The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-10-03
Hints for Work.

Be prompt now, when the days
are shortening and the season Tor
field work is rapidly nearing Its
end. Utilize every hour for secur-
ing the CROPS yet ungathered. Neg
lect no chance for putting the
ground in order for spring work.
but turn every fair day TO account,
that nothing be neglected.
Make a note of what remains to
be done.-Therc are a score of
thingsto be done on every farm that
NAV be considered of little account
singlv, but which IN the aggregate
make up a serious total. Every
one shout. look about, note down
what needs to be done, and fire.
ouently examine the record.
Corn stalks are no longer to be
considered as a waste product, good
for nothing but to be trodden under
foot. They are worth fully the
cost of putting in the crop, ii well
saved and cured. When cut at the
right time, and well cured, six dol
lars a ton is, by many, considered
a reasonable estimate of their value
for feed, when hay is worth $40
per ton. Careful experiments
place we'll curel corn-stalks as
worth about three-fifths as much
as hay.
Fodder Stacks has been
previously said in american 4gri-
culturist, as to the methods OF
curing corn-fodder. A caution
NAV vet BE given. Let the stalks
be thoroughly cured before being
stacked. Small stacks will not
readily heat and mould; large ones
will. Put a ventilator, if only
three or four rails set on end,
spread below, and tied at the top,
in the middle of the stack. Care
fully build, rprotect them on top,
s. as to shed water.
Husking machines have been
much improved since first brought
| out. For a thousand bushels of
corr 1T will pay to use a power
husker. By and by, the thrasher-
men will have machines to do this
work, and shell the corn at the
same time.
Grinding with the husk.-Some
of the steel and chilled iron corn
cob mills will grind corn IL the
husk. For COWS, cattle, hogs, and
mules (and perhaps horses, when
it is carefully used), it may be thus
ground, conveniently economical
". The corr may be cribbcd in
the husk, and used as required. If
not perfectly dly, grind small guam
titles at a time, as it will heat ii
kept in large bulk.
Wheat may yet be sown south Of
latitude 400 or 40, if done with
out delay. If the soil is well
drained and in good condition,
this late sowing may sometimes be
better than earlier, as the crop is
thus more likely to escape the Hes
sian fly.
Narrowing wheat in the fall
should only be done when the sur
face of the land is dry. No kind
of cultivation should take place
when the ground is wet. Expert
mental cultivation should be done
as early as possible. Deep plow-
ing is not needed. To kill weeds
and mellow the surface are what is
wanted. Narrowing may be done
safely two weeks after sowing, and
repeated twice or thrice. Then
Grass seed may be sown, but not
before. 1t will take at once on the
mellow soil, and 10 get ahead of
that treated IN the usual let-alone
manner.
Wheat and Grass Fertilizer
Wheat needs nitrogen at this sea-
son, and so does the grass. 1OO
lbs. per acre of nitrate of soda
would be a help to both.
Green fodder for Spring.--Rye
may be sOwn any time this month
the sooner the better for early
spring feed. Sow thickly, 4 bush.
els per acre, and fertilize we'll.
Where the winters are open, as in
the border and Southern Southern
States, this will make excellent
winter pasture and give a crop OF
grain or fodder besides.
Mangles and Beets are injured BY
frost. These should be gathered
and secured in pits this month,
where frost is prevalent. The
fresh leaves have an injurious eff
feet upon cattle if fed in excess. A
day or two after cutting, they
may be fed safely-apressed bushel
basketful at a time, sprinkled oyel
with a hand III of salt.
! Turnips will resist considerabl.
frost and Or0W ran;Ilu =. 80