Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-04-08
Farm GIeaninqs.

Cuttings Of plants may be made
now. Those that root easily should be
grown in abundance as they cost but
very little and arc all ornamental.
Failures on the farm are often due
Ia the use of inferior seed or too much
economy in that direction. 4 dollar
saved in seed sometimes causes d loss
Of hundred times the cost Of the
seed.
Always sell the inferior stock but
before 50 doing ii will pay to put as
much fat on the animals as possible.
not only 10 secure extra weight but
also because a fat animal will bring an
extra price in market
All pullets for next year should be
hatched before May if possible. or they
viii not mature in time to serve as
winter layers. unless the small breeds
are used. Should it be necessary TO
hatch as late as May use leghorn males
with the hens. as the crossbred leg
horn pullets will mature earlier than
pullets from the large breeds.
Early cut hay is to be preferred to
a late-cut crop on the ground of quail
lily. The dry matter Of most. if not alt.
crops is relatively richer in protein in
the early stages Of its growth. and in
carbohydrates in the later stages
Late-cut hay is not an ideal food for
dairy stock. owing to the large in
crease of indigestible woody fiber
which occurs as the crop approaches
maturity.
Any fine manure that can be spared
mo H..
to advantage. If the land was plowed
last fall so much the better Manure
that has been well decomposed is not
50 liable to contain seeds of weeds as
that which is coarse. Early I'm the
spring, as soon as il can be done pillow
the garden ana harrow the land until
i is as fine as the soil can he made
The early crops are quickly de-
stroyed if neglected. Onions require
careful watching, as the early weeds
may get ahead of them in IS hours
should the weather be warm for a
few days. which doubles the work Of
the farmer The best time to destroy
weeds is when they are terminating.
Whenever the wheel hoe runs between
the rows it not only admits warmth
and causes the seeds of weeds to ger
inmate. but kills those that are Just
starting.
The farm offers many opportunities
for enterprise. There is plenty of room
for advancement. and every experi-
lncnt made, no matter how small, en-
ableS the farmer either to increase his
yields or avoid mistakes. 1t is in the
management of the details that the
savings occur. and the keeping of ac-
counts will enable the farmer to con-
duct his farm with a better knowledge
of his operations.
There are breeds of cattle which are
more suitable as oxen than others. the
principal of which may be mentioned
the Devons They are fairly large. are
red in color, hardy and can thrive on
pastures that will not keep some
breeds. The cows do not rank high for
dairy purposes compared with some of
the well-known breeds but, as the
Devon cattle are active and quick.
they have held the first place as ami
mails for the yoke
Two crops can be grown where only
one grew before, but two shovelfuls of
manure must be used instead of the
one usually allowed. We can not get
anything from the soil for nothing, and
every crop taken therefrom must be
replaced by an equivalent in some
FORM. The land can be made capable
Vi producing enormously and it is bet
Ter 10 secure a large crop from one
acre than the same amount from two
acres,