The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-07-01
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions for Our
Agricultural Readers
THE PnEAsuREs OF FARMING.


THE PLEASURES OF FARMING.
We have often thought it matter Of deep
regret that the farmer does not take more pride
in his calling and ind more pleasure in his
daily routine of farm duties. There is GER
tainly more pleasure TO be gained from agri-
cultural pursuits than from any other, apart
from the independence of the life Of tiller Of
the soil. We hear every day of men, after
having accumulated competency by the ex-
ercise of their trades or professions, taking up
farming as q recreation; but we never hear Of
men taking up the business of banking, mer-
chandisiug or manufacturing for the same rea-
son. There is no known industry followed as a
pleasure by so many people as that of agricul-
ture. After life of toll and hustle, men seem
delighted to exchange the heat and dust and
turmoil of the city for the quiet country home,
there to spend the evening of life amid flowers
and sunshine. We think that farmers make
moro toll out of their lives than is neces-
sary. In the first case few men work with less
regard to system. In fact, if banker, mer-
chant or manufacturer were TO carry On his
business in the slipshod style Of most farmers,
their enterprises would soon come to disastrous
end. And then there are so many interesting
experiments, in one way or another, that a
farmer might try from time to time, which
would tend to lessen the monotony of existence
and add new charm to life. These expert
ments need not be necessarily Of an expensive
nature, but in fact, while deeply interesting
in themselves, might be made a source of con-
slant profit. Books and newspapers, too,
should have a more prominent part in the
farmers household. The best agricultural pa
pers should be read and a man should k eep
fully abreast with the day in agricultural and
all other matters. Book farming should by no
means be despised. OF course we know that in
many magazines and books published on farm
| ing some impracticable suggestions are made,
but still the careful and sagacious farmer
/ would be able TO pick out the wheat from the
chaff and many a useful and profitable hint
might be thus picked up. The reading farmer
| is nearly always the successful farmer, for in
telligence in keeping abreast Of the times is as
necessary in farming as any other business
Many farmers are apt to underrato and sneeI
at what they call book farming, but they would
| find in many instances. if they tried little
both labor and money would be saved.
TIE HOE IN THE coRNFIELD.
While machinery is, of course, of untold ad
vantage in the cultivation of corn, it is certain
! that the hoe has been too completely abolished
| as an aid TO the raising OF this most valuable
cereal. That the judicious use of the hand hoe
will greatly increase the yield of corn is shown
| by numerous reports. Almost every year the
| National Department Of Agriculture credits
| Maine with producing more corn per acre than
any of the Western States. The soil of the
| State is very poor and the climate unisvorablt
to the crop, but all the land planted to corn /:
worked with the hand hoe. As the cornfeldi
are small and the ground generally abounds in
small stones, the planter aud riding cultivation
| cannot be used 70 advantage A cultivation
drawn by one horse, light plow or narrov
| harrow is run between the rows to kill thu
weeds and loosen the soil, while the hoe is EN-
j ployed to work the ground Immediately abou
the stalks Of corn. Corn in gardens general!
yields twice as much rs in fields, for the reason
that it is tendediwith the hand hoe. The farm
/ ers who compete for the corn premiums at GU
1 State and County fairs use the hoe as well a
the horse cultivator in tending the crop. The,
are not satisfied with the work done will
riding cultiyators They use them, but the.
do not expect that they will do all the worl
with them.
| BEGINNERS IN FARMING.
A safe advice to beginners, and one that an,
agricultural paper could afford TO keep Away
printed in special type, would be, in substance
Go slow. Do not buy any new implement
| if you can get good secondhand ones.
DO not buy anything more than your neigh
Dor, self-suppOrting farmer, uses.
DO not do anything differently from wha
he does And after copying him and his ways
say for three years, begin to spend any none
you may have made in carrying out your idea
Of Improvement if you have any left"
write feelingly on this subject, for hav
been farming now for five years. and, lookin
back, regret that i could not have follows
such course
1t takes several years for person to kno'
his own farm. IL takes a beginner severa
years to know how TO avoid wasting money
lie may think he knows, but he will find h
does not. About the only thing he can safel
do at first is TO haul manure to the spots tina
need 1t most. And after one or two seasons
trial he will begin to understand these appar
emily simple things: How much time it takes
how much ground it covers; what increas
yield in crops-and consequently what he ca
afford 20 spend in making his manure.
Besides, what answers in one locality may b
disastrous or Improbable in another.-Co
Country Gentleman.
| TO RAISE PEACHES.
The conditions Of success in peach CROWN
are:
i. An elevated location that is not subject I
late frosts in the Spring or early frosts in til
Fall.
2. A warm and moderately fertile soil that
well drained by nature. Artificial drainag
may prove successful.
g. Thorough cultivation, without manur
until the trees come into bearing; then com
bine the two so as to supply all the depletio
produced in the soil by growth of trees an
fruit.
A. Never let a tree overbear.
5. Continue cultivation until the close Of th
dry season, every Summer, even if il continue
until Michigan H0rticaltuTist.
KILLING WEEDS.
Everybody knows how difficult it is to II
move weeds from the garden walk when the
have once become rooted and grounded. Sa
is one Of the remedies most frequently en-
ployed, and the following is said to be the be
way Of applying it: Boil the salt in water, OF
pound to the gallon, and pour the mixture boi
ing hot out of a watering pot with a spreadir
. nose. This will keep weeds and worms ava
for two or three years. In subsequent applic
tions the solution may be somewhat weake
Ii will be well 20 take care that none Of Il
liquid falls on the garden mold.
SOTELETs.
! - II is said that raw bone has been prove
by analysis to contain every part of an egg
white, yelk, and of course, shell. 1t should |
constantly kept in special place in the pen
apartment of laying hens, as they will eonsun
. large quantities Of land it goes chiefly to c.
production. Granulated is the best form
which 10 place it before adult fowls, and in tn
shape it keeps fresh longer than when grour
into meal. Bone is one of the principal mgr
|. fha meet &c A. ~.