The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-02-20
All Around the Farm.

Burn over the fields that are covered with
stubbles and dried grass.
If you have a warm place, and well sheltered,
you can set out lettuce plants now, If you have
them.
Nothing is so clean as dry dirt sprinkled on
the floors of poultry houses and in the stalls OF
the stables and cattle sheds.
Haul out your manure now and get it out
of the way before spring. By SO doing the
manure will be in better condition for the
crops.
When the spring rains come do not allow
any of the water to flow into the well. Grade
up around the well to turn the surface
water off.
Salt is said to be an excellent fertilizer in
peach orchards. better fertilizer would be
twenty parts wood ashes to one of salt, applied
broadcast.
Thousands of dollars worth of grain is de-
stroyed annually by mice, rats and other YER
min, that may be saved by using half-inch wire
netting under the floors of stables and barns.
Moist, damp soil is sometimes the most valu-
able. Celery, and In some sections onions, do
best on such soils. If the soil is sandy straw
berries will thrive better on damp soils that are
not too wet.
Early in the season the fowls on the farm can
be made to do good service if allowed on newly
plOwed land. Chickens will scratch industri-
ously for worms, and the number of insects
eaten by large flock daily is very large.
The horses should be exercised daily If
kept standing in the stable they become
changed in disposition. The gentlest OF horses
become shy if confined too long. Exercise
hardens the muscles and keeps the horse in
good condition for the spring work.
Paint is an important substance on the farm.
1t preserves the buildings and adds TO their
appearance. Farmers who neglect to use
paint are not economical. 1t adds much to the
value of everything on the farm stops holes
and cracks, and saves its cost in single
season.
1t costs less to raise colt than may be sup
posed. The colt requires attention, however,
as it must be curried and properly stabbed, but
with plenty of pasture but little food is re-
quired, except an allowance Of grain daily. If
well bred the colt should bring a good price
when three years old.
Changeable weather is not favorable to bees
in winter 1t will not do to keep the hive too
warm, as the bees generate animal heat, and it
will not assist the bees to have the hive in an
exposed location. The bee-keeper is COM
PEELED to trust to his judgment, and to move
the hives should necessity so require.
Radish is a hardy vegetable and can be
grown on nearly all soils, but prefers a light,
sandy loan. To get them crisp and tender
possible. The longer the time required for
growth the tougher the radish. Crispiness is
the most important quality with them.
The safest mode of preventing rot in grapes
is to trim the vines now and burn the wood.
Then spray the vines with the Bordeaux mix
ture (sulphate of copper and lime water.) Be-
gin early, so as to kill the disease before the
warm weather begins Early work will do
much to prevent the spread Of the disease.
The gizzard of the fowl masticates the food,
but this can only be done with the aid OF sharp,
gritty material A hen can eat powdered glass
with benefit. Many of the ailments of poultry
in winter are due to the lack of gritty sub
stances, the birds being compelled to disgest
unmastcated food, which results in indigestion.
If you want early greens make a piece of
ground very fine, use good, well-rOtted manure,
and SOW kale seed as early as the warming OF
the ground will permit. Kale is hardy, grows
very rapidly, and is of the best plants
grown for early use. Use plenty of seed to
avoid bare places, and SOW it either broadcast
or in rows.
The hot-bed should come in for more atten-
ton than anything else this month. 1t requires
watching and if the plants do not thrive or
grow rapidly they must be sprinkled with
solutions of commercial fertilizers. a table
spoonful each of guano and superphosphate in
two gallons of water is excellent, and may be
applied three times a week.