Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-04-26
OUR SPRING WORK.

Inc corn crop was not a great success
in 1877. Shall we plant less in 1873?
We have a plan about our farm to keep
so much in pasture, so much in meadow
rasie SO many acres of corn, OF oats, OF
wheat and OF roots. We have conclud-
ed that upon an average we can succeed
the best by pursuing this course. |
cannot afford to vary, and shall not till
| am convinced some other system is
better. On what is ordinarily termed a
grain farm at least one-half should be
in grass and on a grazing farm three
fOurths. Corn and grass are the two
items that demand special attention,
and second to them is the much des-
pissed root crop. The time will come
when roots will not be second in impor-
lance, but for the present they must
take a back seat as compared to corn
and grass.
The best method of preparing sod
land for corn does not seem to be gen
orally understood. By cutting the sod
thin and turning flat, following in each
furrOw with a common stirring pillow,
more than one-third can be added to the
yield and considerable to the comfort of
tillage. The experiments seem to indi-
cate that drill planting, about ten inch
es apart in drill, produces more bushels
than the ordinary check-rOw method,
but the extra labor is more than an off
set in the opinion Of the general farmer
The check-row planter is gaining rapid
ly in public estimation. The ease, rap
idity and certainty with which it plants
must make it a favorite.
W. observe that nearly all the best
farmers drag their corn a. soon as plant
ed, so it shall come up free from weeds.
Many continue to drag after the corr is
up by removing the front tooth of the
harrow and following the row as in cul-
tivating. We notice no particular
changes in the method of cultivating
corn unless it be to work soil a little
deeper than formerly after the first
time. Farmers are about equally divi-
ded between riding and walking c%ultiva-
tors. Our motto is good seed, early
planting and thorough cultivation.
There has been much discussion dur
ing the past year whether it would pay
to drill and cultivate our wheat and oat
crops; of course all to be done by ma
chinery. That undoubtedly is one of
tIe near improvements.
ROOTS.
The Importance of roots for the
health of the stock is so great that they
would doubtless be raised in large guam
titles were it not for some practical diff
iculties, and among the greatest of
these is storage. Potatoes require so
much labor and are 50 popular with the
Colorado beetle, that they are practi-
cally among the luxuries of life.
The Mangel Wurtzel is easily cultivat-
ed, a thrifty grower, and wonderfully
relished by all kinds of stock. 1t can
be raised for less than one dollar per
ton. The few objections to general use
are: 1st. Cost of cultivation. I'd. Lii
ability to frost. Sd. Successful stor-
age. Upon the whole, we prefer it to
the turnip, and would advise every far
mer to put in a few.
The Brazilian Artichoke, under prop
er management, will undoubtedly be-
come one of our principal root crops.
the potato. I'd. 1t has no enemies. Sd.
1t costs nothing for storage, keeping
perfectly in the ground. 4th. The yield
is enormous. 9th. The crop is perpetu-
al unless purposely destroyed. We adj
wise, however, annual cultivation and
heavy manuring. 1t is estimated that
one thousand bushels per acre can be
raised.
Here ONE the nursery man and we
must make an order. To the usual i'll
quiry if we wanted anything in his line,
we promptly replied: yes, we will
take thirty Scotch pines about four feet
high; they are such a capital wind-break
and are so hardy. Add a dozen Fir
trees and ten White Spruces. they
give variety, and if not 50 hardy as the
Scotch pine, they are more beautiful.
We will take for the fruit yard and gar
den twenty-five roots of some choice va
riety Of ~currants, three hundred black
cap raspberry plants, three hundred
strawberry settings, one-half Wilson
and one-half Red Jacket. The latter
may not be an extra variety, but they
report such wonderful things of it, we
cannot resist the temptation. Finally,
MIR. Nurseryman, give us some lilacs
and snowballs and roses for the children
and we will conclude our order for this
year. For this order you must thank
the men who have been telling me all
winter hat the way to keep the family
upon the farm was to make the home
pleasant and the farm worth %clinging to.
Our %evergreens and fruit trees have
wintered in good condition, and at this
time are looking better than for several
years.
Last fall we set the bees into the eel
lar upon their summer stand, and they
wintered WE'LL Western Stock; .JouynoI.