Prairie Farmer, Vol. 56: No. 1, January 5, 1884 | Page 9

the reputation of having raised some of the finest samples ever
grown in the South, describes how, by planting at proper distances, in
checks five by three apart, one-half of the after labor of cultivating may
be saved. About the same amount of plow work is said to be necessary,
but not more than one-fourth as much work with the hoe as is required
by cotton in drills.
Prof. J.W. Sanborn: "Deep tillage in times of drought of surface-rooted
crops, like corn, is an erroneous practice, founded on erroneous views.
'Plowing out corn' not only involves too deep tillage in drought but
adds to the mischief by severing the roots of corn, needed at such times.
Our double-shovel plows work too deeply. Our true policy, in drought,
for corn is frequent and shallow tillage. For this we now have after the
corn gets beyond the smoothing harrow, no suitable implement on our
markets, with a possible exception."
Correspondent New York Tribune: Of the use of oatmeal for cows
mention is not often made in this country; but when spoken of it is
always with praise. That it is better than corn meal there can be no
doubt; it is richer in both albuminoids and fat; and the usefulness of
these two nutriments, and especially the former, for making milk is
shown not only by the results of numerous careful experiments, but by
the acknowledged usefulness of oil-cake meal. Where this meal is used
freely there would be less use for oatmeal; but under some
circumstances it might be advantageously substituted for the bran in the
favorite mixture for cows of Indian meal and bran.
The following paragraph appears in an English cotemporary: The
introduction of a new industry connected with farming into Ireland will
be hailed by everybody, and therefore we rejoice to learn that a
company has been formed with the design of purchasing or renting
nearly a million and a quarter acres of land in Ireland, and devoting
them to beet culture, from which the sugar will be extracted in a
manufactory erected on the land. The promoters of the new company
expect that from the 120,000 acres which they propose cultivating they
will produce 400,000 tons of sugar in the year. Immense quantities of
sugar extracted from the beet-root are manufactured on the continent

and imported into these countries, and there is no reason whatever why
Ireland should not have her finger in the sugar pie.
In a paper before the Oxford (Ohio) Farmers' Club, on the subject "The
Morality of the System of Grain Gambling," Mr. Wetmore said: There
is a difference between speculation and investment. Putting money into
an established industry is an investment. Putting it into a doubtful or
untried business, with the hope of gaining much or risk of losing all, is
speculation. The latter is infatuating as it increases the risk and yet
turns to profit. Investments pay no high per cents. Speculations may
pay much or lose all. Hence it is unsafe; and the farmer who makes his
gains only by a yearly turn of his crops, should not try speculation, but
may judiciously invest his surplus year by year in things of real value,
as land or chattels. Invest the last dollar, but speculate only with loose
change. No man can safely invest in a business with which he is not
familiar.
A lawful wire fence in Georgia is described by legislative enactment as
composed of not less than six horizontal strands of barbed wire tightly
stretched from post to post. The first wire no more than four and a half
nor less than three and a half inches from the ground; the second wire
not more than nine and a half nor less than eight and a half inches from
the ground; the third wire not more than fifteen and a half nor less than
fourteen and a half inches from the ground; the fourth wire not more
than twenty-two and a half nor less than twenty-one and a half inches
from the ground; the fifth wire not more than thirty-two nor less than
thirty-one inches from the ground; the sixth wire not over fifty-five nor
less than fifty-three inches from the ground. Posts to be not over ten
feet apart, and every alternate post to be securely set in the ground.
Provided, a plank not less than ten inches wide shall be used instead of
two strands of wire at bottom of fence, it is also required that a railing
shall be placed at equal distance between the two top wires, which shall
answer the same purpose as a wire, and to extend from post to post in
like manner.
Correspondent Country Gentleman: I notice that your journal recently
gave currency to the "saltpetre method" of extracting stumps, and