1872.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
243 
again and sow. In our climate, snch a fallow fre- 
quently makes the land in splendid condition for 
wheat. Our chief objection to it is that the land is 
not exposed for a sufficient length of time to the 
ameliorating influences of the atmosphere. What- 
ever system is adopted, let the work be thoroughly 
done. Not a weed should be suffered to get a 
breathing spell. We Bhould aim to induce every 
weed seed to germinate, and then kill the young 
plants. Roots of thistles, quack, etc., 6hould be 
killed by exposing them to the 8im. If the plants 
commence to grow, not a leaf should be allowed 
to get to the surface. 
Fallows for Grass. — It is sometimes a great con- 
venience to break up a meadow or pasture in July 
and re-seed it about the first of September. A still 
better plan is to break it up the fall previous or 
early in the spring, and thoroughly subdue the 
grass and weeds, and make the land as mellow as a 
garden ; but we have found much benefit by break- 
ing up in July and making tbe surface mellow by 
repeated harrowing and cultivating. Sow a peck 
of timothy seed per acre the last of August or first 
of September, and such other grasses as may be 
desired. Roll after seeding. 
Cultivating Corn. — To bill or not to hill is still an 
open question, but no one doubts the advantage of 
thoroughly and repeatedly cultivating the corn crop. 
In the pressure of other work, however, many ne- 
glect to use the cultivator as freely as would be for 
their interest. Let the cultivators always be in 
readiness, so that when there is an Lour to spare 
during haying, it may be profitably spent in the 
cornfield. It never pays to use a poor cultivator 
or to seta careless man to cultivate, as the bard 
spots that need it most, will be apt to be left un- 
stirred. Our own plan is to throw dirt enough to 
the plants to smother small weeds in the hill. 
Hay will be late this year, and the crop light. 
Make the best of it. See article on another page. 
Harvesting Wheat. — Cut as soon as the kernels 
cease to have any milk in them, but not earlier. 
Bind carefully, and set the sheaves up firmly, so 
that they will not blow down. Much wheat is lost 
from careless shocking. If the weather is threaten- 
ing, it is a good plan to cap tbe shocks with a couple 
of sheaves. If the wheat is to be thrashed as it is 
drawn in, it should be allowed to stand in the shock 
until the kernels are quite bard and dry, otherwise 
the wheat will he sure to heat in tbe granary, and 
in any case it will be necessary to turn it over oc- 
casionally. Wheat that is put in ft stack or barn, 
may be drawn earlier. Thrust the hand into the 
middle of the sheaf under the band, and if there is 
no feeling of dampness, draw in at once, provided 
there is no dew or rain on the sheaves and the 
butts on the ground are dry. If the butts are damp, 
push over the shocks and expose the butts to the 
sun or wind for an hour or so ahead of tbe pitcher. 
If you are short of barn room, put two good men 
on the bay, and let every 6heaf be properly laid in 
courses and pressed firmly together. A man who 
understands bis business, can get one third more 
wheat into the barn than if the work is done care- 
lessly. When wheat is once safely in the barn, it 
is a great mistake to thrash too early. The straw 
and wheat will both be better if allowed to remain 
for a month or two, or at any rate until the wheat 
is through sweating. The most economical way to 
draw in wheat is with three wagons, one man to 
pitch, one man to each wagon, to load, drive, and 
unload, and two on the bay. The "weak spot" 
is in not having the horses start promptly the mo- 
ment the last sheaf in the shock is on its way to 
the load. It not unfrequently happens that more 
time is occupied in getting the wagon from one 
shock to another than in pitching the shock. A 
good pitcher, if the loaders understand their work, 
will send home a load every fifteen or twenty min- 
utes, or 1% to 2 acres an hour of a fair crop of 
wheat of say 28 to 30 bushels per acre. 
Barley. — A good crop of barley that ripens evenly, 
Is not difficult to manage, but a poor, weedy crop, 
part green and part so ripe that it " crinkles " down, 
will tax a man's ingenuity and patience to get it 
into the barn without loss and in proper condition. 
Our own plan is to cut with a self-raking reaper. 
Sometimes, when the straw is heavy, we bind it into 
sheaves. This is decidedly the better way. As a 
rule, however, we cure it loose, merely turning the 
gavels once in the forenoon and once in the after- 
noon, and putting into cock before night all that 
was cut in the forenoon. Wc think it is well to let 
that cut in the afternoon lie undisturbed as left by 
the machine until the next morning, when it should 
be turned once or twice, and drawn in, if ready, in 
the afternoon. It is very important to cure it thor- 
oughly, and not to draw in while any dew is on it. 
Peas. — We have tried many ways of harvesting 
peas. They can be pulled with a revolving wooden 
rake, but it is slovenly work. They can be " rolled " 
with a scythe-into small heaps. With a short scythe 
they can be mown into swaths. Last year we cut 
a very heavy crop of peas and oats that was badly 
lodged, with a Johnston Reaper. It did the work 
to perfection. Pea straw, when well cured and 
not over-ripe, makes excellent fodder. Turn in an 
hour after cutting, and keep turning, so as to cure 
rapidly and avoid unnecessary risk of rain. 
Animals. — In the busy, driving season of haying 
and harvesting the live-stock on the farm is very 
apt to be neglected. Be on your guard against this. 
Make it your personal business to see that the 
horses, cows, sheep, and pigs are attended to. Es- 
pecially see that no animal suffers for want of water. 
