The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-02-21
A few Suggestions About Current
Work.

Work.
Cleaning up, ditching and fenc-
ing are still In order. No time for
these after crop work fairly begins.
PREPARING COMPOST
if not previously done, should be
at once attended to. The best
are made of stable manure, cotton
seed and acid phosphate or dissolved
bones. Proportions of ingredients
vary with the crop and land to
which it is to be applied. For cot
ton on medium lands, five bushels
each of manure and seed TO one
hundred pounds Of phosphate-on
poorer lands, increase the quantity
of manure and seed, and decrease
them on richer soils. For corn,
ten to fifteen bushels of each to one
hundred pounds phosphate. Put
down a layer of cotton seed, say
two inches thick, scatter phosphate
on this, then stable manure same
thickness-cotton seed again, and
SO on, finishing of with arich layer
of earth. Vet the whole thorough
ly as is being put up, and tramp
down very firmly to prevent over
heating. Thrust a stick down in
the intervals, and il, after letting
it remain ten minutes it Is found
uncomfortably hot to the hand,
make numerous holes with a stick
or crowbar and pour in water freely
to quench the heat. 1t is not nee
essary to protect from weather, but
do not put under the W of build
lngs. \ compost prepared as above
may be used in four weeks after it
is put up-but two to three months
is better.
The same materials may also be
used without composing by scat
tering the cotton seed and stable
manure in the drill, and afterwards
the phosphate upon them. Do this
in February, list, with two burrows
and complete bed in April.
CLOVER AND GRASSES
may be seeded down this month,
just as soon as the heavy freezes are
over. Ii to be sown on small grain,
run a light harrow over the land,
and then SOW seed; if by themselves.
break the land thoroughly and pull
yerize it by repeated narrowing,
and then smooth it with a drag"
Before narrowing apply manure
for clover barnyard manure is good.
Ashes also 80 bushels per acre.
Acid phosphate, 900 to 800 lbs. per
acre will generally insure a stand.
Sow l. to Is lbs. seed per acre.
For grass the same preparation is
required, but a heterogeneous ma
nure is Embellishments manure,
cotton seed meal, Peruvian guano
or nitrate soda.
PREPARING FOR CORN.
On stiff soils break very deep
drought is the great enemy of corn
on uplands. Lay off rows and put
III say one third of the manure to
be given the corn, and list on it
the remainder of manure apply in
a siding furrow at first or second
working. On uplands be sure to
give good distance-it is better to
err on the side of too much than
too little.
BEDDING COTTON LAND.
1t is well either to bed up now
and rererse beds in April just be-
fore planting, or else, to Law off
rows, apply manure, and list with
two burrows and complete bed
afterwards. Two points are gained
by the latter. 1st. Where the
land is rolling the washing is not
SO great with low lists as with high
beds, and 2nd, while timeis gained
by having half or more of the work
done, a fresh surface and the weeds
killed are secured at planting time.
TOP-DRESSING SPRING GRAIN.
If spring opens early and grain
makes a good start to grow, a top
dressing may be given it the last
OF the month. The best for the
purpose is nitrate soda. IS to 100
lbs. per acre. The next best is
rectified Peruvian guano, 100 to
$50 lbs. per acre.-Soufhern CuHi-
Gator for February, 1873.