SURFACE MANURING. 
Whatever manure may do, one tiling is 
certain, that its application to the surface is 
a benefit—that its effect is immediate, relia¬ 
ble and decided. It has hence become a 
favorite mode of applying manure. John 
Johnston has given a great impetus to this; 
others have aided it, and the country is more 
or less practicing it. Our manure goes 
mostly upon meadows. This, then, is estab¬ 
lished, that there is a benefit in using ma¬ 
nure iu this way. 
To do it successfully upon meadows, a 
very important tiling is required—a thing 
that is too much neglected. It is to pulcerizo 
the manure and get it down on the (/round. 
To leave it in lumps is of but little use. 
There is some strength the ground gets, but 
the lumps are an obstruction. This is a bad 
way, and should be discountenanced severely. 
Close to the ground, hugging it, becoming 
part of it: this is what is wanted. Kow the 
soil by its attraction gets the strength, the 
rains rain it down at once. 
But this manure should be rotten,—thor¬ 
oughly decomposed. Then there will be no 
heat to throw off the strength. Fermenta¬ 
tion, which is well in the ground, is bad 
outside of it. But even in a raw state, drawn 
from the stable, manure, when closely ap¬ 
plied to the surface, has its benefit — not so 
immediate. Fermentation must be gone 
through with before the manure is plant 
food; and the acrid nature of some manures 
will hurt grass and grain, and impart a raw 
•' rfluence to the soil. 
Nothing can be better than to take good 
barn-yard manure, composted with muck or 
clay, and, when thoroughly mixed and de¬ 
composed, apply to the soil close to the 
ground, finely and evenly distributed. This 
gives our meadows what scarce any other 
treatment can reach—a thick, excellent coat 
of grass. Repeated, this coat can ho con¬ 
tinued; ami by-and-by, when it is wished to 
turn it down, there is nothing better. Corn 
will grow here if anywhere. We have 
known it to reach, in large lots, over eighty 
bushels to the aero, when otherwise it would 
yield hut half that amount. 
For grain, the same is the case. You ap¬ 
ply, and harrow in: that is all the differ¬ 
ence. This will fetch any crop. There is 
no guess-work here, no risk. Mellow your 
soil, and apply the manure in a composted 
state, ns above. Sow your grain and harrow 
in. Let the quantity ho according to the 
demands of the soil. Tliqs a poor soil may 
he made rich at once,—as effectively so as 
though soil itself, rich soil, wore carted 
there,—for this top-soil will receive at once 
the strength of the manure mixed —remem¬ 
ber, thoroughly mixed—with if, and it gets 
it right where it wants it—where the grain 
is, where the roots branch out. Seed will 
“catch” here without fail. This is the 
fail'd great bouofit which top-dressing with 
manure brings. 
It lias a tendency to keep the ground 
moist: this is another. And at the same 
time it readily passes off the water. Bui 
the main points — the reliable, the import¬ 
ant— are its effects upon meadows, upon 
grain, and upon seeding. The effect of all 
this cannot be questioned, and is not. It 
is only said that some of the strength of the 
manure escapes. Tins looks reasonable. 
There is liiilc doubt hut that some of the 
strength is lust. There is also little doubt 
had this manure been covered, the strength 
would have been saved. This is all a plaus¬ 
ible theory; nay, it is fact. But the best 
results are obtained from top-dressing. This, 
then, decides it, and should. We are better 
satisfied with top - dressing. We realize 
more; the thing works finely. What else 
can we wish ? 
If my meadow boils, I know my remedy. 
If my soil is not so rich as I wish, I sprinkle 
manure with my seed and harrow in. Wheat, 
barley, oats, almost any grain, will thus be 
benefited. Com not, or not so much; this 
wants the strength below, where the old top- 
dressings are feeding it, sward turned down. 
This being the case, why shall we plow T in 
our manures V Shall we plow them in at 
all ? Aye, for corn this is best. For clover 
this is best (though good at top to start it) 
For rough, badly run soil, a heavy coat of 
unfermented manure plowed in is as good a 
thing as can be done, perhaps. This done 
at the beginning of summer, and plowed 
and worked afterward when sod and manure 
are thoroughly decomposed, the manure and 
the soil almost continuously worked and 
■ lri *- x ed, made one — homogeneous — this is 
& w ' iat wanted. The heat will help, will 
h do much; so will the rains. 
