The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-01-24
FARM NEWS AND VIEWS.
Importance of Seed Selection-An
Excellent Emulsion, Etc.

ing ready. The heaviest loss to farm
ers is in the failure Of seeds to germin-
ate. While il is possible for seed to be
injured in the ground by circumstances
not anticipated, yet the fact that dur
| ing such failures some Of the seeds
survive and germinate shows that much
depends upon the use OF selected seeds
only. The large majority Of farmers
never examine the seeds procured by
them, taking their chances and trust
ing to the reliability Of the scotsman
Especially is this the case with seeds
put up in packets. The fact is that the
scotsman is also subject to the same
conditions as the farmer, and must also
meet drawbacks in growing seeds. IL
is possible to get good seeds, butt will
/ do no harm for the farmer or gardener
! to carefully examine all seeds and use
only those that are apparently sound
Seed corn should be selected with extra
care, so as to avoid any seed that is not
perfect. The loss of few weeks time
by reason of the seed not terminating
means sometimes the loss OF the crop,
because the season will not permit OF
replanting. Seedsmen have gone 10
much expense to improve, but some
thing depends upon the farmer also in
order to insure success.
II is not wise for any farmer to buy
more land as long as the farm culti-
waited by him is not up to its full limit
of capacity. II is also difficult to de-
termine when the limit has been reach
ed. The manure that is spread on one
acre will give better results that when
used on two acres, while the cost Of
labor will be less. The first duty Of a
farmer is to increase the fertility Of his
soil, which can be done more easily
| with a small farm than with one that
is large. Only when the small farm Is
az its best, and the farmer Is clear of
debt, should he enlarge, and ifhe buys
more land he should pay cash and
avoid mortgages.
In few weeks more the frost may
be leaving the ground, should there be
mild weather, and the roads will be-
bad. This happens especially in the
spring. Farmers will then complain,
and Justly, as some OF them will be-
completely blockaded. After spring
passes and the roads become hard
again they will object TO paying taxes
for better roads. This happens every
year; vet farmers do not seem TO learn
that for every dollar honestly expeDd-
ed on the roads they save ten times
its value in labor and vexatiOn.
The farms of this country are lot
crowded if the average yields per acre
of cereal crops are evidences There is
lack of judgment in farming, and
there is also plenty of room for i'm
provemeht. We should grow twice as
much wheat and corn on the area an
nually devoted TO those crops. There
are probably too many large farms that
are not well cultivated, and it is these
that reduce the average yields.
Every farmer is desirOus of securing
the "best breed" There is no best
breed for all purposes, bat there are
best breeds for certain purposes. Before
selecting a breed first determine tbs
object in view, and then procure the
breed that will come nearest in fulfill
ing the purpose required Of it, taking
soil, climate, capacity Of the farm,
shelter, etc, in consideration.
When manure becomes heated and
the odOr Of ammonia Is noticed there is
then q loss of valuable feltilizing sub
sganee-nitrogen. Turn the heap over,
placing the eOarser portions 10 the
cen, re. While so doing sprinkle a
handful or more Of kainit over the ma
nure. If this cannot he done force a
crowbar down into the isap in several
places and pour cold water in to reduce
the temperature.
Labor can be saved in blowing and
the work be done well by properly lay
ing off the plot. A square acre plowed,
with 10 inch furrow, requir-s ST
rounds aud 356 turns. The same area
in the form of parallelOgram-2 by
so rods-requires only IS rounds and 81
turns, thus requiring much less time to
DO the work. The same rules applies
to cultivation. The longer the rows
the less time required, As there will be
fewer turnings st the ends OF rows. II
is the turning Of the plow or cultivstOr
which causes loss Of time, to say moth
ing of the extra work imposed on the
man who is blowing or eultivatiug.
There is TO necessity for buying ex-
pensive carbolie acid to be used as an
inseetieide. The ordinary crude car
bolic acid is not only cheaper bur much
better than the refined for the purposes
Of the farmer. II will, like kerosene,
elsily emulsify with a solution OF hard
soap, aud il renders the kerosene emul-
sion more serviceable when used in
that connection. An excellent emul-
sion may be made by dissolving one
pound Of hard soap in one gallon Of
water. Remove from the fire, add one
gallon of kerosene and half pint OF
crude carbOlic acid, churning with a
sprayer until creamy substance is
formed. Then add II gallons Of cold
water and spray with sprAyer wher-
ever necessary.
The fibres of wool on sheep Of differ
ent breeds vary greatly. The breeds
are divided into long woods, middle
woods and fine woods. The Meriuo is
considered superior TO all Others for pro-
ducing fine wool, as many as 10000
fibres to the square inch being esti-
mated on a pure-bred Merino- The
Merino also produces heavy fleece,
though il is small in body.
Japan clover is not extensively grown,
nor does it possess advantages over the
red and crimson varieties. II is a yel-
low variety, and is adapted % nearly
all kinds of soils There are several
kinds Of Japan clover, however, some
of which will hold its own aud crowd
out other grasses. 1t il short, and is
therefore better for pasturage than as
hay.
Giving salt regularly to animals is
I not necessarily q matter requiring extra