The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-04-10
Farm Notes.

Get your early peas and onions in. If de-
ferred later the dry season may overtake them.
If the frost is out of the ground examine the
peach trees for the borers LETT over from last
year.
Every dead limb on tree should be cut
away, not only for the appearance OF the tree,
but TO avoid the incumbrance.
An application of fine air-slaked lime and
wood ashes with 100 pounds OF plaster per acre
Is a special fertilizer for clover.
Rake up the dried grass from the fields and
burn it or add it to the compost heap. II lett
IN the fields 1t will be in the way.
A pulverizer should be run over field after
blowing. This will reduce the soil and render
the work of narrowing much easier.
Early plants may be started in egg shells
When ready to put outside, simply plant the
shells in the ground. The roots Of the plant
will break them.
The bills for lima beans may be prepared.
Make them rich and leave them until the time
arrives for putting in the seed. Then work
the hills over again and stick the seeds in eyes
downward.
If you have tried a watermelon variety of
any kind do not change it, If satisfactory, as
some kinds will do better on certain soils than
will others. If more than one variety is raised
they viii mix.
The Keller pear is a strong and vigorous
grower and seems TO do well in all kinds OF
soils. 1t presents an attractive appearance In
market but 1t is not equal TO the Bartlett or
Clapp in quality.
Plant-beds may be prepared for outdoor
plants. Cabbage and late lettuce may be sown.
There will be more frOsts yet but ii will not in
jure late cabbage plants If light cloth Is
thrown over them when they are very young.
An old stiff broom used over the rows of
strawberries at this time will clean them nicely,
fine up the manure, and the rains will complete
the work. This will prevent dirt on the straw
berries when the picking season begins.
On all beds for early vegetables the clods
must be crushed. The sod for a garden should
be fine, especially where small seeds are to be
used. The rake is the best implement for gar
den use, and in preparing the seed bed too
much raking cannot be given it.
Finely ground bone is better for very heavy
soils than superphosphates, but proportion
of superphosphates should be used also, in
order to provide food early, as the particles of
the bone are given of slowly. About one
part OF superphOsphate and three parts bone
meal is an excellent mixture.
After the strawberries are well under way
the weeds must be pulled out by hand. 1t is
not advisable to hoe or cultivate strawberries
unless slightly. The top OF the ground be-
tween the rows should be kept loose by slight
stirring to kill the weeds and prevent loss of
moisture during the dry season, but heavy Gull
tivRtion Is not desirable.
HenderSOns american Formers Manual for
this season contains a most comprehensive list
OF grasses, fodder plants cereals and root crops
together with n great deal of useful information
on agricultural subjects. 1t is the only cata-
logue of its kind published in this country.
Mailed free to any address on application to
Peter Henderson & Co., New York City.
The custom OF roughly preparing the land
for corn is being discarded Experiments show
that it pays to reduce the soil for corn to as fine
condition as for garden crops. The land can
not be worked over too thoroughly before put
ting in the seed. Ii the soil is well prepared
the work of disqualification will be easier,
and the corn will better endure the drought.
Now that the weather is warmer do not feed
the hens except at night the object being to
compel them to hunt and scratch for their food
during the day. BY so doing they will keep in
better laying condition, the eggs Will hatch
better and the health of the flock be promoted
The great obstacle to success with poultry is
overlooking, especially in summer.
pig farrowed in March April, if kept
growing from the start, can be made to dress
800 pounds at Christmas. But little grain will
be necessary, as fat will be of no advantage.
The first thing TO do with pig is to make it
grow, so as TO secure the size and frame upon
which to place the fat later in the season.
Glover is an excellent food for pigs after they
are three months old.
Seeds that terminate slowly, such as carrot
parsnip and beet, are sometimes killed by
grass, owing TO the rows becoming lost. To
avoid this. SOW radish seed lightly in the rows.
AS the radish soon shows above ground, the
row is defined, and the grass can be kept down
with the hoe. By the time the radishes are
minating plants will be up, and the rows can be
then kent clean