Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1896 — FARMS AND FARMERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARMS AND FARMERS

A New Weed Peat. I Tumbling mustard is a troublesome Weed in the Canadian Northwest provinces, and has recently been reported from nine different localities in the United States, mostly on waste lands and city lots. Its record in Canada, and the rapidity with which it has already spread in some places in the United States, necessitate prompt action if its further progress is to be checked. The weed is found throughout the greater part of Europe, northern Africa and western Asia. Temper-

ature and moisture have not yet limited its range, and there Is every reason to suppose that if left unchecked It will dispute the possession of land ■with daisies, thistles and other foul growth. This pest is a biennial, after germination resembling dandelion or shepherd’s purse. A small part of a flowering branch is shown at d. The lower part of the stem bears numerous leaves 3 to 10 inches long and 1 to 3 Inches wide, shown at b. The nearly white blossoms, shown at c, appear '.n small clusters at the ends of branches. Seed' is usually introduced in baled hay, poorly cleaned seed, stock cars or sweepings from grain cars.* The timothy seed growers of our Western States should be active to eradicate this pest in case it appears in their fields. To exterminate, mow the weeds below all flowers, grub out plant and root during August, harrow the land thoroughly at frequent inter* vals during summer, and seed with sodforming grasses.—American Agriculturist

Threshine Damp Grain. It is quite likely that much grain will l;e threshed while damp this year, as wet weather in harvest time caused it to be got in before fully dry. In most eases the grain will take less harm in the bundle than opt of it, says “American Cultivator.” So long as grain was threshed by hand, there was no danger of the work being done while either straw or grain were damp. It mfltfe the work too hard, and the threshing was always reserved for cold weather, after frost had thoroughly dried out both straw and grain. When horse power threshing machines came into use, there was nearly as much care in having the grain in good condition for threshing. We have seen the thresher stalled when the grain camp too fast or too damp. In the large steam threshers the bundles go through all right, but if damp, more or less of the grain goes into the stack. The evil of threshing damp grain is not confined to the loss by waste. What is put in the granary is much more likely to heat and become musty than ib is if the grain has been thoroughly dried in the straw. V' - ; To Prevent Evaporation. A plank drag behind the cultivator to smooth down ridges afid thus keep the soil from rapidly drying is advised by many investigators, says Farm and Home. This is particularly important during a drought when all the moisture in the soil must be retained if possible. Ordinary cultivating between the rows leaves deep depressions and high ridges, thus exposing double surface to the action of the sun and air. The plank drag smooths down these ridges, i while leaving the land light and porous. An Ohio farmer advises rounding the edges of the plank slight-

ly, from end to end, so as not to disturb the earth deeply bear the plant rows. Our illustration snows an easy ■way of attaching tne plank. Peed Corn. The practice is common among farmers, even among those the most advanced; to select seed from the body of the ear, and to discard the small grains that grow on the tips and Jautts of the ears. They do so from the conviction that like produces like, and rthe stronger plants should be obtained from the larger grains. If, however, such a practice were persevered in trom year to year, it would remit in

the production of ears with few grain# of com on the tips or none at all, for me distance of a full inch ftbm the end of the ear. It has been ascertained from experiment that corn produced from the butt brains comes first in tassel; that from the body grains tassels next, and corn from the tip grains last of all. The difference between the periods of tassellng will average a week or ten days. This is nature’s method of providing an abundance of pollen, to complete the fertilization of all the grains.on the ear. It may not be wise to plant all the small grains from the tips of the ears, as there would then be ,a danger that the corn would be too thfclf. This difficulty may be obviated -y running the seed through a sieve, with meshes at suitable size, after the com has been shelled.

Aaricnltural Education. Agricultural education is as essential to the farmer and stock raiser as a classical training is to a man who follows literary pursuits. If a young farmer has a chance to avail himself of the Instruction given in agricultural colleges, though of a theoretical and experimental nature, it will save him much time and perhaps many hard knocks. Successful farming has become a science, and the sooner one learns the nature of the soil he works and the adaptability to it of seeds and grains, the better he'will be equipped to apply his own practical knowledge and experience. Shiftless, haphazard farmers will never stand a show with men who are thoughtful, progressive and energetic. The best posted man is generally the most successful, and ror that reason every farmer should endeavor to have a library as large as he can afford, and in these days of cheap books, most every one can afford plenty of instructive books for a winter's reading.

lAiul Measure.' 7 92-100 inches, 1 link; 100 links, 1 chain; 1 chain is 6(5 feet or 4 rods: 1 rod is 16% feet; 160 square rods is 1 acre, or 208 feet 8% inches square is one acre; 43,560 square feet is 1 acre; 4,480 square yards is 1 acre; S 9 chains make 1 mile; 320 rods make 1 mile; 1,760 yards make make 1 mile; one-half mile square contains 160 acres; 4 miles square contains 2,550 acres; 5 acres of land measures 466 feet 8% inches square; It 1 acres of land measures 660 feet square; 15 acres of land measures 808 feet 4 Inches square; 30 acres of land measures 933 feet 4% Inches square; "25 acres of land measures 1,056 feet square. Cultivating a Fenced Garden. Some kitchen gardens must be fenced, or destruction from straying cattle will follow. It is, a misfortune, however, to have a garden so fenced that cultivation cannot take place. The accompanying sketch shows a way to fence a small garden, that admits of easy and thorough cultivation. The garden must be entirely in rows running lengthwise. The side fences are permanent. The ends are panels of

fence that hook on to posts set permanently, each post being in line with a plant row in the garden, so that they will not be in the way of the horse and cultivator. It is but a moment’s work to take down, or put up, these end panels, as they can be made of light strips. The Apiary. Strong colonies protect themselves against robbers. Do not let the sun shine directly upon the hives. ’ Bees hatched Jn the fall will live through winter until spring. All excess of drone comb should be removed from the hive. One advantage in-wiring foundations is that it will bear a heavier weight of bees. When a considerable number of hives are kept, seven feet each way is close enough to place them. Pure Italian bees, as a rule, are the easiest handled. Not only do they sting less, but they keep their places on the combs better.

Poultry ; Points. Give fowls shade. Give fowls air and exercise. Give fowls lime, grit and light Give fowls fresh earth* to scratch. Give fowls green stuff every day. Give fowls fresh water twice a day,. Oats should be crushed if fed to little chicks. See that coops are well oiled or whitewashed before the little chicks are put into them. Do not be deceived with the Idea that incubators need no care. The best that can be made require attention. A sitting of eggs was sent from Nebraska to Hammonton, N. J., by mail, registered, at a cost of 39 cents, without an egg broken. Give the old hen a good dusting with snuff before she is taken from the nest with the little chicks. Better, do it a day or two before the chicks come. Farm Notea. Economize space. If you starve your land it will starve you. Have cabbage leaves in the hat on a hot day. Buy in balk, in order to get large discounts. Don’t try to raise crops to which your soil and climate is not adapted. “The man who must go to market must pay the cost of going to it, Ist it take what form M may."

TUMBLING MUSTARD.

PLANK DRAG ATTACHMENT.

MOVABLE GARDEN FENCE.