Year: 1879

Farm Work for May.


{American AgriculturistI


Sheep and Lambs-Ewes from which |
lambs have been taken, should be relieved |
of some of their milk if their udders are full
The flock should be counted twice day, and |
carefully examined for anything that may |
be amlss. Ewes to be fattened may be fed |
literally.
Calves-The thriftiest calves should be
closely watched when turned to pasture, lest
they be attacked with ''black quarter" This
is the effect of too rank and watery food,
which impeirs digestion. An ounce OF Ep-
som salts may be given with advantage to
each calf when turned out, as precaunon
against this frequent danger.
Washing Sheep-The practice of washing
sheep before sheaflng IS very disagree aole,
and is unnecessary. Nothing is gained in
the price of the wool-in fact. the usual de-
duction made by wool-bayers for unwashed
wool leaves an advantage with the seller
The practice is dangerous to health of both
men and sheep, and may well be abolished.


Horses-A moderate quantity of green
rye viii be very acceptable to the horses 1t
will have a healthful effect, and will cool the
SYSTEM SIS well as desc OF medicine. Where
there are no stones in the fields, the shoes
NAV be removed from the plow teams for a
time with benefit. Hurry up the work
during this month, so that as the midday
heat increases next noath some leisure may
be taken.


Oxen-As beasts of draft they are IN some
places better than horses. They require diff
erent treatmentfroR, horses especially in the
spring, when warR weather opens. Suff-
cient tine should be given them to feed,
and being slow of motion they should be
driven accordingly. In working small faIms
oxen will be found more economical than
horses, end pair may be useful on large
farm.


The Corn Crep.-It furnishes in May the
chief employment of the Northern and
Westera farmer. Planting earlier than the
first week in this month is scarcely edvIsa-
BILE, as q late frost may render it necessary to
repeat the work. 1t is safer to leave the
planting until the ground is warm and the
weather settled. A crop planted in April
may be in June considerably behind one
planted two weeks later.


Fert1lizing in the HiIl.-A small guam
tity of active fertilizer applied in the hill at
planting will be beneficial. A handful of q
mixture of 100 pounds of fine bone dust, one
barrel of wood ashes and one barrel of poul-
try manure, thrown near but not on the
seed, and well mingled with the soil, will
hasten the young growth. The earlier the
start and the more vigorous the young
growth, the more rapidly the crop will
mature.


Replan nting.-There is always more or less
replantlDg of corn to be done, because of loss
by cut worms, crows and weak plants. 1t is
well to have bed made in warm sheltered
place, which may be planted thickly at the
same time as the main crop, to provide
plants to replace those lost. The vacancies
in the field may be filed from this bed by
transplan1ng on rainy day, or when the
ground is wet after warm rain. 1t is not
generally known that corn may be success
fully transplanted.


Poultry-Young chicks will thrive best
when they are kept dry and clean, and
moved frequently to fresh ground. There is
no better place for a coop than the garden
through which the chicks will wander free
ly, picking up or driving off many insects.
A bed of young cabbsges may be Kept clear
of fee beetles, and other crops may be pre-
served in similar manner by few broods
of chicks; provide an abundance of clean
water, tight shelter overhead and dry floor.
There will rarely be gapes if this plan is
followed.


Hills or Drils.-It has been proved that by
planning in drills larger yield of corn can
be produced than from hills. In place of
hills three feet apart each way, make drills
three and one half feet apart, and drop the
seed every IS inches. In the first case there
are 4, $40 hills and in the latter s, 400 to the
acre. Two stalks may be grown in each
hill, or if there are three stalks in the former
case, there will be IA $40 stalks, and 16, 500
in the latter, with one good ear to a stalk
which is possible-there will be 145 bushels
in the one case and 168 in the other to the
acre. If this is possible, and there is no
doubt of it. why should 1t not be attempted?


Flowing for Corn.-Itis aquestion whether
we could not advantageously let our grass
lands remain, rather than plow them up for
the corn crop. "a sod for corn," has been
the rale hitherto, but circumstances beyond
our control are forcing new conditions upon
us One of these is the necessity for pro-
ducing more meat, milk, cheese and butter,
and less grain, than formerly, and for these
we need grass, or other green crops Corn is
grand crop, and our climate suits it, but
the best corn We can grow is not SO profitable
as roots. Our practice must change as times
change, and it seems PROBABLE that we can
no longer sacrifice an excellent sod for the
corn crop.


Fodder Crops-After the April sown fod
der crops will come the early kinds of sweet
corn, to be cut in June and July, after the
clover has been fed of, as a change, or te
follow early sown oats. During May winter
rye will be cut and fed, and meanwhile 9
portion of the clover should be pushed ahead
to follow the rye. Some early varieties O.
cabbsges, of which the writer finds Fottler'.
early drumhead the best for this purpose OF
possible for the cows. A head of this variety
weighing 20 pounds, is good midday luncf
for a cow when the grass is failing. As tn,
fodder rye is cut off in strips through tn,
field the ground may be plowed and re sowr
Immediately with sweet corn, a second SOW
ing of oats, or set with cabbages.


Insect Pests.-No quarter should be giver
to the insect pests which remain year afte
year simply because we permit them. Th
potato beetle exists so plentifully beeaus
some careless farmers actually breed myriad
of them. Many fields OF potatoes we're aban
doned to them last year, and the neighborin
country WIS thus stocked for this year. Thi
is one insect that might be abolished by
combined effort for year or two. Anothe
Is the cattle CAD fly, which may be fount