The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-09-08
for the farmer.
SUGGESTIONS OF AND FOR THE SEA-
SON.

The leading farm work for September in many
parts Of the United States is the sowing OF small
crops. This involves putting the soil in thor
ough readiness, and the selection and sowing oil
the seed There are a number of essentials IN
the proper preparation of the seed bed, all of
which should obtain in every fi:ld devoted to a
grain crop. The soil should be rich, either by
the accumulated fertility of long years OF undis-
turbed vsgetatiOn-the virgin soil, or made 50
by the addition of q fertilizer in the form of barn
yard dung OF the so-called ''chemieal manures.
OF these two, that made in the barn-ya or sta
BILE is to be the first chosen, and the superphos-
pilates and other tsalts" only used as supple
ment to the barn-yard manure, or in cases where
the latter is not to be obtained, Next TO rich
ness should come a fine filth. This requires that
the soil be plOwed in 4 thorough manner, and al
forwards stirred with the harrow or some other
cultivatOr-in fact with any implement, until
the Jumps are reduced, and the whole soil is in a
fine, mellow state. The Importance of the mel
lowness of the soil for all seeds cannot be too
strongly insisted upon, as without it the seeds
do not come into intimate contact with the par
tieles of earth, and therefore cannot make
good start, and many of them will not grow at
all. With good supply of plant food, in con
dition to bs readily taken up by the yonng
plants, the next thing is to select the seed and
sow il properly. TO put the matter of selection
in nut shell-s0w the best seed TO be found, even
If il costs double that of the ordinary sort. When
the fact becomes more thoroughly known that OF
two kinds of grain, for example, under Identical
conditions, one will yield twice as much as the
other more attention will be given TO n proper
selection of the seed. IL is not for us to say
which variety of wheat or other grain is best I;
that depends upon local circumstances and con-
ditiOns and each farmer must, after careful stu
dy, decide such matters himself The 'Clawson
wheat is at present taking high rank for yield
and quality in many localities 1t may not be
the best for all places. Were il not for the Hes
sian Fly, early sowing of wheat should be recon-
mended in all cases. Late sowing is a disadyan-
tage in itself the plants make smaller
growth before winter sets in. The richer the
soil, the later the sowing mayb be done with
safety.
The FRUIT GARDES-The old strawberry beds
shoIld be kept clean of weeds, removing all run
nGrs not needed for new plants. New beds may
De set this month, but there is very little gained
In point Of time over spring planting unless
spotted plants are used. These are plants from
runners which have struck root in pots of earth,
set under them; by removing the plants with the
earth there is no checking of growth, and fair
crop Of fruit may bo expected the following sum
mer. There is a gain in setting ordinary straw.
berry plants in :he fall in that the soil is in bet
ter condition, and that the garden and other
work is not 50 pressing. Blackberrie 5 and rasp-
berries start very early in the spring, and should
be planted in the fall. fit is desired to propa-
gate the black caps, and few varieties of the
red, the canes must be bent down and earth
placed she tips, which then will strike
root. Most red raspberries and blackberries may
he propagated readily by suckers" or shoots
which spring from below the ground. The eur
rants and g0oseberries may be pruned as soon as
the leaves ready TO fall. PrOpa CATION is done
by cuttings planted in rows with one bud above
the surface. If put in early, they will form root,
before winter sets in. The gathering of tho
grapes Is important operation, and is best
done with the scissors made for the purpose
this avoids handling the fruit, which, by remOv
ing the "bloOm," Injuries the appearance, and
therefore the sale. The uss of trays for holding
the fruit for curing, and the packing of grape
are fully treated elsewhere ON this page.
EARLY FRosfs IL THE GARDEs.-Our gardens
are often at their best in early autumn. W.
have few days of early frost, in which the yer.
tenderest things are killed of, and then follow
days, often weeks, of the most delightful wealth
er, in which the plants which have escaped til,
first FROST are at their best. 1t is very disheart
cning TO the amateur, to see his beds of COleus
all limp aud useless, while the harder Geran
iutns seem to laugh at the disaster. So far rs VT
have noticed, this is the usual experience, and il
Occurs so regularly each year, that il soem
worth while to prepare for these early frOsts, il
order to prolong the enjoyment of the garden
These early yisrtations, though sufficient TO Kill
the tenderst plants, slight that they may
be easily warded off. Whatever may be PLACED
over the plants to prevent radiation of heat, viii
answer. The taller the plants, of course thu
more difficult il is to protect them. Wehaye pre-
served bed of tall Cannas, by setting still
taller pole in the CENTRE tying a sheet by its mid
die to the pole and letting the sheet hang ovel
the plants its edges being supported by them
Beds of COleus and other tender plants may b,
readily protected by newspapers, held up b.
sticks placed here and there in the bed. Indeed
in early autumn, the newspaper is a most nsefu
horticultural appliance, not only in the fiowe
garden. but in the vegetable garden. By pro
per use of newspapers for few Iights-the ear
ly frosts rarely continue for more than thre,
nights-the crop of tomatoes may be prolonged
for several weeks; especially when the plant
trained. advised.
trells or support of some kind.--ImericdH Agri
cHIfwisf for SeDte,abeT,