The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-11-25

NO. Is tons.
No. tons
10 tons
Now, in those times ammonia was
cheap, because there was little call for
artificial manures. Peruvian guano of
the above quality on fetched $50 ton,
so it paid well to use it, as we see that
while the addition of one hundred per
cent of dung only added three tons to the
yield of No. /, the dose of three hun
dred weight of guano, containing about
fifty-seven pounds of ammonla-nitro-
gen, forty-seven pounds-added no less
than fifteen tons to the crop, at cost
of sixty cents ton! Here the addi-
ton of two and one-half hundred weight
of sulphate of ammonia, containing
about the same amount of nitrogen,
at a cost of "a hundred weight, would
be, with fair dressing of dung, all
that the plant could desire. There is
nothing gained in wide drills; all that
is necessary is to make the intervals
wide enough to allow the horse to
walk comfortably without treading on
the plants. Twenty-six inches is my
favorite distance, and it will be found
sufficient to let plenty of light and air
into the growing crop. Having made
the drills, the dung should be carefully
spread; and some of our best farmers
manage this part of the business I'M
economically. A heap of dung to be di-
vided among fue rows will cost no more
to spread than if it were divided among
three rows. The dung being all spread,
if we use sulphate of ammonia, or any
other artificial compound, the best plan
we can adopt is to SOW it over the
dung. Splitting the drills with the
double mould-board pillow makes all
safe.
Sowing the seed.-This operation will
vary, according to the state in which
our seed is-wet or dry. If dry, it
should be Gerry dry, as the best ma
chimes, as we find them here, won't sow
if the seed is only slightly damp. l re-
member once starting to sow Belgian
carrots and, fortunately, finding out be-
fore l had gone over the first three
one too-was completely choked. Man
gold seed is freer from dust than carrot
seed, but it is mighty apt to clog. In
all sowings with American seed-drills
should open the seed-dstributo a
hole or even two above the one indi-
Gated ON the index, for they are all
made to sow too small quantities. The
roller having been passed over the
drills, the sower may be started, and
great care should be taken that the
rut into which the seed falls is of the
same depths all over the field. After
sowing, | always roll again, and on
light land / use the heaviest roller |
can get. Last year | trod all my man
Colds in after the second rolling, walk
ing on the flattened surface of the
drills-in moccassins, as heeled boots
would bury some seeds deeper than
the others-and a perfect plant was
the result; in fact, with only three
pounds of seed to the acre, there was
not vacant spot two inches wide all
over the piece. But for stepped seed
another plan must be adopted. Roll
as before, and with the seed-drill, de-
prived of the back coverers, make a
shallow rut not more than three-fourths
of an inch deep. The corner of hoe
will do as well, but you will find il
easier to keep the rut straight with the
machine, and this is a matter of i'm,
portance. The seed, mixed with some
ul1luS 10 w w oONh ny
in the rut, and carefully covered with &
wide-toothed rake. Rolling, and tread
ing if you choose, should follow as
usual The stepped seed will probably
begin to show itself in about ten days
from the time of sowing-sooner OF
later, according to the season-and the
moment the lines of plant can be traced
set the horseshoe to work. 1t is foI
this reason that / laid so much stress
upon straight rows, for, if the rows are
truly drawn, the horseshoe can pas
along between the drills without dam
age to the plant, even if here and ther,
,, there may be yard or two of seed
not yet up. Early horse-hoeing is o
, the very greatest Importance. If you
horseshoe is properly constructed, I. e.
with curved side-hoes, it will, at tn
f second time of going over, cut or par
1 away the sides of the raised drills, leav