The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-08-02
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Barley or Oats.

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Barley or Oats. f....r.--1 q
In regard to wbetherit is better to SOW
oats or barley, much depends on climate
and soil. In sections where oats do well,
and barley usually fails, it would be
unwise to SOW barley. But in those sec
tions where the climate is alike favorable
for barley or oats, and where it is ques-
tion of soil and preparation, it may be
observed: .,..,.
LIST. That oats sometimes do well on
an old sod, but barley rarely, if ever,
does so. ID. Oats ripen later than bar
ley, and while it is very desirable to SOW
oats as early as the land can be got into
good condition, still you stand better
chance of crop from late sown oats
than from late sown barley. 3D.. Oats
will do far better on low, mucky land,
than barley. If such land is well drained
and is in good heart, and i'll fine, mellow
condition--as after well cultivated
corn, potato or root crop-a great crop
of barley may sometimes be grown,
especially if the land has been lined, but
the chances are altogether more favora-
bic for great crop of oats. 4th. On
low, mucky land, that is only partially
drained, and which cannot be worked
early in the season, it would be folly to
SOW barley. If sown at all, 1 would drill
in oats, if the land was dry enough to
admit the use Of the drill; or if not, SOW
the oats broadcast, and if they could not
be narrowed in, let them sprout on the
surface. and roll the land when it is firm
enough to hold up the horses. 1t would
be better, however, to summer fallow
such land, working it thoroughly, and
make it clean and mellow, aud then seed
it down heavily with timothy (and per-
haps red top) next August. At any rate,
do not SOW barley 9th. Oats will do
better ON heavy clay land than barley.
This is the rule. The exceptions are
rare. The heaviestcrop of barley I ever
saw was ON field of heavy clay land that
was summer fallowed the year previous
for wheat by three plowings, and then
not s Dwn to wheat in the fall, but plowed
again in the spring early and sown to
barley. Everything was favorable, and
the crop was immense. 9th. On weedy
land it is better to SOW oats than barley.
Drill in the oats deep and use a plenty
of seed. Roll the land either at the
time of sowing or after the oats are up.
Then, when the weeds are sprouted, and
are in the seed leaf, go over the field
once or twice, or three times, if necessary,
with light, fine-toothed harrow, for the
purpose of killing the young weed
plants. Oats can be narrowed with less
injury to the plants than barley. And
| if the soil and weather are favorable, and
the operation is performed at the right
moment, thousands of weeds will be de-
stroyed, and the stirring of the ground
will be favorable to the growth of the
oats.--American Agricultrist.
Farm Notes.
DRESSING FOR FRUIT TREES barrel
of ashes with eighty pounds of ground
bone, made moist with water, will dissolve
and constitute a good dressing for most
| fruit trees.
Conc IN HoRsEs.-An officer who
commanded artillery during the late war
informs us of the following remedy for
collie in horses which he has tried with
perfect success in hundreds of cases:
Rub the horse well between the fore legs
and around the girth with spirits of tur-
pentine. Immediate relief follows.
The FARMERS GRINDsToNE.-Th is
no tool as essential on the farm as good
grindstone; it is therefore necessary that
every farmer should have one and know
how to take proper care of it. A grind
stone should always be kept under cover,
as exposure to the suns rays hardens the
| grit and Injuries the frame. The stone
should not stand in water when not in use,
as this causes soft places. The water
should be allowed to drip from some ves-
| s,ol =. Oh I ~ H.,
should be stopped when the stone is not
in use. All greasy or rusty tools should
be cleaned before being sharpened, as
grease or rust choke up the grit. The
stone should be kept perfectly round.
WEAVING CoLTs.-A Vermont farmer
says he weaned a last spring colt in the
following manner: fed grain or meal tC
the mare when the colt was with her
The colt soon learned to eat meal will
the dame. After he has been taught tC
eat with the mare he will eat as readily
when he is removed from her. put my
colt in stable where he could have
plenty of exercise in large yard; fec
him with hay and bran mixed with milk
which soon taught him to drink without
the bran. l weaned him from the mar,
i'll this way when he was three months
old; he seemed eontented, and 1 think
did as well as though he had run will
the mare two months longer. It is much
better for the mare, and more convenient
if one wants to use her, as most people
do in the country, while the colt is witt
her. This way of weaving colts is very
convenient, and one can feed milk a
such times as seem iudicious, substitu
ting grain or shorts for the milk at an,
reasonable time. r... .-. -.,