1877 .] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
24,3 
cutting than this. Early cut grass is also better 
than that left to ripen its seed. Haying should be 
pushed as fast as possible ; when the crop is ready, 
we do not delay on account of the weather. Stand¬ 
ing grass will suffer from heavy rains or storms 
more than that which is cut. 
The Proper Use of Machinery is a very important 
matter. On many farms it would pay better to hire 
the work done, than to buy all the necessary ma¬ 
chines. Where machines .cannot be hired, then 
they must be procured some other way ; but no 
farmer can now afford to work without them. It is 
a very general fault in cutting hay, to leave a very 
short stubble ; this is objectionable, as it greatly in¬ 
jures the after growth. 
When Hay is Cut, it is best to cure it as fast as 
possible. If the weather is unfavorable, the crop 
should be put in large cocks as soon as it is cured, 
and if protected with hay-caps, may stand several 
days without injury. When there are a plenty of 
caps at hand, we would cut and cure the whole be¬ 
fore hauling any, unless for good reasons. When 
the weather is damp, to cut in the afternoon, cure 
the next day, and cock the hay before evening, 
will be found a good practice. Then the cocks 
maybe opened the next morning, and after a little 
sunning, may be put in. In dry weather, cut in the 
morning, turn over at noon, cock before night, and 
haul the next day. Hay may be easily over-dried. 
Loading. —Long, wide, and low loads, are better 
than 6hort, narrow, high ones. They are more 
easily loaded and hauled, and the pitcher’s work is 
easier. A boy to drive will save time; a loader 
should give all his attention to making his load, and 
as soon as the last forkful is pitched, the wagon 
should move on to the next cock, not losing a mo¬ 
ment. In harvesting, time is of the greatest value. 
Wheat .—When the grain is so hard that, crushed 
between the finger nails it breaks into flour, and 
shows no sign of dough, it is in condition for cut¬ 
ting. When there is a heavy harvest, it is better to 
begin cutting a little before this, rather than leave 
it later. The grain to be kept for seed, should be 
cut the last. The stubble should be cut as low as 
possible. The best straw is near the root. A self¬ 
binding harvester is a valuable piece of machinery, 
and can be appreciated by a farmer who has been 
annoyed by itinerant laborers, who demand exces¬ 
sive pay in the hurry of harvest. 
Barley .—This crop needs careful harvesting, as it 
is easily damaged and lessened in value by bad 
weather. When the weather is fair, the barley may 
be cut with the reaper and left on the ground until 
the next day, when, after having been twice turned, 
if free from weeds, it may be carried to the barn. 
To cut and bind this crop, is better than to cut in 
swaths and load with barley forks. 
Oats .—Oats may be cut while the top of the straw 
is somewhat green. Else it should be cut early in 
the morning, left on the ground all day, and raked 
and bound late in the afternoon. This avoids shell¬ 
ing. The sheaves should be stooked as fast as 
bound, and the stooks should be well capped, as this 
crop needs to be well cured before it is housed. 
Summer-Fallows .—A few farmers adhere to the 
old system of summer-fallowing. With our plen¬ 
tiful choice of cultivated crops, corn, beans, fod¬ 
der corn, potatoes, and roots of different kinds, 
and of artificial fertilizers, there is no excuse for 
keeping the ground idle for one season. In our 
climate weeds are easily killed, and we seem to 
have no need to continue the practice of summer¬ 
fallowing. If it is made, however, the present 
month is a time when it should be thoroughly 
and deeply worked, or kept entirely free from 
weeds by harrowing. 
Top-dressing Meadows with fine manure, as soon as 
possible after the hay has been cut, will be very 
effective in producing a close, thick bottom growth, 
which will shade the ground and prevent drying. 
Fodder Crops, such as corn, millet, or Hungarian 
grass, may be sown the early part of this month. 
There is a light hay crop in many places, and one 
or another of these fodder crops will be very use¬ 
ful. It will not pay to grow a crop for fodder, un¬ 
less the soil is made rich. 
Horses need to be kept clean and well curried; 
washing the legs is advisable, and the stables 
should be frequently cleansed, to keep down the 
troublesome flies. When at work in the fields, it 
will ease them much from this pest to sponge the 
legs and flanks with water mixed with one thou¬ 
sandth part of carbolic acid. Grass alone will not 
support a working horse. Four quarts of oats, 
corn, and wheat-bran, ground together, with a 
bushel of cut hay, will be only moderately good 
feeding along with good pasture at night. 
Milking Cows .—If milk and butter are expected, 
now that pastures are getting short and dry, some 
extra feed must be given. At least two quarts of 
the mixture above mentioned, should be given to 
each cow, along with some cut hay or green fodder. 
Green fodder alone is not worth much for butter, 
although it may increase the milk. 
Sheep and Swine can care for themselves at this 
time, if plenty of water, fair pasture, and shade 
are provided. A young ram and boar of some 
good breed, should be secured now. Breeders can 
afford to sell cheaper now than a few months later. 
Sundries .—A coat of paint on the homestead, 
barns and stables included, and the fences, adds 
much to the value of the farm and durability 
of the buildings. A very cheap and desirable fire¬ 
proof paint, which answers the purpose of the most 
expensive kind, is well adapted for use on the farm 
and in village homesteads. This is Johns’ Fire¬ 
proof Asbestos Paint. It is conveniently put up in 
kegs ready for use. Haying machinery should be 
cleaned and put away as soon as done with. Give 
the inside of stables, poultry houses, and pig-pens, 
a coat of hot lime-wash, and the cellar should not 
be forgotten. "Weeds about fences and buildings 
should be cut down before they seed, and carted to 
the compost heap. See that what needs to be 
done is done in time. 
