Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-06-27
JOttings.

we nave given MacombefS hand corn
and bean planter pretty thorough tria
using it both on light, sandy soil and also
on soft mucky land, and again on very
hard, stony places and among sods. 1t
works very we'll in all these conditions
but of course the better the condition of
the soil, the better the planter works. In
construction it is so simple that it cannot
with any decent usage get out of order
In the mud it loads up little so as to
add slightly to its weight, but it does its
work just as well, which cannot be said
of hoe. 1t does we'll in stony ground
unless it strikes squarely on stone just
under the surface. Then the corn dropped
into that hill gets crushed and the hill has
to be planted again. The thumb nut on
the stop block got quickly looseded by the
jarring SO that the corn worked in be.
tween the back and the plunger. This
was easily remedied by fitting leather
washer tightly to the screw between the
thumb nut and its iron washer.
| have written thus particularly con
corning this machine because it solves for
me one of the difficult problems of corn
culture. There are May small farmers
who do not plant enough corn TO pay /
getting horse planter, many cannot
afford one and yet to plant four or six or
more acres with hoe is tedious Job.
But when one can take hand planter
and plant four or five acres in day il
greatly lessons the cost of production and
| lightens the farmers labor in the corr
| field.
Then, too, when farmer has tried a
machine and found it satisfactory, he car
help others by making a simple Statement,
in some agricultural paper. 1t was Mr.
Tinkham's notice of the planter last f,l
which led me to get it. l think it ha
paid for itself already.
Did not young farmer describe in the
FREEMAN a few years ago a cultivator ant
also harrow for cultivating corn? l wa.
not farming at the time and did not take
so much interest in such things then, anc
for one would be very glad to have young
farmer" repeat the descriptions as tn,
papers containing them have been lost
Doubtless many other readers would like
TO see them repeated, for keeping down
the weeds and stirring the soil often arr
the great needs ofthe corn crop after it i,
planted in good soil. young farmer
Pile notice and rise aud explain the
matter as above requested. -EDl
1t does not seem best to kill off Il flock
of crows with strychnine after they have
worked hard all the spring Kidding the
farm of injurious worms and insects. One
dead crow hung up in cornfeld will
keep that field clear of living crows. Ii
fact dead crow is the most effec,ua
scarecrow that can be put up. The poin
is to secure the one crow or more if one ha
, more than one cnrnfield. If crows mes
can be found with young ones in it the prob
lem is solved, otherwise gun must be used
A black hen killed and hung up has KEEP
, crows from field
r The farmers garden would receive ia
. better care if so planted that it could b
cultivated with horse. Gardens genel
r ally have their share of weeds, and t.
keep garden large enough to supply a
t ordinary family with plenty of vegetable
| and fruit, free from weeds, is too large
e job to do by hand. 1t takes considerab
room to turn with the horse and cultivate
r but most farms have land enough 10 spa
s for this.
u There is always so much to do in Il
= fields and elsewhere, that the garden
v sure to be neglected, and neglectt
r garden is very poor piece of propert
J Plan 10 plant in rows wide enough
y cultivate, and, though it is too late tn
$ year, think of it when the garden ge
i weedy or you get tired of keeping it /
J, hand. Then you will be more sure 10 II
\ a better way next year. j. WIN.
d Many thanks, send us some more.-EI