Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-04-10
From Damascus.

ED. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. are hoping
for an early spring. There has been but
little cold weather for a week, which has
caused good feeling among them, and
desire for an early season, because that
a year ago was late and all the way
through unfavorable for farm operations.
With good weather for seeding early there
is much better assurance of fair crop,
especially small spring grains, oats in
particular. 1 think an extra effort is
being made to SOW these early, as one of
my neighbors informs me that he has
twenty-five acres all ready to SOW. am
an advocate OF fall plowing, and where
this is done there is no need of re-plowing,
only cultivated to the depth of two or
three inches, to make a good seed bed.
Flowing deeply in the spring where the
surface has been bare all winter, only
turns to the bottom of the furrow the soil
near the surface which has been loosened
by the frost and ifs fertility made avail
able. 1t takes some time to develop plant
food in cold weather, on newly turned up
soil; while that which has been on the
surface for months, even in cold weather
has usually enough to give spring grain a
good start. The difference is so great,
wherever possible, corn stubble should be
sown in fhe spring without deep plowing.
The crop of all crops in the Maumee
Valley is corn. 1t is the chief product
that sustains the live stock interests, be-
sides being an article of commerce. 1t
may truthfully be said to furnish meat
and bread, and in Henry county, even a
drink. Corn is standard and sll-import-
ant product, and could not well be dis
pensed with, although some of it is some
times perverted to bad uses.
The season last year, being unfavorable,
heavy loss resulted, that is now felt
severely by the producer, and nearly all
other classes to a greater or less extent.
Several business men of the neighboring
town of Grand Rapids told me last fall
that as soon as the frost killed the corn in
September, it "nipped" their Bbusiness
prospects. Another such failure would
almost be a calamity to the farming COM
munity of this county. Yet it was not
an entire failure, but only partial, and
the corn is of an inferior quality as COM
pared with that of other years.
Important lessons may be learned from
failures as we'll as successes and all should
profit thereby. A large portion of the
loss last season resulted from planting
inferior seed, part of which was import.
ed from Kansas and Missouri, and Other
places south of this latitude. 1t was toe
late in maturing, and some Of it entirely
failed to ear. Good seed is therefore o
the first Importance. Farmers should tes
their seed corn before planting time, ant
see that it Is variety suitable to thei
latitude. Next in Importance to gooC
seed is thorough cultivation to insure ,
good crop of corn. Taking it for granted
that the soil is suitable-fertile and wei
drained, either naturally or artiicially-
it should be thoroughly cultivated, ant
no weeds be allowed to grow. Generally
early planted corn does better than tina
planted late, but this depends on the con
dition OF the soil, and the farmer must us,
his best judgment in regard to the tim
to plant.
1t is astonishing how rapidly and effect
lively the subject of oftile-drainage has takei
hold of the public mind. At first only
few of the most progressive ventured up
on a few rods to drain frog-pond, un
comfortably near the dwelling, or
swale through some favorite field. Nov
many of the most conservative have lonl
lines either finished or under way; mos
ofthe sloughs are being drained, and som
are trying the experiment of complet
drainage: Reflective people saw severa
years ago that tile-drainage would som
day, in this country, come to be consider
ed prime element in good farming, bu
few, think, believed it would come s.
soon.
Now that the spirit progress has tn
upper hand, let us plant the highways an
roadsides with trees, so that he that sc
journeth may rest his weary limbs be
meath.
The prospects of the Henry Count
Agricultural Grange Fair are very prom
Using and bright. The directors, ~. Cars
ter, J. H. Hoy, T. s. Lingle, E. R, Vol
N. H. Hartman, r. Spangler, J. Sheats
j. Shelf, S. Overholtz and Mrs. T. s. Lin
geD have been instructed to proceed a
once and secure and locate the ground
for the annual fair, and there will be
meeting of the directors held at the Napo
leon Grange hall on Saturday, April 12t
for that purpose. five do even as we
as we did last year, we shall consider it
success, but we shall aim to do muc
better.
SUBSCRIBER.
Damascus Township, Apr. 5th, 1884.
Death ofa Veteran Actor.