Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 February 1892 — AGRICULTURAL TOPICS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AGRICULTURAL TOPICS.

A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOB OUR RURAL READERS. Importance or Stirring; the Ground—Concerning; farm Labor—Value or Salt and Ashes lor flgs-lhe Dairy at the World's Fair—Household and Kltcheu. Keep the Ground Stirred.

EVERY farmer understands the value of a frequent stirring of S. the soil in the corn field. The \ value of this \ \ practice, however, is greatly I increased in sea- ||. / sons of drought. Jsr r^’tie reasons is that the top of the soil by frequent stirring is made to act the » part of a sponge, and arrests the ~ moisture that is

poured into the air above. Says am agricultural exchange: We once made the following experiment, to obtain an approximate idea of the amount of moisture thus drawn off, and the hindering effect on evaporation through'constant stirring of the surface soil. During .a prolonged drought a place in a well traveled highway was selected, where the fine dust was several inches deep. A large hell glass (a two-quart Mason fruit jar will answer the same purpose) was well chilled by contact with ice, wiped perfectly dry and placed mouth down on the dust and covered with several thicknesses of white cotton cloth. After a period of five minutes the cloth was removed and it was found that sufficient moisture had arisen from the dust, and condensed on the cold glass, to run down its sides and form a wet ring in the dust, quite plainly discernible. On the side of the road was a field of corn which the owner had not cultivated for more than a week. The dry weather had formed a multitude of fine cracks in the soil, out of which moisture was passing at a rapid rate. To determine the difference in evaporation of the unstirred ground in the cornfield and the frequently stirred dust in the road was a fact that would he valuable to know. Accordingly we again chilled the glass and placed it in the cornfield in the same manner and for a like period of time as in the road dust. The result showed to our satisfaction that the moisture was pouring out of the cornfield at least three times faster than in the road. Had the owner of the cornfield kept the ground stirred lightly on top every two or three days he would have arrested this wasting moisture and thereby watered his corn very effectively, besides destroying the noxious weeds. It was worth to us all the time and trouble taken in the experiment to know this principle and learn how thereafter to turn it to valuable account in the cultivation of corn and other crops.

An immovable Grindstone. Who has not been annoyed when grinding by the wobblingof the grind-: stone on Its frame, especially when the treadle was in use? I have never

found anything equal to the arrangement shown in the cut, writes a correspondent in Farm and Home. Two heavy posts are set in the ground at least three feet. At the proper -height they are sawed off level 1 and the grind-

stone bushings secured in place on top of them. Another advantage offered by this frame is that it does not interfere with the grinder or his tools. It, should be well braced, if the ground be soft, by placing stones or blocks of wood against the posts at the top and bottom of the hole underground. If a third post is set facing the grindstone and a bracket or narrow shelf attached to it, the can to supply the stone with water may drip from it as shown.

Wages and Treatment or Farm Labor. The laborer has always resisted the Introduction of labor-saving machines at the outset, sometimes to the destruction of the offending innovations, fearing that the demand for his service may decline and wages fall. It is ever a futile opposition and a foolish fear, as the result is always an increase of demand and production, the elevation of labor and Increase of wages. Fifty years ago the wages of farm hands employed by the year ranged from $8 to $lO per month, rarely 912 in regions of unusual demand. The range for labor is now from S2O to S3O per month, in extreme cases somewhat higher. Last year, in the midst of depression, the average wages of New England was $26.64 per month, of tne Middle States, $23.62, of the Western States, $22. It has been very steady for years It was lowest in 1879, when all prices were very low. The labor of colored men has also advanced as it has become more intelligent. The farm labor of the Southern States averaged $14.77 last year. It is a common complaint of farmers that labor is too h*h. As the burden of rural drudgery is relieved, the proprietor is inclined to take things easier, as he should do, if he can afford it. giving himself more time for reading, study, management, and social duties and privileges. And the laborer is also worthy of his hire—American Agriculturist.