The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-07-17
MIDSUMMER FARM TALKS.
SOME POINTS ON CROPS FoR solLlNe.
About Planting OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the
Basis of Social Order-Sman Fruits
in Gardens-Pruning Screens
Farm Notes.

Several crops commonly used for soiling
says the Country Gentleman, are biennial or
perennial, and the perennials must be pro-
vided in the previous years, such, for in
stance, as winter rye, clover and orchard
grass, for early soiling; while the ANIMALS,
including Indian corn, Hungarian grass,
sorghum, and barley, are used the same
year that they are sown. The time is now
approaching when the ANIMALS may be
started for autumn feeding. Corn is, per-
haps, the most valuable of al, on account
of facility in sowing, certainty to come up,
abundance of crop, and the ready success
sion which may be secured with large and
small varieties, and long continued sue
cession in sowing. At the North it may
be sown about the first of May, and good
crops of green and succulent stalks have
been obtained from seed sown in July, af-
ter the removal of early potatoes from the
land, and it would doubtless do well fol-
lowing early sown and early cut barley.
Barley has the valuable quality of endur-
ing such frosts as kill corn and other ten
der plants; and on good soil two good
crops may be grown and cut in a single
season-the first as early as the soil will
admit, and the second early In August.
Being cut for soiling before the usual time
for the ripening of the grain the two peri
DDS required are reduced in iength. Sown
in August, it will furnish green fodder
late in autumn, after the late frosts have
cut the crops of corn and sorghum. A
Il Il, 10 r,caI boy
for a crop of the grain. Winter rye, for
spring soiling, should be sown early in
autumn, and it may follow the later crops
of potatoes. When the potatoes have left
the ground clean and in good mellow con-
dition, the rye may be sown without plow
ing and with only free use of the Acme
harrow. For ripening the grain the next
season, or for little later soiling in spring,
it may be sown any time during Septem-
Der or October.
We briefly refer to these various crops,
to remind those who might otherwise
overlook the time, of the various periods
when annual crops for soiling may be put
in, and also such biennials as winter rye
for spring use. Corn may be planted at
midsummer if seed of the early or small
varieties are taken; barley during the last
half of summer, and rye throughout au-
tumn. AS a general rule, larger amount
of seed should be used than for the ripen-
ing of the grain.
Practical farmers will make improve
ments or notifications of the course here
suggested; our object is merely to call at
tention to the subject at the present time.
Agriculture the Basis of Social Order.
The following from the address at
Changers picnic in California is a fine
illustration of the farmers relations to So
cial order and prosperity:
Agriculture lies at the base of social
order and stability. One great distinction
between civilized and savage men is the
relation they sustain to the soil. The saw
age has no fixed abode, He makes no
claims to the earth He knows nothing
of fee-simple deeds and leases. All he
asks is a place to pitch his tent for night,
or during the hunting season. There can
be no social organization, no law, no or
der, so long as men are pomadic and I'M
settled. Agriculture attaches men to the
soil, and this lays the cornerstone of the
social fabric. 1t fixes them to some chosen
spot they call home, and clothes it with
sweet and tender memories and associa-
tions. There the stars sparkle more
brightly. the flowers bloom more fra
grantly, the fruits taste more deliciouslv.
Every tree, nil, field and stream is daguer-
reotyped imperishably upon his soul. 1t
is the fairest, dearest spot on earth to him.
The garden, the orchard and the field rep
resent more to him than the annual yield
of fruit and grain. It is the home of mis-
wife, the place where he has unfolded his
heart-history, and written upon cradle,
playground, school-house and rural
graves the evangel of his love. You can
easily see how, with this attachment to
the soil, this love for a chosen spot you
call home, begins the development OF So
cial stability and order"