The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-01-03
RALEIGH. N. c., JANUARY 8, 1899.

peaty character. II the soil is little
stiff care must be exercised to handle
it right so it will not bake. A reprint
Of an old Arabic work on agriculture
says the land should be plowed three
times before planting, and puts stress
oD thorough working the land before
planting, and also on irrigation. Rs
cent writer's insist on clean land and
the use of chemical manures instead
Of barnyard manures, because Of liabil-
ity of weed seeds being contained there
in, II little more care and more fire.
quer It stirring Of the soil is given weeds
need not be feared. But day or two
of neglect or rain at a critical time
carries them beyond control, hence
the value of clean land and clean, tre
quent culture.
SEEDING
There are a considerable number Of
varieties all of which may be treated
alike es to seedsowing. There are
some varieties which are propagated
by planting out little bulbs grown il
the ground or on the tops. These are
not the most profile varieties, but are
good sorts to grow for horne use.
The variety may be selected with
reference to USE to which it is to be
pu5. Secure some seed catalogues from
reliable seedsmen and f1nd ouG what
they represent as be sT according to ex
perience for your region. Then buy
about six pounds per acre, Of good
seed, and at once test it between fan
mel cloths by the kitchen hearth, or
wherever you can keep the tempera-
ture between 80 degrees Fahrenheit at
night and rs degrees or so degrees
Fahrenhi at highest during the day.
Lay a flannel over a shallow plate OF
tin or earthenware in which you keep
some water count 200 or 800 seeds and
dispose them in open order by hun
dreds on the flannel, spread a wet
flannel over the seeds, and a dry one
over it to control evaporation and
cooling. Take out eprouted seeds by
count every day until you know how
many, or what percent. Of the seed is
viable, or alive. lit is we'll to do this
with other seeds and to plant only
good seedf) If yOu.get 80 per cent. or
y nor cent. OF seed to grow, then five
uuds per acre will be enough to SOW.
SPECIAL TOOLS
needed to cultivate onions are gar
den seed sower which can be ueed in
the vegetable garden for other varie
ties Of vegetables to advantage. It is a
labor saver. In obtaining half dozen
seed catalogues you will find two or
three in which these tools are illus
trated and offered for sale. They may
he obtaired from Business Agent Par
ker. A combination seeder, and a
light wheel hoe with changeable parts
.zill make an ou, f5 with which the seed
an be sown and two men can use at
same time in cultivation. Secure the
tool to be used most with as high, light,
and strong wheel as possible. Il is
best for the purpose. Then there are
several kinds Of hand tools. Several
of one or more kinds of these are indis
able. O1e Of the most useful is in the
form of a reap hook. Cos g 25 cent?,
or by the dozen perhaps Is cents. A
piece of soy the web, bent in the form
inHioo&od RI inch x1T6o op1 ~uS+h
piece of wood on inch side OF handle
will be an admirable tool and equally
as good. 1t should be sharpened on
both edges for use in either hand on
both sides of the onion row, or row of
other vegetables in the kitchen garden
The piece Of scythe should be about Is
inches long. These tools may be rein
forced by two or three each of light
steel hoes, and ecUff13 hoes, the latter 8
or 10 inches wide and the same number
of steel tc 9th garden rakes. TO these
might we'll be added a sprinkling cart,
bua " 1ich can be dispensed with.
With the plot Of land we'll prepared
for ee>d
SOME GOOD DAY IN FEBRUARY,
earlier in Eastern and later in West
ern North Carolina, try the seeder
with the onion seed in it and set it to
deliver Is or 90 live seed to each foot
of row. Do this test in the house or
barn and be sure you have enough to
account for the percentage OF seed that
did not grow. Then put the seed in the
ground, and in this process let the little
covering wheel behind the seed dropper
roll heavily on the row and walk on
the row yourself. Then do not fail TO
see that you know by examination