Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-11-01

GATHERING LEAvEs.-Oa almost every
New England farm there are considerable
numbers of large trees, either in single
rows or grouped in clusters which. shed
their leaves where they soon find their
way to the moving fields, unless rlked up
and carried away. To gather such leaves
serves a double purpose. First. II pre-
vents them from injuring the grass land;
second, it provides an excellent material
for bedding.
While leaves are very valuable for Plan,
food when decomposed, they are very in
furious when spread on moving field,
IN the condition which they are when they
fall from the tree in fact bot very lit 10
grass will grow where the land is covered
with undecomposed leaves. but when ia"
leaves are mixed with the liquid and the
solid mlnures Ul the barn, In uiliaicat
quantities. to decompose them, there are
nut few materials better suited for par'
growth, and being an excellent m1loriit
10 keep cattle clean anc dry, they serve Il
double purpose; therefor 80 iwmar
should neglect to gather Il the leaves
that are likely to evcn'T i, .ini their way
TO the moving fialua
For bedding, leaves .shol}l be gathered
in dry weather and stored whore they can
be kept dry, for wet leaves make poor
bedding; but wet leaves MY often be
gathered to advantage for com posting.
An excellent dressing M " BE- 3u,.i '9r
a flower garden By mixing soda anal Barn
manure with leaves ana let '..u rrm un
until early spring, when tho neHp .l)u,d
he pitched over that it may boone liue
by the time it is needle fot use
There are but few if Il materials 4nI
on the farm for bedding that i.apror' he
manure more than leaves; they clr i'm
large quantities of potash and Their fpr,
are particularly adapted to the grow IA ut
the potato.
The harvesting of leaves is WORK llaf
can be readily done by boys. 1t is u wugs
that should not be delayed until the w!ut
has blown the larger part of them aW az.
but should be attended to As soon az III"
leaves begin to fall in considerable asa
titles. The sugar map,e leaves are am5a1
the best for bedding, and is The mos. rum
mon tree on the borders of mowinr Ian :.
-NeSnchasetts Pougtma@
We can heartily endorse all th., the
Pl0NJhmuI says on the subject Of leaves
for bedding. We have used little els, tat
years 1t it often objocto to them Tint il
is so much work to gather them Ru. we
d. not find it 50, aud though We have
described our method of saaQrins n,4
before, we will do it again rs ii may
benefit some reader We take u long
s,cd" and chain on the hay wagon OR crO
body, put up side boards ard an end arl
ut the front. OF course the roQr cad Of
the hay body sticks out behind much
further than the rear end Of the el.l and
by care in selecting your grouni nd.iying
over small knoll or through AN abrupt
hollow, the rear end Of the body will rest
ON the ground, and one can rake the
leaves right into the body without taking
them up at all, and in this way they may
b. gathered very rapidly, anil with li'm
hard work. We have had more work in
unloading ours till the new bt'a was bu't
but now we drive oa to the byilya which
leads to the upper floor, take W @mk
10 where they are stored, IN an1.her
place we print an article Oh tn, large
crops secured from burned leaves Barn.
ing adds nothing to their value, In. my
in pine leaves destroy The pitch, which we
have heard spoken Of as ri rjo0s 10
g0oNing plants. Use SOM irav.3 they
are, we believe, worth more per m1 .hl
s.raw for manure, and straw any We
probably fed to much stock with mcll,
and 50 double saving viii be mlir