324 AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. lSeptember, 
Hints for Work. 
[The Hints arul Suggestions in these columns are 
never copied from previous gears, but are freshly pre¬ 
pared for every mouth, from the latest experience and 
vobse-i'vations, by practical men in each department.\ 
Wheat and Bye.- Sowing the fall crops is the 
principal work of this month. It is useless to ex¬ 
pect a good harvest unless the sowing of the seed 
as well done. There are several points to be studied: 
The Fitting of the Soil is of the greatest import¬ 
ance. Wheat requires a fine mellow soil for the 
■seed, and a light soil to be well compacted about 
the sowed grains. If any vacant places are left, as 
would be were the soil cloddy, the rootlets being 
■exposed to air, will dry and perish. Therefore, 
after plowing, cultivate, or harrow repeatedly 
■until ail the clods are made fine. 
The Surface Soil may be lumpy and somewhat 
rough, but the lumps should not be so large as to 
prevent the spires of wheat reaching the surface. 
The Boiler Should be Used immediately after the 
plow, to break up the lumps ; then the cultivator 
and harrow will finish the work. This is the 
proper use of the roller. Its misuse is to roll the 
■ground after the seed has been sown, thus leaving 
the surface packed down close and solid, in which 
state it will crust over after the first shower. 
An Oat or Barley Stubble should be well cultivated 
to destroy the sprouted seed which has been shelled 
in harvesting. We have heard it said that this vol¬ 
unteer growth protects the sown crop, which is a 
great mistake: it is really weeds, and crowds the 
young wheat or rye, prevents it from occupy¬ 
ing the ground, and seriously injures it. 
The Young Plant Should be Well Fed. —A weak 
plant will fail unless it has plenty of the right kind 
of food, and in such a condition as to be readily ab¬ 
sorbed, digested, and assimilated. Thoroughly de¬ 
composed stable manure furnishes such food, and 
is a good stand-by for the entire growth of the 
crop. Properly prepared fertilizers—-rich in nitrates 
(containing nitrogen) of potash or soda, and es¬ 
pecially in soluble phosphoric acid, which is known 
to have a remarkable effect on the development of 
the young rootlets—may be used with safety and 
comparative certainty. 
The Hessian Fly has done much damage, espe¬ 
cially to barley. The spring brood seems to have 
been the most injurious. Late sowing, that is af¬ 
ter the 10th to the 15th of September, will tend to 
prevent the effective deposit of eggs, and thus 
greatly lessen the number and vigor of the spring 
brood. Although by forcing the early sown wheat 
to a strong growth, it can be secured against the 
fly, yet we thereby furnish breeding places for in¬ 
sects whose progeny will attack the oats, barley, 
and wheat next spring. 
Selecting Seed. —When it is inconvenient to attend 
lo the selection of good seed, it is profitable to pay 
■double or treble the market price for grain to a 
farmer who will take pains to grow nice, clean 
seed of the best varieties, than for a farmer to go to 
his own bin and take the seed as it comes, good 
and poor, with many foul seeds in it. A farmer 
who sows poor seed may save a dollar per acre, but 
he will lose ten for every one saved. 
Cultivating the Fall-sown Crops. —It will be found 
decidedly beneficial to use a sloping-tooth harrow 
soon after sowing, and before the spire shows above 
ground, and again as soon as it has become well 
rooted. A harrow of the kind referred to was de¬ 
scribed in the American Agriculturist for August. 
After having tested this harrow, we find it to do ex¬ 
cellent work with both sloping and straight teeth. 
It is light and passes easily over the loose ground, 
disturbing only the surface and killing only the 
shallow-rooted weeds, leaving the wheat uninjured. 
The loosening of the soil benefits the wheat, and 
prepares the ground for the timothy seed. 
Harrowing Disturbs the ITessian Fly. —Doubtless 
this is because the wheat is pushed forward by the 
stirring of the soil, and many maggots are cer¬ 
tainly destroyed. 
.Steeping the Seed. —For at least the partial preven¬ 
tion of rust and smut in wheat the seed should be 
steeped in a strong solution of common salt, or in a 
solution of 4 ounces of sulphate of copper (blue 
vitriol, or copperas) in a gallon of water, for one 
hour. The seed is then drained and sprinkled with 
dry lime, when it may be sown immediately. 
Water Furrows. —When all else is done, make the 
necessary water furrows at once. There may come 
a heavy rain the next day and do damage. Disperse 
the water into several channels, rather than permit 
it to collect in one or two. When the field is in 
grass, these water furrows will be useful in spread¬ 
ing the rain more evenly over the field. 
Seeding to Crass. —It is a good practice on fertile 
soil to sow grass-seed two weeks after the wheat is 
put in. Thrifty growing timothy keeps the wheat 
back, as proved the past season on the writer’s field. 
Other farmers corroborate this experience. 
Sowing Bight and Left. —After waiting two weeks 
for a still day the past spring to sow clover, the 
writer tried sowing with the right and left hand al¬ 
ternately, and it answered well. The method is 
this : With the wind blowing from the right over 
to the left, cast with the right hand ; in returning, 
step seven or eight paces towards the wind, and 
cast with the left hand. There will be then no 
doubled places, and no streaks missed. To get the 
method, practise with light-colored sand, or chaff. 
Boot Crops. —Where mangels or ruta-bagas are 
crowded, pull the superfluous roots for the cows. 
The fresh feed will be useful, and those remaining 
will occupy the vacant space, and make a better 
growth by the thinning. White turnips may yet 
be sown if the land is rich, or made so. A vacant 
potato stubble treated with 250 lbs. of fine bone- 
dust per acre, will give a vigorous growth of turnips. 
