Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-04-15
FARM, GARDEN, AND HOUSEHOLD.
The Use of the Harrow I'm Spring:


of freezing and thawing, the plants in
late-sown fields, or where the stand has
not become well tillered, 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-fve
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 as beneficial work.
1t is a question if it would not be advisa-
bic to add a rolling to the narrowing,
which may be done without trouble BY
attaching light roller to the harrow by
short chains. 1t 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 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 at 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 humps
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.
Theroller 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 thorough rolling, which will
sink all tufts, stones or other impedi-
ments to the mower into the soil, and
cave smooth surface to work upon.
Household Hints.
CLEANING CIsTERN- N-WATER.-Addt two
ounces powdered alum and two ounces
borax to a twenty-barrel cistern of rain
water that is blackened or oily, and in
few hours the sediment will settle and
the water be clarified and fit for washing,
and even for cooking purposes.
MEALY PoTAToEs.-Selectt the potatoes
so that they will be nearly of 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 teaspoonful
of salt and cover the pot with a towel.
Watery potatoes will thus come out
mealy. esr
CLEANING DIsHEs.-Dinner dishes and
plates which have had greasy food upon
them may be rubbed off with 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 CEMENr.-A cement par
ticularly adapted for attaching the brass
work to bottie-necks, lamps, ETC., is made
by boIl1ng three parts OF RESIN with one
OF caustlc soda and tlve OF water. Ihe
composition is then mixed with half It's
weight OF plaster OF paris. 1t sets flrmly
in about three-quarters Of an hour. 1t IS
said to be OF great adhesive power, not
permeable by petroleum, a low conductor
of heat and but superficially attacked by
hot water.
- rur rms NJ A1pvn II = h.d
,,la,, 70 la ,,Il The bads
prt@, ,f,.
= II III honsa Should IA IL e;rsd 'Ir arayv dav
Rods sbonld he onened every morning fo
tbe sun and to The ATMOSPHERE. Do not
be in too much haste to get the cham
hers in order. let the sheets and blankets
be snread over senarate chairs. the mat
tresseS lifted anart and the nure morning
IN. Id alIorod III yat, intn- eIrn,.v Y1ooL and
crannv M If the room before the beds are
made ssl Retter 70 endnre q little delay in
oettinc the house IN order than loss of
health
seeding and rerttliz,ne in spots.
-. .oo,,s
MoWlngs anu paslulase, @ Wien seeu5u
ana manuTed, are treateo usua1ly only
once 1or all, ana as a Whole; we nave
often wondered why II was that farmers
allowed bare and sandy spots to, go I'M
o+toy,1od m r11fil fba bornpnSc ~. fhn