The Wichita city eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1872-1883, 1877-03-15
Suggestions for March Work.

The american Agricultuist for
March LIST gives seven columns of prac-
tical hints and directions concerning
work to be done on the farm, garden,
orchard, etc, from which we extract
the following:
"Skillful management is required to
succeed with the barley crop. Pecu-
liar soils are required TO produce a
clear, thin skinned, bright colored
sample, such as brings the best price
in the market. A friable, clean, mel
low, dry, limestone clay-loam is per-
haps the best soil, but some lighter
soils that are warm and rich will pro-
duce good barley. The soil must be
thoroughly worked and free from
weeds. Barley should always be
drilled and the seed placed at an even
depth below the surface. There is no
better crop with which to sow to
clover"
Goats will succeed upon soils where
barley would fail. a rough sod and a
moist soil will grow good oats; it is
the best spring crop for reclaimed
swamp or newly broken clayey
meadow. Two and a half bushels of
seed per acre is light seeding; three
bushels, if drilled, or three and half
if broadcast, is sometimes sown with
good results. The thick seeding yields
finer stalk which makes more de-
sirable fodder than stouter straw"
Goats and peas, sown together pro-
duce a very nutritious fodder. The
two crops together, upon one acre Of
good soil, will yield nearly, if not
quite as much fodder as would an
acre of each sown separately. We
have sown two bushels OF oats and
six pecks of peas to the acre. IL sown
early the fodder may be cut for soiing
cows or horses in May or June and a
succession for continuous use NAV be
sown every two weeks until early in
May. Roll the ground after sowing,
so that the crop may be cut with a
mower, which may easily be done, as
the oats support the peas and prevent
lodging"
"Clover seed may be sown Upon the
snow or when frost has hardened
the surface. One great advantage of
sowing upon the snow is that very
even spread can be made, as The seed
can readily be seen, and the foot marks
remain as guide for the next breadth
sown. The most inexperienced need
make no laps or misses. A good
quantity of seed for each cast is as
much as can be held between the first
and second fingers and the thumb.
Walking at an easy gait this will use
up about eight quarts of seed per acre.
If the wind is blowing walk SO that it
blows across the path; the effect is
then equal both going and returning,
but it is not SO if il blows first on the |
face and then on the back"
"There is no better time than the
present to dig drains. The January |
thaw. which was very general, has |
filled the low ground with water and |
flowing water is the best possible lev
cling instrument. The narrower the |
drain is made so that q man can work |
easily in it the cheaper may the work |
be done. When water is flowing in |
the drain lay the tiles from the head |
downwards. There is no danger then
of Instructions entering them The |
cost of draining can hardly ever be
less than it now is. Labor is very low
aud those who have improvements to
make and have the money, or seetheir
way clearly to repay it, if borrowed,
could have no better opportunity than
the present"
"a very important work is to let off
any water that accumulates upon the
surface. This requires constant at
tention and the use of hoe or SHOW
ell. Whether there is crop in the
ground or not it is equally necessary
to do this thoroughly, else the soil is
soaked and dries very slowly. The
amount lost through water remaining
upon fields would each year buy for
every farmer who permits it a good
paper and more books than he could
well study in year, 1.