The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-16
AGRICULTURE.

Since the silo has become popular in
America, in many cases soiling has been
carried beyond the point of safety in the
feeding of dairy herds, and the cows
have been kept up in life SO artificial
as to injure their constitutions. We
should not forget the value of dry fod-
ders. 1t aids digestion, if good, and
properly used, but often the quantity is
too great, and the condition bad.
The farmer must know little of
everything more than any other man
whatsoever. He must at least know
enough of the laws of mechanics to hitch
to his wagon or his pillow properly. He
does not have to be mechanic, however
to know that dull tool increases the
draft of his team; if he wants them to
go through the spring blowing in good
shape, he must see to his plowshare.
He who follows diversified farming is
usually self-sustaining, even in the
poorest of years, rather than he who
stakes everything on single crop. He
has the sustenance for himself, his fami-
ly and his working stock; he has a
money crop from his fields and his flocks;
he fattens his own herds from his own
home crops; he has his orchard, his
garden and his berry patch, and is to be
envied by his richer neighbor.
There is no danger of the market ever
being overstocked or the interests of
farmers in general suffering because
each one may be trying to do his level
best; he who does not do his best is the
one to suffer. In communities the most
prosperous each member is making his
his land produce it's utmost, industry
and intelligence going hand in hand. II
a man is too shiftless, let him confess it,
but never try to find a reasonable OK.
cuse.
Potatoes with the eyes started and
half rubbed off have lost much of their
value for seed. If carefully buried in
the fall they will come out with eyes as
dormant as when put in the pit; they
will be harder from evaporation of their
moisture, while those in cellars are soft
from the starting of the eyes, which
rapidly take out the substance needed
to give the potato set its first start after
being planted.
The plant uses lime, but there are al
ways many thousand pounds more in the
soil than crop can use, and further ad
ditions are not needed as a manure, but
to promote the physical and chemical
changes desired in the soil and to in
crease the activity of the nitrifying or
ganisms in soil Astounding in humus
1t is hardly direct food but it is ex.
haustive, because it sets free the potash
ready for the growing plants.
In land called poor there is still a
great amount of plant food in an una
valuable condition. Even in a siogle
season thorough tillage will help nature
to more of this food. Poor blowing and
slight borrowings on such land will give
but poor results. Very few put as much
labor on their land as they might to ad.
vantage. Let wiser man take hold Of
their fields for season. and he might
surprise them.
The effect of extra tillage lasts more
than one year; when given for corn or
a potato crop we may expect, everything
else being favorable, to see some increase
from the wheat or clover or grass follow
ing. This is more especially true in
heavier land. devoid of vegetable mat
ter from long cropping. 1t pays to get
good tools and to have plenty of horses,
that we may do most Thorough work