Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1881-05-07
FARM AND GARDEN.
Seasonable Hints about Work from
the Agriculturist for May.

No farmer needs to be told that this Is
month in which work presses, but
many of our readers will find this year
that large share of the work of two
months is crowded into one. In
season so unreasonable as this, careful
laying out of the work is more than ever
necessary. Fortunate are those who
prepared the land for spring wheat last
fall. In many cases farmers may be
compelled to let this crop go by, and
give more attention to corn. Early
sowing is on many accounts desirable,
vet good crops have been made in
New York State when the sowing was
not done until May Goth. Oats rarely
do well unless sown very early. The
crop may be much improved by care
in preparing the seed. Pass it through
a tanning mill to blow out all the light,
imperfect seeds.
Corn planting will be the leading
work throughout broad area. It is q
matter of common remark with those
who observe the weather that, take one
year with another, the first of June
will find vegetation about equally adj
vanced, no matter how backward the
early part of the season may have been.
Corn-land is to be put in readiness as
soon as may be, but the seed must not
he planted until the soil is warm, and
the grain will start into vigorous growth
at once. There is often serious loss
from planting too early; the grain
remains dormant, or rots in the ground.
1t Is often the use that field planted
in April will, in June. be far behind
one planted two weeks later. The old
rule is ga aed for corn one cannot
always follow this besides in many
cases grass land is too valuable as such
to be plowed up for another crop. The
American farmer is learning that
meadows and pastures furnish the most
valuable of crops.
Corn does admirably on stubble land.
the extensive experiments reported by
Prof. Atwater and otheIs show that it
does not matter what the preceding crop
has been, so long as the soil is in good
filth and abundantly supplied with the
food elements which the corn plant re-
qulres. There Is as much difference of
opinion as ever, as to whether it is pref.
cradle to plant in hills or in drills.
Corn can be kept free from weeds with
greater ease when planted in hills, as the
cultivator or horseshoe may be run in
two directions, and thus leave a much
smaller part of the work for the hand
hoe. There is the advantage in drills
that the plants are more evenly distrib-
uted over the ground, each stalk has
more immediate room to itself. A larger
crop can be grown with the corn in
drills, but it is claimed that in most
cases this Is more than offset by the in
ere sed labor in tending it, especially if
the land is weedy. The importance of
selecting seed corn has been so strongly
set forth at the proper season, that it is
presumed that this first step towards a
successful crop was taken in time. Ii
one has a variety that he has improved
by careful selection through several
years, he should be slow to change it for
a new kind. though we would by no
means discourage the testing of new va
rieties of promise.
The root crop increases in Importance
and greater acreage is devoted to 1t
each year, and it must advance in favor
as the country becomes older and our
methods are forced to adapt themselves
to the change in our condition. Roots
do best IN loose friable soil, with
gravely subsoil. They require deep
culture, and the soil should be plowed
to at least ten inches. If the sell is not
rich, give good supply of we'll rotted
manure bone dust, guano. or super.
phosphate, at the rate of 800 to 500
pounds per acre, may be applied with
profit. All such concentrated manures
should be sown on the surface and har-
rowed in, or otherwise thoroughly mixed
with the soil. Mangel-wurzels are the
most important root crop. They should
be sown at the middle of the month.
After mangels come sugar beets and
blood beets, which may be sown
early in June, but do the best. usually.
when put in the ground the last of MAY.
The leading varieties of yellow-feshed
mangels are Webb's Yellow Globe.
Yellow flesh d Tankard, and the Long
Yellow. The red varieties are less solid.
With the fodder crops sown in April,
and the corn and roots in May, there is
little of the farm land unoccupied. A
small portion may be devoted with profit
to fodder corn for June, July and Au-
gust, after the early rye and clover.
A top-dressiDg of fine barn yard ma
nure, or artificial fertilizer applied to
the grass land, either pasture or mead.
ow, will often give life to the grass,
and return the expense many fold.
Plaster often produces excellent re-
suits upon young clover fields. Thus
applied, it will help increase the crop
to be plowed in as green manure.
One to eight bushels per acre may be
sown broadcast, and this should be done
as early as possible this month. Do
not let the animals go to pasture until
the ground is settled and firm.
THE FARM LIVE STOCK.
With the hard work of the month the
horses require the best care, which in.
cludes carding and brushing. Too
much corn, fed now, makes the ami
mails restless by producing an irritation
of the skin. A moderate feed of green
rye will be very acceptable to horses.
and promote their health. If the land
is not stony, the shoes may be removed
from the farm teams, for time at least.
with benefit. Oxen being naturally
slow in their motions, they will not
bear hurrying in their work, and should
be given abundant time for feeding. A
yoke of oxen can be kept with profit on
most farms of considerable size where
three or more men with teams are en-
ployed.
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