The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-04-14
for the ,farlller.
WORK FOB THE MONTH OF APRIL.

Tor DREssISG.-An early top-dressing of arti.
fetal manure upon fall grain and grass fields is
often of the greatest advantage. The ground Is
now moist and mellow, and the soluble fertiliz-
ers are at once ready TO be utilized. We have
seen the effect in the changed color of the foliage
in twelve hours after an application, when a
gentle shower mas fallen Immediately Afterwards.
II the fertilizer can be sown during shower, 50
much the better, otherwise We choose the after
noon for the work, 50 that the dew of the night
may act as rapid solvent.
NARROWING WiSTER GRAIN is n practice now
generally adopted, and there many good har-
rows made especially for this purpose, with
teeth that slope backwards, or that may be re-
versed for ordinary work. Narrowing after ap-
plying fertilizers or sowing grass or clover seed
is doubly useful.
SOWING CLovER.-From considerable expe-
Renee, the writer prefers TO delay sowing clover
until the ground has become settled and the
weather warm. A warm spell earlier may start
the seed, and strong frost afterwards kill the
young germs Our present agricultural practice
must be no longer carried ON the s.rule of thumb
or in the old haphazard backwoods fashion. We
have a 'hard row To hoe" now, and must make
use OF the very best methods, by which every
seed must count and every hours labor he made
effective.
FODDER CRoPs.-No farm where animals are
kept can be profitably worked without n pro-
vision for some green fodder such as oats, oats
and peas mixed, oats and barley mixed, or other
crops to be sown later. Earliness is indspensa-
BILE, and the first work of this month should be
70 prepare the ground and SOW seed for fodder.
The leafiest kind of oats should he chosen; New
Brunswick, Excelsior and Probsteier oats have
good stalk and leaf, and answer well for this
purpose. But two crops can be grown at once,
and a double yield secured by sowing two kinds
Of seeds. Thus II bushels each Of oats and Can
ada peas sown together, will yield rs much fod-
der on good soil on one acre as the same seed
sown separately on two acres. So with oats and
barley mixed, and other mixtures which should
be studied and experimental upon.
SPRING WHEAT should be sown as early
as possible, and so shOuld oats These
grains need a long season 10 develop their full
growth. Some new varieties Of wheat are PROM
ising and should he tried in small way as n
test. No one should risk his whole crop ON any
new and untried variety. As wheat does not
mix in the field, n new variety may be tried in n
strip with other kinds, without risk Of mixing
the varieties.
OArs.-From so to GO bushels Of oats should be
the least satisfactory yield, and the aim should
be to have the ground in a condition to produce
this instead of the 25 or 30 which is now a usual
harvest. The whole secret is in the fertilizing
OF the soil.
BARLEY should not be considered rs merely a
material for brewing. There is no better grain
for horses, and barley-meal with corn OF potatoes
is excellent for cows and pigs. The two-rowed
variety yields more than the six-rowed but the
six-rowed brings ten cents more from the mails.
ters Two-rOwed is the better for fodder purposes
also. For good yield Of barley the soil must be
fine and rich, otherwise oats should he sown.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS with the Colorado
beetle, should prompt the early planting of po-
tatoes; also abundant manuring and good pre-
paration of the soil. The latter often doubles
the crop. An extra 100 bushels of potatoes per
acre is well worth working for. 1t does not pay
to plant large seeds. Small, well-ripened seed
he he foll Ia,,
sidered. After much observation, the writer
finds no difference in the crop from small and
large seed. OF course, there is a limit, and po-
tatoes as small as hickory nuts are not referred
to.
FLAN.-This crop promises to become n staple,
East as well as West, as fax manufacturing is
becoming established. Low, moist ground, newly
cleared swampor meadOw-land suits flax exactly.
In the West fresh prairie is suitable. One bushel
of seed per acre should be sown this month.
HoRsEs.-As the coat begins to loosen, the
skin is often irritable. This may be corrected by
giving in the food daily one ounce of an equal
mixture of sulphur and cream of tartar for q few
days. Good grooming with a soft brush and a
blunt curry comb should not be neglected. If
the gums are swollen, rub them with o corn-cob
dipped in powdered borax. Cleanliness is great
preventive of disease. As the weather becomes
may be fed. An occasional feed of cut ruts-bagas
will be useful.
BROOD MAREs.-As foaling approaches brood
mares should be turned into q loose box. The
extra exercise is beneficial and they rest more at
ease. Their work should be lightened. The
most gentle treatment should be exercised; the
temper of the colt often depends upon this.
PIGs.-Pork is looking up, and pigs are worth
more than they were a few months ago While
prices are low, the cost of feeding should be re-
duced. Pigs can be kept most cheaply upon
grass in summer, and an orchard is good place