The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-10-18

out In rows by the highway, or for shaded
walks, there II no tree more easily OBJ
tanned and more desirable In all respect.
than the hard, or sugar maple.
An occasional walnut, chestnut, but
ternut or beech tree, scattered over pas.
tnom, serves atwo-fold object they make
an agreeable shade for sheep and cattle
during the heat of the day In summer,
beside furnishing supply Of nuts for the
boy: TO gather In the fall and enjoy eat
Ing In the winter.
1t 10 true that some OF these trees ars
SOW IN coming to maturity, but the APP
Proacn OF their bearing days Is only a
question OF time, and In the case of the
butternut or black walnut, the necessary
number OF years will soon roll around.
frequently some Of the trees described
are found planted by the hand Of nature,
and then by merely sparing the wood
mans AK, the tree remains, com bination
or the useful and ornamental, and will
reflect credit upon the judgment Of the
owner, which bis posterity or other sue
cessors will surely appreciate.
VALUE OF FERTILIZERs.
Ira man has bin of wheat or oats, or
a crib OF corn, he will be pretty certain to
estimate the cash value OF the grain con-
tanned therein, but how few estimate the
cash value Of the compost heap that is
ready to spread upon and fertilize the
land, yet the latter Just as surely en-
bodies value as the former. It is the
part or wisdom to remember that the laws
OF nature require that the debts to It be
paid, and II you should chance to forget,
or neglect to pay what you have borrow
ed from the soil, you will very soon find
that your drafts will be dishonored and
your crops will fail to be large and re-
munerative.
There are great variety of Fertilizers
used In different parts of the world, MANY
OF which can be used advantageously in
this section of the country.
III your land is sandy loan 1t can be
improved by clover and plaster aud after
ward propuce good crop of wheat. The
barn yard and compost heap are. how
ever, and will continue to be the farmers
main reliance for material to fertilize his
land, and In order to have BARNARD IL
Is necessary 10 keep stock.
Diversified industry in farming IL gen.
orally much the best. and stock growing
In connection with grain-raising ought to
DC prontaDie business, providing, now
ever, That you are careful to have good
fence between the pasture and the corn
field.
Every man int. rested In the cultivation
OF the soil land who is not) can derive
great interest, ana, if practical farmer,
much profit, from the study OF
DRAINAGE.
Not only swamp and m arsh lands can
be greatly improved by draingage, but
large areas of upland, where clay and
clayey loan predominant in the soil, can
be benefited by this method. refer, of
course, to tile drainage, which is the ONLY
suitable method Of drainage for uplands.
The surface soil Of all land, when titled,
Is the richest, containing much the largest
quantity of the elements of fertility. By
successive groupings in the ordinary
manner, where much Is taken from and
but little returned to the soil, the surface
soil loses much Of its fertilizing elements
that caused 1t to differ from the subsoil.
NOW, the fertile elements contained in
the subsoil can often be made available
only by system of drainage.
The draining, by Withdrawing from the
subsoil all excess of moisture, permits
the air and the heat Of the sun to permeate
Its substance, and allows the chemical
changes to take place necessary to make
its elements available for use and absor-
ton by the roots of the growing crop. A
cold, wet, barren soil is thus made warm.
porous and fertile. The roots of the GRASS
and grain penetrate this new grodnd and
absorb from 1t elements that may have
been exhausted i'm the surface soil.
The farmer thus practically discovers
and brings into use a new farm. living
directly under the old one, farm that is
often of more value than the old one, be-
cause it is virgin soil, rich in the mineral
elements needed for the growth of crops.
Improved land in the neighborhood NAV
be worth from $50 to $40 an acre, but II
the farmer has not sufficient money to
buy the amount Of land he wants, at such
figures, he can bring into use his subsoil
farm by means Of the mountaineering
tile.
But let me not be understood as intim-
attng that when land has been tile-drain-
cd 1t no longer needs fertilizing with
manure. 1t must be remembered that
tile-draining puts no organic substances
into the soil it merely makes available
the mineral or other elements placed in
the subsoil by the hand of nature.
One OF the laws of nature Is that
LIKE PRODUCES LIKE"
Plump wheat is therefore better for seed
than shrunk en- grain. Seed corn from the
middle OF the ear Is better than from the
ends.
Large, fair, round potatoes are better
for seed than those that are small, or par
TALLY decayed; In short, the quality Of
the seed Is of nearly as much importance
as the quality Of the soil.
Many Of you know this, and govern
yourselves accordingly. 1 am not here
to call the righteous, but sinners, to re-
The same law governs the increase of
live stock. An inferior scrub of an ami
NAL ought never to be allowed to produce
its kind.
Live stock, grain, particularly Indian
corn, vegetables, trees, plants and shrubs,
may be hybridized, crossed or mixed,
and new creature, or variety ofproduct,
be the result. This is an excellent field
for experiment, and most interesting,
surprising and profitable results are
obtained.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS.
1t is not best to take it for granted that
has reached its limit; that
cannot be further increased;
that agriculture, considered either as an
art or a science, is at this day so thorough
ly understood that little or any thing new
can be learned or discovered in relation
TO 1t. There will be no limit to the in
crease Of knowledge until time shall be
no more.
You cannot read an agricultural Jour
nal or report, without learning something
new. Every years experience brings to
light something not known before.
1t Is your high privilege to be dis
mon stock of knowledge, If you are so
Inclined.
Knowledgeis power, influence, capital,
ash, II you please. 1t is not good luck
simply that fills q mans bins with grain.
,r his stables with horses, that covers his
pastures with cattle and sheep, that fills
his purse with money and makes him
and independent. Head and
hands must work together; brain and
muscles must Join, and the muscles must
Dc subordinate to the brain, and the
hands to the head, and the fruit of the
inion will be prosperity.
AS agriculture was the first, SO It Is the
most universal and important industry
IN the face of tho earth. No employment
5 more dignified or noble. No class of
'eople are so independ nt and happy as
armers. No one should think that farm
ng Is not an intellectual pursuit. 1t is
ruly one ofthe most int ilecl ual pur -uits
at engages the attention OF mankind.
he man of scientific ~ tainments and of
ultured intellect can find i'm agriculture
mple food for thought. 1t has present.
d problems for solution that have pux-
led the wisest among philosophers, ana
laimed the attention OF the deopest
hfnk If man on, hI1x.d1xx