The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-04-28
Excerpts for Farmers.

of North Carolina, we take the follow
ing
great benefit to Irish potatoes, espec
ialIy If they be grown far south. Blu
the same treatment will prove u
OH, to the sweet. 1t is said that II
tie mountainous regions OF Ecuador
South America, the finest lrish pota
toes of the world are grown. Ih'
climate there is generally about eigh
~ degrees. and varies but few over OF
under that throughout the year. By
muIchjno in warm climates we approx
innate that telnpereature, and especial
" if the potatoes be planted about ths
Goth of June, (for the Climate of North
Carolina.) so as to mature in Septem
Der and October. There is in the ell
mate referred to an immense differ
ence in favor of summer over spring
PLANTING and the same would probably
hold good much further north.
Il once tried mulching for sweet
potatoes on a small scale. | selected
a few ridges and filled between with
corn shucks, packing them down well.
The vines grew iuxurian;ly, but IN the
fall | found the potatoes, or rather
strings. to be scarcely as large as my
fingers. while those adjoining that had
not been mulched yielded well.
From the foregoing | deduced the
following. That while mulchlng may
answer an excellent purpose IN mann
tanning a supply of moisture during
long and continued drouths, 1T Will
not answer for crops requiring a high
temperature" -,
Crops requiring a cool. moist SOIL
are benefited by covering the ground
above their roots with straw or coarse
litter that will arrest the more power
full rays of the sun, and prevent to
great ON evaporation of moisture, while
those semitropical plants that require
a high temperature are injured ny 1t.
FERTILIZERS.
The Hon. George Geddes. speaking
of the benefits of q clover sod, III the
Tribune, of March Is, 1874, says to the
effect that a field of his has been crop
ped continuously for seventy-four
wears. with no other manure than its
own crops of clover turned under every
fifth year, such clover having been
abundantly treated to gypsum for more
thar fifty years. That Notwithstanding
large crops of wheat, corn, oats, aid
barley had in a five years rotation been
grown, the land had continued to grow
better.
1t is, however, generally admitted
that the mere growing and turning
under of any green crop will not re
turn to the soil any inorganic element;
that is, if your land be deficient in lime,
potash. or similar elements, the grow
ing and turning under of a green crop
will not supply these elements.
Hence the importance of an appli-
cation of some active fertilizer, such
as unadulterated guano, when seeding
a crop to be turned under. The val
ue of the fertilizer will thus be greatly
enhanced. But if we apply a %fertili-
very little is left for the future i'm
provement of the land.
TO DESTROY MoLES.
Pills for Moles.- In early spring about
the time moles begin to come forth
from their winter quarters, make a
stiff dough of corn meal, mixing it
with g small quantity of arsenic. Make
hole with a finger in the runways,
drop in a lump of the dough about
the size Of a marble. and then cover
over with lump of earth to exclude
the light. After the first rain 90 over
the field again, and deposit in all fresh
ly-made roads. / nee concluded to
plant a piece of sandy bottom land in
sweet potatoes, but as it was much in
tested by moles, my success depended
On first exterminating them. A few
doses of arsenic given in the way de-
scribed brought about the desired re-
suit, and it was a very rare circumstan-
cess to see the track of a mole in this
piece of ground during the entire sum-
ner.
TO PREVENT CROWS FROM PULLING UP OR
BIDwORMs FROM CUTTING
Put the corn in a~ve.sel, and add
water warm water is best until cover
ed. Then add a few spoonfuls Of tar
from the southern pine, md stir and
rub well with the hands until thorough
ly mixed. Let it stand thus for two
nays. 1bCh tdhS allC Will uOlu
heads out, and fill about half full with
stable manure, and add water to make
it heat. Place some straw on the ma
nure and then the corn, and finally
cover with straw or old clothes. Pour
warm water over occasionally. In a
day or two the cJrn will commence
sprouting, when it will he in a fit con-
dition to plant. / have tested this
plan fully, and never had but few
stalks of corn thus treated injured by
crows or bud worms.
| once suggested tar to a person who
formerly had been accustomed to drop
ping six to seven grains of corn in =
hill in order to procure a stand, in a
piece of land formerly covered by q
mill-pond, in which the cut or bud
worm was very destructive. After
testing he told me that it answered an
excellent purpose.
Another great advantage in sprout-
ing corn Is that you can drop accord
ing to the stand desired. Thus if you
want n stalk, drop one sprouted
grain, and so on. This plan will also
give the young corn five or six days
the start of the grass, an important adj
vantage.
The plan answers well for dry wealth
er, il pains be taken to plant the corr
in moist dirt. Nothing but a mole APP
pears to relish corn when thus treated.
and you have a plan for him above.
have also seen copperas recommen-
ded to soak corn in, but have never
tried it.
TO Percent Gdpes an Chickens. Nix
a tablespoonful of sulphur with a quart
Of corn meal. Make into dough,
bake and feed to the chickens.