The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1884-09-06
FARMERS COLUMN.
ssaIonable Farm Hints.
BYL. D sNooE.


. DO not Pasture too Closely.
In many farming section August ard
September are the drjest mouths in the
whole pasturirg season, AMI -uuless a far
mat has an abundance of pasturage, or has
taken the precautnn To sow corn or. other
gain for selling st this critical period, he
may ind himself short Of an adequate sup
| ply OF nutritious food for the stock usually
kept upon the farm. This will result in O
marked decrease in the supply of milk.
/ Horscs, cattle and even sheep, instead OF
seeking the shade at midday, are compelled
by the short heritage to feed all day long to
obtain asuflicient supply TO maintain their
existence aud usual flesh, aud even then
decrease in weight aud appearance is quito
noticeable. The grass is eate en- or down TO
the very roots, exposing them to the heat
ofa searching sun. In the drier places the
grass wlthers aud dries up, looking brown
and dead, and thus remains until the au
tunn rains set in. Except in an extremely
dry and unfavorabe season this short pas
urage is traceablo 70 keeping more stock
than the pasture will support in good con.
d tim. This is most certainly Poor policy.
and those who at this time find themselves
overstocked would do a sensible thing 10
reduce the amount OF live stock to corr, =
spnnd with the amount Of food available
Butchers will gladly pay gnnd price for
stock suitable for their market, and it will
pay to dispose Of the superfuous stock now
and thus prepare to go into winter quarters
with the remainder in better condition,
pnlnt tnn often overlooked by many. Even
at this late season OF the year pastures may
5e made to yield an increased quantity Of
foud by applying tn the lowest portion, or
that containing the most moisture, q refer
tn cultivated ialds) coating Of well rotted
stable manure, or supply Of some quick |
acting numerical fertllize.' or bone meal
The first good shower after this application
will cause in two weeks time a heavy
grawth to spring forth in sufficient abund |
ance to bridge oyer this critical period.
Every year thousands Of pasture fields are
ruined for this purpose by too elise feeding |
oil ut dry season. There IS also annth,r |
gross mistake multitude of farmers an
nually make. In some cases, admit, il is
matter of necessltyi but generally speak
ing It is only habit-vlz. lasturing re
Gently seeded cnver and Timothy fields |
Immediately after the removal of the grain |
crop. This pr0ctire, as observing fnrmerS |
g..
risk, especially If the seasnn is dry and hot. |
us il usually is Even late pasturIng OF |
newly seeded fields should not be INDUCED |
in, unless the soil is very fertile and in the
best possible conditinn.
1t is always good policy to allow mead
"ws and pasture fields, and particn |
new seedlings, to go into the winter with ms |
heavy coating ns possible of late growth.
or aftermath, for the better protection "i
the roots during the winter and early spring
FERTILIzE THE POOREST PATCHES.
During the season Of harvest just enden
every farmer, in gathering his crops. both
Of grain and hay, has often nun no doubt.
portions Of the field on which the crop was
much poorer, thinner and shorter than thu
lnwland, then niue times in ten under
draining will remedy the difficulty; hu.
when a knoll or elevated portion of the
field is found to be deficient IN plant food,
then the only certain remedy is the appli |
cation Of manure as required, and the hest
time TO spply il is SOM after the removal
of the crop. When the dlRrmlly exists j.,
In meadow, apply harnyard manure.
C nsidrrabe supply of which usually A.
chmulates during the summer. II fine
a'ply evenly, harrnwrng thoroughly, n"
matter II it does tear up PORTION Of the
grass plants; after which scatter over tm,
Thy or other hardy grass seed. II the man.
IRE is coarse, harrow first, aow the seed
then apply the manure. Fine, we'll rotted
wanure should always be used if poss bic
and you will be Ogreeably surprised to mote
what fine heavy growth the grass has
made before winter sets in.
The same plan should be followed IN tn,
treatment Of pasture lands, while stubblr
land should have the manure worked il
with cutiyatnr, scattering little winter
wheat OF rye over the cultivated portion.
This will not only prevent the snil from
washing but will form fine cost Of ycgeta
ble matter to be plcuGhed under in The
spring.
THIS plan Of fall manuring is recon-
mended only inr "pa trhing up" portions Of
otherwise fertile firlds. am not an anYo.
cate Of autumn manuring, except IN the
case suggested, and lur aiding the growth
OF winter crops like wheat and rye. Yet
many successful farmers practise autumn
manuring, and compost the manure during
summer tnr this late application; and Ger
tainy many most marked and beneficial
results have been oblaine from following