1861. 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMEK. 



227 



Hints for August. 



CORN, 



Sometimes on account of a heavy shower 

 the weeds will spring up in the corn field af- 

 ter it is laid hy and make such a vigorous 

 growth that they materially lessen the crop 

 and are very annoying in the o^athering, and 

 more especially if it is to be cut up* On new 

 land the tumble weed is often a nuisance in 

 this way, as also fire weeds and the summer 

 grasses. These should be cut out with a hoe. 

 One man can dress out from one to three 

 acres a day, and which will be found a pro- 

 fitable investment aside from keeping the 

 corn field free from a new crop of weeds, 

 which would otherwise fill the ground. Corn 

 fields should be kept clean the entire season. 



TURNIPS. 



The turnip crop should be looked after 

 the last of this month; they may need 

 thinning, and most certainly weeding 

 out. TV'e know of many farmers who affect 

 to look down upon the turnip with contempt, 

 and many of these same farmers we know do 

 without both milk and butter for a large 

 part of the winter, 



WINTER WHEAT, 



Many farmers commence sowing this 

 month. All those who sow early in the 

 month we would advise to pasture the crop, 

 no matter how close. The Hessian fly lays 

 his egg this month; they are deposited be- 

 tween the minute ridges of the blade, in the 

 early stages of its growth, and appears as 

 minute redish specks. The feeding and 

 tramping will destroy large quantities of 

 them before the young maggots reach the 

 sheath covering the first joint. Last month 

 we gave our views in regard to the pastur- 

 ing of this crop. In Morgan and Sangamon 

 counties large quantities of wheat was put 

 in with the double shovel plow by the use of 

 " Turner's drill attachment, " we learn 

 that the experiment was entirely satisfacto- 

 ry. So soon as we get a little out of the 

 old beaten path of winter wheat culture, -eo 



soon will we find that this is, after all, a win- 

 ter wheat country. Its capacity for spring 

 wheat is undoubted, and we would like to 

 see winter wheat take the place of a portion 

 of our corn crop. In this connection we 

 would call attention to the article on " Corn 

 Culture," on another page. 



POTATOES. 



After the potatoes are laid by, which is at 

 the time of blooming, the weeds should be 

 cut out with a sharp hoe. After this time 

 we continue to pass the shovel plow between, 

 the rows to kill the weeds between the hills. 

 In digging potatoes we like to have clean, 

 land. It is certainly a shiftless way to let 

 the big weeds cover the potatoe patch, to 

 double the labor of digging. Rag weeds 

 and tumble weeds delight to show their ug- 

 liness among the potatoes. 



BEANS. 



Large quantities of beans are planted this 

 year, and the crop looks promising. They 

 must be kept clear with the hoe and cultiva- 

 tor. The prairie chickens sometimes do no 

 small amount of damage to this crop, and 

 they should be looked after ; a good place 

 for them is the center of a chicken pie. Do 

 not work them when wet with rain or dew. 



HAYING. 



The cutting of prairie hay will continue 

 not only this month, but until frost or even 

 later ; but this late cut hay is of little value. 

 See that the grass is only wilted before it is 

 raked and put in cock ; two to four hours in 

 the swarth is abundant time ; let it cure well 

 in the cock before stacking. Prairie hay 

 put up in this way is almost as valuable as 

 timothy, and better than most of it put up 

 in the usual way. 



THE GARDEN. 



The garden should have your unceasing 

 care throughout the season, for it is your 

 great medicine chest, upon which you should 

 rely for good health. No labor will pay so 

 well as that judiciously applied to the gar- 

 den. The small fruits should be mulched if 



