The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-03-07
AGRICULTURE.

Let man with 40 acre farm divide
it into four fields-one for potatoes. one
for wheat, and the other two for clover.
One of these clover fields could be
plowed under each year, thus giving the
entire farm good green manuring once
every four years. Then why should he
not sell yearly 1000, bushels of potatoes,
300 of wheat, and 80 or 40 tons of hay?
Flowing in the fall is undoubtedly adj
visable; il in dry season we should
make the soil fine to hold the moisture,
but, if very wet, should leave it rough.
In either case, replow as needed in the
spring. One of the greatest advantages
is in getting in early crops. With this
soils keep up regular and effective till
age; in fact such a surface cannot be
cultivated too assiduously. Rapid evap-
GRAFTON on such land is death to plant
growth; it kills the soil and kiln dries it,
and there follows the formation of an
impervious surface crust which keeps
out sunlight and air.
When the American farmer has so
many better crops in this land of home
markets it is folly for him to compete
with the low class of labor which must
raise grain upon the immense fields of
Russia, India and South America at so
cents a bushel. 1t costs so cents to
raise it, and we can put in our energies
in better ways. Fair land and cultiva-
ton will give about 20 tons of sorghum
cane to the acre, and the yield is ordin.
arily about II gallons of syrup to the
ton. An acre of land will, therefore,
produce about 800 to the acre. The seed
is valuable for feeding. and the leaves
make good fodder for all kinds of stock.
The dry stalks of the general Ameri-
can corn crop can all be saved in the
common wooden silo by husking the
corn first for other uses, and then cut
ting and filling the silo. Put 25 or 30
gallons of water on each load of fodder,
and supply as nearly as possible the
moisture it would have if stored in the
green stage.
To prevent rust of wheat, the spores
of the rust fungus, in both the soil and
the seed. must be destroyed. Burn off
the stubble Immediately after harvest,
pillow deep, and steep the seed in solu.
ton of vitriol and arsenic. drying it with
wood ashes before sowing. Sow less
than the usual amount Of seed.
1t is said that in Florida both the
camphor and the cinnamon tree will
flourish. Their evident content with
soil and climate makes US wonder how
much longer we shall have to go abroad
for such products. The possibility of
the range of products upon the soil of
this continent is not yet understood.
The increasing demand and prices for
ginseng, and the fact that the native
supply is being fast exhausted, make it
possible that this crop, under cultiva-
ton, might become very profitable one.
1t is especially adapted to our cooler
during hot weather. Itmatures in three
years.
The barnyard should become a thing
of the past; it should be either the pas
ture or the stable. II barnyard must
be used, it should be covered so that the
manure be not exposed to the destroy.
ing elements. From the stall or the
yard the manure should go at once to
the field.
AS all plants take up their nutriment
in liquid form, it follows that liquid
manures should give the promptest
growth. 1t can not always be applied
in this shape, but should be in such
form as to be easily soluble under the
normal conditions of moisture in the
soil. Therefore, fine. we'll rotted man
ures are most effective.
The farmers of the land are wisely
coming to the conclusion that the best
remedy for that malady known as de.
preston in agriculture is to make the
soil deep and rich with high culture and
copious manuring; to farm no more land
than can be farmed we'll; above all, to
keep good cattle, both for direct and in
direct profit.
Irrigation may be employed with profit
almost anywhere within our borders. 1t
increases productiveness. renders crops
surer in "off years." stimulates earlier
growth and fruiting, renders plant food
in the soil and applied fertilizers more
readily available, and in varied ways
may be to one the thing yet needful to
success.
We must mix brains with manual
labor. Our business. as do all others,
needs more study with every year which
rolls by. By keeping up with the times
and farming intelligently. one finds
leisure and means for taking up other
lines of education, and cultivating taste
for drinking in knowledge which will
never desert US.
HORSES.