The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-26
FARM, GARDEN
AND HOUSEHOLD
By S. A. COOK.

In Farm and GardeR-Winter Work.
The winter of our latitude does not
afford many days. usually when work
of a profitable nature of some kind
cannot be carried on. 1t is only whom
we have very wet winter. as we do
have now and then that farm and gar
den is much interfered with. There
are not many days of winter so cold
that a man in fair health cannot work
out in it, especially if it is such work
that calls for the use of the axe or
dtching spade or plow
There is not much cleaning up of
new land nowadays, like there was
forty years ago or more. Still in some
localities there is more or less new
land being brought under cultivation.
1t may be land that was in cultivation
many years ago, but was turned out
10 rest and to grow new crop Of
saplings Much of this land is well
worth being brought back under the
pillow if only for pasture. Our people
are gradually coming to the knowledge
of the fact that an acre of grass is
worth something more than it was fif-
ty years ago. There is much land in
the South that could easily be convert
ed into good pasture with very little
expense that in a year or two could
be made to produce fifteen to twenty
five dollars worth of beef and pork
with very little work, comparatively.
Bringing in a few acres of new
ground is good winter work. The axe
can be kept at work when the pillow
cannot 1t is never too wet CATER the
rain stops) or too cold to WELD the axe
Is there any ditching that should be
DONE any fences to be fixed up or new
ones to be made?
There is just as much need for fences
on the properly arranged farm under
one law as another. Fencing i'm is
as necessary as fencing out where
farming is carried on intelligently. A
man cannot farm to the best advantage
nowadays without raising stock of
some kind We have nearly seen the
last of new zig-zag fences, probably.
In some sections still it may be cheap
er to convert the timber into rails and
fence the new land with them, but the
great majority of farmers in the South
as elsewhere find their cheaper fence
material in wire-wire and live post or
wire and dead post, one or the other,
according to circumstances. 1t is very
rapid work making wire fences, especl-
ally where it is for cattle. Two strands
of wire with one 3-inch strip at the
top makes a perfect fence for horses
and cattle. This is work for the winter
and should not be neglected.
OF course a man can farm in way
without other stock than that that
pulls the pillow. For merely making
cotton and corn that may be all the
stock that he will need, and if that
is the idea there will be call for little
fencing on the farm. That kind of
fencing is not the kind, however, that
will make the most profitable farm
ing. 1t is the kind that is established
on the basis of good pastures and mea-
dows with cattle to eat the grass that
will make the farmer rich in time.
Every day the soil is dry enough the
pillow should find it's winter work. 1t
pays not to be hurried with the plow
ing. for hasty blowing is always poor
blowing.
All the stubble land should be turned
over as soon as possible after the first
of December.
If there is any stable manure to be
used for the spring and summer crops
it should be hauled out while the soil
is fairly dry and either applied broad
cast or put into the burrows that have
been laid off to receive it. 1t is much
better to apply it broadcast. however,
1t will go or can be made to go just
as far one way as another. When APP
piled broadcast there is no danger of
it's firing the crop. whatever it may
be. whether cabbage, or cotton, or cell
cry OF corn.
Stable or lot manure should be spread
as fast as hauled out. 1t will lose
nothing in the winter by being spread
over the land. even If not turned under
for two or three months Whatever
is soluble in it will be washed into the
soil by. the winter rains. DO not put
the manure into piles as many still
do. but spread it right from the wagon
or cart and thus save unnecessary la
Dor. The manure when thrown into
piles will heat and lose much of it's
nitrogen and possibly may fire fang
and thereby be injured considerably.
Don't neglect the orchard! There is
plenty Of winter work to be done in
It. Prune, cut out dead branches,
scrape the trunks; kill the borer If
the trees are grown, keep the pillow
away from them. Do not disturb the
roots of young grown tree.
In the garden when not already
planted the first work will be the SOW
ing of spinach and English peas, and
the planting Of onions. Then comes
radish, lettuce. carrots. parsley. pars-
nips and satisfy.
The cold frames, If not already under
way. should be fixed up and cabbage
and cauliflower seeds sown. Do not
let the plants stand too thick 1t paws
TO have strong. stocky plants to set
out. rather than weak spindling ones.
Plow the garden deep and close.
Make fine seed bed. You cannot put
too much manure on ii If it is applied
broadcast. as II ought to be-