The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-07-15
AGRICULTURE.


-The necessity tor agricultural editors
| to give earnest advice and counsel about
the better care Of houses, fences, tools,
| stock and land Is imperative. Impress
upon all the importance Of studying
more, and of doing everything scien-
tiflcally and systematically. The cul-
| tiVatiOn of broad acres and the sale of
! the gross crops without condensation
is ceasing to be paying business, and
the one who can expect to win must
expect to do it by better cultivation,
by a wiser care of the productiveness Of
his farm, by more economical use of
the products of his industry, and by
| better care of tho domestic animals.
The farmer must stay more at home,
ana by his own voice domesticate his
| ing 81 they will moro prOfitably assim-
ilate their food. The farmer must make
his farm his paradise, ana the presence
OF his stock and his family his principal
| delight. Our people arc not domestic
enough-too much going abroad for
| the comforts and enjoyments of life
which should be found In a well-fur-
nished house, a lovely lawn, a we'll
arranged farm and buildings, and a
gOodly lot Of domestic animals who love
their owners presence. There Is an
| immense work to be done to educate
| farmers to tho true principles OF farm
ing. There Is need of not only edi-
| torIal but Governmental aid. Preccpt
and demonstration must be brought to
bear to induce tho people to ornament
their homes by setting out evergrecns,
planting and cultivating fruits and
flowers, ornamenting their lawns, and
! improving and moro thoroughly do
| mesticating their animals and birds.
They should instil into their children
IL more abiding love of home by making
| 1t more lovely. They must be taught
the Importance Of making every foot of
their ground more productive, and Of
using that produce so as to yield the
largest returns with the least propor-
tiona ontlay. The home and farm
should be to his heart, and the heart of
his family the grecnest and sweetest
spUt OH earth, around which their af-
tcctiuns should cluster, and be the
dearest place OF enjoyment for leisure
hours.
TIE VALUE OF SMALL THINGS.-We
have often spoken OF the convenience
and value of a small tool house, which
should be found upon the premises of
every farmer, in which OH rainy days,
VI
particular Oh hand to 20 at, Implements
and machinery OUT of repair may be
mended and made ready for use. Or,
in the event Of anything happening
when in operation, and at times too
when the work is hurrying, which
would cause delay, wo can al lways have
at hand the necessary tools to mend it
Immediately and 20 on with the work
without much delay, and thus accom-
plish what there Is to do In the specified
time. We have often heard a farmer
say that he fully expected to have done
a certain field or allotted blowing or
moving &C., If it had not been for that
stone, stump or root breaking some por-
tion Of the machinery, to repair which
he had to send two miles of, when 1t
ought to have been done by himself on
his own premises In half an hour or SO.
That very Implement had shown weak
ness the proceeding autumn, but hav-
ing no little tool-house or workshop of
his own and the few necessary tools, it
was put off altogethcr; and now, In the
midst Of the season, when others de-
pended on his Flushing this particular
piece Of work 10 go on with getting in
the crop, the very thing happens that
he was afraid several months before
would happen, and which he fully in
tended should be prepared for in time
for the seasons work. a shop and tools
would have saved all this and as much
money as would have supplied the
tools. Sometimes very small things
effect valuable purposes which have q
great deal to do in carrying on sys-
tcmatically and at tho right time the
Indispensable operations Of the fam.
SOWING FLOWER SEEDs.-In sowing
flower seeds Il mistake is frequently
made In sowing them too deep; indeed
it Is a very common error, and ac-
counts for many failures in the gcrmi-
nation Of flower seeds, wherein the
florist or scotsman is unjustly blamed.
The rule recommended of covering
seed only their thickness Is n safe one
to follow. Some do not require to be
covered, cut when sown all that IS re-
quircd Is to press the earth down with
board. I'his buries the seed into the
ground sufficiently to ensure their
termination II they are sound. The
soil requires to be finely pulvoriZcd,
tor If it be lumpy the seeds fall between
them, and may dry up before sprout-
ing. Balsams aud Zinnlas, and oIher
medium sized seeds may be covered from
n quarter to half an inch. We are re-
tcrring now to the hardier ANIMALS, the
seeds Of which may be sown where
they are to grow. AS we have said
heretofore, it is better to sow the seed
In boxes and transplant into the open
ground. for in that way stronger plants
are generally obtained that stand
drouth better and give flowers easier.
But The great majority Of people do not
take the trouble to do this. When it is
done, when the plants arc first set out :,
they should be watcrcd Frequently in
dry weather. The ground needs to be
kept loose, so that the plants may re-
ccive the full benefit Of the rain and
dews.
WATERING WINDOW PLANTs.-Tberc
Is one universal law rs to watering
plants, which a great many people en-
Lirely neglect. We mean the excellent
rule OF watering them with warm
water, always rather warmer than the
soil the plants arc growing In. The
organs of tender plants are extremely
delicate; and when they are wanted TO
digest their food it Is a bad plan surely
to pa"alyZo them with cold. If we feed
them, on the other hand, with food a