The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-05-01
FARM, GARDEN, AND HOUSEHOLD.
The Use of the Harrow In Spring.

| OF 1rceIlnS anu liltim iiio, tiio Pi'h.9 III
late-sown fields, or where the stand has
not become well til!ered, will be found,
in great part, nearly drawn from the soil,
and with their roots exposed. If thus
left, the first drying wind completes the
damage and destroys the weakened
plants, This may be avoided, by an
early narrowing of the ground with a
light harrow, the teeth of which should
slope backward at an angle of forty-five
degrees. These teeth not only stir up
the soil and press the roots into the
ground, but they draw the soil over the
plants and cover the exposed roots. The
benefit is two.fold. The damage and
threatened loss are prevented, and the
plants are stimulated to a quickened
growth. After several years experience
in the use of such harrow in the spring
upon fall grain crops, we do not hesitate
to recommend it rs beneficial work.
1t is 4 question if it would not be advisa-
BILE to add q rolling to the narrowing,
which may be done without trouble by
attaching light roller to the harrow by
short chains. It would add but little to
the draft, but much to the effectiveness
and usefulness of the work.
Another use for the harrow at thi
season is to loosen up the surface OF
clover or grass fields. BY thus scarify-
ing the surface, the grass roots are in
duced to spread and thus thicken the
herbage. This effect is greatly aided by
spreading some fresh seed, some new
variety, perhaps, and giving a fair dress
ing of fine manure or artificial fertilizers,
such as guano, nitrate of soda, dissolved
bone, salt, plaster, wood ashes, or any
other that may be chosen or found con-
venient. AS a rule, our meadows and
pastures are neglected and consequently
poor; but by giving them attention in
this way ut this season their condition at
haying time may be found much more
satisfactory. The harrow is also useful
in spreading manure which has been
carried into the stubble or plowed
ground through the winter. The Jumps
are broken, the long litter is torn, the
heaps are spread and mixed with the
soil very thoroughly. If the harrow
gathers the litter into heaps these may
be spread again, and again narrowed
until the whole is broken up and proper
ly distributed.
The roller should follow the harrow in
all these operations. Even should the
meadows need no loosening up of the
surface, they will at least be all the bet
ter for u thorough rolling, which will
sink all tufts, stones or other impede
ments to the mower into the soil, and
cave a smooth surface to work upon.
Household Hints.
CLEANING CIsTERN- w ATER.-Add two
o,,z.o, Inn, on6 t1up n11ncpc
borax to Il twenty-balTel cistcrn OF rain
water that is blackened or oily, and in Il
few hours the sediment will settle and
the water be clarified and fit for washing,
and even for cooking purposes.
MEALY PoTAToEs.-Select the potatoes
so that they will be nearly of a size; do
not put them into the pot until the water
boils. When done, pour off the water
and remove the cover until the steam is
gone; then scatter in half teaspoontul
of salt and cover the pot with towel.
Watery potatoes will thus come out
mealy.
CLEANING DIsHEs.-Dinner dishes and
plates which have had greasy food upon
them may be rubbed off with q little In
dian meal before putting into water.
They are thus prevented from making
the water unfit for continued use, while
the meal, saved by itself, is good for the
pig or the chickens.
A STRONG CEMENT.-A cement par
ticularly adapted for attaching the brass
work to bottle-necks, lamps, ETC., is made
by boiling three parts Of resin with one
of caustic soda and five of water. The
composition is then mixed with half its
weight of plaster of paris. 1t sets firmly
in about three-quarters of an hour. 1t IS
said to be of great adhesive power, not
pcrmeable by petroleum, a low conductor
of heat and but specifically attacked by
hot water.
LET THE BEDS BE AIRED.-1t is a bad
plan to "make up" the beds Immediately
after breakfast. The sleeping apartments
in the house should be aired every day.
Beds should be opened every morning to
the sun and to the atmosphere: DO not
be in too much haste to get the cham
bers in order. Let the sheets and blankets
be spread over separate chairs, the mat
trcsses lifted apart, and the pure morning
air be allowed to get into every nook and
Granny of the room before the beds are
made. Better to endure little delay in
getting the house in order than loss OF
health.
Seeding and Fertilizing In Spots.
NIowings and pasturage, when seeded
and manurcd, arc treated usually only
once for all, and as n whole. We have
often wondered why it was that farmers
allowed bare and sandy spots to go un-
attended to until the baroness, or the
weediness, extended SO as to cover a
large proportion of the soil. This is, we
know, altogether needless. We are ac-
uuainted with at least one extensive
farmer and dairyman who, not content
with keeping his pastures free from all
sorts of brush, never permits a bare OF
srcdy spot in them. If from the settling
of water. the effect of frost, or the paw
ing of animals, bare spot appears, it is
at once seeded, and in some cases even
soddcd, so that the turf is maintained
unbrokcn. Similarly, where the grass
gets thin and weeds begin to appear,
manure is applied to that spot, and the
cnfrcblcd grass thus stimulated to re-
occupy the ground. In this ways pas.
ture Of Il hundred acres presents at all
times sod of pure, thick grasses, the
like of which it would be hard to find on
this side of the Atlantic. Yet there are
thousands of farmers as well situated
and as well able to have such pastures,
if they only would, and the same prin-
ciplrs are equally or more applicable to
moving lands.
The result is not only matter of
looks, but of profit. The cheese Of the
farmer above alluded to is sought for
and taken by the high-class restaurants
and hotels of New York and Philadel-
phia at u fancy price. Much of its ex-
cclence is doubtless due to his hereditary
skill in its manufacture, but ccrtainly )
tLn n,rnllont u,ality ond nrrfrct uni-