The National tribune., 1885-07-02
MANURE AND tTILLAGE.

vision of a proper seed bed, yet thorough tillage
has other objects and effects among which may
be mentioned, first to stir and loosen the en-
tire soil to sufficient depth, so that the roots
of the plants may freely extend themselves in
search of food second, to pulyerize the soil
and mix thoroughly its constituent parts, so as
to increase it's absorbent and retentive powers,
and to effect an equal and economical distribu-
tion of manure; third to destroy the weeds
and foreign plants, which rob the crop of food
and cheat its growth; fourth, by opening the
soil and rendering it permeable to air and
water the inert materials contained in it, both
organic and inorganic are convertible into
soluble plant food. And in regard to many of
the insects which prey upon our crops, especi
ally such as work beneath the soil at the root
of plants, frequent tillage is found to disturb
them and bring them to the surface, where
they get picked up by birds.-Ec.
GROWING ROOT CROPS.
To provide for a change of feed and to secure
the greater healthfulness of farm animals the
farmer should grow fair supply of root crops.
These may consist of carrots, turnips, beets,
potatoes or parsnips. To some turnips are OBJ
jectionable if they are to be fed to milch cows,
on the ground Of their fiayoring the milk. Car
rots and beets (mangels or sugar. are considered
the most desirable for feeding purposes and are
excellent especially the carrots, for both mich
cows and horses. In order to grow them most
successfully requires a rich sandy loan, and as
an aid to cultivation it is very desirable that it
be subjected to clean culture to some other crop
previous to planting to carrots.
The soil should be deeply plowed. thoroughly
pulverized and we'll manured with decomposed
manure. The surface should be raked over
previous to planting the seed l. a condition which
we consider of importance as regards future
culture. They may be planted in drills far
enough apart to admit of horse culture, or closer
for hand culture There are several kinds of
hand planters but our preference is for the
PLANET, jr.," manufactured by s. L. Allen, of
Philadelphia. which has always performed sat-
isfactory work. The seed does not germinate
as speedily as some other seeds, but as soon as
up so as to show the rows cultivation should
commence In this we use the Planet, ir.,
wheel hoe, because of its thorough work. 1t is
absolutely essential that they be kept clean
until they are so far advanced in growth that
the foliage prevents the growth of any weeds,
but then the soil should be stirred up by the
use of the wheel hoe For hand culture the
rows need not be moro than II or Ia inches
apart, and before the close iof the season the
spreading tops will largely cover the ground.
Before the ground freezes they should be lifted
and taken, after being dried SO that all the
earth can be removed, TO the root cellar for
Winter use aud daily feed with dry hay will
produce excellent results. The cultivation of
beets of all kinds, parsnips and stone turnips is
so nearly the same that it is not best to occupy
space by repetition. They should be planted
about as soon as the soil will admit. Common
turnips may be sown broadcast a rich sod
we'll turned about the middle of July, and
require no after care if the soil is clean from
weeds.-GermaRt0oen Telegraph.
CORN FOR FEED.
In choosing corn for feed many farmers are
deceived and mised by the popular belief that
the yellow varieties are richer in oil or fat
than the white kinds. So far as chemical
analysis has been made the contrary is the
truth, for white corn has always been found to
contain more fatty matters than the yellow.
The difference is not great, amounting to about
one per cent on the average. The New York
State Agricultural Society had several exhaust
ago, and more recently the Michigan Agricul-
tural College has been investigating the same
subject. The results are the same, and show
that, as between white and yellow corn, there
is no practical difference in the feeding value,
but whatever slight difference there is is in
favor of the white corn. The writer has found
yellow corn to give a better color to the butter
made from it, and for this reason prefers it to
white corn for feeding cows.-N. Y. Times.
POULTRY NOTES.
1t is said that teaspoonful of glycerine
and few drops of nitric acid to pint of drink
ing water, will generally cure a fowl that
shows symptoms of bronchitis, when accom-
panied by gurgling sound in the throat, as if
choking
- Don't allow the little chickens to wade
around in the wet grass They are not able
for such cxhauSting exercise. COnfino tho hen
if she is inclined to lead them too far away.
Feed your poultry on raw onions, chop
ped fine, mixed with other food about twice
week. 1t is better than dozen cures for
chicken cholera.
Indian corn should be fed sparngly at
-, % e.. "a L. r
ten to an excess.
The best and most natural flooring for
hen-houses, all things considered, is clean, dry
earth, upon an earthen floor.
ANY rule in regard to quantity of food for
poultry is difficult to establish aud unsafe to
rely upon, because the appetite of a flock is not
always tho same. They may eat given guam
tlty for breakfast one morning and leave half
of it the next. Nature is the only infallible
guide. A fowl is naturally most incessant
feeder. AT liberty they are continually in
search of something to eat In confinement
we should initiate nature as far as we can in
caring for them.
NOTELETe
"A Wisconsin dairyman reports that he has
n calf tgrade Holstein) which was born the last
day of December, 1884. When two months old
it weighed 233 pounds and up to that age it
had been fed only on skinned milk and hay.
1t was weighed again when -four months old,
and then reached 465 pounds. The last two
months it was fed with skinned milk, a little
oil meal, some oats and due proportion of hay
"A smart team thrning, good furrow in
Spring, either stubble or sod, should be able to
turn over one and half to- two acres. When
larger days work than this are reported it is
usually at the expense of the team, or perhaps
of the plowing. So much depends on the char
acter of the work in fitting uhe land that poor
plowman should not betoler3ted, however large
a days work he may claim TO be able to do.
Gardens have generally an excess of coarse
barnyard manure and deficiency of potash
and phosphates Many garden plants, especially
tnrnps and cabbage, will be greatly helped in
such gardens by substituting an application of
phosphate for the usual Spring dressing of
stable manure.
Although salt is used in packing butter,
yet it does very little to preserve it. Salt how
ever, retards the decomposition of Gaseous aud
albuminous materials left in it. There have
been cases in which butter has been kept with
out salt for long time.
"A liberal dressing of wood ashes will reno
yate an unthrifty orchard most wonderfully |
Bone dust and crushed oys: o- shells can also be |
applied and beneficial results will soon be ap-
parent.
The dairy products of this country exceed !