The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-08-23
SeasOnabIe Hints.

A sensible and practical correspondent
of the Country Gentleman has the follow
ing in reference to the operations of this
month:
The principal crops of the country in
this month and the next will be gath
cred, and then the great question of the
day will be how to dispose of them to the
best advantage. Shall they be sold as
soon as ready for market, or held for
higher prices? In theory, Ihave ALWAYS
advocated the former, but in practice
often chosen the latter, and in the aver
age much to my detriment financially.
One thing l feel safe in saying, that as
soon as crop is ready for market, if sold
then, the Quantity will be greater than
at any other time. There are many
ways for a crop to get away and lessen in
value after harvest, as well as before,
and the interest on the money to hold
for six months or a year is something.
| think it safe to say, sell all perishabIe
crops as soon as ready for the market,
regardless of price. Other crops may be
held, if the price is evidently below the
cost of production. The opinion prevails
among many farmers that they do not
get the real value of their produce; that
the speculatOr Is working against them
is managing the business just to suit
himself. From what / have seen of
spectators and speculation on the aver
age, with few exceptions the farmer has
had the benefit of the high prices, and /
would refer to the financial condition of
the great majority of those engaged in
speculation in proof of what say. Those
who have nothing to lose are about the
only persons who are safe to enter specu-
lation.
In my last article I dwelt somewhat at
length on the early cutting of hay, and
l believe the early cutting of spring
grain to be equally important, if We wish
to get the full benefit of the straw as
food for stock, and also in the bright ap-
pearance of the grain From what |
know, in the absence of any carefully
made experiment, | conclude that ton
of straw from any spring grain cut be-
fore quite ripe, and cured without rain,
is worth more as food for stock than the
same weight of the late cut, ripe hav. /
Early lambs should now be taken from /
the ewes; the dams will thrive much /
better, and the lambs will do fully as
well. The ewes then at the time of
going into winter quarters will be in fine
which is a great help to their /
so during the winter. In |
this month the soil turned over for win j
ter wheat, or rye, should be kept well /.
narrowed and cultivated to kill seed, and
make good mellow seed bed, which is |
very important. The time was when |
10th to 18th was considered
Early enough in this vicinity to sow Win
Ter grain, but now September LIST, or
wen earlier, is better. Why this I
change l cannot say. 1t goes to show I
hat to do as our fathers did in farming
S not always best, and yet l would not
advise a hasty departure from old paths /
One thing more to which | wish to call /
he attention of farmers, is cutting the
weeds and bushes about the fences in the /
as most of the grain is now
ut with the reaper or cradle. A scythe /
hauld be taken to the field, and special 1
business made of it, or they will be neg
ecteai a busa-heek can always be saa. !