1874.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
24R 
they can go round and round the field after the 
reaper. A man will bind one side while the reaper 
cuts five sides. If the field is large and the crop 
heavy, a good reaper will give the five men all they 
want to do. See that the sheaves are of the proper 
size and well bound, and be careful that they are 
firmly stuck up in shocks that will shed rain. 
If you Thrash as drawn from the field, the grain 
must be thoroughly dry and hard, and even then 
there is danger of the wheat heating if placed in a 
large heap. We nearly always thrash our own 
wheat as drawn from the field, but we are careful 
to turn the grain every two or three days, and 
spread it out as much as possible on the barn-floor. 
Ralce the stubble between the shocks immediately 
after the wheat is cut. If this is done in the even¬ 
ing, or in the morning while the dew is on, there 
will be less grain lost by shelling. 
The Bakings , when you thrash from the field, 
should be loaded the night before and drawn to 
the machine. A good man, with nothing but 
sheaves to pitch, will send home the wheat as fast 
as a ten-horse power machine can thrash it. You 
require three wagons—one at the machine, one 
going back and forth, and one in the field. 
Six-rowed Barley will be ripe about the same time 
as wheat, and you can cut it while the wheat is 
curing in the field ; thrash both crops at one opera¬ 
tion, and put the straw of both into one stack. 
Twdrowed Barley is rarely ripe for some days 
after the wheat, and many prefer it on this account. 
Rinding Barley into sheaves like wheat is the 
better plan, provided the crop is a heavy one. 
Oats will not be ready to cut for ten days or two 
weeks after wheat, giving as a breathing spell. So 
far as the quality of the grain is concerned, oats 
are quite frequently injured by cutting too early. 
But where the straw is used for fodder, what we 
lose in the grain we gain in the straw. 
Oats and Reas grown together, we cut with a 
Johnston reaper. The machine throws the crop off 
the platform into moderate sized heaps. These are 
turned once or twice, and then drawn to the barn 
and thrashed. If the weather is unsettled and the 
crop very green, it may be necessary to put it into 
cocks. If well cured, the straw is very nutritious, 
and is greedily eaten by sheep and horses. 
Peas are sometimes pulled up with a rake. It is 
a slovenly practice. It injures the fodder and 
leaves a large percentage of the peas on the 
ground. True, these can be eaten by pigs and 
sheep. But at this season we have all the other 
stubbles for the stock to glean. It is better to 
“roll ” the crop with a scythe, unless it can be cut 
with a reaper. 
Cultivating Corn must, on no account, be neg¬ 
lected. The cultivators, with short whiflletrees 
attached, should be in the field and ready for use 
at a moment’s notice. Then if a shower stops 
work in the hay or harvest field, or while the dew 
is on in the morning, start the cultivators, if it is 
only for an hour or two. The ground should never 
be allowed to crust over, and no weeds should be 
suffered to grow. We plant no pumpkins with our 
own corn, and cultivate frequently as late as the 
first week in August. “ It is the last blow that 
kills the cat,” and it is the last hoeing and culti¬ 
vating that kills the weeds and leaves a clean corn 
stubble.. Cultivate shallow—just deep enough 
to kill the weeds. If any thistles escape, cut them 
with a hoe. 
Root Crops, such as beets, mangels, and ruta¬ 
bagas, must be kept thoroughly cultivated and 
hoed. Thin out the plants in the rows to twelve or 
fifteen inches apart. 
Common Turnips, such as the Yellow Aberdeen, 
may be sown any time this month, and such varie¬ 
ties as the Strap-leaf may be sown as late as the 
first of August. Superphosphate of lime is the 
best of all manures for common turnips. It is far 
better to sow in rows wide enough apart to admit 
of the horse-hoe—say twenty-eight inches—than to 
sow broadcast. 
Summer-faUom for Wheat must be repeatedly 
stirred with the harrow and cultivator, and kept 
mellow and free from weeds. 
Barley, Oat, or Pea Stubble, intended for wheat, 
should be harrowed or cultivated immediately after 
harvest, to start any seeds lying on or near the 
surface. Then plow carefully and well. Harrow 
and roll. Any weeds that start must be killed by 
the cultivator. Whether it is or is not best to plow 
again before sowing, depends on the character of 
the land and on the weather. On light land and in 
dry weather, we think it is not desirable to plow 
the second time. We want to retain as much 
moisture as possible in the soil, and one or two 
inches of loose, mellow surface soil, makes a capi¬ 
tal mulch, and keeps the soil below moist and in 
good condition to start the wheat when the seed is 
deposited in it with a drill. 
Weeds on Stubbles and in Pastures may be cut with 
a mowing machine, and if the seeds are ripe 
enough to grow, rake up the weeds with a wire 
horse-rake and burn them. 
If you are Short of Grass, keep the horses in the 
stable or yard, and feed cut hay, shorts, and corn- 
meal. A large horse at hard work requires about 
sixteen pounds of hay and fifteen pounds of corn- 
meal per day. A bushel of cut hay weighs about 
eight pounds, and com-meal about forty-five 
pounds per bushel. If you mix half a peck of 
com-meal with a bushel of moisteued cut hay, and 
a quart of shorts, you can let the horses have all 
of this mixture they will eat up clean three times 
a day. Let them have a little long hay in addition. 
Jf Pasture is Abundant, turn the horses out at 
night. If they are at hard work, let them have all 
of the above mixture of hay and meal they will 
eat. They will probably eat but little, but they 
should have all they will eat. Make short nooning, 
and quit the earlier at night, so as to give the 
horses longer time in the pasture. 
