The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-04-03
FARMERS COLUMN.
Practical Hints for April.

BARLEY.-A fine condition of the soil is
indispensable for this crop. Old barley grow
ers know all about this, but many want to
grow barley because it is profitable crop
when successful. 1t will succeed in any
good, well prepared soil, but mellow clay
loan which can be brought to good tith is
to be preferred. But good crops of bright
grain may be grown on lighter loans if in
good heart. 1t may be made an excellent
soiling crop to follow cloverand as change
from oats We prefer to sow thickly, say 81
bushels per acre, but opinions vary in this
respect, and from II to % bushels is the
range.
OATs.-Early sown oats in our hot clim-
ate are, as a rule, better than the late sown,
Our climate is not so favorable for oats as
the cooler northern and northeastern ones.
There oats are heavy and plump and seed
from Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Bruins
wick will produce well for two or three years.
By using seed from these northern localities
oats may be grown in the Middle States
weighing from 35 to 45 lbs. per bushel
CoRN.-This is one of those crops which
require a warm soil and which suffer from
late frost. But the ground may be prepared
in season to help on the planting afterwards.
AS good crop may be grown on stubble as
on sod if the right method is followed; and
this is simply to give sufficient manure and
thorough cultivation. 100 bushels per acre
may be produced, and this means double or
treble pay for the same labor. Far larger
crops than this have been grown, and of
late years, thanks to the general diffusion Of
scientific knowledge through the best of the
agricultural journals, the average yield of
this grain has been doubled. A yield of IS
or so bushels is now secured where so or 40
bushels used to satisfy farmers. The use Of
fertilizers and good methods of cultivation
have effected this; but the same means may
be made available for even larger yields, and
one should never stay satisfied with large
crop; but try for still greater ones. The
time Of planting of course varies with the
latitude, and these remarks apply when
complaining is in season.
Cows'-Garget and abortion trouble the
dairymen. We believe in prevention. The
former may surely be prevented by due care
AS soon as the udder contains milk, 1T should
be relieved by drawing off part of it, il
there is any tendency to hardness. These
diseases are often a consequence ofweakness
A fat animal may be weak for want of food
When cows time approaches and the feed
is suddenly reduced, disturbance of the sys
TEN is caused. Circulation becomes irregu.
lar, and congestion occurs in the most sus-
ceptible organs. The udder is the principal
one of these at this period, and an attack oil
garget is very sure to occur. This may not
always be SO, but long experience and oh.
servation convinces us that it generally is
The remedy is obvious.
SwINE.--Corn is high, but so is freight
and as 500 lbs of corn may be carried in Q
pork barrel, it is question if it will not pay
to feed 30 cent corn TO cent pigs Every
bnshel of corn fed relieves the market of ;
surplus, and makes the remainder more sal
able. This is to be considered Also the
fact that there is kind of pig that may bt
fed the most proftably and that one kint
is the one to discover and choose. Hereaf
ter farmers will save their profits in all pro
liability, just as is done in other manulac
turing business. Animals are living farm
machines.
ORCHARD AND NURSERY
Whoever sets out an orchard Of cours
does it with the expectation of return il
fruit. No one plants corn or potatoes with
out first considering if the land will giy,