The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-04-02
1onte and gar,t,.
Farm Work for April.
IAmerican Agriculturist.l

PExs may be made profitable where the
green pods can be sold in the market and
the straw cut for fodder. As nearly all our
native grown seed is half spoiled by the
weevil, seed from Canada or other localities
free from it, should be procured.
SOWING CLovER.-From considerable ex-
yerience the writer prefers to delay sowing
and the weather warm warm spell
earlier may start the seed and strong frost
afterwards kill the young germs.
SHEEP.-Lambs and sheep intended for
sale should be pushed as fast as possible with
safety But most haste in this respect often
secures least speed. Ewes that have raised
lambs and that are to be sold, should be fed
so as to be out of the way by June.
Oars-From so to SO bushels Of oats
should be the least satisfactory yield, and
the aim should be to have the ground in a
condition to produce this instead of the %
or 80 which is now usual harvest. The
whole secret Is in the fertilizIng OF the soil.
BRoop MaREs.-As foaliEg approaches
brood mares should be turned into loose
box. The extra exercise is beneficial and
they rest more at ease. Their work should
be hghtened. The most gentle treatment
should be exercised; the temper OF the colt
often depends upon this
PIGs-Pork is looking up, and pigs are
worth more than they were few months
ago. While prices are low the cost of feed
ing should be reduced. Pigs can be kept
most cheaply upon grass in summer, and an
orchard is a good place for them; they will
do service in destroying insects.
NARROWING WINTER GRAIN is practice
now generally adopted, and there are many
good harrows made especially for this pur
pose, with teeth that slope backwards, or
that may be reversed for ordinary work.
HarrnWiro after fortJtizars r
ing grass or clover seed is doubly useful.
CuLr1vArING SMALL GRAINs.-The practice
of cultivating small grains, oats, barley,
wheat, and peas will become general as
soon as the advantages are well understood.
The cultivator or horseshoe made for this
purpose may be used for corn, roots and
potatoes, as well as for the small grains.
FLAx.-This crop promises to become
staple, East as well as West, as fax manufac-
turing is becoming established. Low, moist
ground, newly cleared swamp or meadow
land suits fax exactly. In the West, fresh
prairie is suitable. one bushel of seed per
acre should be sown this month.
RAISING CALVES To purchase improved
stock, requires much money. But the same
result may be gained by keeping a we'll
selected bull and raising the heifer calves
with care. Calves will thrive well when
taught to drink from the pail the third day.
en- the udder for three or four days.
FLOWING FOR MANGELs Oh BEErs.-Mangels
and sugar beets should be sown next month.
But the ground needs such thorough prepar-
ation that this work should be begun in
April. A corn or potato stubble may be
chosen, manure spread and plowed in and
the ground narrowed and rolled If needed
until perfectly mellow. Two plowings are
advisable the first deeD. if the soil is stiff.
merely material for brewing. There is no
better grain tor horses, and barley-meal with
corn or potatoes is excellent for COWS or pigs
The two rowed variety yields more than the
six-rowed, but the six-rowed brings 10 cents
more from the masters Two-rowed is the
better for fodder purposes also For good
yield of barley the soil must be fine and
rich, otherwise oats should be sown.
Sort AND HARD WHEATs.-The millers are
generally opposed to what they call 'soft
wheats," and refuse to pay full price for
them. This may be a Just discr1 mination
because hard wheats are profitable to them.
But it may be better to grow 30 bushels per
acre of soft wheats (which is generally more
prolific than the hard varieties) at 90 cents a
bushel, than 20 bushels of hard at 20 cents.
So that the soft, prolific kinds may be more
profitable and millers and farmers both be
satisfied.
CARROTS AND PARsNIPs, as field crops are
not to be recommended, unless for sale,
when we can grow sugarb beta and many
varieties of mangels with half the trouble of
cultivating and harvesting. If carrots are
desired by dairymen for special purposes,
they might try as substitute, the yellow or
orsnge-globe or EGG shaped mangels, the red
beets or the early blood turnip beets which
como in for early fall and winter feeding
SPRING; WHEAT should be sown as early as
possible, and SO should oats. These grains
need long season to develop their full
growth. Some new varieties of wheat are
very promising, and should be tried in a
small way as test. No one should risk
his whole crop on any new and untrIed
variety. As wheat does not mix in the
field, a new variety may be tried in a strip
with other kinds, without risk of mixing
the varieties.
Cows.-There is no better feed as a steady
diet for COWS. than grass; but there may be
cases In which some stimulating food may
be used with benefit Eealy grass Is not
healthful, being immature and too laxative
1t would be better to follow the old English
practice in this respect, and not turn cows
to grass until May. May-day is an ancient
farmers holiday on this account in England
This, of course, refers to localities with the
same seasons-earlier at the South and even
later at the far North.
dOhcEo-hD Tic CO1l DcSiuS W lOUStu, tQt
skin is often irritable. This may be cor
rected by giving in the food daily one ounc,
of an equal mixture of sulphur and cream
of tartar for few days. Good grooming
with a soft brush and blunt curry-comt
should not be neglected. If the gums ar,
swollen. rub them with a corn-cob dipped in
powdered borax. Cleanliness is a great pre-
ventive OF disease. As the weather become
warmer, more oats, rye, or barley, and les
corn may be fed. An occasional feed of Gu
ruta bagss will be lseful.
PorAroEs.-Experience with the Colorad,
beetle, should prompt the early planting o
potatoes; also abundant manuring and good
preparation of the soil. The latter ofteI
doubles the crop. An extra 100 bushels o
potatoes per acre ii well worth working for
IL does not pay to plant large seed. Small
well-ripened seed win be the most profitabl,
when its cost is considered. After mucl
observation, the writer finds no differenc