£ We have tried this upon yellow knolls 
Y yielded nothing, having lain in common. 
"y The effect was magical. What yielded 
v nothing before, had now a crop (of rye) that 
» filled the fence, and produced equally with 
jY the best soils. And yet it was but a barren 
drift-heap, some clay, which saved it from 
MBOBWS 
absolute worthlessness, — much sand and 
gravel; the whole we termed, sneeringly, 
“yellow loam,” from the mellow, almost 
ashy condition it was in. But we applied 
manure; drew it long and strong and rank 
from the barn-yard and tbe stables. There 
were a few straggling weeds, with a little 
furze grass; all was turned down,mixed and 
sown. At first there was doubt; but soon 
the rye catne, and it never stopped t ill it was 
checked by the calves and the sheep in the 
fall, which added their droppings, liking a 
knoll to lie on; and in the spring it was 
green,—the greenest, thing to be seen,—the 
first green, anti the finest grain. It yielded 
a large crop of the best of rye and the bright¬ 
est, of straw, so much so that it will never be 
forgotten. But it took much manure. The 
seeding was also good, but in a few years 
ran out, the farm passing into other hands. 
It still yields well, but ouly with manure. 
So much so is this the case that it is consid¬ 
ered a mere estimate of dollars and cents to 
apply the manure; so much manure given 
will yield so much; after that, nothing. 
Top-dressing (v ith manure) lias been re¬ 
sorted to, but in a drouth, with no benefit; 
otherwise some use. But plowed in shallow, 
the best results have been obtained. Here 
plowing in is a benefit ; tins is clear, and 
always was. In other soils we found it 
the same—in a stiff clay, spoiled by wet 
plowing, the common hurt which soil of this 
kind is liable to. This, by the aid of sun, 
rain and frost, ami a heavy dose of st rong fer¬ 
menting manure, worked repeatedly during 
the summer, has re-established the soil—not 
absolutely at once—but a few years of after 
treatment favorable to it, completed what 
the work of a single season had left unac¬ 
complished. 
I think these uses of manure are estab¬ 
lished, At least I have viewed it so for 
years, and cannot from observation come to 
any different conclusion. The two modes 
have each their advantages. The prepon¬ 
derance goes with surface manuring; it 
meets more requisitions. Particularly with 
leacliy soil is this the ease. You want your 
manure on top, so as to be longer retained 
in the soil, longer in working through. 
TumOd down, it will drop lower, and the 
upper soil receive no benefit. But pass it 
through the upper soil from the top, either 
by spreading it broadcast or harrowing it in, 
and you will get all the benefit that can be 
gotten on such a soil. F. u. 
- — - - 
SAGGING OF GATES. 
In a recent number of the Rural, a corre¬ 
spondent, writing on this subject, recom¬ 
mends a method ol preventing gates from 
sagging in eases where they are hung to 
frees or buildings. The support described 
seems to me to be entirely useless. A gate, 
constructed as it should be, will never sag if 
hung to a tree, or building. The common 
difficulty comes from sagging of the post. 
The constant traction in one direction tends 
strongly to move the post from a perpendic¬ 
ular position. It is next to impossible to set 
a post so firmly that it will not move some. 
In the case of board fences there is seldom 
much difficulty experienced from settling of 
the posts to which gates are hung, because 
the pulling of the gates is distributed to, and 
resisted by, many posts, as they are firmly 
connected by the boards. 
Great firmness maybe secured by means 
of a narrow' plank or joist, one end spiked 
to the top of the gate post, the other to the 
bottom of the first or second fence post. 
If there is no fence post, as in the case of 
a rail fence, 1 set firmly a short post at the 
proper place, (a foot above ground is suffi¬ 
cient,) and spiko my stay plank to that. A 
common fence board will answer in place of 
the plank, if a sound one, or two may be 
used, one on each side of the posts. This is 
cheap, quickly done and effectual. If it will 
not be in the way, a stay may be run out the 
other way also, to prevent the post, from set¬ 
tling in the direction of the gate when open. 
F. II. o. 
-444- 
WHEAT SHOCKS. 
Tire accompanying illustrations portray 
the various methods practiced for securing 
wheat, rye, oats, &c., in shocks, in which 
position it should be arranged. 
