Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1882-02-10
Farmers Gulunln.
ssSDeed the PlOwo9
Farm Work for February.

weather in January and other indica-
tons, it may be conjectured that the
month of February, this year, will
most likely be one similar to many we
have heretofore experienced in this
region. If so, there will be many
days when blowing and other spring
work can be done, and much out door
work performed that is necessary to be
done on every we'll managed farm, to
wit, gates put in order and new ones
made to take the place of bars-that
have gone out of fashion. Fences re-
paired, compost heaps made, bitches
looked after and cleaned out and new
ones made where required. Blind
bitches are in general best and cheap
est in the long run. Every opportun-
ity should be embraced to pillow all stiff
soils so that the turf shall rot, and the
heavy soil be disintegrated by the
future action of frost and rain and
winds, before its final preparation for
the forthcoming seeding and planting.
Cut supply of fire wood for the
next year. See that the machinery
and all implements, harness, ETC., are
in good ORDER and the wood work paint
ed or we'll oiled, as also the metallic
parts. Clean and oil the harness.
Procure in time all the implements
that will probably be needed during
the year to carry on the farm opera
tons.
If not already done, let each man
have carefully prepared programme
of his intended work for the next six
months, at least, to be Of course modi-
fed by circumstances, but, if possible,
carried ort.
Planters will of course embrace
every mild, moist day to strip and
handle this important product. They
will also, weather permitting, select
their spots for beds aud rake off and
prepare the ground for sowing the
seeds. If the ground becomes dry
and in nice order for working, then do
so and SOW the seed. AS an experience
ed planter we would advise not more
than half your seed for crop be sewn
this month, unless the weather be very
fine and the land in nice order. II
possible, burn the bed with heavy
coating of brush, stalks, &c. We are
old fashioned enough to believe that a
bed well burned by means of heavy
coat of large limbed brush, mixed
with leaves and corn stalks, SO as to
thoroughly heat the ground and leave
a deep coat of ashes, is far better than
any amount of guano or other fertili-
zers. This burning destroys all grass
seeds and the ashes are the best ferti
lizers to insure rapid and healthy
growth of the plants. If we were 60
ing to SOW new or old bed, we would
break up the land first with the grub
bling hoes, removing all the stumps
and roots before laying the brush and
burning-the heat thereby penetrating
deeper in the soil. If you have no
brush or corn stalks, or material for
burning the bed, use 400 pounds of
best Peruvian guano per acre, just be-
fore the last raking, before sowing the
seed. Cover the bed after it has been
sown and trampled by the feet or well
rolled, with good covering of pine
or cedar brush. Other leafy brush
will do, and even open brush will an
swer if put on heavy. As spring
weather increases in warmth, remove
proportionately the brush covering
To have choice bed of plnnts re-
member, that the ground should be q
light, alluvial soil, with gentle slope
to the South, high fence of waited
cedar or pine, or plank around it ;;
highly enriched, and prepared deep
and well, SO that the upper surface for
two or three inches will be like sifted
earth. Of course, the land must be in
fine order for working, to have it in
this condition. Such being the pre-
paration, by the future use of SCOT,
sulphur and we'll rotted stable manure,
no fear of fly or other enemies may be
apprehended, and a rapid growth of
plants may be expected. Of course the
weeds must be kept down by hand
picking.
When the tobacco bed is sown every
planter should SOW mustard seed
around the entire bed, from two to
three feet in breadth, upon the edge
of the bed and on rakings that sur
round it. tits said to be a great pre-
ventative of the fly. Such used to be
the practice in Prince Georges county;
Nd, many years ago, of the most prac-
teal and observing planters. 1t gives
nice, early Said for the table, and
either drives off the fly by its pung gen
cy, or furnishes more agreeable food
for the insect than the bitter, narcotic
tobacco plant, which, we know not,
but are sure that it has a good effect
in saving the young tobacco plants to
great extent from the ravages of the
fly.