Middletown transcript., 1877-02-24
aaritnltaral.
From The American Farmer.
WORK FOR THE aOHTH-FebraAry


WORK FOR THE aOHTH-FebruAry
Whilst il happens sometimes that We
have our coldest weather 10 this month.
there is still accompanying it the pleas
ant reflection that the coming spring
will not much longer be delayed This
winter has been one Of such unusual
and uninterrupted severity that IT is
hardly likely the balance Of il viii not
be interrupted By more thaws and
moderate "spells." The stormy days
and long evenings give abundant oP-
portunities for maturing plans for the
work ahead. A farmer caHnot give
too much thought to bis work-the
trouble is that they too often give too
little.
MAsuREs AND CoMposTs. Ts.-The gath
eripg of materials for increasing the
supply Of these, their amalgamstion
together, and protection from loss Of
valuable parts, is a work which can be
carried on proGtably at almost every
season. Few cases exist where such
collecting can be protected BY covers
from the weather, but it is always
practicable to locate your manure piles
ana compost heaps 80 that their most
useful constituents shall not be washed
out by every rain that falls. The ma
nure from horse and COW stables. pig
pens, &c. the wastes from house, the
dish water and chamber slops. may all
be advantagesusly mixed together 10
basin-shaped depression torards which.
and not from which, the liquids will
run. Many other substances can be
added to such piles. to their increase
as well of value as Of bulk, such as
leaves, old bones. sods, muck, dead
animals or fowls, &c.
Sow1Se CLovER SEBD.-This month
is a good time to sew, and if snow is
on the ground when it is sown it adds
to the regularity and evenneSs Of the
operation, and the seed carried into the
earth By the sinking of melting snow
lodge in the creyices left by the frost
and are at once ready to germinate and
grow. If lit is not convenient to SOW
early. and vou wait till the frost is sut
Of TIE ground, it should then be lightly
narrowed in and rolled. For most
soils, from 10 to 12 lbs. per acre is
proper quantity.
AZ soon as The clover fairly begins
"a rrow. an application Of one or two
bushels Of plaster to the acre will help
to establish it and give il push
ahead.
ORCHARD GRAss.-The value Of this
plant, not by any means a new intro
ductien, seems to be but slowly realized
BY many, though others who test it are
readily convinced as to its great merits
It is admirably adapted for sowing
with Clovsr-far better than Timothy
is. They bloom about the same time
and the Glover seems to fill up the
spaces between the stools of the Or
cbard grass. The yield is much greater
than either win give alone. and late
pasture Is abundant and lasting
The tendency to form stools. and the
coarseness, to which some object who
have not taken the proper means to
remedy it, is counteracted BY thick
sowing and early cutting Some have
recommended in sowing the seed to
dampen it and turn it over once or
twice. but an experienced hand finds
no difficulty in sowing il evenly.
For late and early pasture. resisting
drouth, and long continuance. there is
no forage plant eqnaling this We
kno sods, productive still, which have
not been disturbed for over 20 years
Of course it needs top-dressings to
maintain it.
PASTURES. Now, when the teams
can often be put on the pasture-lands
without danger Of poaching, il gives =
good chance to apply a mixture Of. say
100 or $50 lbs. Of bone-dust. or 5
bushels Of ashes, and l bushel each of
salt and plaster. to the acre. If the
state Of the ground will permit. it is
well to harrow; and when this appli-
cation is made, to roll. Glover seed,
if desired, may also then be sown
GRAM FIELDS ought to be locked af-
ter now Don't allow stock on them
when the ground is wet. See that
surface drains are kept clear.
Tools, MAoHINERY, WAGONS. &c
Look these over now, and see that re-
pairs are made before they are needed
for use
LIVE STocK Now, more than at any
other season Of the year. every kind Of
farm animals need especial care. Hors-
es, to prepare them for the work to be
done in the spring. ought to be well
fed, moderately worked. regularly cur
ried and comfortably bedded Mares
in foal should be kept in good coadi-
ton. but not allowed to get too fat.
whilst inactive. Colts should be kept
thriving a little handling and petiing.
even Of the youngest. is good policy
Cows, both those giving milk and those
in calf, should be fed with nutritious
food. Give careful attention to sheep,
especially ewes about lambing and
keep your hogs not only growing, but
also clean and healthy.