Tiie experiments of various farmers, and, 
in fact, it is generally conceded by all care¬ 
ful farmers that wheat should be cut from 
five to ten days before maturity — that is, 
when about one-third of the chaff is yet 
green, or while many of the berries can be 
mashed between the thumb and finger. The 
points gained thereby are—1. By thus early 
reaping, the grain is not as liable to be pros¬ 
trated by rain or high winds, as is the case 
at maturity. 2. It is not as liable to shell 
during the process of gathering. 3. The 
grain secured by this process, and at the 
time indicated, is heavier. 4. The flour is 
better. 5. The straw will be straightcr, 
brighter, consequently of more value for 
feeding. 
This premature cutting, as many denomi¬ 
nate it, is attended with but two noticeable 
points of hindrance, viz.:—the straw is per¬ 
ceptibly heavier, requiring a little more labor 
and closer binding than is necessary to pre¬ 
vent littering when the straw is dry and 
crisp; but these are more than overbalanced 
as the five first mentioned points will, in 
practice, establish. 
Figure 1 delineates a large, oblong shock, 
Which is made by placing ten sheaves in a 
double row, the bottom of each pair being a 
foot asunder, set bracing and meeting at the 
top, the whole covered by two sheaves, 
whose ends, each side of band, are so spread 
that when in position they will afford a more 
secure protection from rain, and render the 
liability to derangement in high winds 
much less. 
Figure a. 
In figure 2 is shown a very good plan for 
securing a dozen or more sheaves in a round 
shock. Two caps are used, crossing at right 
angles above t he center of the shock. 
Figure 3. 
Figure 3 illustrates another mode of cap¬ 
ping a round shock. But six sheaves should 
be placed upright in each shock, unless the 
straw he of extra length, as in the ease of 
rye. Bind the caps securely near the huts, 
breaking down all around before placing in 
proper position. The latter is a mode sel¬ 
dom practiced in this vicinity, yet highly 
recommended by many farmers. 
Should the sheaves be damp, or contain 
slowly drying weeds, as thistles, dock and 
others of similar character, shock in the 
manner shown in figure I, which exposes a 
greater superficial area of each sheaf to the 
combined influence of sun and air than by 
any other known process. 
[t may l>e well to caution here many farm¬ 
ers against the disastrous results of stacking 
or putting in bulk large quantities of damp, 
unthraslied grain; better place your grain in 
shocks and securely cap them, there to re¬ 
main until th&rouyhly dry, when they can he 
drawn at leisure, or will remain compara¬ 
tively secure during a raiu of several days. 
Yates Co., N. Y. L. D. Snook. 
-444- 
SWIVEL HOOK. 
In a late number of the Rural, 1 saw a 
description of some of the most popular 
double-trees and single-trees in use at the 
present day, in which the staple in the double- 
tree was highly recommended, and which 
is very convenient. 
I had made to order a swivel hook, which 
I have used on the farm and elsewhere for 
some months, that seems to be far superior 
to anything of the kind that ever came under 
my observation. 
It is made by tbe use of an iron plate five 
inches in length, as wide as the double-tree 
is thick, and a little Die thickest at the center, 
with a short eye-bolt passing through the 
center of plate, and so headed on the oppo¬ 
site side that it may act as a swivel. To 
1 this attach a hook sufficiently stong to an¬ 
swer all practical purposes, and attach to 
double-tree by use of two three-eighth bolts, 
passing through the double-tree ami secured 
by nuts on the opposite side. Care should 
be taken not to make the eye-bolt and book 
too long. 
In using tbe staple, you are obliged to 
hitch to the staple, while the swivel hook 
can he hitched to plow, drag, chains, and to 
the iron on the end of a wagon tongue, and 
to many other things. 
It saves very many steps, by being with 
one and always ready for use. No farmer 
should be without it. L. C. Barrett. 
---♦♦♦-• 
NOXIOUS WEEDS. 
Wallace M ason of Genesee county says : 
“Thorough tillage will kill quack grass. 
Last year I planted ground to potatoes that 
was full of quack. As soon as the potatoes 
began to break ground 1 cultivated them 
with a cultivator, with shares adjusted to 
throw the dirt over them and cover them 
up again. Every week I cultivated them 
thoroughly, killed the quack, and had big 
potatoes in a dry season. Tell farmers,” 
says he, “ to return to the old plan of sum¬ 
mer fallowing. Plow three times, harrow 
thoroughly, and clean out their mustard, 
quack, and other noxious weeds, and get pay 
besides in a big crop of rye or whiter wheat.” 
