Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-10-12
AGRICULTURAL.
A Chapter of Criticism, with 1nterrO-
gAllOn ROInla.

IA Farmer in the New England Homesteadl
1ue question as to the pest time for |
topdressing grass lands with stable ma
nure has been much written and talked
about but so far as noticed, the really
essential factor in the case-that is, the
frequency and quantity of rainfa!l-has
been ignored Everyone capable of form
ing an intelligent opinion in the matter
must know that manure needs liberal
wetting for best results, and also must
know that no one season of the year can
be depended upon to be always wet, and
vet all who talk or write on this topic
seem to assume that there is some partic-
ular time of year when it will always be
better to spread manure on grass land
than at auy other time. Why is this
thus? Here is where an interrogation
point properly comes in. Perhaps the
disposition of everybody in general, and
farmers i'll particular, to jump at conclu-
sions has something to do with 1t, and
then the masses of mankind are very
much like hocks of sheep-ever ready to
follow any popular bell-wether who leads
off and sets fashion. Latterly the bell
wethers lead of in the direction OF fall
spreading, and so that is the fashion at
present. But it will be said that actual
trial shows the best results from fall
spread manure. The proper reply to
this is-sometimes, but not always 1T
depends on the weather with an a). 1t
is very easy for one to be mistaken as to
the real value of an experiment. A tar-
mer puts good coat of manure on field
and gets good crop of grass next year,
but perhaps large part OF that crop may
be owing to former manuring, or more
likely still, to an exceptionally good sea-
son for grass. The proper way to try an
experiment of this kind so as to get light
on the subject, is to spread manure IN the
fall on one part of Il field, and IN the
spring on another part Immediately ad-
Joining the manure being the same IN
| kind and both parts of the field having
been treated alike previously. Having
experimented somewhat in this way, l
find that sometimes manure left in small
heaps through the winter and spread IN
the spring produces much better results
than that spread in the fall at other
times the balance is the other way. l
therefore conclude that the best time for
spreading manure is when it will be fire.
auently and liberally wet soon after, and
this time cannot be determined before
hand by the almanac. not even by Ven
nors.
Another interrogation point is suggest
ed by IN item from correspondent OF
The Homestead who says that the proper
time to cut bushes, ii you don't wish to
have them sprout, is in the old OF the
moon in August There is nothing new
,, in this notion ; on the contrary, it seems
to have been handed down from the darE
: ages, and the question arises, Why Will
some people attach SO much Importance
D to the moon as q factor in agriculture
1t seems to be of more importance than
the sun, in the estimation of some.
: have cut bushes at various times III thu
, year, and they always grow again (excep
pines, which never sprout) unless cut be
, low the roots, moon or no moon.
Q Digging and >tOring Potatoes.
[From the Maine Farmer,l
As rule, we do not believe in allowing
;, potatoes to remain in the ground lonl
:. after they are ripe, They are more lin
"a BILE to rot, while those near the surfac
v are exposed to the air, become green AM
. q bitter, aud unfit for use The dying o
y, the stalk indicates that the tubers ar
:, ready for the harvest, and they should b
% dug when the soil is dry; they are thel
II clean and bright and ready either for tn
market or to be put away under cover
If dug in rainy weather, or when the sol
,r is very heavy, the dirt will adhere to them
IL they are much more liable to rot and nc
oi nearly as marketable. Go into the vegt
p table market, and you will notice that tn
smooth, dry and clean potatoes will a
Of ways be selected first.
d, Dug in fair weather, potatoes will 500
become dry, and when they are so, the
K cannot be gathered up and put into IL
k shade too quickly. Exposure to the SUI
II, light very soon produces chemic
in change which renders the tuber unfit f'
IN use. The starch is changed to grape 81
to gar, the tuber becomes green, loses