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R r. 
Wit 'll* 
5 
-Editorial Joltings. 
The rmrcirLE of enriching the soil by 
keeping it shaxh d, is not, w\ tVnr. as well 
understood as it should he. It has long- 
been noticed that soil which has long been 
shaded by a building will upon its removal 
produce a lank growth of veg< tat ion. And 
strawberry growers tell us that their plan¬ 
tations which are heavily mulched in the 
autumn, with leaves and straw which 
shade the soil for one season, show un¬ 
mistakable evidence of increased fertiliza¬ 
tion when again plowed and planted. We 
know a level-headed farmer who practices 
sowing all his fal ow lands with rye as 
soon as crops ar : cleared, so they will not 
remain bare and unshaded through por¬ 
tions of the year between his crops. The 
growing rye is turned under in spring and 
a* in the case of mulch above cited, helps 
of ils<-lf to enrich the soil, aside from its 
gieat benefit as a shade. In our opinion, 
one o. the . ain benefits to be derived from 
buckulna' and clover, which are known 
to enrich the soil, is to be attributed to 
th e jn riect and continue 1 shade. Eut a 
very hard and compact soil cannot absorb 
mu -h nitrogen or ammonia from the at¬ 
mosphere and water which come in con¬ 
tact with them although shaded. So land 
lying idle should remain loose. This ex¬ 
plains why fall plowing is to be recommend¬ 
ed. It loosens up the soil to some depth 
and the top coating serves as a covering or 
shade to the under portion which will in 
consequence grow richer the longer it lies 
Keep your fallow lands plowed or covered 
continually. 
Sometimes when our hens get loose and 
scratch up a row of early peas, or eat the 
Maibleliead sw eet corn just before it is fit 
r,o bring upon the table, we get exceedingly 
wroth and proclaim a solemn edict that 
henceforth no fowl shall set foot upon 
that farm. But when vve figure up in 
December that from twenty Brown Leg¬ 
horns wintered, we have within the year 
received $40.47 for eggs sold, besides a 
liberal allowance of eggs and chicken pot- 
pie upon the table through toe year, we 
conclude that we will let some d' them re¬ 
main another year, particularly as the 
ten bar. els of dry hen manure saved at 
$1.00 p: r ban(1 wblneailypay for all the 
food pinch a st d ft r them. And vve guess 
vve can afford to fix up tlu ir quarters a 
lit lie and make them clean and eomfort- 
a le for inter. Have you fixed tours up 
yet? Lei's not forget it. 
The practice of applying stable manure 
to fruit trees and bushes as a mulch is to 
he highly recommend eel. Horse stable 
litter is preferred for t is purpose, and 
autumn is the best time to apply it. If 
such a coating be spread around as far as 
the roots extend, the s luble parts will be 
carried dowm by the rains and melting 
snows of winter, while the remaining por¬ 
tions will retain moisture as a mulch and 
enrich the soil by shade. 
Buckwheat hulls which most millers 
run into the stream and waste, are the nicest 
article imaginable to keep on hand for sta¬ 
ble use, for both horses and cow s. Speak 
to your miller to save them for you and 
you will be surprised to see how su.et 
and clean a stable can be made by sea ta r¬ 
ing a bushel or more over the floor every 
day. And then they will help the manure 
pile greatly. We know this for we have- 
used tons of them in this way. 
A GOOD breed of fowls properly cared 
for will yield a greater profit than almost 
any other kind of st ck. If arranged so 
that they can be confined when necessary, 
and liberated when they can do n mischief 
they are highly beneficial to the farm and 
garden. Like all other departments, it is 
he who takes most pride in what he keeps— 
and keeps them in the best condition—that 
gets paid best for his labor. 
As a rule the stables on most farms are 
too dark and illy ventilated. Arrange at 
once to put some good large windows in 
yours, and see if you do not feel doubly 
paid within a month for all the expense 
incurred. 
As SOON AS THE ground is frozen cover 
your strawberry vines with forest leaves 
and straw. It will keep them back in spring 
so they will escape late frosts, and thus 
secure a good crop of nice clean berries. 
—Are you going to try for that $200 prize? 