“ Corn-Meal Soup'" is an established institution 
on our own farm. We keep a half-barrel constantly 
full of water, with a little corn-meal soaking in it. 
The horses are allowed to drink all they wish. We 
let them drink the first thing in the morning, and 
again when taken to work. When brought home 
at noon, they are also allowed to drink before being 
put in the stalls, and again when taken out, and so 
at night. By standing a few hours, the chill is 
taken off the water, and allowing them to drink 
when brought in from work, does not seem to hui't 
them. If the meal gets sour, remove it and feed to 
the pigs. 
Milch Cows must have access to pure water. If 
the pastures are poor, a feed of corn-fodder, cut a 
few hours before feeding, will be of great value, 
especially if the cows are fed enough meal to make 
the corn-fodder as nutritious as the best of grass. 
Sheep should have their feet pared ; and if there 
is any reason to apprehend foot-rot, dress their 
feet with any substance that will kill the virus. 
We use erode carbolic acid, mixed with an equal 
quantity of melted tallow, and put it on with a 
small brush, being careful to cover every part of 
the hoof, especially between the claws. 
Dip the Lambs, to kill ticks, in a solution of car¬ 
bolic soap or tobacco water. Repeat in two weeks. 
Towards the end of the month, dip the sheep also. 
Swine should have access to water. With this, 
and a good pasture, breeding stock needs nothing 
more. Young pigs and store hogs, that are to be 
fattened this fall, should be fed liberally. 
Salt seems necessary to the health of all farm 
animals. They will not eat too much, if they have 
access to it at all times. If they are allowed to go 
without salt for two or three weeks, they will then 
eat more than is good for them. For swine, we 
mix about two quarts of coal or wood ashes, one 
pint of salt, and half a pint of sulphur, and let 
the pigs eat all they will of it. 
-»< « o— ■ —- 
Work in the Horticultural Departments. 
July should have been called the Month of 
Weeds. The larger share of the cultivator’s ener- 
. ~ s 
g-y, in whatever department, is expended in keep¬ 
ing down the plants that are not wanted. Those 
who claim that weeds are a great blessing, as they 
induce a frequent stirring of the soil, can now en¬ 
joy this blessing in the fullest abundance. Weeds, 
like fire, are easily controlled, if attacked while 
small, but when they get fairly established, it is 
often cheaper to plow up the crop, than' to under¬ 
take to weed it. 
Orchard and Nursery. 
Where crops are planted between the trees, the 
surface should be kept clear of weeds, and the soil 
mellow and loose. 
Priming may be done this month. Aim to get a 
broad, open head, so that plenty of light and air 
can reach the fruit, to perfect it properly. 
Budding may be performed as soon as the buds 
are well matured, and the bark of the stock loose 
enough to be raised easily. 
Young Trees, in nursery rows, must be looked 
after. Keep clear of weeds. Be careful, in culti¬ 
vating between the rows, not to injure the trees 
with the whiffletree. Use a short whiffletree, with 
the ends well covered with leather or woolen. 
Seedlings ought to be shaded, and if very dry, 
water occasionally. Hand-weed when needed. 
Grafts , set in the spring, will require looking 
after, as it often happens that the stock will throw 
out vigorous shoots, which will rob the graft of its 
nourishment. All such should be rubbed off as 
soon as they appear. 
Thinning, if not already attended to, should not 
be longer delayed. The difference in the size and 
quality of the fruit, will pay for all the trouble, in 
the increased price. 
Seeds .—Save seeds of forest trees and shrubs, 
as fast as ripe. Most kinds need to be preserved 
in sand, to prevent them from becoming too dry. 
Fruit tiiarden. 
There will be plenty of work in looking after the 
harvesting of the fruit, and destroying the weeds, 
which now grow rapidly. 
Strawberries, in most localities, will be through 
with by this time. The mulch should be taken off, 
and a dressing of manure applied. If plants are 
needed for new beds, allow the runners to take 
root. The plants thus formed, may be set out in 
the coming fall, or the following spring. 
Raspberries follow close upon strawberries, and 
will require picking daily. After the crop is gath¬ 
ered, cut out the old fruiting canes, and allow only 
three or four new canes to each stool; these should 
be tied to stakes, or trellises, so that they will not 
be broken by high winds. , 
Blackberries will often need to be tied up, owing 
to the large quantity of fruit they set. A heavy 
mulch will enable one to keep down the weeds, as 
it is often difficult to hoe among them. The young 
and vigorous canes for next year’s fruiting must 
be tied up. 
Grape-Vines .—Tie up the young shoots, and thin 
out the fruit on young vines. Pinch the laterals to 
one leaf, and as they again start, repeat the pinch¬ 
ing. Keep a sharp look-out for beetles and cater¬ 
pillars, which should be hand-picked. As soon as 
mildew appears, apply sulphur with a bellows. 
Currants .—If the “worm ” eats the leaves, dust 
with powdered white hellebore. When trained in 
tree form, the branches are liable to break down, 
unless supported. 
Buiarf Trees need care in thinning the fruit. 
Preserve the proper shape of the tree, by remov¬ 
ing all superfluous and pinching rampant branch^t 
Kitchen Garden. 
Asparagus .—Do not cut too late. As soon' as 
peas come to take its place, stop cutting, and give 
a good dressing of manure. Allow the tops to 
grow until fall, then cut and burn, to destroy the 
seeds, if they are not wanted for sowing. 
