No. 2. 



Work for September. 



53 



Farmers' "Worls for September* 



BY E. P. ROBERTS. 



ft may not be amiss to remind the farmer, 

 who may not have gotten out liis small ^rain, 

 that a just economy would point to liis doing 

 so at the earliest possible period ; for he may 

 rest assured that in nine times out often he 

 will find his interest promoted by bemj;- in a 

 situation to avail himself prompth^ of any 

 favorable change in the markets that may 

 occur, as opportunities frequently present 

 themselves wherein even a few days make a 

 material difference in the price of agricultu- 

 ral commodities. With this brief suggestion, 

 we will proceed to the detail of tliose labors 

 which are of urgent necessity. 



WHEAT. 



Although it be too early to seed this grain, 

 it is not too early to begin to flush up the 

 ground, and to make the other preliminary 

 arrangements. Wherever clover-leys or 

 grass-sv/ards are to be turned in, the larmer 

 sliould by all means, if the ground has not 

 been previously dressed with them, provide 

 himself witli a light covering of lime, marl, 

 or other calcareous matter, for it is a truth 

 which cannot be controverted, that wheat 

 thrives best on soils which have been thus 

 dosed, and that they derive from such treat- 

 ment increased ability to resist winter frosts. 



Preparation of the Seed. — No wheat, 

 however clean or beautiful, sliould be sown 

 without being soaked in a picide of strong 

 le)^ brine, strong enough to float an egg, or 

 lime water, and after being drained, should 

 be rolled in powdered lime. 



Quantily to the acre. — This is a vexed 

 question, and one which every firmer takes 

 the liberty of settling according to his ov/n 

 views of propriety. Amidst such diversity 

 of opuiion and practice, it is difficult to pre- 

 scribe ; but'still we may approximate some- 

 thing like a proper quantity by comparing the 

 practice of our own and other countries. 

 Some parsons in this country sow as small a 

 quantity as one bushel to the acre, whde 

 others put in five and six pecks. In Eng- 

 land, however, where the statute acre is of 

 t)ic same measure of our own, from two to 

 three bushels to the acre are sown on an 

 acre. If this large quantity be necessary 

 there — if they derive good crops under such 

 thick sowing, it strikes us as being obviously 

 plain, that too little seed is often given to the 

 earth in this country, where, from the inten- 

 sity of our winters, and from the sudden al- 

 ternations of the weather, much grain is 

 thrown out of the ground. Should we not 

 make an allov/ance for such casualties 1 We 

 know that an opinion prevails, those owing to 

 the inferiority of our lands to that of Eng- 

 land, they will not bear as heavy seeding as 



those of that country. On the other hand, it 

 is a well ascertained fact that rich, warm 

 and generous soils retain the plants better 

 through the winter than poor lands, and v;e 

 would here ask, should not an allowance be 

 made on that account for the losses thus sus- 

 tained on poor lands ! If wheat stands Ihin 

 on the ground, the vacant places are invaria- 

 bly filled with noxious weeds, whose room 

 had better be occupied with wheat plants. 

 Viewing the subject in these lights, with the 

 aid of our best judgment, we have come to 

 the conclusion, that two bushels of seed to 

 the acre of winter wheat, is not too much, 

 and tliat less than six or seven pecks should 

 never be sown. 



By sowing too thin, the growth of weeds 

 is encouraged to the great detriment of the 

 growing crop and tlie loss of the owner. To 

 guard against this, the English husbandman 

 very properly fills up his ground with plants 

 of wheat, increases its yield, and excludes 

 the growth of weeds and grass. 



RYE. 



It is a custom with many good farmers to 

 sow their rye even as early as August ; with 

 most to put it m during this month, while 

 others defer it until October. The question 

 of which is the best time, though often moot- 

 ed, has never yet been settled. It perhaps, 

 would be safest to get it in as early this 

 month as possible, in order that the plants 

 might have time to be well rooted before the 

 rigor of winter sets in. 



Qvantily of Seed. — We think that less 

 than six pecks to the acre should not be 

 sown. 



Preparnlwn of the seed. — Subject your 

 seed to the same preparation as recommended 

 for wheat. 



GATHERING OF WEEDS. 



Great benefit would result from a careful 

 collection of all weeds, which should be put 

 upon your manure heap and covered over. 

 Weeds thus treated will make about one- 

 third their bulk of good manure when decom- 

 posed, and indeed if one cart load of good 

 mould or earth were placed over every three 

 loads of weeds, the proportion would be 

 greater, as the e.^halations from the latter 

 wliile undergoing the process of decomposi- 

 tion, would become incorporated with the 

 mould or earth, and make it as valuable as 

 any other portion of your dung pile. 



PULLING FODDER AND CUTTING TOPS. 



These operations must be performed this 

 month, and we need not tell you that the less 

 the fodder and tops be subjected to the wea- 

 ther after being dry. tlic more valuable they 

 will prove as provender for your stock. 



