The National tribune., 1884-09-25
|0UR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers.
PREPARING aRohttNp FOB GRASS.

PREPARING GROUND FOR GRASS.
In seeding down to grass there are two mis-
takes that farmers often make. First, not much
more than half seed enough is sown. Second,
the soil is not half prepared. 1t is very poor
economy to try and save money by sowing
small quantity of seed. The result is there are
many vacant places, thus leaving chance for
weeds and undesirable varieties of grass to
come in, which, having gained foothold, will
soon begin to crowd out the desirable varieties.
An effort should be made to SOW seed enough to
cover the land so thick with young plants as to
crowd out every undesirable variety that tries
to get in. In this way much better quality
of hay will be obtained, and the crop will be
satisfactory some years longer than if only half
seed enough is sown. Many farmers seem to
have an idea that they have but little to do to
prepare q field to sow grass seed, except to
simply plow it and run a harrow over it few
times to level it; but this is not enough If
good crop of grass is expected it is necessary
to not only thoroughly pulverize the soil three
or four inches deep, but to mix liberal supply
of manure with it. As it is generally expected
the land when once seeded will remain in grass
several years, it pays to not only supply some
thing that is not all at once available for plant
food. Ground bone, if not very fine, will do
this and is therefore one of the best fertilizers
to apply to land that is to be seeded down to
grass that is to be found in the market, es-
pecially if applied in connection with good
wood ashes, or potash. Land manured with
these two fertilizers will produce good crops of
grass several years in succession without top
dressing. PloughmGn.
TRAINING OF HORSES.
The following excellent hints in regard to
tho management of colts we copy from an ex-
change: Horses with high mettle are more
easily educated than those of less or dull spirits,
and are more susceptible of i'll training conse
quently may be made good or bad according to
the training they receive Horses with dull spir-
its are not by any means proof against manage
ment for in them often may be found the most
provoking obstinacy or vicious habits of diff
ferent characters that render them almost en-
tirely worthless. Could the coming genera
tion of horses in this country be kept from
their colthood days to the age of five years in
the hands of good careful managers there would
be seen vast difference in the general char
acters of the noble animals. If colt is never
allowed to get an advantage it will never know
that it possesses a power that man cannot con-
troll; and if made familiar with strange objects
it will not be skittish and nervous. A gun can
be fired from the back of horse an umbrella
held over his head, buffalo robe thrown over
his neck, a railway engine pass close by, his
| heels bumped with sticks, and the animal takes
| it all as natural condition of things, if only
taught by careful management that ne will not
| be injured thereby. There is a great need of
! improvement in the management Of this noble
animal-less beating wanted and moro educa-
| ton. 1l
FoTELETs.
| - To have mignonette the year round it
should be sown in February, again in April, in
| September, and October. 1t is best to grow in
/ pots first until just ready to bloom, and then
| transfer to a box, where the plants can branch
| out and flower for a long time. For soil in the
| pots use three parts loam, one part manure, one
| part leaf mold. Apply water in the mornings,
! that the foliage may be dry before night. Thin
out the plants as fast az they grow up until
only five are left in the pot. Shade from the
sun in the middle of the day, as otherwise the
| foliage will be discoiored.
- Dairy farming has assumed wonderful
proportions in Great Britain, where it is now
growing more rapidly than in any other coun-
! try in the world. The amount of capital en-
ployed in dairying by farmers in the United
Kingdom is estimated at no less than from
1915 900 900 to 81, ,0G0 o00 900, aud that by land
lords, at from Sc, 10000 900 to 81 7000,0 100000
These are vast sums, and yet it is only too well
known that British dairy farming is capable OF
| about three pints of milk are consumed weekly
by each person in the United Kingdom, while
| the weekly consumption of cheese is about
four ounces.
Shelter saves fodder, wherever lumber
can be easily obtained to degree which few
| practical men arc aware of. The warmer the
| stables are the better, except, perhaps, fol-
sheep. But with close, warm stables, it is es-
sential that the manure heap should be where
it will not contaminate the air, and that there
! should be perfect ventilation, SO arranged aS
not TO cause drafts of air.
- The pasture system does not do away with
the necessity for moving. The stock eat only
the best grasses. leaving the coarse stuff and
weeds TO grow without check. Unless moved
at midsummer TO prevent weeds seeding, the
pasture will soon become very foul. especially
with Canada thistles, the seeds of which viii
be blown all over the neighborhood.
- Wheat bran increases the flow of milk
but, unless unusually rich in -four seems tS
have little effect on the yield of butter. One
sample of bran may have five times as much
nutriment in it as another. That made at ths
large merchant mills by the new process i!
usually about the dearest feed butter dairy
man can buy, SO thoroughly is it stripped o
all valuable elements
1t is sometimes very convenient TO fence
off part of lot for keeping COWS when nj
permanent fence is desired. The farmer wht
has Oh TO lOO RODS oil portable fence that can bs
moved and set in half day is more nearly in
dependent about fences than one whose farm
is crossed every way by fences that in fou
years out of five are only nuisance
- Good oat straw is valuable food for eithe
horses cattle or sheep. Care in securing tn,
grain, especially ii stacked in the field thresh
ing as soon as may be. and having the straw
well stacked, is well worth the taking.
- Breeding sows should have plenty of room
for exercise and be fed plentifully on grass
I while those intended for slaughter should b
fed on concentrated food and kept closely con
, fined.
- The best method of catching hawks is b,
afixing steel traps to posts, as the hawks usu
ally alight On post in preference to anythin
else, in order to look around before seleetin
their prey.
{ - In packing apples for shipment not on
: should be placed in the barrel that has tn
! slightest trace of unsonndness, as such apple
] decay sooner than the others and also affect a.
9 in the barrel.
Plant sunflowers everywhere whore yo
can find place about the barn or fowl-houss
1t is well known that this plant is especiall
valuable for its heaithygiving qualities. Al
/; that is needed is to press the seed under th
SOIL and the plants will care for Themselves
On the margin of the sink drain, near th
outheuse or pig-sty, or in the unused runs
J, the poultry yard, these plants will be film
5 the place of the health committee. and tn
Fall crop of seed will make valuable chang
: of diet for the fowls during the Winter an
. Spring.
l. 4 ri