Buckwheat should be cut before frost. If a light 
frost kills the tops, it may be cut at once. Cut 
with a cradle or a’reaper, while the dew is on, early 
in the morning, otherwise the grain will shell 
badly. Leave it in the swath until the straw is dry, 
then rake into gavels, which, without binding, set 
into small stocks, where they will dry in a day or 
two of bright, breezy weather. Then draw the crop 
to the barn in racks upon which barn sheets or 
blankets are spread, to catch the shelled grain, and 
thrash at once. If a machine is used, the concave 
should be removed and a piece of plank substituted, 
or the leeth will break the grain. When thrashed 
it should be cleaned immediately, and carefully 
stored, as it is apt to heat. 
Late Potatoes. —As a measure of precaution for 
next season, every potato-beetle that can be found 
should be destroyed. When the leaves are eaten 
from potato vines, the growth of the whole plant 
stops ; if new leaves start, it is at the expense of the 
tubers. So, kill the beetles, and increase the crop. 
Corn. —As soon as the grain is glazed, corn 
should be cut, if the stalks are to be saved. Frost 
greatly injures the fodder, and reduces its feeding- 
value. Before cutting, the seed for next year should 
be selected, taking ears from stalks that have borne 
two or more good ones. The tops of the selected 
stalks may be broken down, to mark them, and 
when the crop is cut, left standing until the ears 
are perfectly' ripe, then they should be gathered, 
and stored in a dry, cool place. Such selections of 
seed will tell well in the next crop. 
Weeds. —A great number of weeds are now ma¬ 
turing seeds; to permit this is simply to make 
trouble and expense, in years to come. Every weed 
about fence-rows, in fields, or about barns, and in 
nooks and corners, should be cut at once, and burn¬ 
ed. By persevering in this way for a few years, 
a farm maybe cleared of these fertility thieves. 
Livestock. —For hints about the management of 
farm animals refer to the August American Agri¬ 
culturist. We will only add that, as cold weather is 
approaching, any falling off in condition should be 
guarded against. Extra feed may be given this 
month to young animals, with profit. 
Sundry Matterrs. —This is the usual season for re¬ 
newing insurances, and it ought not to bo over¬ 
looked. The farm buildings, tools, and crops, should 
be secured so that in ease of fire all will not be lost. 
-Preparations should be made for storing the 
root crops ; a substantial,permanent root house will 
always repay its cost, and a good one may be made 
very cheaply... .All the harvesting implements and 
machines should be cleaned and oiled —both wood¬ 
work and iron—and stored in a dry, covered place. 
To remove rust, use crude petroleum, then brash 
over linseed oil. Petroleum is a good preserver of 
wood.Chicken coops and other “ traps ” put 
away until next season, in an outhouse, or shed. 
-Clean up all rubbish about yards and buildings, 
and remove to manure heaps—having all possible 
materials for compost gathered and utilized_The 
sum of the small things which may be done with 
economy now that leisure offers opportunity, will 
be considerable... .Do not overlook the Fairs, and 
make a business of attending as many as possible, 
with observant eyes to things of interest and utility. 
Notes for the Orchard and Garden. 
A few months ago we suggested that it was a 
profitable use of time for cultivators to visit one 
another—to make excursions not only for pleasure 
but instruction. Equally, if not more, profitable 
will it be to visit a central point where the cultiva¬ 
tors of a wide district have brought together the 
results of their season’s labors for exhibition and 
comparison. This is what we find, or should find, 
at the.various fairs, and these should be visited, as 
a matter of duty by every one, whether his or¬ 
chard or garden be large or small. Visit the local 
Fair by all means, whether it be Town or County, 
and as many more as time and means allow.—“ But 
these local fairs have but little interest.”—Then 
make them interesting, and begin now to set 
about insuring a good exhibition of orchard and 
garden products. Some one in such matters must 
be a leader or agitator. Many fail to exhibit, be¬ 
cause they did not think of it. See that your 
neighbors have not this excuse. Others would ex¬ 
hibit if they thought any one else would.—Tell 
such that you will exhibit if they will. Still others 
can be stirred up by a spirit of rivalry. Send word 
to such that you intend to beat them on grapes, 
turnips, or whatever the special hobby may be. 14 
is astonishing how much one person, by a few 
timely words, can make the Horticultural Depart¬ 
ment of a fair a success. Who can -better speak 
these words than the readers of the American 
Agriculturist? Do not refrain from exhibiting be¬ 
cause you fear that some one else has better. 
Show the best you have, and if another has better 
of the kind, learn how he produces it. No matter 
if you are a Vanderbilt in wealth, and the premium 
awarded you is only 50c., take the money. This de¬ 
clining premiums by wealthy or well-to-do persons, 
touches the pride of those in humble condition, 
and they stay away. We have known a flourishing 
society nearly ruined by this, as it drove away the 
mechanics and others with small gardens. Wealthy 
persons do well when they make presents in cash 
to such societies, but they should always take their 
premiums. What ever is shown, let it be arranged 
to appear at its best. There are neat and slovenly 
ways of showing cabbages. Go to the fairs by all 
means, but go with something to exhibit, and be 
sure to take wife and children besides. 
Orclianl and I\' ursery. 
In these notes on work are included answers to 
many correspondents, though this is seldom stated. 
Just now, as in past years, many ask about 
Fall Planting. —The answer will depend much 
upon the locality of the inquirer. Other things 
being equal, the better condition of the scil, the 
greater comfort in working, insuring better plant¬ 
ing, and the less pressing character of other work 
are all in favor of fall planting. Besides these, the 
trees having become established in the soil, start 
much earlier in spring, and are thus better pre¬ 
pared to resist the summer drouths than those set 
in spring. In far northern localities, in which there 
is but a brief period between the time when trees 
can be taken up, and the setting in of winter, 
spring planting is preferable, but where there are 
some weeks of autumn weather, it is better to 
