Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-03-21
Suggestions for March Work.

The American Agriculturist for
March LIST gives seven columns Of
practical hints and directions con-
corning work to be done on the
farm, garden, orchard, etc, hron
which we extract the followings
Barley. Skillful management is
required to succeed with this crop.
Peculiar soils are required to pro-
duce clear, thin skined, bright
colored sample, such as brings the
best price in the market. A fria-
BILE, clean, mellow, dry, limestone
clay-loam is perhaps the best soil,
but some lighter soils. that are
warm and rich, viii produce good
barley. The soil must be thorough
ly 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.
Oats will succeed upon soils
where barley would fail. A rough
sod and moist soil will grow good
oats; it is the best spring crop for
a reclaimed swamp or a newly
broken clayey meadow. Two-and-
a-half bushels of seed, per acre, is
light seeding; s bushels, if drilled,
or 8 l-2, IL broadcast. is sometimes
sown with good results, The thick
seeding yields finer stalk, which
makes more desirable fodder than
stouter straw,
Oats 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 sepa-
rateiy. We have sown two bushels
Of oats and six pecks of peas to
the acre. If sown early, the fodder
may be cut for soiling cows or
horses in May or June, and a sue
cession for continuous use may be
sown every two weeks until early
in May. Roll the ground sitter
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 bard
ened the surface. One great adj
vantage of sowing upon the snow
is, that a very even spread can be
made, as the seed can readily be
seen, and the foot marks remain as
a guide for the next breadth sown.
The most inexperienced need make
no laps or misses. A good quanti-
ty 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 s 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 it
blows first on the face and then on
the back.
Drains. There is 10 better time
than the present to dig drains
The January thaw, which was very
general, has filed the low ground
with water, and flowing water is
the best possible leveling instru-
ment. The narrower the drain is
made, so that a 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 downward. 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, and those who have
improvements to make, and have
the money, or see their way clearly
to repay it, if borrowed, could have
no better opportunity than the pre-
sent.
Standing water. A very iinpor
tant work is to let off any waite
that accumulates upon The surface
This requires constant attention
and the use of the hoe or shovel
Whether there is crop in thu
ground or not, it is equally necess
airy to do this thoroughly, else tn
son is soaked and dries very slowly
The amount lost through water re
naming upon fields, would eacl
year buy Tor every farmer who per
mits it, good paper and mor'
books than he could well study il