The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-09-06
Weather, Crops and Farmers.

S"dden su'nmerish to dot. Dry M
dusty are the roads, aud cotton il Opeu
ing with rspidity, while above, the SIX,
is pure blue and air il cool aud balmy
O"r night watches ore spent comfortabl.
; under blsnckets.
, Our farmers are yet bappy-or at leas
$3.50; they have ceased grumbling 'cat
erpi'Iars' in measure and gone to has
Ing their growls on the storms. Will
farmer when it rains "it's too wet ,
when it stops Its to dry"-and here ".
70.
Corn crops are short, but large qusn-
titles Of pea and bermuda hay has been
made and stored.
As matter Of interest to our farmers
We publish the following selection from
! an exchange:
PHENOMENA OF RArN.-One of the
most curious things about rain is the In.
equality OF its distribution. The reader
is Of course aware that rain may be
measured in inches in almost any vessel
vet out to catch it. If pail for example,
10 put out in an open space on the
ground o" the space occupied BY the
pail. II We visit the pail after every
shower. We may by means Of two foot
rule, tell what depth Of rain has fallen.
This is theprinciple Of the rain gauge.
In practice better means are Of course
adopted, 81 az to prevent evaporation
and to measure the dept. Now it is Of
great consequence where We place our
rain gnage. It might be supposed of no
Importance whether it We're Oh the top
Of tue house. or in the garden close by.
And yet, strange to say, y g,iage in the
garden near Westminster Abbey caught
twenty-three inches Of rain in the course
Of a year. while one on the roof of y
house caught only eighteen inches, and
one on top of the Abbey only twelve in
ches TIE fact is rain fOr,ns Mt q very
low elevation, much lower than is gen.
orally supposed or. if not actually form.
ri at very low elevation, it increases
the size Of the drops which come from
higher levels. THUS, while Mr.. Glaishpr
was tescending:n u balloon, he passed
through dry, aud then through q wet
fog. when the drops Of rain were exceed.
ingly fine, covering his note book like
Plus points. These increased in size on
approaching the earth. but more rapidly
when very near the earth.
As We are becoming a stock country
nd stock selling people it will interest
our farmers who raise cattle to inform
them of the markets elsewhere.
In st. Louis the gross cattle of this
country would range in price g 2503 20
per l0O pounds stock cattle being cold
BY weight in New Orleans.
Onr farmers had better put in goal
crops Of oats, barley and rye, in order to
make up for the lost corn crop. We note
that some are doing this but We hope
that the example will he followed by
I'LL. Lot rs buy no corn next year.
We append some useful hints to our
farmers from late exchanges:
1t is said that cedar boughs spread
about the hen house will keep lice off
fowls.
1t il related Of q Kentish farmer that |
he condensed his practical experience i.D |
this rule: ''Fssd your land before il ia |
hungry, rest it before it is weary, and
weed it before it is fonl."
Hogs in pens should have plenty of
IL - 81 a
wOOd ashes each in their feed N often,
~ preventative for worms, If which |
many die. Cl"se confinement ia nm.
favorable to the health Of swine where
necessary to keep them up, grass clover
and weeds, especially pig weed, nsl+y |
and red root. should 10 given daily il
possible. Bone meal il also important.
Rye not only aff;rds pasture when pas
tnre 10 most required and makes IN
economical hay, but It can bo grown
cheaply compared to grass, aid it
can also be grown at season
when the ground would otherwise liz
idle. Rye may he sown after almost
every crop had been harvested except
cabbage aud turnips, and it will be rea.
dy to take of the land in time for plant
ing and sowing ordinary grain crops flu
the spring.
A diversity Of practice prevails among
farmers about the time OF sowing winter
rye. Some urge early sowing-as early
10 the month Of August while Others
believe it IL better to defer sowing ~
late a. November, or before the ground
freezes. fit does not sprout 10 the fall,
il will como mp in tho spring. An ar
gnment advanced in favor Of late sown
rye 10 that it 10 not ~ liable to be hurt
by late spring frosts ~ 10 early sown rye.
There are earnest advocates, however, in
favor Of the early sowing Of rye. Noms
NOW IL broadcast over corn land lust he.
G,re the corn 10 laid BY. BY tho time
the corn is gathered thero will be . rich
fall pasture to he fed off with calves or
light stock. Where the corn crop il a
partial failure rye pa.ture 10 especially
valuable.
The quantity of seed per acre depends
on the quality Of the soil, the season and
the time Of sowing. Early sowing re-
qnires less ssed than later. Generally
speaking, one and . half bushels per acre
On good corn ground, put in early, are
ample lighter sOil, II sown by the mid.
die Of September, will require On sddi.
tionsl half bushel.
Rye 10 Gown, ~ other cereals, on we'll
land, and the yield 10 enlarged
by the application Of manure. The seel
may 10 either swOn broadcast or, when
ssed drills ars used, Il can be drilled In
and covered early With the coil.
CIOUTrERvIILE, Sept. lat, 1879.
E6iknP VindicaknP.