Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-31
AGRICULTURAL.

tAndrew Jackson TO the Wilton (Ct } Farm
Club,reported IN New England Homestead.


The question that interests the aver
age farmer at the present time is, How to
utilize and improve those portions of oui
farms that have been allowed to grow up
with bushes and hard hack, and have run tt
waste? Every farmer, with but few ex
ceptions, owns more or less of such land
which of necessity must be fenced, and
the law compels him to pay taxes thereon.
Now if this land were stricken out of ex.
istelce he would never perceive the differ.
ence, 30 far rs his income is concerned.
Yet think if it is judiciously managed,
1T can be made source of income, and
pay the expense of improvement. There
are different descriptions of such land.
which will require different treat
ment.
Land that has lain number of years
and grown up with weeds and n few BUSH
es and is susceptible of being plowed, |
would suggest to clean off the rubbish
and take Syracuse chilled plow there
may be others as good but | have not
been fortunate enough tu mud GAG any
better), and plow the ground over in n
thorough manner. Then with an Acme
harrow, or some better one if it can be
found, after sowing the ground with buck
wheat harrow it well till there is good
seed bed formed. After the crop is in
| condition to harvest, remove it from the
ground to cure Then plow the ground
and SOW with rye or wheat SOW from II
to IA quarts of timothy seed to the acre
and bush in the seed There is no crop
grown that will so completely subdue and
bring land into as good condition as buck
| wheat.
l would further recommend to use
about 300 pounds of fish and potash. or
some other good fertilizer, to the acre.
In the spring SOW on about four quarts
of clover seed to the acre. prefer SOW
ing clover with timothy for this reason
the clover comes to maturity at the end
of the second year, dies and leaves the
ground full of roots and vegetable matter,
supplying nitrogen to the soil and greatly
benefits the timothy, which will now oc-
cupy the ground and better results will
be had than if not sown. The reason
why would not seed with buckwheat and
finish it up, is that with once plowing
such tough sod would not be thorough
| ly subdued. 1t is my honest conviction
and belief that the above method will
permanently improve the land and pay aa
well as any other investment.
Fields which are grown over with BUSH
es and are too rocky to be plowed must be
subjected to n different mode of treat
ment My plan would be to first cut the
bushes and dispose of them, shen SOW
from 200 to 300 pounds of plaster Nova
Scotia, and no other) to the acre. Ac-
cording to chemical analysis and expert
ment, Nova Scotia is found to be worth
nearly twice as much for agricultural pur-
poses as any other. According to my ex-
perience, the best time to cut bushes is
when they sprout the least, which is be-
fore the new growth starts, or when they
are in dormant state. As the season
varies, no time can be specified. 1t will
pay to ascertain when that time arrives
and improve it, for it will prevent them
sprouting to great xtent and save much
labor.
In the next place would stock such
land with as many sheep as would be
necessary to keep down whatever sprouts
might grow. There is nothing like sheeI
to keep down bushes if they don't get toe
large. And another item worthy of con
sideration : there is no stock TINT pays
better than sheep.
Farm Notes.
The quantity of milk that COW gives
depends much upon the mode, time and
regularity of milking Cows do best thai
have one regular mixer, and the time of
milking should be carefully attended to-
and not be subjected to variation from
day to day
| The american CuitiuatOr says: Who
ever places much dependence o. tn,
strainer for securing clean milk will new,
er make gilt-edge butter Allowing dirt
to get into milk and then depending on
the strainer to get it out, is good apollo
gy for cleanliness. More or less of the
dirt, especially everything of soluble
nature, and some that is not, will find its
way through the meshes of the strainer.
Butter that has been washed in pure
cold water until the buttermilk is all eY-
tracted will not require the excessive
working 30 often necessary to take out
the buttermilk when not washed. Butter
thus washed will be less liable to have
the oily look which it gets often by toe
much working, especially il done with
the hand. 1t will require less salt to keep
it, and have the fine waxen appearance
that forms 30 great part of the attrac
tiveness Of the "gilt- edge" butter. Great
care should be taken to have the watel
pure, aud of temperature not exceeding
degrees, about the temperature of colo
well-water, and it will be still better il {
little ice is used, and the temperature
lowered to 40 degrees.
The best test of good farmer is tn,
thoroughness with which the manure il
cleaned out from his barnyard. The ode
places where rich deposits have been nc
oumulating for years should all be clear