Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-07-19
FARMING THE CORNERS.
Many Little Things That Need Prompt and
Careful Attention.

| Many Little Things That Need Prompt and
| Careful Attention.
A prosperous farmer being asked The
secret of his success replied. Il farm
the corners" The owner of a farm
carried on entirely by hired help, came
home one night remarking: 81 have
been doing to-day what hired men will
not do-cleaning the weeds from the
fence corners A thrifty dairy farmer
of our acquaintance proceeds with his
haying in this manner:
After the usual ''bout cut" with the
mower, man with a scythe goes to the
corners and along the fences where the
sickle bar has failed to reach, and soon
lays the ''scatterings' of standing grass
upon the swath cut by the mower. An
other farmer always carries hoe when
he goes to water cattle, or whenever
he has occasion to go to distant parts
of the farm afoot. By this means his
pastures and fields are kept free from
obnoxious weeds and useless plants.
No grass is wasted under thistles out
of reach of cattle. These are three
examples of farming the corners.
Some may think this matter of too
small Importance to merit attention.
To the majority of farmers the differ
ence between a profit and loss is in
saving the littles-is farming the corn
ers. The cheapest, easiest and simplest
way to farm the corners is to have a
strip of grass either one or two rods
wide around every cultivated field.
This gives room for turning around in
blowing and in cultiyating, if the crop
is corn or potatoes, and room for the
first round in harvesting small grain,
without trampling with horses or bull
wheel of machinery. The hay can be
gathered by four or eight rounds of the
mower and half as many with the rake,
with a swing of the scythe in the
corners if the field is fenced.
If any one considers the hay he gets
from fence corners insufficient to pay
for the time it takes to procure it, let
him stop a moment and think how
many fence corners there are on his
farm that produce a crop of strong,
healthy weeds each year. Why? Be-
cause good grass, if left year after
year uncut or unburned, will soon
make a fine place for weeds. The
seeds get among the decaying grass
and grow when the grass roots are
killed by the same mantle that gives
life to the weeds.
Another corner that needs farming
is that big stone in the meadow or corn
field. If not too large, get it out this
fall; if it can not be removed, sink it
below blowing depth, if possible. If it
must remain, clear every thing from it.
Do notmake it the destruction of your
farm. In other words, do not pile
stones and rubbish upon it, and make
it lodging place for weed seeds; they
will terminate and thrive without Gull
tivation, and are pretty apt to go to
seed, as the nature of their root-bed
forbids an easy determination.
Hyou have stumps to deal with, pull
or burn them out at your earliest OPP
portu nifty.
Clumps of Struggling trees or under
brush should be taken out, root and
branch, that the fields may be cultiva-
ted without hindrance. If you wish
shade or a wind-break from the clump,
clear and trim up, leaving only the best;
then care for these, that they may
thrive. Unless these unsightly clupps
are taken care of, they often become
seed-beds for foulness to the farm.
The same care may be applied to the
single large tree you wish to preserve.
Keep the limbs trimmed off well up, SO
that the suns rays may reach all the
ground under it at some time during
the day. This will enable you to get
something of crop from under tree.
Besides those in the fields there are
other corners on farm that need care.
One is often found in the feed-box of
the horse stable. Be sure the feed-boX
does not leak; much grain is wasted
that ought to help the horse do his
work Another corner sometimes
found in the stable is the waste of hay
the horse is allowed to get under his
feet and then use for bedding. Have
you ever looked to this corner of your
farm?
The COW stable often has both these
wastages. Even though you are
renter, the investment of few dollars
for lumber and few hours time will
pay big interest in the feed saved or
milk gained. Sometimes the corners
in barns are holes and cracks through
which wind and cold steal the animals
comfort and the farmers profit. How
ever poor you are, farm this corner, if
with stuffing only; and really, for the
outlay, this means will prove very
profitable. A few nails and some old
boards. strips or poles will make
which can be filled with
straw, old hay or leaves. Stuff with
if it be the best new tame
hay 1t will pay large dividend.
Do not wait; do it now.
There are many other corners about
the farm that need ~ttention. Look
after the farming of each of them in
its season, and you will find your work
will be done more easily. satisfactorily
and profitably.-F'arDl, Field and Stock
man.
A Few Fashion Notes.
There has been an endeavOr in En-