Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1880-03-31
%sEAs0NABlE FARM HINTS.

sEAsONABlE FARM HINTS.
So long as the ground is open and not
90 wet for working, put in the pillow OF
understanding to the size of the gar
len.
MANURE applied to the lawn and gar
den should always be SO well rotted that
there will be no risk Of its containing the
seeds of weeds.
BEErs delight in a good, strong soil.
If well drained and thoroughly worked,
even q clay soil will produce good beets.
But it must be rich andmellow.
Ir there is not sufficient rain to keep
compost heaps moist water should be
supplied, wen if it has to be hauled and
poured on them. Decomposition is ar
rested when the heap becomes dry. A
few barrels of water from the well soon
start up heat and decomposition in a dry
pile Of compost.
Some seeds, like the parsnip, are not
good the second year, and should not be
kept over. All doubtful seeds, either as
to age, name or quality, should be thrown
out. Good seed is one of the essentials
to success in the garden, and now is the
time to sort, label, select and reject if
necessary.
ALL the seeds that may be required
should be procured at once. There are
some kinds Of seed that are better to be
changed occasionally; oats and potatoes
are Of this kind, and should be procured
from a northern locality, where the oats
are harder, and the potatoes larger and
more vigorous.
In nearly all soils ashes are beneficial.
Their action is twofold; they supply to
plants inorganic constituents which they
require, and they act chemicallyas solv-
ents upon other salts in the soil, or
they neutralize acids, etc. They are
more beneficial O sandy and grayelly
lands than on clay. For plants that con-
tain a large percentage of potash and
phosphoric acid, as carrots, turnips, po-
manure
TUE best place to keep eggs intended
for Matching is to wrap them in paper
and put them down. cellar in a covered
box or basket. 1 have known eggs to
hatch after being kept this way for four
weeks before being set. Ii they have to
be kept some time it is best to turn
them once every day or every other day.
But set the eggs as soon as a hen can be
had to take them.
SOME people make the mistake of CIV
ing the broods Matched by two or more
hens at once so a single hen to nurse.
If each hen has Matched but one or two
chicks, then, Of course, it is right and
proper to give them all to one hen. But
if each hen has Matched five or six chicks
she should be allowed to rear them.
That number is nearly or quite enough
for q small or medium-sized hen at this
time of year.
"'THE early chicks get the early worm,"
March pullets are those which fill the
egg baskets in the winter time. There
fore set all the broody hens for which
eggs a be procured as soon as possible,
and take great care of the chicks which
come in this month. A warm run out of
doors can be made under a hot-bed sash,
arranged between two coops, and laid on
boards set o their edges.
A New YORK shepherd says: 1t is not
impossible to get rid Of ticks on sheep.
Take fine dust tobacco; put in a box such
as ground spice is sold in, making OPEN
ings with an awl in the cover to suit;
part the wool just behind the fore legs,
around the body, dust a ring around the
sheep quite thick. Do the same also in
different places on the body wherever
the ticks are the most likely to congre-
gate. Use the tobacco literally, and !
will warrant a cure.
A FARMERS wife who makes sweet,
gilt-edged butter says she uses no color
ing, neither does abe wash the butter.
She churns sweet cream ut a temperature
of 63 degrees, in a dash churn. To make
nice, fresh butter, it is necessary to ar
range that different members Of the herd
should "come in" at different periods.
If the cows are fed on good second crop
hay the butter will need no coloring.
She allows the milk to stand from thirty
six to forty-eight hours, the cream being
kept in jars and we'll stirred, churning
three times q week.
1t is folly to keep old sheep. They
should be turned off to the butcher while
they are in their prime, 1t does not take
half SO much to fatten them then. When
they get old aud thin, in order to put
them in condition to slaughter, the whole
superstructure must be rebuilt. Foul
sets of lambs are all a eve a bear.
This will bring her to five years, and
this is an age when, with o little care,
she will round up to a fine carcass. Ex'
ceptions may be- made when the breed il
scarce and the blood is more valuable
than anything else.
One fruitful source of collie in horses il
cracked corn. If corn is to be fed use
whole corn; it is much more likely to b.
perfectly masticated than cracked corn,
and its imperfect ~mastication causes thu
colo. It is also unwise to feed grain tc
q hungry horse, for then q large portion
is very apt to be swallowed without be.
ing properly masticated. This can b.
seen in their weddings. Always let tn.
edge of a horses hunger be taken of
with a feed of hay before feeding grain
Halt an hour extra spent in feeding
while on the road will bring you HON,
half an hour earlier at night.
CLOVER may be sown this month
When the ground is lifted and cracked
by a light frost, the seed may be sow
with good effect But the preferabl,
method is. to SOW as soon as the soil i
dry enough, and then run over the grount
with a light smoothing harrow, an.
spread $50 pounds Of fertilizer immedi
ately. Orchard grass is q most valuabl,
kind to SOW with clover; it is early ant
late, and is unsurpassed for cutting TO
soiling, or for hay. Three bushels 0
seed per acre, is not too much, IS clos
seeding is needed, to prevent the gras
from forming large cluinps or stools.
For early beets, the soil should be o
. warmer and more sandy nature thai
for the late crop. Rapid growth is de
sirable. The land should be liberall
MANFRED and the manure thorough,
worked into the soil. A dressing q