Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-06-01
BOARD BULLETIN FOR MAY.
AxnRoscoGGIN COUNTY.

TILLAGE NuMBER.-vARIoUs EXTRACTS
! ANDRosCOGGIN COUNTY.
AuBURN.-In order to secure the bes
results In raising crops Of any kind. es
pecially hoed crops, 1t Is OF the utmos
importance that the soil be not only wei
fertilized but well pulverized. This
with the implements Of to-day, Is ar
easy matter. prefer to plow In th'
fall, spread the dressing on the furrow
and thoroughly mix with disk harrow
AS soon rs dry enough In the spring
start the harrow and continue to 60 Ovel
the piece once or twice week until time
to plant; being sure not to plant toe
early, especially corn, not until the
ground Is thoroughly warm; plant will
King Of the Cornfield planter, putting
in about 400 pounds OF good fertilizer tc
the acre In the hill. In three or four
days. after planting the corn, use tho
Whitman weeder and go over IL once In
three or four days until the corn Is toe
large to let IL through without breaking
| it down. This will do all that is neces-
sary to be done, providing the ground
has been properly prepared before plant
ing. and there Ia not too much witch
grass.
B. F. BRIGGS, (Member).
CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
OTrsrIELp.-For hoed crops believe
10 having the manure near the surface,
but not on the surface. | have become
skeptical In regard TO the springtooth
harrow being sufficient TO cover the
manure, especially on very smooth
ground. now contemplate trying the
disk harrow for the first time. But hoed
crops will 90 out OF fashion as soon as
we learn to use the "weeder" rs weed
preventer instead OF weed killer, that
il, there will be no hoeing to be done,
unless We have such weeds as wild rye,
that can neither be prevented nor killed
The weeder may be nice thing to work
on any kind Of ground; yet | would rec.
ommend TO any man who Is at all predis'
posed 10 violate any OF the command
ments on slight provocstioD, to have MS
ground free from stones and loose sods,
In fact, all ready for the moving ma
chine, before planting the seed.
W. W. ANDREWS.
OXFORD COUNTY.
DrNMARK.-The preparation OF
ground for all seed Is the key TO good
crop, as every good farmer very
well knows. First. | never hurry my
land, as ground should be worked when
all conditions are right. Do not plough
wet soil to make Il dry faster, rs II
makes II dense and clsmmy the whole
sea son; and Is sure TO give poor crop,
no matter what is done, AS the air can
not do Its part in preparing, which Is
very necessary. wait until soil Is dry
enough, then plough IL all. then when II
is fit to harrow. work until IL is well pull
verized. then when warm enough plant,
and IL we'll weeded good crop Is quite
sure. Farmers are inclined TO hurry too
much the wholc season through, and rush
things generally. Now AS farming is
business that requires thought as we'll
AS muscle, let US sit down In the
shade, cool of, aud think how and when
TO do things, and do them when nature,
common sense and experience tell US.
No matter what the kind OF soil, IL
should be dry when worked, and then
worked fine and thoroughly.
CHARLES B. SMITH.
PARIs.-Sweet corn Is the most profit
able hoed crop nos raised, even at the
low price We get for it. The ground
should be we'll turned over, a good coat
OF manure we'll narrowed ip, about 400
pounds Of superphosphste to the acre
put in the hills, and the land we'll cuiti-
vatod and hoed at least twice before hay
ing. Those farmers that neglect the
hoeing and depend upon the weeder are
very sure TO get good crop OF weeds
aud a small crop Of corn. IL Is better TO
plant small piece and take good care Of
II than to plant large piece and neglect
IL. II. +. HAMMOND.
BRowNrIELD The soil should be
thoroughly fined and pulverized. No
matter what kind Of an implement Is
used, the work should be thoroughly
done. and the manure well mixed with
the soil. Then IL corn and beans, or
beans and corn, are 10 be planted, from
200 TO 800 pounds of some standard fer
tilizer should be applied In the hill or
drill, and this can be most satisfactorily
done with planter drawn by horse.
And IL clean culture Is desirable l know
of no method so effectual as hand hoeing.
am not certain as to whether the cost
of this method over machine culture will
be fully met by the extra yield Of crop,
but certain IL Is to my mind that on land
well dressed no other method will pre-
vent a luxurious crop OF pig weeds, rag
weed and barn grass. have heard II
stated that saltpetre water will destroy
the cabbage worm; will it,
Il. j. ALLARD.
TNOrE.-We know nothing OF the
merits OF saltpeire water as an insecti-
eide, and should hesitate somewhat
about using II for that purpose. Ordi-
nary Pyrethrum powder, which is not
poison, busted over cabbages will de-
strov the cabbage worm and drive away
the flea beetle. IL may be mixed with
wheat flour in the proportion Of one part
Pyrethrum to four parts OF flour, and be
lightly busted over the plants.-Secre-
tary.
HIRAM.-The subject Of this number
of the bulletin is one deserving the care
ful consideration of every one who tills
the soil Tor living, but too little under
stood by most Of US, and doubtless half
the soil that is under cultivation In
this state the present year won't be half
prepared. Now have been trying to
farm here forty-Ope years this spring
and am going to own the truth and
shame the devil. Three-fOurths OF the
time when my ground was planted II
had done as | wanted to l should have
put on the team and plowed and harrow
ed and rolled and dragged 1t some more,
picked the rocks all off and had 1t ship
shape, and Bristol fashion, but hadn't
time. But since have read Terry's
book, sour Farming" and take and
read the "Practical Farmer" i am more
IA shat