The Portland daily press., 1877-08-02
THE PRESS.
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
News and Notes.

In and dig bitches, as the swamps are dryer
than at any other time.
The weather in England during the
spring was very disastrous to all out door
fruits except apples, and now it is announced
that that crop is likely to be very short.
The Lewiston Journal concludes from the
data which it has collected that the potato
crop of the state will be very large and advises
farmers to sell as soon as possible and not
hold them for high prices which there is lit
tie likelihood of realizing
-Ihe hay crop will hardly come up to the
expectations of early spring. 1t will be an
average one, but that is all. Along the sea-
coast the crop has been injured by fogs and
the first of August still finds considerable
quantities in the fields.
Evidently the Germans have a whole.
some fear OF the potato bug The pest
recently appeared on field in that country
when the government officials caused it to be
covered with tan wet with petroleum, which
was set on fire.
In several parts Of the state severe drouth
is prevailing and all kinds of crops are suf-
fering for want of rain. In Aroostook,
Penobscot, and Kennebec counties consid-
cradle damage has resulted from forest fires.
1t is great mistake that stirring the soil
tends to increase the baleful effects of
drouth. On the contrary there is no time
when thorough stirring of the soil can re-
suit in more benefit. 1t not only removes
the weeds at time when they will not be
likely to root again, but it also tends to bring
up the moisture below to the surface where
it is needed.
The Massachusetts Society for Promoting
Agriculture have undertaken to encourage
tree planting in Massachusetts by offering
several premiums each for plantations of
white ash, white pine, scotch pine and
European larch. The society also offers its
aid to procure seeds and trees from dealers at
home and abroad.
Happily as far as this season.is concern
ed, the potato beetle scare, has proved simply
a scare. The damage done to the crops by
these bugs, has been very slight. Now and
then field has been badly stripped, but such
instances are rare. Perhaps another season
may show different experience, though
practical entomologist OF Massachusetts thinks
this state has little to fear from these bugs
on account of the GOODNESS of the climate, and
the shortness of the season.
The American Agriculturist has some
sensible suggestions on the insurance of farm
buildings which are worth copying. No
farmer, it says can afford to run the risk of
the loss of his buildings and crops while safe
insurance can be had so chea ply. But unless
the insurance is procured in a perfectly safe
and honorable company, the policy is hardly
to be held as any security. In choosing a
company in which to insure it would be
wise to select one which does an extensive
business throughout the country, and thus
lessons the riskof loss, averaging as it were the
risks. Insurance begets caution on the
part of the insured. Thus it is always found
that greater neatness, carefulness and eau
ton are found about farm buildings that are
insured.
An era of low prices has set in for farm
produce and the farmer who can Just now,
look most complacently upon the market,
is the one who is out of debt and has no
mortgage upon his farm. There are farmers
who are scraping together every dollar,
pinching themselves and their families, to
save money to pay interest on debts which
are greater than the present cash value of
their farms. Others are even obrrowing
money, to pay interest, at exorbitant rates.
and are only plunging deeper into trouble.
The sleep of the laboring man is not sweet to
these, but care and misery is their portion.
If were not for debt, farmer would be the
most independent and happiest man in ex-
istence, but in debt he is the most miserable
The experience of the past few years and the
present time should give to every farmer
such dread of getting into debt that he
would suffer every inconvenience rather than
borrow money, or buy anything until he has
the cash in hand to pay for it. 1t is debt,
and not the condition or character of the cur
rency, which troubles farmers more than all
other pests and inconvenience besides.