The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-30

AGkICULTUKE.
OF course your tools were safely
housed. Now grind them all well. and
sharpen the pillow points and harrow
teeth. Do not put this off until time for
blowing for oats. Time is worth money
then, and dull tools never make fat har-
vests. There is such thing as "land
butcher
Roll the meadow; you can never have
it too smooth. While at it. put box on
the roller and throw into it all the stones
which we're continually getting in the
way Of your mower last summer. This
will be better than to stop for repairs
during the haying season.
AS soon as the ground is dry enough,
run over your wheat field with slant
tooth harrow this spring; never mind if
few plants are pulled out by the roots.
1t will but give more room for the rest
to stool out and make more vigorou
growth.
The bonanza farmer or the tiller of the
lesser degree who allows his land to de-
preciate while endeavoring to make pay
ing crops is like the manufacturer who
allows buildings and machinery to get
out of order while endeavoring to turn
out good goods; the value of the product
10 either case will ultimately fail inev-
itably.
Ii long or coarse manure is plowed
under, and followed by dry season, the
crop may be damaged; moreover, if the
same manure had been spread on top
after the crop had been planted that
crop would have been better and would
have better withstood the drouth.
No telling what electricity may yet do
for the plowman, but in the large, level
fields of the West, where steam could
be applied. the cost an acre was reduced
from 50 to 40 cents. Still, there is no
happier soul living than the plowboy as
he merrily turns the burrows of rich
mellowness.
Mother Necessity must yet find some
reader way to handle our cornfodder.
No machine yet quite fills tie bill,
either for cutting or huskipg it. The
day will come when it will reach the
barn ready shredded for the bin, while
the corn is being cribbed or sold in the
market.
Most weeds, if the seeds have formed
at all, will ripen after being cut. If cut
they should be raked up and burned.
AS we'll leave them uncut as to let them
be blown about by the winter winds.
Ii they can be turned under the soil
deeply while green, that is still better,
but that cannot apply to the fence rows
and such places.
To Irove that weed seeds will open
after being cut, RENE mber that wheat
and cats are cut when in the dough
state, ard make good grain. and that
green peas plowed under will often ger
inmate sufficiently to cover the ground
with vegetation. Vegetable matter of
any sort which has produced seeds must
be buried deep 10 prevent termination.
1t is difficult to distribute a pound of
turnip seed evenly over an acre of
ground, and small roots will result if
more is used. If the pound is mixed
thoroughly with a peck Of sand a quart.
ity is obtained which can be handled
and distributed with considerable de-
gree of exactness.
During the past 20 years the gain in
manufactures has been three times that
in agriculture. and while our agricultu-
raj products now average about 70 mil
lions, those of manufacture are nearly
GOO millions. 1t would seem as il the
time had about arrived when agriculture
should feel the effect of the increased de
mand for its products which the gain in
the consuming classes should have
brought about.