Charlotte home and Democrat., 1881-11-11
AGRToubfUR RAJ
Work for the Month.

y asf8 80 safe E =
Though we have indicated Octob>r as,
in our jud dgment, the best time for sowing
small grain, where. from any cause,it 1t was
not done during that month, let 1t by 10
means be considered too late. November
is the nert best month for that purpose,
and in view of the great Necessity that
will probably be felt all over the country
for forage aud grain, next Spring ana
Summer. we hope every farmer VIII sow
enough to answer, at least, his own de-
mand. And here we desire to impress
mon the minds of large class Of small
farmers the importance Of narrowing in
their small grain instead of sowing and
turning under, as many do. Most OF the
lands sown are grassy or turfy, and, with
the very best blowing that can be done,
much OF the grain thus covered will never
appear above ground. Break mp the land
first. and then SOW and harrow. Any
common mechanic, or any farmer, can
make harrow, and very poor one is IN
finitely better than to cover with the
plow. Properly put in, the grain VIII
Weld at least one-third more than the
careless old way of covering with turf.
Beside, the harrow leaves the land level,
smooth and in the best condition for har-
vesting, whether by cradle or reaper.
Every farmer of observation ought TO
know that the nearer the soil is brought
to level by pulverization, the greater
will be its capacity for yield, and this fact
alone oughtito be sufficient to induce the
use of the harrow as often as practicable.
As the shortness of the cotton crop has
probably enabled most OF the farmers to
harvest and market the staple by this
time. let them for once make use of the
opportunity, while autumn still remains to
repair and prepare for timely crop next
year. Be up once in your life with your
work.. sej IS
If out of other work, attend to the hill
side bitches, and prevent the winter tor
rents from washing away the banks and
carrying off the soil. Open up the bitches
in the lowlapds sufficient for good drain
age, and clear away those unsightly brier
and scrub, patches which have gradually
encroached spon some Of the richest spots
on your farm. Reclaim your possession
and assert the superiority of industry.
The time has now arrived for plowing
mp sweet potatoes. A coulter may first
be run through the rows to cut the vines,
in which case they may be dragged with
hoe or rake to the middles and covered for
manure, or taken up and housed for win
ter food for the cows, or they may be
dragged with the pillow and left in heaps
along the rows; the fret is the better
plan. A turn plow should then be used
to throw the soil from the ridges toward
the middles, leaving a narrow ridge con-
tanning the tubers, which may now easily
be drawn down with the hoe or broken
out with shovel, running deep enough
to avoid bruising the potatoes; these
should be taken up, as soon as practicable
placed In banks of fifteen or twenty bush.
els around three or four stout stakes
driven in circle in .he center to let out
the rari6ed air of the bank when finally
covered with straw and earth. Above
these stakes is placed cap, when the
bank 10 finished, board or piece of bark
to keep out the rain, and at the same time
to keep oren the air-passage from beneath.
Badly put mp potatoes willIbe sure to rot
and as itiis useless TO work without profit
it is best to do things well. Southern
Farmer.