The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-02
AGKICULTURE.

n surplus expended. IN. Lne Improve
ment of the farm usually earns better
dividend than when placed in the bank
and it makes the surplus larger next
year. 1t is not wise to be so saving that
one can not have good barn, proper
tools for work, good stock, and every
thing which will promote the money
making power of the farm.
There is such thing as 30 running a
farm that it and it's outfit depreciate in
value with each succeeding year that a
crop is taken from it. No method will
pay, in the long run, unless SO con-
Quoted that there is constant addition
to the value and productiveness of the
land.
1t can not be disputed that the aver
age crop of any of our staples does not
profit the grower, we presume. 1t is
only the man who gets little above
that average who makes anything.
Therefore, vast number are losing
money. Nothing but better methods
and better management will remedy the
evil.
There must be economy of time, econ
omy of land and economy of help.
There is hardly any investment which
one can make pay better in all these
lines than one or two hundred rods of
movable fence. Permanent fences take
up much room, require frequent repairs.
and often cut up fields in shape that
they can not be titled to advantage.
In China 10 acres is monster farm.
Large holdings are sometimes handed
down through many generations intact,
so that several hundred people hold it
in common, 80 great is their reverence
for their ancestry. The average farm
hand earns from 10 to 25 Mexican dol.
lars per annum.
From the time the grain shoots from
the kernel to the time of maturity the
plant is drawing upon its stock of fertil-
ity in bank; if at any stage this supply
runs out the dividends will be but few
nubbins. The nature of the soil for corn
matters not so much if it is we'll drained
and rich in plant food.
1t is advocated that we allow the
clover to cover the ground intended for
corn all winter; but frost is needed to
fine the surface, and we want to head off
the cut worms which usually take the
first planting on spring plowed soil.
Fall blowing destroys the eggs and the
Larvae, and the parent moth will not lay
their eggs on the bare blowing.
Spring blowing is hard on teams, and
the ground is apt to be cloddy; but, Of
course. this depends much upon the soil.
On the contrary, fall plowed lands will
sometimes drift away in the spring
winds, or be packed hard by the winter
rains; but usually, after crop of small
grains, pillow at once and keep the weeds
from going to seed.
Corn should follow clover, in rota-
ton, with the fertilizer applied to the
clover; there should be an early plant
ing of good seed, that the crop may be
we'll advanced when hot weather sets in;
cultivation should begin before plant.
ing, and be kept up until the tassels ap-
pear, not only to keep down the weeds,
but to form moisture in retaining
mulch.
In the garden tobacco dust acts as an
insecticide, fertilizer and mulch. No
remedy has successfully competed with
it in the warefare upon the striped bugs
which infest cucumbers, squashes and
melons. Let it be thrown freely upon
the hills; if the rains wash it off too
soon, repeat the application.