The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-11-17
AGRICULTURE.

foed, but whloh continual cropping,
without returns, will soon exhaust. Pot
ash, upon which plants make large de-
mands, is another. Grass and pot atoes
may be called potash plants, because,
CONTAINING large per cent. Of this min.
eral. One huudr parts Of dry hay
will leave, whom burned, nine per cent,
Of ash, which the largest part is potash.
Successive crops of grass must, there
lore, exhaust the land of this, it's lead
ing constituent, unless it is returned III
some shape. just what mineral fertil.
lzers grass lands want in order to keep
them in good productive condition may
bo learned from tho following statement
of that eminent scientist, Bousingault:
"Ten tn 'usaud pounds of good meadow
hay contain CAT pourds of inorganic
tmiueraD matter. of Which 13O pounds
are potash, soda, ~ pounds; lime, 107;
magne-ia, 43; oxide of iron, s.; sillcica,
lS9; sulpnurlo acid. 16, phospnoric aoid,
~; and chlorine. l5. While many OF
1850 are found in almost incxhaustibe
Quantity i'll all tIllablo land, potash,
lime, sulphurio and phosphorio acids
diminish rapidly under cultivation, un.
less returned Ill some way. 1t is sui
cit.al poncy. therefore, to neglect the
application OF these mineral fertilizers
on lana severely cropped. Nor has any
fertilizer IL more permanent effect on
such land than wood ashes--they con-
tniLlng all the mineral constituents of
plant iood---,lnd when accompanied
with ammonia III some form make per-
feet fertilizer. 1t il an old saying that
would seem to be the fact, when places
&vl L. al
have been known to have shown their
fertlliZlnB elects for more than half a
century.
RATS AND CulOKnNs. ..-AD Iowa lady
gets The better OF the rats thut infect
her poultry quarters rs fellows: "a
tight floor was put in the henhouse Il
foot and Il half from the ground; this
Hour is Of oak boards, and every knot
hole is coveled with tin firmly nailed
down; tho windows are three feet or
more Irom The ground; there is II small
trap door in tho floor.and boards plnced
angling from this opeLing down to tho
ground, so tnat the ohlchens can run up
them easily. During the day tho Ecns
and their broOds run in the yard with
the other fowls. and the presence of the
cock keeps away tic rats. at night they
"scond the inclined plane leading into
the hen house, go to their respective
boxes Lr corners with their broods, the
trnD-dOor 1s shut, tho door OF the house
IL securely closed, and MI the fowls, old
and young, secure from vermin and sup.
piled with all the fresh mir afforded by
two open windows. Here they remuin
until released from their confinement
by the opening OF the doors in the
morning. By this means, and this only,
lave we been nUle to protect thcm from
rats. The little chicks are not allowed
to leave tho house ut al uutil nearly
week old;thcn they are stroug enough to
get back again safely"
IHE business OF herGing sheep is
the nosl molCtonous known. | can
imagine no more Notwithstanding occu-
patton. 1t j. fit only for gr,nsers, nell
who arc below their dogs in Intelligence.
1t 10 seldom that al Amercan engages
i'll shcep-heiding. When hard up and
unable 10 obtain other work they wisely
Wefer the penitehtlary and It's mild
excitement to rrowlng over IL desert af-
ter IL flock ol stupid sheep, ana tiey nre
right. l have seen shevp h.rIers in
Southern Colorado Fit for hours on q
rock under II snge brush looking at Il
htck Ct sheep, oi slowly walking to and
II, III tho DUST rlslMg behind tho aui-
mails rs they led over the prairie. These
MN iCnd ilie OF such irritating mono
tony that nervous American. forced
10 do the work, would hnvo swallowed
Que OF tho bnnuua-hke oactEses growing
nn the plnlns Ill his mad desire to brouk
The dlr.tul monot,ny.
----------------.
IL tanner ~ Aot pond Of his vocn-
lion. nor feels the dignity Of his posi-
ilou, he cad better quit il, and hlro out
hy Gay or month at any labor he eau
perform it he can got it. 1t Is with
tanning ns with every other occupation
nnu i,rt tesslon. To be sncc asslul there
m, It must not only bo thoroughly uu-
"trstOou, bat the inontal fac ui:ias mus:
become enthusiastic in the work OF the
hands. 1t will then DO berett of its
burden OF drudgery, and becoulo a Ia
Dor uf love and delight. Whon this
polut IL once gained, the road that loads
to sCccc>s IL reached.
WnHN will farmers learn that every
su.ootn, oiIy-tongued chap who comes
along, is not saint. Instances OF far
mtrs being swindled by perambulatirg
frequently than ever. The latest dodge
heard from Is the eseIf-supporting wagon
tongue swindie. Tho farmer is induced
to s>gG contract to Use the tongue aud
frcopmend 1t 10 lis nelehbors. but in IL
fow weeks. this apparent simple contract
coaironts tho farmer i'll tho form of n
promlssory noIe, which he has to pay.
DO not Sign II pnper,postal card or any
thing else, whon presented by parties
who arc unknown to you.
WHEAT FIRLDs. Top dreea the knolls
or poor parts OF newly sown wheat
fields. Even thin coating Of straw
vail benefit the crop wonderfully. AS
1t the shelter aud protection that helps
tho corn, marsh hay or buckwheat,
straw Will bo scrvlceable whore coarse
manure is not available. On worn
lands, where the wheat has como up
poor and thin, apply 100 pounds OF gu
ano or 100 pounds OF nitrate of soda to
the acre.
llUsKINa CORN. .~-lluve two baskets in
TIE fed, one ior small ears, soft corn
and nubbins, and the other tor large,
sound ears, which should be cribbcd by
themselves. The rest should be boiled
tor the pgs or ground with some oats