WINTER. 



33T 



of the best wheat soils analyzed by Dr. Anderson, 

 of Ediuburgb, for the Highland Agricultural Society, 

 were found about two tons of ammonia to the acre 

 within ten inches of the surface of the ground ; and 

 we can understand the extraordinary results attained 

 at Lois Weedon by tillage alone, on the principle 

 thai finely and deeply pulverized earth has an almost 

 unhniited capacity for condensing and fixing the or- 

 ganic ingredients of our best cereals. To facilitate 

 the absorption of " the organic food of wheat plants" 

 by the earth, Mr. Smith cultivates them in rows, 

 three together, nine inches apart, with a space of 

 some twenty-five or thirty inches between the rows, 

 to be treated as a fallow, on which wheat is to be 

 drilled for the succeeding year's crop. In effect, the 

 practice is very much like planting corn in drills with 

 rows three feet apart — taking care to shift the drill- 

 rows every year, and tilling the ground eighteen or 

 twenty inches in depth between them. Mr. Smith's 

 growing plants appear to draw much of their aliment 

 from this lateral and finely pulverized earth. Three 

 rows of wheat, equal to one of corn, standing in 

 drills nine inches apart, would occupy but eighteen 

 inches; and the space between these eighteen inches 

 of wheat plants may be eighteen inches, or twenty- 

 four, or thirty, according to the strength of the soil, 

 or the theoretical views of the cultivator. Plants 

 that yield forty-eight bushels to the acre must spread 

 oat laterally, Uke our best crops ol maize, and cover 

 substantially the whole surface. Corn planted too 

 closely, or sown broadcast, never develops large and 

 well-filled ears. This fact is important in its bearing 

 on wheat culture. By thin seeding, and spading be- 

 tween the rows two spits deep, Mr. S. is able to de- 

 velop many lengthened and well-filled ears or heads 

 per acre. To our mind he appears to make the most 

 of the solar light and heat, and of the natural re- 

 sources of the earth for the production of bread. 

 Near Augusta, Georgia, we lately saw a good crop 

 of corn, nearly ripe, the seed of which was planted 

 on ground that bore an excellent crop of wheat this 

 year and was plowed after its harvest. 



THE WINTKU. 



Winter will soon be fairly upon us. We have 

 but a few days or weeks at most to prepare for this 

 insinuating visitor. Jack Frost will take you by the 

 hand with a painful grip, he will pinch your nose, 

 step on your toes, and pull your ears. He is of a 

 very destructive as well as of a very familiar and in- 

 quisitive turn. He will make his way into your cel- 



lar, if possible, and while there will spoil your potar 

 toes and apples, and do a deal of mischief in many 

 ways. He will visit your stables and barns, much to 

 the discomfort of your horses and cattle, unless you 

 make a pretty efliciout effort to keep him out. He 

 will even try to get through your potato hills, and 

 unless you are careful in burying them he will suc- 

 ceed. He will get under your gate posts and push 

 them up, so that your gates will hang badly; throw 

 your wheat out of the ground root and branch. In 

 short, he is a very mischievous fellow, and as bis visits 

 are sure and certain, it would be well to make prompt 

 exertions to keep him out of doors, for if he once 

 makes an entrance and gets on friendly terms with 

 you, he will be very apt to stay with you all winter. 

 If you get up your defences in time you will be able 

 to keep the cold-hearted scamp at a distance. After 

 having done this, you can take your comfort — read 

 the papers and good books on Ihe subject of your 

 profession, and gain strength and knowledge for the 

 next summer's campaign. 



— By the by, what an excellent opportunity the 

 long evenings and leisure of the coming winter will 

 afford for forming and sustaining Farmers' Clvbs. 

 Every little neighborhood should have ita farmers^ 

 club, where the farmers of the vicinity can meet and 

 discuss questions of interest to all. Here mind can 

 meet mind, and the experience of the one be brought 

 to confirm or cast doubt on the experience of an- 

 other. One has grown and fed root crops, and is 

 prepared to give his experience for the benefit of his 

 neighbor, who never thought they would pay in this 

 country. Another has grown millet to save his hay, 

 and has a word to say on this subject. Still another 

 used a little guano, just for the sake of the experi- 

 ment, and he has formed some kind of an opinion is 

 regard to the expediency of its use. Farmer A. has 

 reclaimed several acres of swamp land. B. is delight- 

 ed with his experiment in the use of drain tile, and 

 C. has put up a barn that for convenience and real 

 usefulness he thinks can not be equaled. 



Thus knowledge is increased, the indolent excited 

 to exertion, and great good accomplished. 



If the clubs of adjoining towns or neighborhoods 

 were held on different evenings, it would add much 

 to their interest for members to visit each other's 

 meetings, either voluntarily or by delegation. 



Let this good work be commenced in earnest as 

 soon as the fall work is done and you are I'airly pre- 

 pared for winter; and if you find any article in your 

 agricultural paper that don't accord with your expe- 

 rience, take the paper to the club and give it a " reg- 



