The Russellville Democrat., 1880-09-09
FACTS FOR FARMERS.
What There is in Wheat Lime as 2
 Fertilizer - The Value of Weather Signs = Miscellaneous Items.

What There is in Wheat Vi Lime as a
 Fertilizer - The Value of Weather
 signs Miscellaneous Items.
 WHAT THERE IS IN WHEAT.
 The wheat grain Is a fruit consisting of 1 seed and It's coverings. All the mid dle part of the grain is occupied by large, thin cells, full of powdery substance, which contains nearly all the starch of the wheat. Outside the central starchy mass is single row of squarish cells filled with a yellowish material, very rich, with nitrogenous--that IS, flesh forming matter. Beyond this again there are six thin coats or coverings. EcontainIpg much mineral matter, both in potash and phosphates. The mill products of these coverings of the seeds are peculiarly rich in nutrlment, and fine flour is robbed of a large percentage of valuable and nutritious food. MIddlings not only contain more fibrn and mineral matter than fine flour, but also fat | The fibrous matter. or outer coat, which is indiqestible, forms one-sixth of the bran, but not one.hundredth of the fine flour. Wheat contains the greatest quantity of gluten and the smallest of starch; rye, a medium portion of both; while in barley, oats and corn, the largest proportion of starch and the smallest of gluten are to be found. In practice 100 pounds of flour will make from l34 to l37 pounds of bread. q good average being 136 pounds, hence a bar rel of l96 pounds should yield 266 one pound. loaves. es.--Anericda Miller.
 LIME AS A FERTILIZER. ~
 The quantity to bezapplied should be in great measure determined by the character of the soil. If it contains a large amount of vegetable matter, says the New York Sun then more lime may be used with advantage than where it contains but little; or if the soil is cold clay. and the lime is desired to cut 1t up and improve it's mechanical condition as well as chemical, then quite large amount-50 to 100 bushels--may often be applied with benefit. But on light soils-that is, rand and sandy loams-10 to 20 bushels is sufficient for one applica- ton. For wheat apply just before sow ing the wheat and broadcast, narrowing in with the grain. It is not best to mix gram with other fertilizers, especially those containing ammonia. There are no vegetables or plants which would be sure indication that soil requires lime, but there are some that thrive better on soils deficient in lime than on those containing large amount A farmer should never use lime with the idea that it is in itself fertilizer, but only as a dissolvent of the plant-food already in the soil.
 THE VALUE OF WEATHER SIGNS.
 That there are signs and indications which foreshow different events, no thinking person should deny. The signs and indications which foreshow rains or dry weather should be carefully studied, especially by farmers. An observing, experienced farmer IS generally of more account as a weather prophet than q good baromet 1T, and the way he foretlls the weather so accurately IS by observ- | ing signs and indications. He notes the | feeling of the winds, the condition of | the atmosphere. the appearance of the clouds. etc. There are many signs used by the superstitious and ignorant which are false signs, and should be cast aside l as worthless. For every true sign and indication there is or can be correct and scientific explanation. So let each of us tell the signs which our obserya- | tions and reason have adopted as true, and assign or have assigned reasons for them. Thus we test each others signs, | become more correct as weather pro- phets. and learn to tell at least a day or | two in advance what the weather is | likely to be. t .nS t.o4s
 | will now give some of the rain signs and indications which have been of use
 to me: l. By carefully observing the direction and feeling of the winds, one
 can learn to tell, with tolerable accuracy
 when rain storm is coming. 2. have
 observed that ring around the sun ol
 moon denotes a condition of the atmos
 phere which preeedes storm. 3. Mois
 ture always collects in considerable
 quantities on the outside of vessels con
 taining water colder than the atmos
 phere, and on cold water pumps of en
 zines a few hours before the rain; th'
 rain is obvious. 4. When stratus cloud
 appear in the sky, it is usually an indi
 cation of rain 5. One sign we received from an old farmer, and with us 1t ha
 proven good one ., .,...
 .swhen the sun rises early and goes to bed sool
 It will ram before night, if not before noon.'
 That is, when the sun rises bright an clear, and in a few minutes passes unde
 cloud it is likely to rain soon. sli.
 .t~ff MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS. A QUICK and efiectual method to des troy plantain and other weed pests O.
 lawns is to cut the plants of at tn crown, and drop onthe top of the roc two or three drops of kerosene oil. Tn lawn will not be defaced by digging, an the. work is at once completely don' , the root dies as surely as if struck D } lightning.
 WEEDS on gravel walks may be de ! troyed and prevented from growth f again by copious dressing of the cheal
 est salt This is better method tha :. hand,pulling, which disturbs the grav' : and renders constant raking and rollu !, necessary. One application early in tl ! seasnn and others as -naY1be needes