Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-03-22
SEASONABLE FARM NOTES,

price in the past two years.
SORGHUM seed is readily eaten by poul-
try, and is better for small chickens than
corn.
SEPARATE all breeding ewes from the
other sheep in the flock now until after
lambing.
ONIONS will soon be " the first on the
ground, closely followed by green peas.
Now is good time to sort out and select
seeds.
SHEEP fed on dry feed are frequently
troubled with sore lips. An application
of sulphur and lard once or twice will
effect cure.
PAINT, to last long, should be put on
early in winter or spring, when it is cold
and no dust flying. Paint put on in cold
weather forms body or coat upon the
surface of the wood that becomes hard
and resists weather, or an edged tool
even, like slate
KEEP the bees as quiet as possible
while the weather remains cold and win
try, but if warm spell comes uncover
the entrance and sweep out all dead
bees, for they are very offensive to the
living bees. Let them take good fly
and void themselves, and clean things up
in general.
IT is as necessary to use precaut1on in
cutting off limbs from trees as in ampu-
tatlng the leg or arm of an Individual,
and it can only be done safely when the
tree has sufficient strength to bear the
shock. Trimming of trees should be
done gradually, instead of cutting off all
| the deceased limbs at once,
OCCASIONAL sowing of little patches of
ground with mustard, green peas, oats,
| ETC., will do much to assist in keeping q
COW on a small farm. They grow quick
ly, and the same land will give several
crops. A little discretion in this way
will save much expense as to keep as well
as furnishing early green feed.
1t is believed by many housekeepers
that rye meal is the best possible substi-
tute for bee bread when the latter is not
in full supply. The meal should be put
In shallow boxes near the apiary, and a
few pieces of comb near 1t will attract
the attention of the bees. This food
causes the swarm to be larger and earlier
than the other.
ANY who did not SOW timothy seed
1t is not best to wait until the ground
becomes settled and hard but SOW while
it is yet thawing and freezing, and the
seed will stand better chance to get
covered, and will commence to grow as
soon as warm weather commences. By
sowing thus early we generally get a
better "catch.
EARLY planted corn is frequently de-
layed In spouting by unfavorable wealth
er; and when it does make it's appear
ance it is yellow and stunted, and some
times does not recover. Whereas, by
planting from the 10th to the goth of
May the ground is sure to be warm and
adapted to early germination-the seed
starts to sprout at once and comes up
strong and healthy.
RENTING almost invariably depreciates
farm, and must be fatal to profitable
farming. The only successful farming,
with our present costly labor, is on pro-
ductive land. Poor crops do not pay for
the labor. The best income Of the farm
is from the improvement of it's product
i've power, and the net profit of it will
increase In greater proportion even than
its product increases.
In winter and early spring, to keep up
egg production, the fowls must have
something to work on. The best way to
supply them, if there is not enough OF
waste meat scraps from the breeders
table to meet the required demand, is to
get scraps from the butcher or slaughter
house. The waste meat, offal, and the
bloody pieces which are unstable can be
bought for cent or two pound
IT is advantageous to have the hot-bed
near the place where the plants raised in
it are to be used for setting out The
site should be protected from the pre-
vailing winds by rising ground, a screen,
or fence. The shelter, however, should
not be of such nature or in such a
position that it will shade the spot where
the bed is situated. The location should
be on dry and somewhat high ground.
PLASTER should always be kept on
hand in the barn. 1t will promote the
growth of nearly all plants, affords par
tial protection against drouth, and will
furnish soluble lime to plants that need
it. Of all the fertilizers known, plaster
is the cheapest, and, for its cost, is the
most remuneratiye. Two bushels only
are needed for good application. It is
special fertilizer for clover, beans,
peas and potatoes.
IF you would preserve summer-made
butter for winter use, see that the but
ter-milk is all worked out of it before it
is packed, and then keep it under a
strong brine, and if so kept it will be as
sweet at the end of the year as when
it was first made. It can be kept in
tubs or frkins, but perhaps the very
best package is all earthen jar, and the
tighter the cover fits on the jar the
better, as it more efectually excludes the
air.
PEAS may be sown as early in the
spring as the ground will admit, without
any danger from frost. They are one of
the hardest crops in this respect which
can be grown. They are often planted
before the frost is out of the ground,
and do well. When sown late in the
season they are apt to mildew, and on
this account generally yield better when
| sOwn earlV They will stand q severe