Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1886-06-18
Agricultural Notes.

or potato growers, is to cultivate as
soon after every rain as the ground is
dry enough, no matter whether any
weeds are visible or not.
If runners are removed from straw
berry vines in spring the old plant
will be more vigorous and the fruit
falrer. There will be time enough to
grow plants for next years fruiting
after this seasons crops of vines has
ripened.
The best time to kill a weed is as
soon as it appears above the surface.
A slight brush with garden rake or
in the field with smoothing harrow
will destroy weeds at this early stage;
but if allowed to grow few days,
heavier implements must be used.
At three feet apart each way there
are 4,S00 hills on acre. Potatoes
yielding only one bushel to every 80
hills would give upwards of 160 BUSH
els per acre. That this is much above
the average crop even in good years
shows how great are the possibilities
for improvement in potato growing.
The cotton plant is destined to be-
come greater Importance than ever.
Farmers have learned that cotton. seed
meal is good feed for most kinds of
stock, and that after feeding it makes
the most valuable kind of manure. 1t
requires some care in using, and is
better if mixed with at least half its
bulk of wheat bran.
Horses kept in close stables, especi-
ally if underground, are apt to suffer
from sore eye caused by the ammonia
from their urine. A little land plas-
ter or gypsum scattered in the stables
will absorb this ammonia and save its
valuable fertilizing properties. Dilu-
ted sulphuric acid will do the same,
but it is not so convenient as the syp-
sum.
A German paper says that care
should be taken not to expose -four to
the direct rays of the sun. 1t recon-
mends that transportation of the -four
should be carried on by night or on
cool days, as far as possible, stating
that the heat of the sun produces
much the same effect on the -four as
overheating during grinding, setting
up fermentation, which Injuries the
flour for bread-making purposes.
When cows are fed on any kind of
putrefying food the milk is unwhole-
some. This Is common sense every
where, and law in New York. The
same law forbids selling the milk ia
ken from a COW fifteen days before
calving and five days after. Distillery
swill and other fermented food is also
placed under the ban and declared to
be ''impure and unhealthy" This is
getting pretty close to ensilage.
The farmer VINO clears up an acre Of
new land increases not only his own
but the nations wealth. But if he
does this to the neglect of his older
titled fields the gain is not so appar-
ent. We half cultivate too much al
ready. Few farmers have the money
to cultivate all the land they own, and
until they secure more capital the bet
ter way is thoroughly to till part and
let the remainder lie fallow.
Nothing is SO good for the flooring
of all poultry houses as the original
soil over which they are built, dug up
and mixed with screened mortar rub
BILE. If rats abound, it is advisable to
concrete the floor of roosting places,
but they must then be covered deep
in screened busting material of some
sort. Birds kept on concrete flooring
without these precautions, however
we'll swept and cleaned, will not -four
ish.
The simple fact that stock is out of
condition physically does not always
mean that nostrums and medicines
are necessary for its restoration. There
is too much of tendency to rush in
to these things upon the first symp-
toms of indisposition, let circumstances
be what they may. It is often the
case that . simple rsadjustment of the
diet, or some slight and easily render.
ed attention. will remove the Difficult.
ty entire. The administration of rem.
edies which are not understood should
be under medical advice. There are
certain simple home remedies, how
ever, which all understand, and which
can often be employed with good Of
feet. The whole subject is one re-
curing close study and care.
No amount of good food will fatten
geese originally of q mongrel type.
The quickest and best to lay on sound
flesh are the produce of Embden
geese crossed by Toulouse gandsr.
DO not proceed to fatten suddenly.
After given free range of stubble and
grass fields, continue gradually, and
at last wholly, in partially dark
place. Wheat and barley grain, and
barley meal with brewers grains. fat
ten. we'll. Goslings may be put up
to fatten at five or six weeks seven
weeks should bring them to perfec-
ton. Indian meal is also good, and
turnip and mangel tops are greatly
relished. Ponds are not required, but
large troughs of water should stand a.
bout in tbs shade.
Millions of dollars are annually lost
by farmers by carelessly allowing their
cows to get overrun with lice. Young
stock, especially calves, are very liable
to be troubled with these pests. When
your cattle constantly lick and rub
themselves, and the hair grows towards
the head, or great patches of skin are
exposed by the loss Of hair, look out
for this insect. Try the following:
Two quarts of raw linsssd oil, one
pint kerosene, three pounds of sulphur;
mix all thoroughly together and rub
we'll into the hair, commencing be-
tween the horns and following back to
the tail. Rub it on pretty freely. and