Notes on Orchard and Garden Work. 
If the cultivator in either of these departments 
finds a time when he can say, “there is nothing to 
be done,” his experience has been quite different 
from our own. Still, July and August are the least 
driving months, and those in which a vacation can 
be taken with less detriment than in any others. 
No better investment of time and money can be made 
than injudicious travel. By judicious travel we do 
not mean going off for the mere sake of going, with¬ 
out any object in view; an excursion within 20 
miles of home may be made far more profitable than 
a trip half across the continent. Avoid fashionable 
routes and expensive “watering places if a mere 
change of scene be desired, there are numerous 
charming spots all over the country that are not 
frequented by crowds. If one would join profit 
with pleasure, let him visit some locality noted for 
its orchards, its small fruits, its market gardens, or 
whatever culture he is himself interested in. In¬ 
telligent cultivators, in whatever branch, are always 
glad to see others who are interested in the same 
pursuit with themselves, and by seeing what others 
are doing, and their methods, one gets new ideas, 
and if he does not learn anything by which he can 
profit, he will at least come back all the more con¬ 
tented with his own work and ways; and after all, 
one of the great benefits of travel is to make one 
satisfied with his own lot and his own home. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
There is scarcely a hint in last month’s Notes that 
is not as applicable now as it was then, and some 
are of sufficient importance to warrant our recall¬ 
ing them. 
Young Trees, will meet with then- greatest trial 
this month and next, and some that made no growth 
early in the season will require great care to save 
them. As a general thing it does but little good to 
water trees that seem to be at a stand still; with 
but little foliage, there is slight demand upon the 
roots; a mulch, to retain the moisture of the soil, 
will answer much better than watering ; if the sur¬ 
face soil be kept light and mellow by frequent 
stirring, it will serve as a mulch. It often helps a 
languishing tree to protect its trunk, or stem, from 
the scorching effects of the sun. This may bfl 
done by binding some moss lightly about it; by 
placing a handful of straight straw against the sun¬ 
ny side, and fastening it there with a string or 
wisp ; or by a wooden shield, made by tacking two 
thin boards together to form a V trough, which 
is set against the tree. 
Thinning. —No matter how thoroughly the first 
thinning was supposed to be done, the probabilities 
are that too much fruit is still left, and that a 
second thinning is needed. 
Insects are rather fully discussed in last month’s 
Notes, and he is fortunate who finds none demand¬ 
ing attention. Many suppose that the curculio at¬ 
tacks the fruit only just after it is set, while in fact 
it keeps at work nearly all summer; the jarring of 
the trees should be continued so long as any insects 
are caught; and afterwards at intervals throughout 
the season.— The Slug, mentioned last month, is 
usually more abundant now ; we see White Helle¬ 
bore, the poison used for currant worms, is recom¬ 
mended to destroy this. We have not tried this, 
as cheaper means are effective. The caterpillar, 
for such it really is, has a thick, adhesive covering 
of slime, and any powder will stick to it; the least 
dusting of lime kills the insect, and if fine dry 
earth or road dust be applied abundantly, it will 
adhere and maaeia covering that will cause the in¬ 
sect to let go its hold and drop from the tree. In 
enumerating the most troublesome insects last 
month, we inadvertantly omitted 
The Codling Moth or “ Apple-worm,‘ n which in 
some localities is the orchardist’s worst enemy. The 
moth, which works in the night, deposits eggs in 
the blossom end of the fruit as soon as it is set; 
the young, caterpillar or “worm,” eats its way to 
the center of the fruit and there lives, comes to 
maturity in a few weeks, leaves the apple, finds a 
hiding place, spins a cocoon, and in about two 
weeks comes out as a moth, which in turn goes to 
the fruit, lays more eggs, and thus a second brood 
is raised, these spin a cocoon, but do not appear as 
moths until the next spring. Much of the infested 
fruit falls, and if swine are not pastured in the 
orchard, the fruit should be'picked up and fed out, 
or otherwise destroyed. Mauy insects are thus 
killed ; many others may be caught by affording 
the “worms ” a hiding place where they can spin. 
Several contrivances, patented and otherwise, have 
been proposed; the most effective and simplest, is 
a band of woolen cloth, about 5 inches wide, and 
long enough to go around the trunk and lap suf¬ 
ficiently for both ends to be fastened by a single 
tack. Cheap straw paper, folded to make three 
thicknesses, is used by some instead of cloth. The 
bands should be put on, half way between the 
ground and the branches, in the latter part of June ; 
the first worms will usually be found under them 
the first week in July ; the worms are to be crashed 
and the bands replaced. The bands should be 
taken off, examined, and the insects killed every 10 
days all through this month and next. If this 
simple remedy were closely followed up by the 
fruit growers of a neighborhood, the insect would 
soon cease to be the serious pest it now is—but 
with this, as with most other insects, there should 
be a combined effort. 
The Black Knot appears on the plum and some 
cherry trees, forming an ulcerous-looking excres¬ 
cence of various sizes. Every now and then some 
one announces as a discovery, that this is not pro¬ 
duced by an insect, but is a fungus ; this statement 
has recently been made by an editor who ought to 
know that the knot was described as a fungus by 
Schweinitz about 50 years ago, and that the Ameri¬ 
can Agriculturist, some 15 years ago, published 
some new observations, with engravings, showing 
the structure of the fungus. Whenever this ap¬ 
pears it must be removed ; if discovered early, just 
appearing through the bark, it may be cut out, but 
generally it has made such progress that the limb 
must be taken off. Bum all that are removed — 
The chief obstacle to pear culture is 
The Blight, a disease so important that it is dis¬ 
cussed at almost every gathering of fruit growers. 
Many talk wisely and present their “theories,” as 
