Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-10-11
FARM NOTES.

Seed for fall-sown grasses should 90 in
this month, especially clover. which does
better on sandy soil, if seeded down in the
fall than when the seed is put in during
early spring.
Try the experiment of packing few
sweet potatoes In layers. with dry dirt
between the layers, and keep them in some
place where the temperature will not get
below the freezing point.
Nothing on farm is more valuable than
well-cured hay. and it should be fed to
stock instead of being sold. The price
usually obtained for hay in the market is
less than its real feeding value
If other work is not pressing. pillow the
ground for next years corn, and leave it
in the rough condition, so as to permit the
frost to assist In pulverizing it. In the
spring 1t may be cross-plowed.
The largest, best favored and earliest
vegetables should be retained for seed if
the seed Is to be homegrown. The smooth
solid tomatoes, and the earliest, should be
laid aside for seed before using any por-
ton of the crop.
Large seed is better than small. They
furnish more nutriment to the young
plants than the small seeds do. which gives
them a vigorous start early in the season.
and enables them to keep ahead of the
plants grown from smaller seeds.
All insects are not enemies. Some of
them are the best friends the farmers have.
Spiders, wasps, dragon flies and other in
Sects prey upon insects that are injurious.
There are also other numerous parasites
that greatly assist in destroying insects.
Small breeds of fowls lay as large eggs
as do the large breeds. The Black Span
lsh produces the largest eggs. The Leg
horn, which is a small fowl. lays large
white eggs. The Brahma and Cochin.
which are the largest breeds of fowls. lay
dark eggs. They are also excellent winter
layers, but are slow in reaching maturity
Experiments with potatoes on small
plats, and the use of large quantities of
fertilizer, in order to test the capacity of
the soil under different conditions of cul-
tlvatlon. and feeding of the plants. have
not, as a rule, resulted favorably this sea-
son, which is ascribed to the excessive rains.
Rot and the tteabeetle also proved severe
obstacles.
The time to apply lime is in the fall. so
as to allow 1t time to act ON the soil The
beneficial effects of lime may not be ap-
parent until the second season, much
depending upon the condition of the soil
and its composition. 1t should be applied
on the surface to be carried down by the
rains, and not plowed in.
Spread the onions in dry place and do
not heap them up. Freezing will not in
Jure them if they are not disturbed They
are often injured when stored in bulk and
kept too warm. but when frozen the object
should be to guard against thawing them
too suddenly. Apples keep best where they
are not subject to alternate freezing and
thawing.
Rye straw is preferred for bedding, as it
is long and easily spread over the stalls; but
in preparing the bed some consideration
must be given the handling of the manure
and absOrbents. for which reason the ma
terial will give better results. so far as la
Dor is concerned, if cut up for bedding.
Wheat straw is equally as good. The finer
and shorter the bedding material the bet
ter it will absorb the liquids. = As soon as
the leaves begin to drop they should be
raked up and hauled to the stables for bed
ding.