Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1884-03-11
AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
CONDUCTED ny d. walKrR MoKrsx.

CONDUCTED ny II. WAiAtk MchftA.
Correspondcnee on practical srfic ulturai top
iCs Il solicited. Address All commun lcstions
Intended for M. department 20 Mr. hehoen,
a. tryeourr, Maine
CULTIVATION OF HOED CROPS.
In very few weeks the work Of
Spring. with al IL hustle and require
msnis. will be upon Us and much salu.
able time may be saved by a little FORE
thought aud Systematic planning. Much
has been said Of late. in all agricultural
papers. Of the value Of thorough tillage
to the growing crop, a. well As the Sd.
vantage to the land. Many holding
firmly 70 the belief that much fertility
can be sdded 10 any soil BY thorough
tillage. Now while We are unable 20
fully agree with the ex,rmis, in this
theory. We slill are aware Of the FAC, ,ha,
all labor spen, in thoroughly Pul'efizing
and haeiDg the soil will be amply repaid
in the increased crops and ease Of cult
walton.
In the hrs, place. the ground must BE-
veil plo~ed OF the work for The season
will all be unnecessarily hard. Il mat
isfs bu, little whether Il is done IN ih,
fall o. sPring a. soon as possible after
the frost is cut. o. only short time be-
fore planting, IL IL is well done II the
ground j. 10 receive bat moderate coat
q manure do not Plow too deep, bu, II a
large quantity Is to be used the plo~
should be run q good depth No matter
how deep, II !, can be fsriililsd. But
much damage may b. done BY inyer,ins
land much below where j, has been
worked formerly. and leaving number
Of inche. Of cold. iasr, subsoil on top foi
the plan, % start 10. The true way to
deepen .oa is 10 DO Il gradually, thor
roughly mixing !, with the manure each
time is !, deepeasd
A god depth Of .oil !, VIA, i needed
% sustain growing plants through cur
summer tFoaihs. bat a good seed bed !,
also necessary. and Ia order 10 have this,
great pains mus, be taken to Pal'erils
the Top Il the fauoWs, which may BE-
done very ,fee,ually BY using disc
harrow o. pul,sri1sr The land may be
thus completely mellowed nearly TO the
depth b. VA pl9wed and 40 sots dis
placed or pulled upon The top 10 oosifue'
thc culu,sicr % hoise.hoc. Ga mos,
lands ihe pul,erissr nj. Do much better
work IL che common hafros !. hr, run
oac, over % 20 slightly lsvcl che iurfoss
A very god ~ay 90 u'e che pal'ciilsf Is
o. Jap % one half a. Ne 80 slong 10
th.s Nay % doss mote thorough work,
srd leave. ihe ground lss,l,r. because
iLe ilfr0ss of slice. which afc irracd %
che 81, lLc fret time over are lufned 90
che %, ite next Ahsr giving iae land
good working over With this j, vii
oaly need ls,eliog 20 bc ready Or the
seed
n Be- is dcsifab.c 90 mark the fows. {,
marker TIA, works a.esly AID marks foui
rows a. once can b. made by taking four
small. straight polss With only the limbs
taken oa ard enough Of the top le.t on
70 make Il Pliable; Jay the pole' on The
sTognd he required distance apart and
fas,en securely by mailing on a light piece
Of scantling. Then take another strong
pole. long enough 10 extend jus, one fos
each way outside Of The marker. and
fas,en IL securely With wiihes 10 the TOP
end. u the poles Thi. can b. easily
drawn BY too mer. and will mark the
rows straight a. i j. no, varied by elods
o. any unevtnness 10 the land a. !. the
case vhsn chains Afc thus drawn When
using il, the mAu passing next the land
ALREADY marked will carry the end q the
eros..pole directly over the Last row
marked The fret Or lover ero's.pol,s
should b, A. least four fee, from the
larger sni q The poles 80 ,ba, !, wi 10,
clog or catch on any Sigh, obstruction.
Then much care will be needed in
planting, especially II the crop be corn.
On no coalition mus, this par, q The
work Be hurried over. A. BY slight neg
lee, a, planting, many bills viii fail to
come up. And ia order 10 raise q profit
able crop every bill must BE- made to
grow /, i. al feriilizsd and costs no
more 10 hoe and 20 becomes a clear gain.
II one bin in ten is missing the result, i.
the same A. il would be II one acre ia
tea was duly plowed, prepared and kept
free from weeds and no crop grown.
This. !, will be readily seen. would not
b. a paying business Our experience
is tia, corn i often covered to-
deep. II !, happens to be dry q, III,
time Of planting, many are afraid that
IL will continue 20 and cover deep for
fear q drying. But II the ground !. ia
GOOD condition and suffciently warmed