Connecticut western news., 1881-07-06
FARM AND GARDEN.
rn GARDEN. The Asparagus bed


 should now appear as Q deep mass of green. This is necessary that nourish- nent may be elaborated for the rapid l growth of the tender and mitch prlzed shoots for the following spring. The shade of the asparagus "tops" should keep down all small weeds-some larger ones may assert themselves and will need to be pulled before they ripen any seeds. Bush beans, like the "Refugee' may be still planted for late use and picking. It is we'll to nip the ends of those lima vines that run beyond the end of the poles. Early beets may be sown for succession of greens, and young roots during the month.
 WooD AsHEs-An English gardener covers turnip, carrot and similar seeds in the drills with wood ashes, soot and lime; this has "quite magical effect in the start of the young crops." He also dusts the tops with the same mixture, which tends to keep away vermin and rapidly pushes the young plants past the critical stage.
 CARRIAGES. - Milan W. Hopson, @ small market gardener of Fort Atkin- son, Wis.,, saved all his cabbage last year by use of fine middlings. Sift the middlings on when the plants are damp and wet, so that the middlings will adhere to the leaves. The middlings are not poison, but the worms eating of them are destroyed by indigestion.
 PROGRESSING MEADows.-As soon as the first cut of grass is made, an appli- cation of well-rotted, finely divided manure may be made with very profit able returns. The manure protects the exposed surfaces of tho bhse of the grass plants from the heat of the sun, and furnishes the necessary nourishment to the roots of the plants. A new growth is soon produced, making the land profit able either as a pasture or for 8 second moving.
 LOADING HAY.-To properly dispose of the hay as it is pitched upon the wagon, requires considerable skill. Long, wide and low loads are much bet ter than the opposite, for both the pitcher and the loader; besides, there is much less danger of the load slipping off, or the wagon being upset by an un- equality in the surface of the field. If a horse-fork is used for unloading, the person who manages the loading should bear this in mind, and so place the hay as it is pitched to him, that the fork will work to the best advantage.
 NOTES UPON CORN CULTURE. few years ago, says the Agriculturist for July, there was an impression that corn could not be proftably raised in the older States, but that farmers should give attention to other crops and not try to compete with tue West in corn raising. Recently eastern farmers have given more attention to corn culture with view to lessen the cost of pro- duction, and are learning that it does pay. One of these is J. w. Rathbun, Oneida county, N. Y., who gives his method as follows {" read with much interest the articles in your valuable paper on corn culture, as corn is the only hood crop depend on for much profit. I raise from twelve to fifteen acres each year, and except thinning out and husking, the labor is all done with horses. use 8 one-horse drill, planting two kernels to the foot, with three and one-half feet between the rows. As soon as the field is planted, I put on a Thomas smoothing harrow, which has three sections and will go over large field in short time, and con- tinue to use it every few days asweather will permit, and the ground may require, until the corn is six inches high or higher the slanting teeth of this har- row do not injure the young corn at all as long as can drive through the rows. When fit to cut let one of my men cut 8 TOW around the field, setting the shocks back so as not to interfere with horses and machine. Then start a Champion Reaper, raking off each alter nate rake into gavels. After it is nicely wilted, tie up and set in large shocks like wheat, binding large shock of ten or more small bundles firmly, with two or three good bands. The small bundles can be husked without untying, which is quite a saving. With the Thomas harrow and the reaper, corn can be cul' tivated and cut with very little expense.