Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-09-28
Doing Spring Work In the FalI.

spring WORK IN the falfs
In most portions of the Northern
states great difficulty is experienced in
dong all the work required on farms In
the spring. The frost is often very late
In leaving the soil. The ground is COM
pletely soaked with water formed from
melting snow. Ordinarily the heaviest
ralnialls occur during the months of
March and April. Prairie roads are
nearly impossible for several weeks. 1t
u.s. accordingly. very. difficult to haul
building materials, fencing or farm sup
plies. Teams can draw but small loads
OF manure, and the injury to land is
considerable, as the wheels of carts and
wagons cut through the sod. The en-
tire time would be occupied in p:epar-
ing the soil for crops and doing the seed
ing IL no delays We're caused by rains.
Ii the land is not well drained, field OBJ
eratlons can not be carried on more
than half the time. 1t is, accordingly.
important for every farmer to arrange
10 DO all the work in the. fall that can
be performed with view of lessening
the labor to be done in the spring. I'm
less the soil OF the farm is chiefly COM
posed OF clay, most of the land designed
Tor raising small grains NAV be adj
vantageously plowed in the fall. The
ground is generally in most excellent
condition to be plowed, as far as moist
ure Is concerned. Ii there is much yege-
table rubbish on the surface that is in
the way OF the pillow 1t can beburned off.
The men on the place generally have
ABUNDANT leisure. The teams are in the
best condition to work. There are few
insects TO trouble them. Soil thrown
into burrows in the fall will require hut
little additional preparations for seed
ing In the spring. In most cases har-
row will put it in good condition for a
seed-bed. Occasionally it may be nee
essary to use cultivator
Ii it is contemplated to use heavy
building materials on the farm in the
course of the year they should be drawn
in the fall. 1t is very difficult to move
stone and brick in early spring, and
both men and teams are too busy dur.
ing the summer to allow of doing work
not connected with farming. The fall
is the best time for drawing drain tile.
If the soil is quite dry it may not be
best to dig the drains in the fall, but
the tile should be placed on the ground.
For cutting open or closed drains in
land that is permanently moist there is
no season as favorable as the fall. The
ground then contains the minimum
amount of moisture. 1t is easy to To-
cate the places where the water issues
from the ground and to dig the drains
that will carry it away. The fall is also
an excellent time in which to construct
fish-ponds. Peat designed for fuel or
intended for the bedding of animals
can be dug, dried and brought to the
place where it is wanted and stored to
good advantage in the fall. Dried peat
Is an excellent absorbent of liquid ma
nure, and a supply of it should be pro-
vided for the stable and hog-yard. All
the manure that has accumulated in
stock-yards and about stables should be
removed in the fall. 1t can be spread
over the grass land that has begun to
exhibit marks of loss of fertility to good
advantage. 1t will be dissolved or dis
integrated by the late rains and'carried
to the roots of the plants. 1t will ena-
BILE them to withstand the effects of the
cold, and will cause them to yield a
large crop next year. The droppings
OF cattle and horses in pastures should
be broken up in the Tall and scattered
over the ground. If they lie in a COM
pact form they will prevent the growth
of grass beneath them and cause that
in the vicinity of them to be so rank
that stock will not eat il. If broken up
and scattered they will enrich large
amount of land.
1t is advisable to completely prepare
the soil for certain crops that must be
planted very early in the fall. In many
localities it is best to prepare ground
for onions in the fall. The surface
should be thoroughly cleared of stones
and vegetation, the manure, which
should be well rotted, spread over the
surface and spaded or plowed in.
Treated in this way it will only be nee.
essarv to employ the harrow and rake
in the spring before sowing the seed. 1t
is necessary to SOW onion seed very
early in the spring to insure good
crop. The weather is often so unfavor-
able in the spring that the ground is in no
hit condition to prepare for sowing till
it is too late to expect good crop of
onions. Ground on which strawberry
plants are to be set in the spring can be
prepared to good advantage in the fall.
The surface should be well cleaned, the
manure distributed and turned under
with the pillow or spade, and the soil
thoroughly pulverized. If there are
seasonable rains after the ground is pre-
pared the plants may be set out in the
fall. On the approach of cold weather
they should be coverd with straw to
protect them during the winter. Unless
farmer lives where good Shedding may
be relied on in the winter supply of
fuel should be laid in during the fall.
Coal can always be obtained on better
terms while the weather is moderate
ly warm than after it becomes quite
cold. A team will haul twice as much
when the roads are in good condition
as after they are soaked with water
Coal obtained early in the fall will be in
much better condition than that pro-
cured later in the season. 1t will be
dry, and will accordingly weigh less.
A supply of fuel secured in the fall will
prevent much of the trouble and suffer-
ing that many have experienced during
some recent winters Chicago Times.
Kitchen PrOQrpSS