The Somerset reporter., 1899-11-02
Somerset Farmers.

From Bulletin No. 8 of Secretary Nc
Keen. of the State Board of Agriculture
we use the say-so OF Somerset farmers,
as follows:
ANsoN-1n general all grain crops have
been good. The hay crop suffered most
by the drought of midsummer. The in
creased value of nearly all the meat sup
ply gives encouragement to stock raising
The prospect is good for the price to
remain good in the future.
GEO. FLINT.
RIpLEY-Will give my experience on
late cultivation of corn After hayi,
found that the weeds had got quite a
start, so | put what is called set Of
sweeps on my Planet, Jr, cultivator
They have sharp edge and run about
three fourths of an inch or one inch deep,
which killed the weeds and stirred the
ground, and it retained The moisture and
did not dry up and bake as most fields
did, giving me fine lot of fodder and a
fair yield OF sweet corn. | am satisfied
that it increased my crop IS per cent
viii give my method of digging potatoes,
which find good in more ways than one.
First. | cut off both sides of the row by
running the cultivator through which
helps very materially in the digging.
Then pick the potatoes into sacks, using
cottonseed meal, bran and phosphate
sacks, putting one bushel in sack.
This saves carrying them to a cart TO
empty them. If it remains pleasant, let
them remain in the field over night,
which cools them off. and | never have
had any potatoes rot after putting them
in the cellar when treated in this manner.
w. II. FARRAR.
SOUTH NoRRIDGEWOCK-The has
been large increase in the number of
animals on the farms, and farm stock Of
all kind will come to the barn for their
feed nearly three weeks earlier than usual,
and, as a rule. with the surplus of last
year, farmers have fodder enough to carry
their stock through the coming feeding
season. The long protracted drought
has seriously weakened the grass roots
and it is now too late in the season for
them to get healthy start so as to war
rant the expectation of more than fair
hay crop another year The drought has
been giving lesson to those farmers who
are engaged in dairying that they will
profit by in the coming year, and larger
provision will be made for soilng crops
to feed their cows upon when the pastures
give out than ever before. The practice
of cutting oats and other grain for fodder
without threshing has pot given such sat
isfaction as to warrant the continuance OF
the practice with those who have given it
r. 81 Al
for fodder this season. c. (. WARREN.
SKowHEGAN-One thing we can say
truly OF dry season, that while farm
crops may not be so large in quantity
they are always extra in quality. If l
could have my choice between an Excess
sively dry or An excessively wet season,
would choose the former every time.
Outdoor work is more agreeable, the wet
lands on the arm can be worked to an
advantage, potatoes do not rot, beans
and grain are bright and merchantable,
nothing mildews, and nothing is water
soaked There may be scarcity of
some products of the farm, as is now the
case with milk and butter, but all that
can be spared commands a paying price
A right dry season prevents surplus and
overstocked markets; to the contrary, it
causes the working off of the surplus that
may be on hand cleans everything out
of the way and creates lively markets.
These thong hts are suggested by the
present dry season. We would just as
soon see more of them. The hay crop
would not be so abundant but farmers
must learn 10 supply the deficiency with
more of the fodder crops. Other crops
can be raised at fair profit.
S. F. EMERSON