IIuo it T. Brooks Esq., one of our special 
contributors, In his address last, fall at the 
Nebraska State Fair, gave some advice 
suited to the East, as well as the West. We 
copy from the Daily Press, Nebraska City. 
Now is the time to make exterminating war 
on all weeds that remain, Mr. Brooks said ; 
“ I beg also to assure you that without, 
great care you will soon lose one of your 
principal advantages in growing corn and 
kindred crops. 
“ One man will tend a large field of corn, 
when the sod is first broken and weeds 
scarce. Depend upon it, farmers of the 
West, if you lot your ground grow one crop 
of weeds you double the cost, of corn culti¬ 
vation, and if you slock with weeds and 
omit thorough cultivation, you have gone 
the way of all run-down communities—the 
traveler will not get out of the coach or ear, 
but will push on to the ‘West,’ with the. 
sneering remark ‘ Nebraska wont raise white 
beans.’ 
“Look over into your field and see that 
solitary weed, fat and luxuriant, loaded xvith 
ten thousand tiny seeds. Oh, it is a Pandora 
box full of plagues for you and your great, 
great grandchildren. It was young once, 
and a kick from your font would have 
destroyed ic ii might ho burned now, hut 
ten years hence and it will have spread its 
kind over ten miles square, and to clean all 
out would cost as much as one of our Indian 
wars. 
“Beware of the. first weed. 
“ For a year or two the land is so nearly 
clean that little attention is paid to it. An 
hour’s time would pull up every noxious 
thing — the opportunity is neglected — the 
next year one day might accomplish the 
same thing, hut it is not done, millions upon 
millions of seeds fall to the earth and tiro 
buried there, to spring forth an innumerable 
host., the tormentors of generations to come. 
“ Weeds are distributed in grain and grass 
seeds and by your sweeping winds; guard 
against them with an earnestness and an 
enthusiasm that knows no rest. 
“ One of your prominent farmers assures 
me that it will pay well to go through your 
corn with a hoe and destroy whatever weeds 
have been left by the plow and cultivator, 
and so secure absolutely clean tillage; there 
can be no doubt of that.” 
-444- 
Applying Limn to Soils. Inasmuch as we have 
become awakened to the necessity of liming our 
lands in llus part of Virginia, we would be glad 
if some one would give us their best knowledge 
on the subject. Mow is best to apply it, and 
what quantity per acre, on sandy, clay and other 
soils ? 
Last year! put out about -i\ thousand bushels, 
and, without experience, I may have made a 
mistake. 1 put it on sod land, In quantity about, 
seventy-live bushels (slaked > per aero. This land 
I design for wheat this fall. 
The lime has mostly disappeared from the sur¬ 
face. I thought it best to put it on the surface, 
because my land is a little sandy. Is there any 
difference in limestone as regards its fertilizing 
quality? The .soil adjacent to my stone is very 
rich, as though it possessed fertilizing matter. 
Please give me something reliable.—J. C. Moo- 
man, Cloverdale , Va. 
- 
Slenm Thrashing,—l saw an inquiry in the 
RtiRAf. about, steam thrashing. I have run a 
steam thrasher for l wetve years, and find a six 
horse power to do more than twelve homes on 
the sweeps or lever. Last Fall my Jobs ran front 
six to nrty-fivo dollars, and I earned From bhe 
28th of July to the 1st of November, $1,400. As 
for an experienced engineer, Follow directions 
oF circular; no fear of ttre; after once Intro¬ 
duced, Farmers are much better pleased than 
with horse power.—M. lb, Seneca Cattle, A. 1'. 
--» »♦ -- 
ntack Paint for Iron. F wish to inquire through 
the lira at, the best ingredients for a black paint 
l’or cast-iron.—c. n. K. 
-♦♦ »■ 
Deodorizer*.—Remember that the privy vaults 
should be supplied daily, at this season, with 
charcoal, muck, chip manure or loam. 
(The Horrsfinaa. 
Q 
THE HORSE’S TONGUE. 
B. C. F., West Va., asks how to make a 
horse keep his tongue in his mouth. Now, 
I have had some experience with the trouble 
he complains of, and therefore may be able 
to advise him in some way. If be will take 
notice, 1 think he will see that invariably 
when the tongue is out. it is when lie has a 
bit in bis mouth, and bis tongue is not in its 
proper place, but over tho bit. 
