The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-09-10
FARMERS COLUMN
FARM NOTES.

Agricultural Society will be held at Wor-
cester, Mass, from September 6 TO in
elusive.
The German harvest reports are
generally favorable, the exceptions relat-
ing to Mecklenburg, Mecklenburg-Stre-
litz and Schleswig- Holstein.
The grain and hay crops of the
southern tier of New York counties were
good, aud we're harvested In unusually
good condition. There was plenty OF
rain to make them grow, and dry wealth
or for the harvest.
Large Western farms enable machin.
cry to be used in farm work, but Eastern
small farms in many cases are too small
for it, and hence increase the cost Of
Eastern crops. That does not count
much in favor OF small farms.
Tho army-worm has recently beer
making havoc with the oats about Gales
burg, Illinois. Some parties there
Thought it a new insect, but Mr.. Thomas
of the Country Gentleman, to whom
specimens were sent, prouounces It thu
genuine army-worin.
-"B. T. T." says in the Country
Gentleman that the drouth in Southern
Illinois "would be alarming were it no
that the people there were used to it,
So man or people used to being straw
ed to death must go without much sym
pathy, we suppose. In his own county
Champaign he complains of very colo
nights.
Bourbon County, Kentucky, has q
County Agricultural Association which
has held successive fairs every year since
1888 (except once during the wary and
never allowed horserace, nor has even
track hid out. Now If Kentucky can
successfully prohibit these disgracerul
exhibitions, why may rot other places in
the moral North do the same.
Hard times among English farmers
must be hard indeed, as our English
papers report that 57l farmers, gardeners,
farm bailiffs, etc., had declared them
selves bankrupt during the last half year.
OF tradesmen closely connected with
farming such rs butchers, hayystraw, po-
tato, horse and cattle dealers, the fail
ures were sol in the same time.
The Russian Government Is con-
sideripg the expediency of a law to pre-
vent speculation in grain to the injury of
the producers. The Goverumen. intends
to Control the grain market instead of al
lowing spectators to do it. Here is IN
instance Which, if carried out, will show
despotism in better light even then a
free government. We sh Il come to that
YET in time.
&e-subscribe for the ADfooATE only 81
year.
TO hasten the ripening of tomatoes
writer says he cuts off all the foliage ex-
cept the stalks bearing the vegetables.
The reason he ascribes to the extra snn-
light they set. So some people cut off
the foliage Of grape 7ines to ripen the
grapes, and ruin them. Perhaps toma-
toes are different, but it is to be doubted.
When growth is nearly attained they will
ripen by picking off and laying away.
Southern fruit sent to Northern markets
is always picked green.
Hon. George Geddes estimates Il At
the selfbinding reaper reduces the cost
of binding an acre of wheat to As cents
an acre, in comparison with hand-bind-
ing. reckoning wages at S1.50 per day.
On, level or nearly level land it does su-
perior work, on hill sides no. so well,
while it is an akward tool to shelter, and
is to wide to go through ordinary farm.
gates. The binding is done by twine,
and the small space covered by the bands
admits of drying the bundles TO better
advantage when needed than when bound
with straw. Wire bands are ve.y OBJ
jectionable.
1t generally pays to be liberal
with wel'<lisposel hired men. These
draw regular pay on holidays, but some
times it will pay to hire them at full day
wages on such days when work is press
fng. Our correspondent, William j.
Fowler, reports that he did so with one
man few years since on Fourth of
July, and saved eight loads of hay from
damage by rain at gain of at least SIS
This year he employed three men at 81. 25
each (Which was extra to them), and ac-
complished timely work at weed-killing
worth easily s25. The men lost nothing,
as there was no neay-by celebration, aud
escaped the danger of going on sprees or
of bad company st village taverns and
corner groceries.
MFR. lawson Valentine, a business
man of New York City, has farm in
Orange County, where he making elabor-
ate experiments in corn growing, under
the immediate care of Professor Manly
Miles. A correspondent of the Country
Gentleman recently visited the farm and
gives lengthy account of the expert
ments, these are to incomplete as yet to
teach any lesson, except perhaps that
stable or barnyard manure is the one re-
liable manure for farmers. This is used
alone and also in combination with nj
trate of soda, muriate of potash, super
phosphate of lime, ETC., and shows better
results alone with 40 loads per acre than
in any combination. The truest test will
be in the yield two or three months hence
but at present there is no question as to
which promises the best, Mr.. Valentine
is doing what many other wealthy men
might wisely do using his money for
his own pleasure and the advancement
of agricultural knowledge.