Middletown transcript., 1914-03-07
cRy EDGAR L. VINCENT.

(By EDGAR L. N1NCENI.J
The general farmer, and ne is the
one for whose eye this is written,
will make arrangements early for the
several crops he hopes to grow in the
coming season.
While he may not be able to settle
all the details of the work that is be-
fore him he can in general way have
his schedule all laid out, so that as
the time comes for actual operations
In any particular line he may be able
to take advantage Of every favorable
wind and tide that will sweep him
along toward success.
No man that 1 know of is more at
sea than TIE farmer who has no
plans laid out before hand, but goes
on in a haphszard fashion from day
to day.
The general farmer wilt need some
crops in almost all the different fields
of agriculture. THAT is, he should
have some whea3, some corn, some
oats, some potatoes.
In selecting the fields that shall be
devoted to these several crops, he
must be guided by the conditions as he
finds them when looking out over his
farm.
Take the corn land, for example.
This is a crop that needs good strong
land. Many of us are in the habit of
either keeping our lands in grass un-
til there is not enough Of growing in
them to make birds nest Of, or else
we go On growing corn on the same
piece Of land year after year, until we
have practically exhausted the fertil;
lty Of the soil.
Both these ways are demoralizing.
Rotation crops is thing we need to
study more than we do. Therefore, it
1t is best to plow the meadow land for
corn before the grass Is all run out on
1t. Leave something for the crop to
feed upon. If the soil has been de-
pleted by previous crops, supply as
much homegrown fertility as possible.
Wherever we can it is best not to
grow corn on the same field more
than one year in succession. The
same may be said Of almost every
crop.
Last years corn or wheat ground
may be devoted to oats this year By
looking ahead we may have in our
minds eye just the fields to be given
to this excellent crop. The time is
coming when we will have to pay
more attention to the oat crop than
we have in the past. No cereal adopt
ed to the soil of this country has a
higher feeding value for man and
beast than oats.
In planning for this splendid crop,
then, we will give plenty of space to
Its cultivation. We may be liberal
with the use of fertilizer, either ma
tive or commercial, and If we have
not already prepared the earth for
its growing. We may take advantage
Of the first warm days to do the
blowing.
Here let us not make the mistake of
being in too great haste. Land should
be well dried out before plowing.
Nothing will more permanently injure
some kinds of soil than plowing when
wet.
The potato crop may also be set
apart, just as the corn and oats
ground should. For this crop a good
rich dry soil is needed. The best
potatoes I have ever saw grown on
a piece Of old pasture that had not
been plowed for many years.
AS the general farmer will keep
more or less stock, it is right to have
plans for the coming year all laid out
in advance. Cows may be added to
the herd for dairy purpose in the
spring of the year to better advantage
than any other time, as most farmers
make q practice Of reducing their
stock then, if at all. And then, this
is just the time to get the herd in
good shape for the work Of the COM
ing season. Work done now will last
all the year around.
BY getting out the barnyard manure
early we may anticipate other work.
Soon the real work of the season will
be upon us, but by planning good
way ahead we may be ready for the
planting and sewing when the time
comes.
The best practice is not to scatter
barnyard manure in winter on fields
that are siding. Better wait than to