Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-03-12
FARM NOTES

ia doubtful il one tree in ten is planted
deep enough. 1t makes but little differ
ence with the thriftiness of the tree after
it has been planted several years, as 1t Is
natural for it to root for its best needs.
General reading for years helps per-
son with limited education, but it lacks
very much in fitting him for many busi-
ness places. Farmers need an education
more than men of any other trade thst
REQUIRES hard labor. They not only
must use it in purchasing and selling,
but in u continual study to supply the
needs and tillage of the soil.
With butter as with other products Of
the farm appearance is an important
factor. On this account with good
quality of butter it will be found good
plan to use parchment paper with which
TO wrap the prints as rolls rather than
cloths. The paper now can be secured
so cheaply that all considered it will be
found most economical.
1t is poor policy for farmers to be
too easily contented. Poor seed, broken
and worn out tools and worthless teams
are of little value toward paving mort
gage or making living. Neither will
it pay to be too particular, and neglect
work because tools, ETC., are not as good
as ueighboring farmers use. l fully De-
lieve that success is usually attained Dy
being discontented with the present,
with great hopes of the future, backed
with honest, industrious habits.
The Leghorn fowl is hardy and is one
of the best laying breeds known. There
are three objections to them, however :
They are wild and easily frightened,
never seeming to make friends, even
with their keeper; their large single
combs render them an easy prey to frost
unless they have warm quarters and
extra care; the hens are inclined to
make war on one another, and woe to the
"biddv" Of another breed that is confin-
ed with them.
Ii takes % per cent more fuel with
small stoves than it does with large ones.
IL is a great waste of fuel to use stove
so small that 1t has to be forced to It's
utmost to answer the purpose required.
Small stoves must be given full
drauyht for cooking or to get a fair
amount of heat. This carries much of
the strength of the fuel out Of the chin
ney. The stove is also soon warped and
burned out. Large stoves will give a
steady heat and cook a long time under
a slight draught.
In the last ten years many residents OF
villages have spread more or less coal
ashes on their gardens, mostly for the
purpose of saving hauling to the dump
ing grounds. One application to clay
soils is beneficial, but, not content with
this, they have been applied until the
soil is worthless except during very wet
seasons. Three days of hot sun and
wind removes the moisture from the
porous soil, until vegetation is parehed
and shriveled. The only remedy Is an
application of good soil, or deep plough
ing for several years.
The loss in burning green hickory,
ironwood, silver maple and black birch
is not over 20 per cent for the first, and
somewhat more for the others. am in
clined to think the loss in burning soft
maple, red and black oak and poplar is
from so to 65 per cent. Many farms
have been stripped of fuel timber in the
last forty years by burning green wood
IL the wood had been well seasoned the
growth of the timber would have been
greater than the amount needed for fuel.
In my estimates L have only spoken OF
the best and poorest wood usually burn
ed green.
A small bit should be used when tap
ping sugar orchards. If the trees are In
a forest where the Intention is to clear
the land in few years, an axe and
gouge spile are preferable. Box tapping
with an axe will give greater flow OF
sap for ten or twelve years, but IL de-
stroys the tree sooner than tapping with
an auger. A gouge alone Injuries tree
fully as much AS a half inch bit. have
often thought it would pay to plug the
holes solid even with the surface OF the
tree, to exclude the air, after the tree is
done running, but have never tried it.
never saw thrifty, first-class or.
chard where the trees were planted in
the fall. They may bear fruit earlier
than those planted in the spring, but
this is generally caused by the tree;
being stunted. 1t does not make SC
much difference If the trees are moved
short distance, but they are oftentimes
shipped a long distance from warm
valley To bleak hillside in climate en-
tirely different from the one where they
were grown. Many fall planted tree;
are killed in winter II the fall ia dry anC
the locality is windy. The sooner an
injury of any kind is repaired the better
Spring planting gives nature chance tt
repair the injury the tree received II
trsnsplanting, instead of its remaining
i in a dormant condition for severa
months. 1t gets rooted and acclimatee
during the summer, and in better condi
ton to withstand severe winter than
\ fall planted tree. FOrty-six years age
| an orchard was partly planted on tn'
homestead in the spring. The rest wa'
planted in the fall, several years after
ward. All of those planted in the sprinf
lived and were the thriftiest, best-bear
| ing trees in the vicinity. Many OF th'
fall planted ones were winter killed, ant
some had to be planted the third tim'
before the orchard was filed with trees
| The soil was fertile and In good condi
tion, the trees were first-class and re
ceiyed the best of care, but they neve
compared with those planted In tn
spring.