The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-03-31
for the farmer.
WORK FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL.

WORK FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL.
The active work of the year is now about to
begin, over large extent of country, and II
may be well to consider a few plain and practi-
cal statements and their bearing. Labor Is the
ouIy source of wealth. Labor creates nothing;
Il only ndds to already existing matter that
nuality of usefulness by which it is made 70 in
crease the general wealth. Wealth il simply
the accumulation of the products of nature, and
OF our own industry-stored up for future Use.
Labor is set in operation by energy, and il guild
ed by intelligence. An e;rrseiIe man i indus
tIions aud is tenacious of pnT''rs:- IL ~ intel
lis,ne which enabi-s 10 make the most Of
our resources, and TO apply our labor most eff
firtu;ily.
Work ON the farm deals with things that are
hidden 10 the sight and need 10 be clearly I'M
drrstood and there is other physical labor
performed in the world that needs more to be
guided by the labor Of the mind, than the cult
walton Of the soil, the rearing of stock, and the
conversion of field products into finished articles,
for sale; such, for instance, meat butter,
cheese, milk etc. The result of all this is, that
n farmer should be n studious, thoughtful man,
As well energetic, industrious worker. He
must, also, learn TO stick TO one thing to per-
sist in his chosen course; to he patient and per-
seyering and to strive TO make his labor skillful
and effective. With these qualities, there is no
man surer of a reward for his labor, nor Of bet
ter pay for the best quality of work.
Spring Whodt.-In spring wheat sections, this
is the first crop to be put into the ground.
Where it will grow, it will succeed all the bet
ter for the best culture. Unless more than ten
bushels of grain per acre eau be harvested, 1t is
labor lost to grow this crop. The Travis horse
hoe invented by q Michigan farmer has been
found very serviceable in cultiyating wheat
sown in drills. In time, We shall cultivate
wheat as do corn, with surprising benefit,
and Mr.. Travis is the pioneer in this modern, but
much needed improvement.
0afs.-Last fall we sOwed half an acre Of Ten
pessee winter oats. At the present time, they
are alive, and, although the leaves are yellow,
the hearts green. The greatest danger is
now over, and as they have been exposed to a
severe drought, constant freezing aud thawing,
| and a temperature degrees below zero. They
may be considered as a safe crop in ordinary
seasons. If they can be acclimated TO stand
our most severe winters, they will be very vain
| able and will be widely sOwn hereafter. Spring
oats should be sown rather thicker than has been
usual. Three bushels per acre is better than
two and One-half, if the ground is made rich
enough.
POtdtOes.-While the potato beetle is about,
| most farmers will plant early potatoes. They
are out of the way before the great army ar
rives- But We look for great diminution of
this pest, if potato growers will fight them at all
| times for year or two. The hard winter may
| have destroyed great many, but enough will
remain. Yet we would plant potatoes. There
Is no more psofitable crop, when planted on good
soil, and well cultivated. The Early Rose is
| still the best for the general crop; Early Yer
mont is very good, and yields well; Snowflake
is an excellent variety; Early Ohio yields WELL
and Burbank promises to beat its parent, Early
Rose. This is variety enough for early Sorts
| Read the account of True's planter, given last
month.
MeddOus aud Pastures need little stimulating
fertilizer. 4 dressing of 200 pounds per acre of
bonehour, snperphosphate, or guano, often dOub-
1 L.. IL l..
acre. gives a rank growth, but the hay is not so
nutritious as that from the phosphate manures.
| Improved meadows mean more milk, cheese,
butter and beef Along with the fertilizer, a
scattering of fresh seed, timothy, blue grass red
top, and clover, mixed; and a good narrowing
will he beneficial. All this may be done this
month.
HOrses.-A regular allowance Of grain will now
| be needed by working teams. Ii is economical
| TO feed ground grain. Ten quarts day is full
allowance for a hard-worked horse. A pail full
of mOstened cut hay, with 81 quarts of ground
feed, mixed with it, is the usual quantity fed To
| each of our horses. This feed is not too bulky
and when given nearly dry, has not the injurious
effect on the wind of wet soft feed. The best
feed is equal parts of corn, rye, or oats, and
| wheat bran.
Cors-Incoming cows should be treated with
caution. Good hay is sufficient food for the
month previous to calving. Watch the udder
closely, and on the first appearance of heat and
hardness, battle it with cold water to reduce the
| inflammation, and insert n silver milking tube
| into each teat, to draw off the milk as il may
| be secreted. In case garget has occurred previ-
ously, give 20 grains of Iodide of potassium, in
| drink of water, and rub the udder with a mix
ture of drachms of glyeerine, and drachm of
iodide of potassium. 1t is well TO let the calf
suck the cows, if there is any trouble with the
udder
CaIres.-By raising the heifers of our best
cows, the stock will be improved. Every farm
er should aim to keep only the. hest. cow
| yielding only quarts of milk day does not
pay for the feed and should be replaced with a
better one. We must look upon our live stock
as machines, kept for purpose, and discard I'M
profitable animals.
Early Garden S0ring does not mean the same
thing in Canada that it does in Georgia, vet
there are in both localities certain things that
may be sOwn first. The earliest sowings every
where, are of beet, parsnip early turnip spinach,
radish, peas, leek, onion, parsley, and crcss.
These should he sown first, rs soon as the soil
can be worked, and all are to be sOwn where
they are to grow, though parsley and leck may
be transplanted, if desired.
-4spdragus.-If new beds are to he made get
one-year-old plants; and give them all the room
that can he afforded. The old directions for
family garden Were, to put the plants II by Il
inches. This will do, if no more space can be
afforded, but market growers find that the wider
the space, the better the crop. Some who grow
Tor markets, SET the plants as wide apart rs slN
feet by four feet, and find this the most prOiita-
BILE for field culture. This wOuld, of course he
impracteable, in family garden, where two by
two feet will be wide enough. The old practice
of manuring a bed TO last for years, is not now
followed. The plants, at setting, should have
good supply of manure, and then animal
dressing afterward. Asparagus should not be-
cut until the third year after setting.
Seed Beds Of cabbages. and other things to be
transplanted, if not under glass; OF in window
boxes in the house, as heretofore advised, may
be made in a sheltered, sunny place, in the open
ground.-CoRdeRsed from the Imericda .igricuItu-
ist.