The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-10-02
ND DEMOCRAT, BLOOMSBURG COLUMBIA COUNTY, PA.


The Country Gentleman offers its
readers some very pertinent and valu-
able suggestions on the0ell'important
question, how to succeed on the farm
The farmer who is determined to sue
ceed, 1t says, will place on his list OF
indispensary requirements the follow.
ing operation |. The erection of
sufficient fences to give him possess
ion and control of every field. 2.
Thorough or sufficient undertaking
for the use and control of at least three
Of the soils beneath the surface. 8. The
adoption of such rotation as will give
an increase of each successive kind Of
crop, and decrease and extermn alton
to such weeds as have obtained poss-
ession. 4. Saving all the manure
made on the farm with no waste, and
its application at the best time and in
the best manner possible. S Provid.
ing tools for a most Thorough pulveri-
zation of the soil for all crops. These
FIVE operations lie at the foundation
of good farming. There are many
other provisions of much Importance
in addition to these, which should not
be overlooked. such as the saving of
labor, selection of weeds, providing the
best animals, shelter for tools, shelter
for animals, testing commercial fertili
zers, and many other operations which
will suggest themselves to the owner
while in the midst of his work.
In providing sufficient fences for
the farm, the Importance must occur
to every one, of laying out the fields
SO that they may be easily accessible,
and so that the least amount of fenc-
ing material may be needed ; at the
same time, where the soils and surfac-
es vary, to include those of similar
character within the same enclosure /;
and it may be best in many cases to
make the field oblong instead of
square, that the ploughing may be
done with less frequent turning
at the ends. In this connection,
good farm roads or laues will be OBJ
viously quite important, as they must
be travelled many times year in
Bringing in heavy crops, or with loads
of MANURE to the fields Sometimes a
few hours work in levellng obstruct-
ions, filling ruts or other depressions,
drawing on few loads of gravel, em.
banking, or providing lside bitches,
may have all this labor M any times re-
paid in single year, in drawing in
heavy loads of hay and grain, or in
drawing out hundreds of loads of man
ure. The farmer would do well to
look over his domain, and see what i'm
provements he may make in the dis
position of his fields, or in the finish of
his farm roads.
The advantages of thorough under
draining are so well understood that
but little need be said on the subject.
We have put in many miles of tile,
and in no instance more than three
years were required to repay the ex.
pense in the increase of the crops A
young farmer, who was in debt for
his farm, told us that he found he
could not pay the mortgage till he bor-
rowed money to drain it, He is now
a successful cultivator, and few of
his neighbors equal him in the heavy
return from his land.
Rotation has one peculiar advantage
it requires no outlay of money-its
only expenditure is in thought. A
continued succession of the same crop
may exhaust field, or give only half
the return from an equal amount Ol
hard work. There is no easier way to
keep the land free from weeds as by a
well devised .rotation-in which hoed
crops are followed with sown crops,
and sown crops with grass, and so on
indefinitely. Old pastures or meadows
badly infested with thistles, ox-eye
daisy, milk weeds and wild carrots, by
q thoroughly treated crop of corn or
potatoes. completely pulverised soil
to precede wheat, and dense growth
of clover, have been effectually cleared
of these intruders and in every case
their growth has been greatly reduc-
ed.
The value of manure i, universally
admitted in some form or another, but
the great majority of farmers waste a
large portion of the amount which
might be manufactured on their farms.
1t washes away for the lack of absor-
bents the liquid portions most COM
monty all escape. Quite frequently
the farmer wastes more than half Of
what he retains by bad application. II
is scattered in Jumps ; it is applied al
the wrong time ; it is not broken fine
and we'll intermixed with the soil and
many loose at least three. fourths of all
they might secure first and last by say
ing and proper use.
After bringing the farm into fine
condition by undertaking and man,
uring, success after all will depend
greatly on the additional requisite Of
thorough pulverization OF the soil tc
precede the planting and sowing OF
crops. A complete intermixture of the
ingredients which compose the soil, in
stead of leaving all in crude Jumps
will make va.t difference in wha
grows upon it.