The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-02-23
farm aud Garden.
Conducted by DR.. THOMAS POLLARD, State
Commissioner of Agriculture
Work for the Season

den peas, tomatoes, lettuce, and pepper
In their hot beds. The winter oats have
been much injured, and in some cases
destroyed, but where they were sowed
last of August and first of September,
we hope many of them will survive Ii
spring oats are designed to be seeded, let
1T be done now as soon as the weather
permits Ii to 2 bushels per acre, but not
before the Goth of this month. Winter
oats should be seeded even in the spring
because they are more hardy, and of
these we prefer the "Lyle Rust proof
oat," which comes in ten days, or two
weeks earlier than the ordinary winter
or spring oats. If seeded in the fall,
they come In more than two weeks ear
lier. Ii seeded as early as this, and the
weather threatens to continue cold then
it will be better to plough the oats in
and drag afterwards, ploughing them in
shallow. Glover should be seeded from
the 10th of February, to March 1st,
either on wheat, rye, or oats, or alone.
If sown on light snow, they frequently
succeed well. If seeded when the ground
is cracking from light freezes and thaw-
ing, they get good Judgment, and moth
ing more is necessary But if seeded
later and the ground is getting dry, then
the ground should be dragged, the clover
seeded, and good roller passed over
them. 1t is best to drag the ground
lightly, then seed, then drag, and roll.
These operations benefit the wheat, both
the dragging and the rolling, the former
oultivating, and the latter pressing in,
and firmlng the roots of the wheat which
may have been raised by freezing and
thawing. Occasionally, when the season
is very dry, as it was last spring, we
have seen the dragging injure the wheat,
but this is rare. We think the farmers
generally SOW too small quantity of
clover. If seeded with orchard or other
grasses, l gallon is enough per acre, but
It seeded alone, |! gallons should be
used, and we believe it is safer to sow 2
gallons per acre, when unaccompanied
by orchard or other grasses. 1t is bad
economy to. be too sparing of clover seed
If seeded with oats, they may be lightly
dragged in, dragging the oats first. and
then seeding the clover and dragging,
or they may be well brushed in. We
believe in their having some covering,
unless seeded very early on cracked
land or the roots will be too shallow
and the plants will be killed by hot
suns. Tobacco beds should be prepared
and seeded now if the weather permits,
IT not already done. We suppose the
planters have made up their minds what
kinds to cultivate, so it is useless to saw
any thing on this point. This year will
test the White Burley" in Virginia. If
thus fails, the planters must raise the
Brights," where the lands are suitable,
Or as a general rule, give up tobacco.
There is much land in Virginia which
will raise bright tobacco, but the plant
ers generally do not know how to cure it.
This they will have to learn by going to
North Carolina or some successful raisers
IN Southside Virginia. Ofgarden peas for
market, the Extra Early Landreth, Early
Frame, Carriers first crop, White Mar
: row fat, Champion of England, and
McLeans Advancer, are generally pre-
terred, coming in, as they do, somewhat
In succession. Lattefly, Bliss "Ameri-
can Wonder" Ia cross between Little
Glant and Champion of England, } seems
to commend itself to popular favor.
For family use it is best to plant the
dwarf varieties in succession, as thew do
not require sticks, which add much to
the expense of cultivation; indeed sticks
are much abandoned now in pea culture
even for market. For tomatoes we re-
commend Acme, Testers Perfected Oarge
purple tomato, sometimes called Feiee
and Golden Trophy. A new tomato
Livingston" advertised by Dreer Phila.
delphia, is highly praised, but it is one
OF the new things not fully tested.
Report of the United States Commits
sioner of Agriculture.
Next in this report, following what we
have noticed, are several articles on the
Contagious diseases of Animals" the
first by DR.. Detmers, the second by DR..
Law on Swine Plague, and the third made
up principally from work of Prof. Law
on Pleuro-P Pneumonia, and the fourth on
Pleuro-Pneumonia by DR.. Lyman, all We.
Tterlnary Surgeons. The writings of these
Veterinary Surgeons are very scientific.
zoo much so-more so than the average
writings Of Doctors of medicine. Some
years ago (1877) Dr. Detmers said this
disease Of swine was Catarrhal, rheu-
matte inflammation, having its principal
seat In the mucus membranes of the res
plratory passages "a curious seat of
rheumatism. But now, it is "Swine
Plague having for its cause small mi
ccroph1ytes, called "Bacilh," which are
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