Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-06-29

often runs off moro water than ii eve
does thereafter, while not draining S
wife space us it does after seyera
years use. Taking off the surplus waite
LII winter allows frost to penetrate tn
soil deeper, and this by spreading it
particles enables it to hold more water
Glover has also a like effect, with til,
additional advantage when it has mad
full growth that its decaying roots il
the subsoil make natural water courses
The deepening of soil by these mean
is greatly increased by the use of the
subsOl plow. With a field covered
drained and SUBSIDIZED there need b,
little fear of drought as the soil will
hold water enough to tide over the
dryeSt seasons.
That a single grape vine will often
| climb to the top of high trees and com
pletely cover them with foliage is true
1t will usually produce the finest fruit
at the top, while the part of the vine
near the ground will have little and
that poor and late. But the tree in
| jureS the vine, and after a few years
| of the embrace the vine will DESTROY
| the life of the tree. With trellis four,
five or six feet high as good grapes can
| be grown as in any tree top and much
easier to get. The finest grapes will be
at the top of the trellis, showing that
it is their position with regard to the
vine, and not their absolute height
above the ground, that influences their
quality. Where the bottom of the
water way is narrow as it is in a round
tile, a very little water suffices to flush
it, and for this reason it is less likely
to I'll ND than is horseshoe tile. In
the latter case there is an additional
tendency of the edge Of the tile resting
on the bottom of the ditch to sink into
the mud and thus obstruct the water
flow. 1t is probably true that we'll
laid tile drain will never be entirely
closed, but we know from experience
that where the horseshoe tile was laid
in soft ground it has filed up so that
it did little towards relieving the soil
Of surplus water when such relief was
needed. &C.,
Land near cities held for a rise under
the idea that it is to be sold in year
or two for building lots is often fearful
ly miSmanaged. 1t is usually left to
grow with every kind of weed whose
seen can find a Judgment in it's soil.
Often it is many years before the build
ing lot becomes salable, and if it has
been overgrown with bushes they be-
come trees and cost a great deal more
than they are worth to clear off A
real estate dealer who was very sue
cessful used to boast that by manur-
ing his vacant lots and growing veget-
ables on them he made the interest Oh
what they cost him. This is the only
safe way.
Late-planted potatoes should always
be rolled, and especially if the set has
been covered by horse power. The
mere piling of loose earth over a set
does not fix it firmly in contact with the
soil, and if the eyes are on the upper
surface they take a long time to fix
their roots in loose sell We have al
ways found it best TO plant by hand
and take pains to drop cut potatoes
with the cut side uppermost Then the
eye from which also the root starts
will have til" weight of the potato and
all the earth above it pressing it into
the sod. But even though planted thus,
rolling the piece is helpful.
We Know quite a number of farmers
on small places who do not plant am
corn except sweet corn, calculating to
sell much of it for use while green,
and what is left sowing for seed and
the nubbins to feed to stock. They
Claim that sweet corn stalks are sweet
err than those of ordinary field corn, and
If not quite SO great in bulk more Of
them will be eaten by stock if we'll
cured. The sweet corn is also usually
cut and cured early, and its stalks get
dry enough to put The n i'll NOW with
out molding Or rottin,
Many farmers have learned that the
superiority of peaSe to corn for feeding
hogs make them profitable grain to
grow. They take little labor, as the
hogs will, if need be, do the harvesting.
They enrich the soil, and if the stubble
can be cleared SO as not to be plowed
under they make an excellent prepara-
ton for winter wheat; but if weeds
and pea tops are plowed under they
make the land too light, causing it to
fill with water in winter and thus Win
ter kill the grain.
At this season cows ia full flow Of
milk need often to be MIXED, at noen
especially, if the milking is done early
in the morning and somewhat late at
night. But while COW thus MIXED
three times a day will give more milk
and butter, she will do it at the expense
of flesh unless fed extra. There is alb
sorption of fat from milk while lit is
in the udder, and if the milk is taken
very frequently the cow has the greater
drain on her system.
Why does the farmer purchase COM
mercial manures sometimes when he
has course manure in his barnyard?
He does it because the coarse manure
quickly enough available. When he
buys phosphate potash or nitrogen he
wants all these with as little waste
matter as possible. The concentrated
fertilizer, if made fine, can be more
easily distributed over large piece
than can cOarser manure.
The advantage of thorough manuring
! is mainly lost unless equally thorough
cultivation follows it. The breaking
up of the soil and mixing it with the
manure is not all that cultivation does.
Every time the soil is stirred it is open
ed TO admit air which is ALWAYS warm