The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1894-02-24
Field, Barn and Orchard.

| If straw is unfit for food because it
| contains but little nutrition, it must nee.
essarily follow that it is not valuable as
| plant food. When used as bedding and
| added to the manure heap it's value is
more as an absorbent than as plant food
Unless it is in fine condition it decom-
| poses very slowly in the soil, and gives
| no beneficial results the first year. The
proper way to use it as manure is to first
| allow it to be used as food by the ami
| mails.
Experiments show that one hundred
pounds of poultry manure contain from
one to three pounds of ammonia and two
to three pounds of phosporic acid, with
not over pound ard half of potash.
| This does not show as high value as has
been supposed. Much depends upon the
| kind of food that has been used. how
ever. 1t has been claimed that it nearly
| equals guano is derived from birds that
have used animal food, while the food OF
nearly all kinds of poultry is most vege-
| table.
Make the tomato hills now, if the
ground is not frozen. Put large shovel
full of manure in each hill and allow it to
remain until the time arrives for trans
planting; then work the manure and
earth well together, placing the plant in
position. The same rule applies to
melons and lima beans. The manure
will be we'll rotted, and the effects will
be more immediate than when manure
is applied at the time of transplant
ing.
To make the lambs grow, first feed
the ewes all that they will eat, and then
place the trough Of ground oats for the
lambs, with pen around the trough to
prevent the ewes from eating the ground
food, but having the bottom rail or
board of the pen of sufficient height from
the ground to permit the lambs to get to
the trough. They will grow rapidly,
aud get into market two or three weeks
earlier.
Pigs should always pay on dairy
farm, as they will assist in consuming a
large proportion of waste material that
is unstable.
1t is known that the roots of trees
extend to great dista noes, and when Gull
tivation is given 1t should be over
large area around the base. If the tree
could be inverted it would be seen that
the mass of roots equal the top of the
tree above the trunk, and unless this was
the case the roots could not secure suffi-
cient plant food to supply the tree. Cul
tivation around the base of trees is insult
ficient. The whole of the ground should
be well worked.
One of the most important labor-Sav-
ing methods is to have straight rows.
it renders cultivation much easier dur
ing the growing season, as the plants
can be cultivated both ways, or diago
nally. If small plants are put in
straight rows, but close together, hand
implements can be often used to greater
advantage,
Fruit and poultry are sent to market
without being graded. II more attention
was given to the assortment of poultry
the prices would be better.
Horses are now selling low, but there
may be higher prices in the future. The
horse will always be in demand. how
ever, and especially those that are we'll
bred.
The difference between choice herd
of COWS and one of scrubs is very marked
and noticeable. The thoroughbreds
make fine attraction and display at
fairs. They excel the scrubs not only
in production, but also in uniformity and
size.