Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1876-05-17
AGRICULTURAL.

the crops are moved OF without return
ing anything to the soil. Manures are
put under the rains and the dropping
Of caves until they are drained of their
best materials and rendered nearly use
less. This could be obviated by cheap
sheds to cover the manure as thrown
from the stables. This can be done at
a small price and will pay. Winter is
not a good time to build, but for such
purpose as this it is better to build now
than not at all. Plaster should also be
used in the stables to prevent the es-
cape of ammonia, and care should be
taken to keep it i'm as good condition as
possible. If the barns and yards are so
situated that the wastings are carried
off by every rain, little time with a
team, plow and scraper will make
ditch "a broad, open one it should be)
around the barn on three sides, then at
all times keep this filled with the
trash and litter which naturally accu-
mulates about the barn. The ditch Will
hold the water, etc., from the yard and
cause the straw to rot rapidly and will
afford large quantity of good manure.
When the manure is removed in the
spring the ditch can be filled with
wheat straw, upon which few bushels
of lime has been scattered; then as fast
as it rots pile it up i'm the ditch and fill
the spaces between each pile with straw
and so on. In the fall there will be
fine pile of manure, which will reno
vate the worn out field, or to scatter on
the exposed knolls of the wheat field,
preventing winter killing. Another
great waste is the large crop of weeds,
which every year is allowed to go to
seed, and spread all over adjoining
farms.
And after we have raised our crops
they should largely be fed on the farm.
1t is much cheaper to ship corn, oats,
etc., in the form of meat than to send it
in bulk as raised; besides the soil Is
made richer instead of constantly re-
ducing its producing capacity.
UNDERGROUND CROPS. - Generally
speaking, only that is counted a crop
which appears above ground. We do
not refer now to root crops, as they are
termed, but to grain and forage crops,
especially grass and clover. Science
has demonstrated that while healthy
clover plants, i'm a good soil, are form
ing a hundred pounds of stems and
leaves, which collectively we term hay,
the roots below, cleared from dirt, will
weigh fifty-six pounds. Most of this
underground growth is obtained from
fertilizing material fished up from the
subsoil by root fibers. Half as much
weight of product as appears on the top
of the ground, when hay cropi is gath
cred, may be transmitted into future
I al hx-h hairr r,1nnnha6 and
converted into plant food. Thus re-
garded clover is a mighty agent in
maintaining and increasing the fertility
of the soil. A hundred pounds of land
plaster to the acre wonderfully in
creases both the upper and underground
of clover. 1t has double effect in at
tracing fertilizing gases from the air,
and drawing up agricultural salts from
the subsOil in water that rises and en-
tiers the long roots making them both
longer and thicker, at the same time
promoting the growth of leaf and stem.
The water evaporates from the plant,
but the fertilizing gases do not. This
| is the way to improve barren soils.
Poor land may be fed and fattened just
the same as a lean pig may be made to
take on flesh. Glover and grass may
thus be made TO work for the intelligent
| farmer, not only during the day when
he is busy and active, but during the
night when he is fast asleep.
How TO RAISE TURKEYs.-A farmer 5
wife, who has had years of experience,
gives the following as her mode of rails
| ing turkeys: In the first place select a
good kind. The autumn, or early in
winter, is the most favorable time for
that, Just before the birds are sent to
market. Keep them well during the
winter. In the spring just before they
begin to lay, put them in an inclosure,
where it is most convenient to have
their nests and where they cannot get
out. After they have made their nests
they may be set at liberty without any
fear of roaming or straying. Next take
good care of the eggs. They should be
gathered carefully every day, and
placed between layers of flannel or cot
ton, in place Of uniformly cool tenn
perature and turned over every day.
As soon as the birds are Matched, feed
them with warm bread and milk, well
peppered, with boiled eggs added, or
thickened with cooked corn meal, or
wheat middlings, which is better. A
little care in these matters will repay
the efforts. Before / knew how to take
care of the eggs, set thirty eggs one
wear, and but one hatched. The next
year set forty eggs, and nearly all of
them Matched and the birds lived.
HANDLING WET SoIL.-On this sub
ject the California Agriculturist says ::
Better not do it, because it is an injury
to it-an injury that years of careful
culture cannot remedy. Heavy soil,
once puddled and packed when wet re-
mains so for a long time Every step
the horses take on wet soil puddles it.
The plow turns it over without pulver-
izing it, and leaves stiff glaze on the
burrows. Better be idle few days, or
even SOW the grain without plowing,
and scratch it when the surface dries off
than ruin or seriously injure the soil
by puddle.plowing. The way that
many farmers have, rushing through
when they get started, rain or shine,
mud or mellow, regardless of conse-
quence, is not according to the dictates
of common sense, and is not profitable
either. Better pay your hired man to
let it alone, than to plow the soil when
too wet.
The WILD GOOSE PLUM.-In late is
sue of the Prairie Farmer Mr.. ID. b.
Wier, an enthusiastic fruit-grower of
Illinois writes concerning this noted
plum that it has proved entirely hardy
where the thermometer has dropped to
81 degrees below zero once during the
past seven years and to 26 and rs de-
grees three times during that period,
yet the wood of this plum has never
been materially injured.
1t appears that there are some two or
three different plums prOpagated and
sold as Wildgoose, and those who have