The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-05-17
OUR FARM FRIENDS.
Cleaning Up--Two Crops in the Gar
den-EDsilage Experiments.
Apple Pomace-How to Hatch Full
Broods-Root Pruning
Short Feed.
Eradicating Thistles-Watch the Seeds
Setting Out Tender Plants-Farm
and Workshop Notes.
Cleaning Up.


ing need an annual cleaning up. The wood
lots and groves have trees that have passed
their prime, and are tumbiing down or
shedding branches abundanLiy, under the
influence of sleet aud snow and soaking
spring rains, followed by the strong winds
of March and April.
And the time to cleanup theselimbs and
bush it just as soon as the corn is planted,
if not done before. 1t should be done now
because much OF it if cut and piled up will
before fall fires are needed be Thoroughly dry
and ready for use The refuse chunks and
brush unfit for fuel can now be burned and
thu grasses left free to grow. The cattle,
colts and sheep will be benefited by the re-
moval of all rubbish from the woods, past
ures and groves, and more and better grass
will be furnished during the season. If the
trash be left till later in the season, much
of the grass will be smothered out by the &C
Gu mutation OF leaves among the brush.
If the owner has no regard for the looks
of his premises even the question of dol
lars and cents will demand attention to
cleaning up the groves and wood lots, even
if an extra man should need to be hired for
the purpose.
aud brush to occupy land where the average
grove can be evenly covered with clean
thick sward if allowed the ground all TO
itself. 1t will not cost much and pay ten
fold in beef, mutton and butter, and hun
dred fold in its effect as an educator and en-
terrain nent to the beholder.
The barn lots and fences, too, are some
what out of order Now. as there has been
a great amount of feed hauled in and fed
out there since the cattle came in from grass
last fall as the cattle and colts are now
about TO 90 back to pasture, the tidy farmer
will not rest long until everything about the
barn and lots are put in apple-pie order and
freshened up inside and out with coat OF
white wash.
The heavy spring rains are over, and the
ground is dry. and the lots can be cleaned
and posts set, if new fencing is somewhere
needed about the premises, as Is often
the case after severe winters use with plenty
of stock.
The corn-cobs in the pig-lots have sc3umu-
lated about the feeding floors and now can
be Iaked together in winrows and burned.
The ashes and charcoal thus made, treated
with a little salt, will be just the thing for
the season, and the pigs will smack their
chops in gratitude for 1t.
Thus we see that the trash in the wood
lots and groves can be converted into fire.
wood and even the corn-cObs in the pig-lots
may be utilized, and the premises made
more tidy and bealthful.
The truly neat farmer will find time to
keep things sp snug and orderly in every
nook and corner of the farm. He can not
/. rest until his every acre is redeemed from
the dominion of briers and thorns, brambles
and thistles trash and dirty fence-rows, and
& lay feed lots and neglect. He is good
calculator. He knows that crops OF briars
brambles brush and corn cobs and broken
down fences and wrecked implements and
III ol, rOloo hrirR no mr.
fort. but are evidences OF weakness in the
head of the Landlord. He is not good
farmer, or business man, or hotel keeper,
who is not able to keep every part OF his
business in good working ORDER
His sacc, IS is measured by his thorough
ness in all details of the business. We fear
that among some pushing farmers there is
an idea that it don't pay to keep the boards
all tight on the barn and fence, and all stakes
and riders in place, and broken boards and
rails picked up, and brush and cobs and
nameless useless things burned or buried
out of sight
Bot it does paw, and there is great loss in
allowing farm to become lumber up with
things broken and useless, and rendezvous
for rats AMI vArmins that prey upon the
grain ana poultry and yield no return.
There's need all through our farming dis
tricts for missionary work in the line OF
good order and systematic farm work.
say that with all our boasted ingenuity, and
the superior inie gence of our farm labor
ers that our farms and premises do not
give the evidence of good management and
thrift, as do the farms of old England.
Many OF our farmers are in too big hurry
to do anything we'll Our system of renting
land has much to do with the slack careless
ways of farming, that may he seen on farms
given up to tenants. The tenant may be q
neat farmer naturally, but as the landlord
has forsaken the farm and left il to the ten
der mefcies of a stranger, we can not expect
either of them to do for it what only the in
terested hand of owner can and should do.
We are sorry to confess that ownership i:
not enough to lead some men to careful
usage of the land.
But every public spirited citizen is inter
ested in seeing on every farm an example OF
thrift, and good order, and intelligent man
agement.
If every farmer has not now well defined
and we'll developed habits of order and neat
ness, We would encourage young men, by
saying, that these virtues come by careful
use of ones advantages. If the father ha:
neglected to set good example for the sons
let them see a worthy example in the field.
and about the buildings OF the neighbors.
Two Crops in the Garden.
A garden is a luxury whether it be larg,
or small. Every family should have one, i
possible, even though the space be extTemely
limited. There are certain advantages per
tanning to gardening that more than balanc,
all outlaws for seeds and labor. Among then
is that of being able to have fresh vegetables
something not TO be found on all table.
when they are purchased in market. Tn,
tomato Just taken from the vine befor,
dinner is entirely different from the article
that is transported ia baskets anC
barrels, and several days old. Th'
lettuce is crisp when very fresh, but tough
when withered, and there is more or les
loss of tenderness, crispiness and FRESHNESS.
in radi' hes, peas and string beans. "Higl
farming" should be practiced on small farms
and high gardening" is necessary in small
gardens. No vegetable should be excluded
even few feet may be given the favoriD,
and garnishing herbs, such as parsley