Agricultural Notes

Fifteen years ago, writes Rural Jr., in ■ he Chicago Tribune, the farmer who . llfferod his corn-fielcl to grow up full of : ideeds wils looked upon asa sloven ; now : i clean field is the exception. We skecl an oíd farmer whom we mot on he rood to teil us why this is so. Hi.s eason was simple : Becausc they tried o do too much, and only half finished heir work. They did not like to hoe, md the weecis consequently took the rop. The farmers of the West will ooner or later realizo that they must ultivate better or hoe their eorn ; for, f the fields continue to grow weedy as hey have in the past two years, weeds vill be the only erop grown. We exject that, in order to do a good job of mltivating, we shall have to return to he five-toothed eulti vator, and cultívate )ur corn both ways. A little. hoeing hen will suffice to keep the weeds out. 'n one place we noticed about twenty ijres of .what was intended for corn, jrown so full of cockle-burrs that the ,talks of corn were almost hid from Jght. The burra stoocl six feet high md very thick. It is folly to attempt 0 grow corn on such foul land; but nany farmers try to do it, and then ilame Providence for the faihire. POOE STACKIJïö. In a recent letter we endeavored to mpress upon our readers the necessity 'or good stacking, and gave a very few lireotions. On inquiry we find that n very large per cent. of the oat erop of Central Illinois has been injured by inlifferent stucking. At least one-third the erop is so damaged, and sells from 1 to 8 cents below the price of a good article. We think it would be a good )liin for farmers' clubs and agricultural ïolleges to teach how to put np a good ' stack, if they know how it is done, and give the reason for each operation. EDUCATING THE PEOPLE. Every now and then a political speaker insists that one of the principal ;hings to be done is to edúcate the peo)le, and then they will see that his party, or the principies he advocates, if ie has any, are ïïght. The folly of such a statement is at once apparent when we consider that there are welleducated people belonging to all purdes, and believing all sorts of religions [t is not so much education that the people need as it is a good example. A jood farmer will havo many imitators. Agricultural and other journals have been preaching to the people the value of thorough cultivation and preparation of the soil, and yet, in passing a dozen plowed fields cecently, we noticed that poor plowing was the rule, and good plowing the exception. Why does a man plow a stub1 le-fleld, and ieave it looking as though a drove of hogs hnd been rooting in it, and had been driven away before they completed the job? Why not turn the weeds all vinder, out of sight, and out of the way of the clrill-teeth ? It is just as easy to do it as it is to half plow the ground. We assume that last spring, after there wa-s no further use for them. your plows were wiped dry, and all dirt cleaned from the wood and iron work, and that the polished surfaces were coated with oil and whiting, or whitelead and tallow. If they were, you need not so much as rub their surfaces with a cloth to remove it. They will scour before they have gone a rod. If your weeds are a foot high or more, a single weed-hook, such as has been described in this correspondence time and again, will turn them under and out of sight. If the weeds are short, a chain may be fastened to the plow-beam in such a manner that it will clrag just ahead of the furrow-slice as it goes over, and every weed will be covered. We presume that you always use a rolling cutter; it makes the plow run easier, and leaves the edge of the furrow square. These are all little things, but are not neglected by the good farmer. POOB DBIVING. Half the load is in the driver. A good strong team attached to a plow does not require a great deal of driving. If their harness is properly adjusted, the draught of the plow will keep them going straight. This is also true of a team hitehed to a wagon, when the roads are good and both animáis are of equal strength and spirit. But this rarely Invppens. One horse is nearly always largor, stronger or faster than the other, and such require a driver. Does one horse start quick and the other slow, the slow one should always be touehed with the whip or given soino other admonition Vefore the word to start is spoken. The reins should always be a little sliorter on the fast horse, so that he may be gently cliecked, and tlie otlier not feel the effect of a tight rein. Tlie driver's attentiön shonld always be given to his team and road over which lie is traveling. If there is a root or a mud-hole to be avoided, it is his duty to prepare to avoid it before the team or the wheels are in a position to render avoidance impossible. The drivers who keep their team in tlie road, and the wagon-wheels ahvays in the smoothest place, are entitled to all credit. Too many men givc their teams the rein, and let tiiem piek out the road as best they may. If the wheels get out of the track they jerk the team back to their ptopér place. If a rut is to be avoided, they wait until the wheels are in it before turning out, and then both team and vehiole are strained to get Üiè'm out. When the feat is accomplished, after much straining and tugging, the necessity is past. Every farmer sliould instruct his boys and hired men how to drive. Teach them the importeuce of holding the linos taut ; to be ready for any emergoncy; to watch the team, and keep the wheels in the smooth track, and such other instructions as will readily occur to an experienced driver. GAÏHEK ERTttT EAKLY. We have learned by experience that early-gathered winter apples keep the best. As soon as fruit has attained its full size we advise that it be jiicked. In Central Illinois this will occur by the last of the present month ; further north, a little earlier. A few days' neglect of this important duty may cause the premature ripening of the erop.