202 



FARMi^RS' REGISTER 



[No. 4 



largest portion possible of the seed. To do this, 

 it must be cut at a proper season. As the seed 

 ripen at dill'erent periods, if tlie crop is cut too 

 soon, there will be a loss sustained li'om the im- 

 maturity of the seed. If cut too late, those seed 

 first ripe will be liable to be entirely lost by being 

 shattered off in the field. Hence there is a cer- 

 tain medium to be observed, to prevent these two 

 evils, which is, to cut the crop when about two- 

 ihirds of the heads have become bltick; a large 

 portion of the remainder will ripen by the nourish- 

 ment they obtain from the straw during the drying 

 process. Where the clover is not lodged, it is 

 much the best to cut it with a cradle, laying all of 

 it in double swaths; and securing the heads from 

 falling through the fingers of the cradle by stitch- 

 ing a piece of linen cloth upon them. 



After the crop is cut, it must be suffered to re- 

 main in the field long enough to become dry; this, 

 if the weather is good, willbe in a very few days. 

 Jt must then, when the dew is upon it, be raked 

 into small bunches, (such as would be a conve- 

 nient load for a fork,) and when sufficiently dry, 

 placed carefully upon a sled or wagon, and drawn 

 into the barn. If the weather is unfavorable, it 

 becomes necessary to turn these bunches repeat- 

 edly, to prevent their being injured by the mois- 

 ture. Indeed, this should be done even in fair 

 weather, if they remain out longer than two or 

 three days. When drawn into the barn, the crop 

 may be either stowed away in mows, or else 

 thrashed out immediately, and the heads and chaff 

 placed in a room lor the purpose, for ultimate 

 cleaning. This may most generally be done best 

 in winter. 



Iffarmers could always raise their own seed, 

 and in sufficient abundance, it would be much bet- 

 ter to sow it in the chaff, as it is generally found 

 to be more certain to grow. The only advan- 

 tages of cleaning are, the more exact determina- 

 tion of the quantity to be sown, and the more 

 equal distribution of the seed; and where it is 

 raised for sale cleaning is of course requisite. 

 When sown in chaff, the difficulty with regard to 

 quantity and distribution may be obviated by sow- 

 ing suflicient to insure the desired thickness on 

 every part of the ground. 



By fiir the best method of cleaning is by means 

 of a machine; but as this is not always to be had, 

 the practice of treading it out by horses is then to 

 be resorted to, though it is tedious and unpleasant. 

 It IS thus performed. The barn fluor is covered 

 with chaff about a foot in thickness, and the 

 horses are driven upon it one day. The next 

 morning it is to be passed through a fannino; mill, 

 and the chafl' and dust which has been hearten oft" 

 will be blown away; the clean seed will pass 

 through the screen; "while a third and larger por- 

 tion, containing the seed yet in the chaff, will 

 drop in the rear of the fanning mill. This is to be 

 spread a second time upon the floor, mixed with 

 a li-esh portion of unseparated chaff, and again 

 trodden by the horses; the second morning repeat 

 the same operation, and a much larger pol-tion of 

 clean seed will be obtained. The operation is 

 thus to be repeated until the whole of the chaff is 

 separated. 



In order to clean the seed properly for market, 

 it is necessary first to run it through a sieve of 

 just such a degree of fineness as to oermit the clo- 

 ver seed to pass through, but retain' all large sub- 



stances. It must then be passed through a sieve 

 just fine enough to retain the clover seed, but to 

 suffer all smaller seeds to pass through. In this 

 way it is effectually cleaned. 



By proper attention and care, three or four 

 bushels may be easily obtained from an acre of 

 land. 



J. J. T. 



THE ADVANTAGE OF USING SUR-CAREONATE 

 OF SODA IN WASHING CLOTHES. 



[The following short article was before published in 

 the Farmers' Register, nearl}' tliree years ago ; and the 

 since well-tested value of the practice induces us, con- 

 trary to our usage, to re-insert the directions, for the 

 benefit of the many later subscribers, as well as the 

 many older ones, who passed over the former publi- 

 cation without notice. The saving of labor by 

 using this plan, is thought to be so great by some of 

 the ladies of our acquaintance, that if nothing else had 

 been gained by their husbands from the Farmers' Re- 

 gister, they think that for this little article alone they 

 might well afford to pay a subscription for life. 



As it may not always be convenient, in countiy 

 places, to obtain lime-water, cheap as it is, it is proper 

 to say that that ingredient may be omitted vvithout 

 sensible injury to the process. The sub-carbonate of 

 soda is now getting into extreme use for this purpose, 

 and may be bought at any apothecary's shop, at 12^ 

 cents the pound. — Ed. Fae. Reg. 



[From the Essex North Register.] 



In this day of improvements, lew have been 

 suggested of more importance, especially to fe- 

 males, than the new mode of washing clothes, 

 which has been introduced into this town [New- 

 buryport] through the agency of two benevolent 

 ndividuals, now residing at a distance from us. 

 It has been tried by quite a number of females 

 with complete success, and those who have tried 

 it are desirous of communicating it extensively, 

 that others may reap the same benefit which has 

 accrued to them. It is to be used only for white 

 clothes. It does not answer the purpose in case 

 of calicoes and woollens. 



1. Mixture — Five gallons soft water, add half 

 a gallon of lime water, a pint and a half of soft 

 soap, or a pound of hard soap, and two ounces of 

 carbonate of soda. 



2. Method of washing — Soak the clothes over 

 night if very dirty, at any rate wet them tho- 

 roughly before putting them into the mixture. 

 When the above mixture is at boiling heat, put in 

 the clothes that have been soaked or wet, merely 

 rubbing those parts with a little soap that are unu- 

 sually soiled. Boil them one hour. They are 

 then to be taken out and drained, and thoroughly 

 rinsed in warm water, then in the indigo water as 

 usual, and they are fit for drying. The lime wa- 

 ter may be prepared and kept on hand — the soda, 

 sub-carbonate, (be sure to get the right kind) 

 may be procured cheap, by purchasing it in a 

 large quantity. Let all who feel that washing- 

 day is a day of hard work and weariness, cease to 

 complain, until they are willing to try this safe, 

 easy and expeditious mode of lightening their 

 burdens. 