1 have taken particular notice, and I have 
never seen an instance where a horse’s tongue 
was out, but that he bad a bit iu his mouth, 
and bis tongue over it. There is but one 
way to cure him ; and if lie lias been in the 
habit (for habit it is) for some time, it will 
take some time to break him of it. Take a 
straight bit, or, what, is belter, have a bit 
bent the other way from what the common 
curved bits are; see that bis tongue is in its 
place, and buckle up the headstall tight so 
that lie can’t get his tongue over the hit.; 
then lie will not put it out of his mouth. 
If Ids mouth gets sore, wind the hit, hav¬ 
ing the center of it wound the fullest. The 
bridle can be loosened gradually, after a short 
time, always keeping close watch, and tight¬ 
ening it , if necessary. 
I think this habit is almost always con¬ 
tracted or started in breaking the animal 
when a coll. “ That can’t be,” gays one, 
“for my horse was seven years old before 
he ever thought of the thing.” Yes, he had 
thought of it, and had probably carried his 
longue over the bit all the while; Iml. had 
not run it. out of his mouth, i don’t say 
that all horses that carry their tongues over 
the bit put them out of their months; but 
all that put them out of their mouths carry 
them over the hit, us far as I have been able 
to discover. I have known horses to carry 
the tongue over the hit, and never put it out 
of their mouth. I thiuk people should be 
eery careful, when they first put the bit in a 
colt’s mouth, to see Unit it. is all right; and 
for several limes watch it, The bit is a new 
thing to the colt, and lie thinks it is just as 
well one place as another, and thus the habit 
is formed t hrough the carelessness or thought¬ 
lessness of the owner. O. B. Preston. 
Little Falls, N. Y. 
In reply to B. 0. F., West Va., I would 
state that the most effectual method 1 have 
ever found for keeping a horse’s tongue in 
his mouth, is to attach a wire to each side of 
t he bit, with a loop in the center large enough 
to pass the tongue through. I have never 
known this mode to fail. Horseman. 
Yates, N. Y. 
Tn answer to the question asked by B. C. 
F., West Va., how to keep a horse’s tongue 
in his mouth, let him take a piece of sheet 
iron, two and one-half incites wide and six 
inches long, round the ends, make them 
smooth; punch holes in the center of it, so 
as to wire it to the under side of the bridle 
bit, so that avIicu the bits are iu his mouth 
the plate of iron will lay lengthwise on the 
longue. If the horse is very bad about 
carrying Ids tongue out, buckle a strap from 
one bit ring to tho other, around the under 
side of tbe jaw; buckle tight, which will 
bring the plate of iron down on his tongue, 
and be can’t get it out. This is a sure cure. 
I waul to know if there is any difference 
between the diphtheria in horses now or tbe 
Strangles of olden times. c. r. i*. 
-*- 4-4 - 
CURRY-COMB AND BRUSH. 
A gossiper in the Rural World says: 
“ Tho curry-comb and brush, if properly 
rated, would not occupy such a prominent 
place in the outfit of a stable. I would rath¬ 
er have a wallowing bed than all the curry¬ 
combs in America. The one. makes tho 
horse restless and fretful; and, if used whilst 
he is feeding, is really an injury to him; 
whilst the other is the sum total of all the 
horse needs in the way of rubbing. Man 
may assist Nature and work in co-operation 
with her rules — but ho cannot improve oil 
them. Nature is divine and cannot err. The 
natural way is always the best; hut horse¬ 
men have become so artificial, and have 
Studied the arts so faithfully in their treat¬ 
ment. of horses, that appearance now is the 
paramount consideration, and everything 
must he done that will add to the looks, re¬ 
gard less of the comfort and good ofthehorse. 
The brush helps the appearance of a horse 
wonderfully, and enables dealers to make a 
very respectable showing out of common 
material; but the farming people prize a 
horse more on account of his good health 
and fitness to do work than for any other 
quality, and should always he governed by 
rules that will insure strength and elasticity 
of movement.” 
- 4-44 - 
Groomin'- Horses.—Will not some experienced 
horseman Rive directions for grooming horses 
in the best manner?—c. G. 
- 444 - 
Ringbone.—Will some of your renders tell me 
how to cure a ringbone, if there is any cure for 
it.—W. S., Milan, 0. 
