364 THE COMPLETE FARMER 



fallow, and a succeeding wheat crop, whenever you may wish 

 to take advantage of a routhie of crops.' 



JULY. 



Hay-making. Page 288. Make as much of your hay as possi- 

 ble in the early part of the season, as there is at that time a 

 greater probability of your being favored with fair weather. 

 More rain falls on an average in the latter part of summer, or 

 after the 15th of July, than iDefore. If the weather is so un- 

 favorable that hay cannot be thoroughly cured, the application 

 of from four to eight quarts of salt to the ton is recommended. 

 In this way it can be saved in a much greener state, and the 

 benefit derived from the salt is many times its value. Ano- 

 ther good method of saving green or wet hay, is that of mixing 

 layei-s of dry straw in the^mow or stack. Thus the strength 

 of the grass is absorbed by the straw, and the cattle will eager- 

 ly devour the mixture. 



Harvesting. Page 293. The time in which your grain crop 

 should be cut, is when the straw begins to shrink, and becomes 

 white about half an inch below the ear; but if a blight or rust 

 has struck wheat or rye, it is best to cut it immediately, even 

 if the grain be in the milky state. Barley, however, should 

 stand till perfectly ripe, 



AUGUST. 



Please to attend in season to preserving your sheep from the 

 (Rstrus ovis, or fly which causes worms in their heads. Page 

 239. This may be done by keeping the noses of the animals 

 constantly smirched with tar from the middle of August till the 

 latter part of September. In order to accomplish this, it has 

 been recommended to mix a httle fine salt with tar, and place 

 it under cover, where the sheep can have access to it, and they 

 will keep their noses sufficiently smirched with tar to prevent 

 the insect from attacking them. Destroy thistles, which some 

 say may be done by letting them grow till in full bloom, and 

 then cutting them with a scythe about an inch above the sur- 

 face of the ground. The stem being hollow, the rains and 

 dews descend into the heart of the plant, and it soon dies. Se- 

 lect the ripest and most plump seeds from such plants as are 

 most forward and thrifty, and you will improve your breeds 

 of vegetables by means similar to those which have been suc- 

 cessful in improving the breeds of neat cattle, sheep, &c. As 

 soon as your harvesting is finished, you will take advantage 

 of this hot and dry weather to search your premises for mines 

 of manure, such as peat, page 209, marl, page 205, mud, &c., 

 which often gives unsuspected value to swamps. Now is also 

 a good season to work at draining. Page 296. You may 

 drain certain marshes on your premises, which will affoid you 

 better soil than you now cultivate, cause your land to be more 

 healthy, and the earth taken from the ditches will make valua- 

 ble deposits in your cow-yard and pig-sty. 



