clover
seed will be enough. We would prefer
the mixing of eight pounds clover, one
bushel Of orchard or rye grass. and one
peck Of red top, or half gallon of
timothy seed. though it would have
been better to have sown timothy when
tuc WuCdb Wdo SUWu. lt 10 kOUu pau
to sow grass seeds on light snow, or
when the snow has nearly gone and is
soft. If not. and the ground is open
and dry, SOW the seeds, harrow them in
lightly and roll Under some circum-
stances, rolling alone will do. The
grass crop is of immense value to farm
in various ways, and every effort should
be made to secure good set.
FENCING Repair old and make new
fenees-at least get all the material
necessary on the places where they will
be wanted
SrocK OF ALL KINDs.-Take good
care Of each sort and Of all ages Of the
stock on the farm-giving them plenty
Of wholesome water, some salt, enough
grain. plenty Of provender, and keep
them clean, dry and comfortably warm.
allowing open-air exercise in all good
weather Maryland Farmer.