St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1884-06-21
A Spoonful of Manure.
Prairie Farmer.

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colt OF calf or lamb or pig, which
from any cause finds it difficult to
get sufficient milk from its dam for
the first few days of its existence.
Would it not get poor start that
would be likely to affect all its after
growth ? Would not a little extra
appropriate food at such time tell
upon its growth and vigor even to
maturity !? Apply this reasoning to
a young plant Of corn or wheat, or
Of any field OF garden crop. The
young germ starts out. For a little
while it grows and expands until it's
roots become numerous enough and
stretch out far enough to gather sap
and other food from the soil. Its
first food is the starch and other
material stored for it in the seed.
Now, suppose as this decreases and
is exhausted, the tender roots fiud
more Of similar food close at hand,
in the form of rotted manure OF 9TH
er fertilizer, to give it an extra push
forward. Does it not stand to rea-
son that these rootlets will be slim
ulated to larger, stronger growth,
and push out further and faster INTO
the soil, and thus be in position and
strength to take up more food, to
nvnand and GROW with greater
vigor +? There are few soils even on
the fertile prairies, to which the adj
dition of a half gill or even a table
spoonful Of liquid manure, or Of
water soaking from manure in the
soil, or Of some artificial fertilizer,
would not have a welcome and slim
ulating effect.
A handful Of rotted manure, even
a spoonful, mixed with the earth
close to the starting corn or other
seed will have wonderfully stimuli
lating effect. A quart Of material
gathered from under the hen roosts,
and distributed in FIVE and twenty
corn hills, or half dozen cucumber
or squash hills will tell wonderfully.
A pailful of the rich dark liquid from
the barnyard, distributed, half a
pint in place, directly alongide the
starting plants in the weaker, lag
ging corn hills will hasten forward
forty such hills and often bring a
hundred and fifty plump ears, where
without this help scarcely so many
nubbins would be found in Septem-
Der.
Real profit does not come SO much
from the number Of acres gone over
as from how much he gets off each
acre. Tt costs about the same num-
Der of dollars to own, OF rent, pre-
pare seed, and work an acre for a
small or large crop. The profit
comes from the second quarter or
half of a good crop.
OCCUPATION AS A PREVENTIVE
Never forget that idleness is rui-
nous to young people, and give
your boys and girls plenty to do.
IAN ounce Of prevention is worth a
pound Of cure or, to change the
figure, it is very easy to run loco
motive when everything is in run
ing order. but after a collision it is
quite another thing. Take our adj
vice. Put your boy on the right
track and keep it clear. Ten chances
to one he will go unhurt until he is
twenty-five. or thirty and then
well, you need not break your
heart because he breaks his. Ac-
cidents will happen you know, they
must come sooner or later but la
ter is better. Give him something
to do. As for your daughter, as
soon as she leaves school her books
are thrown aside, and she is expect
ed at once to identify herself with
household interests, or to become a
lady of fashion, according to cir
cumstances. Better the first than
the last but both are wrong. Give
her something to do something
which involves routine. Let her
keep up a slender course Of study.
Give her good books and papers to
read. Find her occupation Of some
kind, or she will soon become rest
less alRl uneasy, and ripe for any
mischief.