The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1901-10-16

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The weather conditions, Of the pres
ent season have been such as to tele-
scope many of our pet plans and hob
bies and cause us. on the whole, be-
lieve. to profit somewhat by such un-
expected experience. When In the ear
lier part of the season continuous
showers were being poured upon us.
with a large acreage of spring grain
and hoed crops around us. together
with orchards weeping to be cultivated
md sprayed, II seemed to drive home
the fact that the farmer. above all
others. needs to be the most resource
ful man In the world, and such he has
always proved himself
The one point I wish to bring QUE
ls that we seeded 26 acres of spring
grain with neither fall nor spring
plowing. and we are harvesting. all
told. the best grain we have raised In
years entirely free from rust. and OF
exceptionally good weight. Our plan
was to broadcast direct upon stubble.
corn. cabbage and potato land. but all
perfectly clean last season. and well
dr,ched in fall; then we followed with
a large V-shaped cultivator draw by
three large horses, then brushed both
ways with light smoothing harrow,
and the seeding was done.
The objection will undoubtedly he
advanced by many that this might
work well In n season like this. but not
In dry one. Let us see. A neighbor
OF mine, who is a large potato grower.
adopted this plan some time ago, on
black loan land and he has produced
the best spring grain In this section;
but understand. these lands we're kept
as clean as an old fashioned summer
fallow while In potatoes. He was ena-
bled To put his land In splendid tilth
by the use of spring tooth harrows
alone: but ours Is heavier. stony
soil. SO we were compelled to resort
to the use of the tool above mentioned.
AS for manner of seeding, would
not suggest II as an iron clad rule to
SOW broadcast. but let seasonable con-
ditlons vary the method somewhat.
I think where ample time Is In sight.
and dry period quite likely TO follow
| should prefer to seed by tine use of
drill to follow cultivator, as the seed
will be deposited at greater depth,
and thus not be liable to suffer from
extreme drouth. This method we are
expecting to make use Of In getting
cur land seeded after oats next spring.
as the wheat question Is about settled
.,, L., n. L.,
this way we are enabled to get our grain
in fully one week earlier as It Is these
few days of moisture that determine
tho veal or woe of seeding; for the
evaporation of the soils moisture Is
going on at n fearful rate In early
spring. and about the time the land
Is in friable condition.
We also expect to SOW somewhat less
than Is the usual custom. about seven
pecks of oats; this spring. with exist
ing conditions, we used only one and
one-half bushels. If possible. I would
finish the grain and follow immediate
ly with grass seeder and then roll
But in order not to make this ex-
perience appear somewhat misleading
| would say drain your lands as we'll
or better. than as If you were seeding
to wheat. that no depresslons shall
carry surface water for a single day
after SHOWS have passed on. II is a
principle in agriculture that the bet
ter the lands are drained the more
friable will be their condition. and to
just that extent viii their productivity
be increased.-C. II. Whitcomb of Nj
agara county, N. Y, in The Country
Gentleman.