Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-16
FARM End ORCHARD.
ADVANTAGES OF SUMMER FLOWING
OF THE SOIL.
Making Hay-The Secret of Ceisry-The
Cultivation of the Turnip-Gen-
eral Farm Notes.

It has not been determined BY leading
agriculturists and scientists whether late
blowing should be practiced or not In
all discussions on the subject local In
fiuences are made to bear on the matter
The character of the soil, its surface con-
formation. the climate, the previous crops
thereon, and other considerations govern
decision on the question. 1t is claimed by
some that the soil should never be exposed
in condition bare of growth, as it Is In
iured by the sun in the summer and by
the washing of the rains in the winter. 1t
is admitted, however, that every farmer
must Judge for himself, as his farm may re-
ouire treatment radically different from
that of his neighbor.
ADVANTAGES OF SUMMER FLOWING.
The great difficulty with some farmers
is to secure an opportunity to plow during
the summer, as pressing work prevents
them from doing such when it may be an
advantage Summer blowing will answer
well on ground that has long been in sod,
dDu MulCH HAS UcSn luluCu unQcI III luC
spring. Such land is usually planted to
corn or potatoes and the frequent use of
the cultivator keeps the ground loose and
and promotes decay of the sod, but pota-
toes for an early crop are harvested as
soon af possible, which leaves the soil not
only rough, but in an excellent condition
for weeds.
By blowing the soil after the potatoes
are off it will be reduced to finer condi
ton, the weeds will be destroyed and the
second crop of weeds retarded, so that by
the time the land should be gotten ready
for wheat when it should be plowed
again the seed bed for the wheat can be
narrowed down fine and nice, while all the
weeds will not only have been destroyed,
but prevented from seeding. If the plow-
ing on corn land is done as soon as the
corn is cut, and again the land plowed
before seeding to wheat, it will be a great
benefit to the wheat.
LABOR OF FLOWING.
In all such matters the labor is the first
consideration, and no farmer will pillow
twice if he can make one blowing suffice
But this work should be balanced by the
saving of labor later on, in the destruction
of weeds at the first blowing, the better
condition of the seed-bed for wheat, the
cleaner the field of wheat in the spring of
weeds, and the greater the yield by the
larger amount of plant food rendered more
available, due to the stirring of the soil
and the action of air, warmth and moist
Philadelphia Record
MAKING HAY.
Farmers would reap larger profit from
their hay if they would cut it while it is
yet what we call green. Some farmers
wait till the seed is ripe to cut for nay
For seed this is all right, but for hay
greater mistake could not be made If hay
is cut after ripening, it will not find much
sale on the regular market. But on the
other hand, hay dealers, working for their
own pockets, will advise you sometimes to
cut it too green.
The proper time to cut the grasses and
clovers, according to chemical analysis, is
when they are at the height of bloom, or
Just passing from it. Chemical analyses
show that by cutting hay few days ear
lier than we generally do we would get
larger percentage of digestible matter, and
weighing shows that we would not lose
very much in the weight of the hay. The
ripper the hay gets the heavier it is, but
the ripper it is the less digestible matter it
contains At the height of bloom the
clovers and grasses contain the highest
percentage of albuminoids and starch,
sugar, gum, etc After the height of
bloom is passed there is conversion of
sugar, starch, etc, TO woody fiber, and this
is practically indigestible.
TIE albuminoids are the most valuable
constituents of animal foods, and chemical
analyses show that the loss of albuminoids
as LAYER than that of starch, sugar, gum,
etc. The albuminoid ratio of red clover
is Before the formation of head, IL;
whei he head is first formed, IL l; when
IN fs bloom, Is; when in seed, 1;3.S.
The nutritive ratio (meaning digestible
nutriments only of red clover is as fol-
lows; Pasture, l:2.5; before poisoning,
1888; in full blossom, l:5.7. This shows
that as the clover grows older its nutritive
ratio and its digestibility decrease; and
what is said of red clover can be said OF
the grasses; but up to the heig lit of bloom
the quantity increases more than enough
to compensate for this loss.
The only objection to early cutting is
that there is too much work on hand at
this time. The corn, potatoes, ETC., need
attention about this time. There are other
good reasons for cutting early besides those
already given. The longer we wait about
cutting the greater the chanceso of the grass
becoming lodged by its own weight or by
heavy Winds After lodging, hay isdificult
TO handle. and it IS not so easily cut. Hay
is injured rapidly after lodging, if the
ground is damp. The ripper the hay gets
the more the loss by dislodging the foliage
and sometimes the heads. Ripe hay cannot
be handled without losing some of the
foliage and heads. The temperature is
more favorable to early cutting than to late
cutting. II cutting is delayed until the
clover and grasses reach ripeness, the sun is
too hot for curing, and the hay is some
time sun-burnt.
Using labor-saving machinery largely
increases profits. Rain or dew Injuries the
hay seriously, and the use of the labor
saving machinery makes the period from
cutting to storing the shortest possible,
thus decreasing the liability of receiving
rain or dew.
Hay is often injured by too much curing.
1t should be stored while yet of greenish
color. 1t is not so nutritious if cured more
Imam luls. I<ACccctNG OulttllS q lOcc
of sugar, starch, etc., from the action of
heat and moisture. This loss Is in proper
ton to the heat of the sun and the air, and
the length of the time the hay is exposed.
Excessively cured hay is not relished by
animals, and it is not so easily digested by
them. Some have recommended the baling
of hay as fast as cured. There is liabil-
ity of its spelling when this is done. But
it would save NOW room, and we advise
trying it on small scale.-Prairie Farmer.
THE SECRET OF CELERY.
A kind of sacred mystery formerly hung
about the culture of this delicious vegeta-
bic which eaectually prevented its being
generally grown in private gardens. The
few bold spirits who attempted it were
looked upon as wise and skillful in things
occult, and certainly their laborious efforts
wara Sufffr;pnt alone IN olson, RI pa nrd srarv