Sheep, especially the English breeds, do much 
better for a frequent change of pasture. After 
weaning turn the ewes into a rather poor pasture, 
and examine them every two or three days, to see 
that their bags are not caked. Draw out the milk 
from those that are much distended. Let the lambs 
be put in the best pasture you have, and also give 
them half a pound of oats or bran each per day for 
a week or so — the longer the better. If any scour, 
give them half a pint of milk-porridge, made with 
wheat flour, or in severe cases five to ten drops of 
laudanum. Change the pasture as often as possible. 
If not already done, dip the lambs in a solution of 
carbolic soap, to kill ticks, etc. If there is the 
slightest symptom of footrot, dress the feet of 
every sheep in the flock with crude carbolic acid. 
Smear the noses of the sheep with tar to keep off flies. 
Calves should have good pasture, plenty of water, 
and access to shade and shelter. If they have a 
little grain or bran, it will be a great help to them. 
Cows, unless the pasture is unusually good, should 
have a feed of eorn-fodder twice a day. If very 
succulent, let it wilt a little before feeding. A quart 
or two of corn-meal per day, fed in connection with 
the corn-fodder, will make the latter as nutritious 
as the best grass. 
Take Care of your own. Health, and of that of your 
family. See that the cellar is scrupulously clean. 
Whitewash frequently. Use chloride of lime freely 
about the sinks, sewers, etc. Recollect that dry 
earth is a capital disinfectant, and is cheap in the 
country. We have an idea that there are out-houses 
that would not be quite 60 offensive if half a load 
of earth was shoveled into them every few weeks. 
ii »«- •-• 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
The showers of June have started a fresh growth 
of weeds, and it is only by constant cultivation 
that they can be subdued. During a dry season, 
much good can be done to plants of all kinds by 
keeping the soil well stirred. Never allow the 
work of weed-killing to get behind, for when weeds 
are once established it is very difficult to kilt them, 
except by extra expense in time and money. 
Orchard and >iii>iij. 
The fruit crop promises to be very large, and 
ample preparations must be made for harvesting 
and preserving it as fast as it ripens. Provide 
plenty of baskets, barrels, crates, etc., for trans- 
porting the fruit to market. 
Thinning. — If growers would only take the time 
to thin out their fruit, the remainder would bring 
a much higher price, more than enough to pay for 
the time and Ujuble expended, and they would be- 
sides be more certain of a crop every year. Where 
a tree is allowed to perfect all the fruit it sets, it 
becomes exhausted, and requires one or more years 
to regain its vigor. 
Peaehes. — Those ripening prematurely should be 
marketed, as they usually bring a good price. 
Crafts. — Pinch back the most vigorous shoots, 
to prevent their breaking off in high winds. 
Building usually commences this month, or at 
least as soon as there are well-formed buds to be 
had, and when the bark of the stock will lift easily. 
Insects. — Watch the trees for late broods of cater- 
pillars, and if the trees are infested with borers dig 
them out as soon as discovered. 
Blade-Knot. — Cut out and burn ou the first ap- 
pearance, for if not destroyed it soon spreads over 
the entire tree, and finally throughout the orchard. 
Sings must be dusted with powdered lime. 
Seeds. — Gather cherry-stones and mix with sand, 
to prevent drying. Many seeds of ornamental 
trees require to be sown as soon as ripe. Keep 
the rows of young seedlings clear of weeds. 
Suckers should be rubbed off as soon as they 
make their appearance, as they injure the looks »f 
the tree, as well as interfere with its growth. 
Fruit Garden. 
Grape-Vines. — Keep the new canes well tied up, 
to prevent them from being broken by high winds. 
Rub off all superfluous shoots as soon as they 
start. If mildew makes its appearance, use sulphur 
freely, applying it with a bellows made especially 
for the purpose. Do not allow young vines just 
coming into bearing to bear more than a bunch to 
the cane at their first fruiting. 
Currants and Gooseberries. — These require but 
little attention, except to look out for insects, if 
they were properly pruned, so that plenty of light 
and air can reach the fruit to prevent mildew. 
Strawberries. — New plants are best propagated by 
striking runners in small pots plunged in the soil. 
As soon as the plants are well rooted, they may be 
set out in permanent beds, and next season will 
produce a good crop. The old beds should be kept 
clear of weeds. If they were properly mulched 
last spring they will require but little attention. 
Raspberries. — Old canes which have got through 
bearing must be cut out, and the new growth tied 
up to stakes or to a horizontal wire stretched 
along the row. Three or four new canes are 
enough to leave for fruiting next season. 
Blackberries. — The new growth for bearing fruit 
next season must be kept in proper shape by 
pinching the shoots, none of which should be over 
five feet high, and the laterals cut back to IS inches. 
Dwarf Trees of whatever shape must be kept 
pinched back, and will need a good deal of atten- 
tion during the growing season. Thinning is espe- 
cially necessary in dwarf trees, as the best fruit is 
grown by allowing only a portion to perfect itself. 
Preserving Fruit. — When one has an abundance 
of fruit, it is desirable to dry and can as much as 
possible, as it will keep for many years if put up 
in cans and jars perfectly air-tight. 
Kitchen Garden, 
Keep the soil constantly occupied with some 
crop, and give the land pleuty of mannre, to prevent 
exhaustion. The land cleared of spinach, early 
peas, or potatoes, maybe used for growing turnips or 
late cabbages. Weeds should be kept under, taking 
care not to allow any to run to seed, and in a few 
years the ground may be cleared of most weeds. 
Beans. — As soon as the vines have reached the 
top of the poles, they should be pinched, to induce 
their early bearing. Bush sorts may be planted in 
any cleared spot in the garden. 
Beets may still be planted for late crops. 
Cabbages and Cauliflowers. — Transplant the late 
sorts from the seed-bed, using only the most vigor- 
ous plants. They ought to be set out in well-man- 
