The Osceola times., 1880-05-01
Facts FOR FARMERS.
The Farmers Aeeounts-Als Glover
Testing New Varieties.


enough. The farm work Is not condu-
Give to good penmanship, and when one
comes In at night after q hard days
work of gathering corn or hauling wood
or, what Is worse, handling stone, his
hands feel as rough as graters and each
digit is an independent quantity, and
they cannot work together on so small
thing as pencil or penholder. Their
prehensile power is good for the handle
Of q pitchtork or grubbing- hoe, but 1t
cramps them to hold the pen. We have
felt the WEAKNESS OF the grip when try
ing to propel Faber No. after holding
the plow all day.
Yet each day on farm has its history.
Business has been transacted, crops
planted or harvested. animals bred or
sold, tools bought or repaired, obligations
made or discharged, all of which must
be kept in memory or recorded in a
book We have more faith in the book
than in our memory. We do not think
Plato was right when he taught his dis
ciples to commit everything to memory
and not to paper.
Accuracy IN accounts saves many 4
dollar, much time, and promotes honesty
and good feeling. The man whose ac-
counts are at lose ends cannot always
tell whether he is making or losing. He
can not be sure whether his methods Of
farming and of feeding stock are paying
or not. At least he can not tell with
sufficient accuracy to be sure that his
methods are the best he can dc. The
man who is negligent in keeping ac-
counts not only loose many opportunities
for making where now he is loosing, but
he surely loses the comfort and peace
of mind that correct accounts bring one.
Then, too, the man who from year to
year keeps careful accounts is forming
good habits, and each year becomes bet
ter posted in his business, and quickens
! is mind and fortiiies his judgment. His
methods Of doing Business improve, and
he understands himself and his business.
He is projected in large measure
against the tricks of sharpers. The
mechanic and merchant will be more
careful to have their accounts with him
in every detail. The overreaching ship
pers and rascally agents will not attempt
their ways that are dark and tricks that
are vain on the man who is habitually
accurate in his account and ready with
figures, provided he has ripened his ex-
perience and judgment by attention to
his calling.
AIsIEH CLOVER.
NJ. NJ. Baldridge, Esq, the well-known
apiarist Of st. Charles, ILL.,. IN a recent
conversation gave the result of his ex.
perience and observations in the pro-
duction of this crop. He sowed it for
the production Of honey, when it was
first introduced in the West, and has
continued to raise il ever since. He
thinks it as valuable for the production
of fodder for cattle as for its yield OF
honey. 1t does remarkably well on
moist land, where red and white clover
do not succeed. 1t PRODUCES very large
crops IN wet seasons, but is less produc.
tive than either red or white clover on
soils ordinarily quite dry. 1t makes q
small growth on dry land during sea
sons when drought prevails for a con
siderable period. A somewhat slight
fall OF rain causes it to start quickly after
its growth has been checked by the
drought.
II is best adapted to a climate some.
what moist, and in Canada is preferred
to either red or white clover as a pasture
plant. 1t remains for long time in
ground once sown with 1t, as the first
seed that ripens falls before the crop i.
ready TO cut. When he first experi-
mented with it he sowed the seed by
itself, one of his objects in raising it be
ing to get crop of seed that then com
manded very high price. In moist
seasons it did remarkably well, but in
very dry seasons 1t succeeded poorly
He now raises it in connection with red
clover, and succeeds iii getting a good
crop every year, even If the season is
quite dry. If one of the objects in
raising it was the production of seed fol
the market, he would still SOW it in con,
nection with red clover seed. Alsike
ripens before red clover does, so that the
seed thrashed out is ordinarily clean
Should there be little red clover seed
with it screen will separate the two
varieties.
For producing honey, seed or fodder
there are very great advantages in rails
ing Alsike in connection with red clover
The roots Of the former spread out near
the surface of the ground, while those oi
the latter sink deep into it. The two
varieties occupy the same soil with mu-
tual benefit. Let the season be dry or
moist, good crop of clover will be pro-
duced iron one variety or the other
The roots of Alsike clover help to pre-
vent the roots of red clover from being
thrown out Of the ground by the action
of the frost. The rank foliage Of red
clover shades the ground so that suffi-
Giant moisture is afforded the Alsike to
insure q good growth. In sowing the
two varieties of clover together, the pro-
portion should be one pound of Alsike
seed to four of red. A small amount OF
timothy may be raised on the same land
with advantage to the two kinds OF
clover, as it adds in supporting the
stalks.
TESTING NEW VARIETIES.
Every season several new varieties of
fruit, vegetables, or grain are brought
out, with statements of their wonderful
yields, and sold at extortionate prices.
Not unireouently $40 is charged for a
sickly grapevine that has been rooted
but one season, while from 81 TO IS is
asked for pound Of potatoes. New
varieties of corn and wheat generally
sell for 81 per pint. A few years ago the
Wild Goose plum was advertised as a
very productive variety, that was proof
against the attack of the curculio Many
thousands of these treese were sold in
this vicinity at 81 each, and some per-
sons purchased enough to set a consider
able orchard. 1t is safe to say that not
one plum has been raised on every ten
trees planted. The career of the ever
bearing strawberry was very similar
As rule, the nearer an article comes to
being entirely worthless, the higher is it
extolled and the greater is the price de-