The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-01-11
JANUARY On THE FARM

Most farmers know full well what
work should be done during TINS
month and the few suggestions tnat
will be offered are intended manly
for the young and inexperienced ana
incidentally AS reminders for those
who are getting along in years. but
whose memory is on the down grade
as to excellence and is liable to be
oyertaken by the weakness Of forget
fulness.
u differs little from Deem
Der. SO far as physical conditions on
the farm are concerned. what was
left over or unfinished from last
month, should be undertaken with
that renewed energy which usually
accompanies the advent of n new
year. Changes in the labor force and
tenantry are not SO sweeping as form
erly, yet they are still one OF the tea
lures Of the initial month. My ADVICE
is not to be In too big a hurry about
making contracts, but look carefully
to the previous reputation or would
be laborers and tenants.
The work of clearing up for the
pillow, t%erracing and ditching (Where
needed), clearing up new grounds"
etc. should be pushed to completion
that the pillow may nave uninpeied
progress in preparing the land for the
seed. All fields that are more or less
foul with grass and weeds, litter and
trash should be got ready for the
pillow as soon as practicable, and this
implement should be kept in motion
whenever the soil is III proper con-
dition, but don't SOW oats in January.
On general principles, it is not adj
yisable to burn dead grass, broom
sedge and fallen leaves, but If not
plowed under before Christmas. or
very soon thereafter, 1t may be Well to
burn these obstacles to good work.
My experience is that old dry grass
and Sed ge, when rank enough to IN
terfere seriously with the operation Of
blowing would be better burned off.
Such stuff, even if well turned under
so early as January, Will do the COM
ing crops of corn and cotton very lit
tie good and often will result in pos
tive harm by preventing the secur-
Ing and maintaining a good stand,
and enabling good clean culture.
January In the Garden
Now is the time to prepare hOt-bedS
and cold frames for growing early
plants of cabbage, beets, lettuce, OH
ions in the more n~ortherly sections of
the cotton belt, In the middle section
get land ready for garden peas, Irish
potatoes, In fact, get the ground gen
orally ready for all crops to be plant
ed. 1t will be al the better to repeat
the work later on. Most ordinary
gardeners are too late III getting the
garden ready for work. What stable
manure is to be use should be ap-
piled at once, scattering it evenly
over the surface and blowing it in. In
the extreme south plant seeds of
garden peas, carrots, beets, mustard,
radishes and turnips, and seed even
Of cabbage and other plants of bras
sica genus. lettuce, celery, parsley. In
the hot bed SOW elephants, peppe and
tomatoes for early transplanting.
In both the middle and southern
sections cabbage plants brought over
from seeds sown in November may
be set out at once, also onions. Clean
Of asparagus beds and dress heavily
with stable manure.
January in the Orchard.
Finish pruning trees and vines be-
fore the close of the month, although
not essentially necessary. Scupper-
nong and other totundifolia may
sometimes be safely trimmed or
pruned very early in January. but It
is rather risky on O of bleeding.
The work of setting out new trees,
vines and hedge plants should be
pushed and if possible finished this
month, although it may be dom next
month. 1t is we'll no. to postpone