The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-09-21
Doing Spring Work in the FAN.

oedbSa SIcdt ullIculty Is experienced N
doing all the work required on farms IN
the spring. The frost is often very late
in leaving the soil. The ground is conn.,
pletelv soaked with water formed from
melting snow. Ordinarily the heaviest
rainfalls occur during the months OF
March and April. Prairie roads are
nearly impossible for several weeks. It
is, 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 ptepar-
ing the soil for crops and doing the seed
ing if no delays were caused BY rains.
Ii the land is not well drained, field op-
erations can not be carried on more
than half the time. 1t is, accordingly,
important for every farmer to arrange
to do all the work in 1.-The fall that can
be performed with a view of lessening
the labor to be done in the spring. Un-
less the soil of the farm is chiefly COM
posed Of clay, most of the land designed
for raising small grains may 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 vege-
table rubbish on the surface that is in
the way of the pillow it can be burned Of.
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 but
little additional preparations for seed
ing in the spring. In most cases a har-
row will put it in good condition for a
seed-bed. Occasionally it may be nee
essary to use cultivator.
If it is contemplated to use heavy
bdilding 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.
Ii 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.
Fer 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 lo-
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 fail. 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 viii be dissolved or dis
intagrated 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 fall 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 it. If broken up
and scattered they will enrich a 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 pTowed in.
Treated in this way it W II only be nee
essary 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
tit 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 co7erd with straw to
protect them during the winter. Unless
farmer lives where good Shedding may
be relied on in the winter a supply of
fuel should be laid in during the fall,
Coal can always be obtained on better
terms while the weather is moderate
" 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 thefall will be in
much better condition than that pro-
cured later in the season. 1t will be
dry, and WI 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.