Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-07-15
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

HINTS FOR THE WORK OF THE MONTH.
From the American Agricuiturist.l
Seeding to Grass olone.-Last year the
writer sowed a piece of fallew ground to
Orchard Grass and Glover, on the first
day of August. The ground was thor
oughly prepared in July, and was top
dressed with short manure narrowed in.
Three bushels, AZ lbs. of Orchard Grass
seed, and half peck of clover were
sown, and covered by drawing smooth
ing plank diagonally across the harrow
marks. This covered the seed evenly,
and smoothed the ground. The present
year one crop Of hay, equal to tons per
acre, was taken in May, and the after
growth will give second crop this
month or next.
Fodder Corn may yet yet be sown. A
rye or wheat stubble may be plowed
and planted in drills with 8 bushels of
corn per acre. The large Western or
Southern corn, or Evergreen Sweet
Corn, may be used. Some extra good
ammoniated superphosphate, with pot
ash added, or special corn fodder fertil.
izer, should be sown broadcast and har.
roWed in before planting. Dropping the
fertilizer in the drill does not answer
well for corn when other manure is not
used broadcast.
Fodder Crops.-Hungarian Grass,
common Millet, or the Golden Millet.
may be sown this month for green fod.
der or hay. A bushel of seed per acre
may be sown, though rather thick seed
ing, the fodder will be all the finer and
better for it. Millet that was sown in
May should be cut before the seed ia ripe
or the fodder gets hard, unless the seed is
wanted. Millet seed makes an excellent
addition to ground feed when mixed
with corn and rye.
Pure drinking aOater is of the first i'm
portance. More dangerous poisons are
taken into the system with the water
used. than in any other way. That from
brooks is dangerous, as wash from ma
nured fields, and soakage from the soil
flows into them. Water from clear
wells and springs only, should be given
to cattle, and if such precaution is need
ed for them, it Is equally SO for the own
er. Much avoidable disease is due to
impure water.
BuckUhedt may be made profitable
upon piece of rough or newly cleared
ground. No other crop is 80 effective
in mellewing rough cloddy land. The
seed in northern localities should be
sown before July 18th otherwise ear
ly fall frOsts may catch the crop. Grass
and clover may sometimes be sOWn sue
cessfully with buckwheat this month.
The utmost cleanliness should be pre-
served about the premises in the hot
weather. AL wastes and garbage should
be disposed of on a compost heap;
load of good soil and sods from fence
rows will be useful, as the basis for it,
Weeds should be gathered and added to
the heap. Liberal additions of plaster
will prevent disagreeable odors.
Coa0s.-A cool, dark, clean stable for
the cows, is for many reasons preferable,
| to hot pasture in the middle of the day.
Cows that have been kept up on moder-
ate feed, will shrink in their milk, on
being turned into a luxurious pasture
on hot day. Dry earth or sand makes
better bedding than straw during the
hot season.
Corn should not be neglected in the
hurry of harvest. Frequent cultivation
hastens growth and the maturing of the
crop. To see the difference, leave row
or two uncultivated. Much hand work
later in the season may be avoided by
little work with the cultivator, and by
keeping the weeds down.
| Sheep,-Keep ewes intended for the
i butcher by themselves, and feed liberal
tly. A quart of mixed ground feed or
| bran, and oil-cake meal, will soon bring
them into marketable condition. Keep
store sheep in light pasture, and give
la handful of feed daily. Provide shade
of some kind.
artificial F0od.-Butter dairymen,
will find some of the artificial foods
|profitable to feed with green fodder OF
pasture. Securing caused by green feed
may be stopped at once, by giving the
COW quarts of dry cotton-seed meal.
a Scraper for the Horses may bt
made of a piece of an an old scythe, with
the edge dulled on the stone; with this
the sweat or moisture, after washing,
may be easily removed. -
Green Feed for Horses.-GiTe a share
of the gneen fodder when horses do moi
run at pasture. If at pasture at NIGHT
2 feed should be given before they art