Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 1880 — AGRICULTURAL. [ARTICLE]

AGRICULTURAL.

Spring Work on the Farm. |From tie American Agriculturist fir March.] The spring of the almanac now begins ; but the spring-like weather during a large portion of this winter has allowed the spring-work of the Middle, Southern, and Western States to be greatly forwarded. For the first time in many years, the writer has been plowing through nearly the whole of January, and hundreds of other farmers have done the same. Fencing, ditching, clearing wood-land, and even sowing grass-seed, has been extensively done, as though spring had already come. Sometimes, “ the most haste is the worst speed,” and it remains to be seen if, after all, the season’s work will be benefited. It is a peculiar time, in which caution should be exercised, lest work done too soon may need to be done over again. Spring Wheat.— Spasmodic efforts are made now and then, to grow spring wheat in localities where fall wheat only should be sown. Spring wheat requ res a cool climate, and the hot and early summers of tlie Middle States are not favorable to it. Nevertheless, many farmers have “ tried once more,” at d have failed, as might have been expee'ed, and as wo have of en given warning would be tlie result of attempts to grow this class of wheat too far south. Southern New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania are out of the springwheat latitude, and a line west from Central New York, will as nearly as possible separate the fall wheat and springwheat districts. Where spring wheat is sown, the seed should be in the ground as early as the soil can be fitted for it. Oats follow spring wheat, being somewhat less hardy. It is thought by some that oats wilt take no harm from careless seeding. But this is a mistake; for a good crop, deep covering in a wellprepared soil is needed; shallow-sown seed does not tiller; wffiile that sown deep will tiller about as much as wheat with good covering, the seed may be sown much earlier, and will be safe against changes of the weather, while seed near or on the surface will be destroyed either by frost or by dry weather, as soon as it sprouts.

Covering Seed. —Experience will satisfy auy one that drill-seeding is far better than broadcast sowing; there is a saving of seed, every good seed grows, and none is wasted, and the plants having a better root are hardier and more vigorous. But a drill costs a large sum, is used but twice a year, and for a short time, and for a single purpose only. An implement that will serve more than one purpose is economical. For instance, the acme pulverizer not only breaks up,mellows and levels the ground, but it covers seed as well, and evenly, as a drill, leaving similar ridges and furrows. With such a machine all the work subsequent to the plowing may be done, and well done; for, by a little ingenuity, a broadcast sower may be attached to it. Inventors will, no doubt, in time, furnish us with a machine that will plow several furrows, mellow the ground and sow and cover the seed, at one operation. Fertilizers for Spring Crops.— Top-dressing fall-sown crops should be done this month if at all. The returning warmth first affects the roots, and they start to grow before the leaves. The stimulant is thus needed for the roots, before the upper portion has appeared to grow. A dressing of 150 or 200 pounds per acre of any good artificial fertilizer can be used with profit on any crop, if applied at the proper time, when the growth begins to start. The present necessity of American agriculture is larger crops at the same cost, or a less proportionate cost, than our present smalt ones. This result can only be secured by additional fertilizing. The present average of our crops is not more than one-fourth of that which the soil is capable of producing, and this extra three-fourths may bo produced without any more labor by the use of fertilizers or additional manures—but fertilizers chiefly. Artificial fertilizers add to the soil certain elements inacondition in which they are immediately active, and force a strong, vigorous, early growth, and so enable the plants to push out a large number of feeding roots, which find out and appropriate the manure later, when it is in the best condition for plant food. A strong plant digests its food better than a weak one, and its appetite, so to speak, is more vigorous, precisely as is that of a strong, healthy young animal. It is with the plant as with the animal; early feeding, and vigor of growth, bring early and vigorous maturity. The farmer should study to get early a strong aud healthy growth. There Is No Fear cf a Surplus.— The world’s markets are at our feet. Hie fear that we may produce more than can be disposed of is a bug-bear and a phantom. It has been conclusively shown that, at a certaiu price, we can control all the European markets, and that this price, while it pays us fairly, is too small for a profit to the European farmers, who have to pay large rents, heavy taxes, employ expensive labor, and use costly fertilizers. Think for a Moment!— There are 7,000,000 of soldiers in Europe, who are non-producers, and expensive consumers; 2,000,000 or 3,000,000 of army horses, all eating, jmd not working; Emperors, Kings, .Princes, and titled persons of all kinds, who are supported in the greatest luxury out of the public revenues; and “ the farmer pays for all.” We need not fear to compete with farmers so burdened; our prosperity consists in lessening the cost of our produce, and selling it to those nations who thus hamper themselves with burdens too grievous to be borne; becoming, in fact, the food producers for a largo portion of the population of the world, nearly one-half living without labor.