The Weekly Oskaloosa Herald

PLANTING.—The spring, as all know, has been quite backward; but the time and weather has come for planting. It is an almost universal opinion among experienced farmers, that in Iowa it is very important that all crops should be got into the ground at as early a day as practicable. As a general rule, the growing seasons are short, and if the crops are not in by the time the ground is ready to receive them, they will not mature properly.

In Ohio it was thought to be early enough to plant late potatoes the last of May or the first of June; but experience teaches that this practice will not do in Iowa. We feel safe in saying, that the early planted potatoes did well in this county last season, while the late planted were nearly a total failure—at least this is our experience.

This may not be the case every year, but it will hold good in a majority of cases; so that the sooner potatoes are put in the ground the better; as they get the benefit of the usual spring rains, and have the entire season in which to mature.

We think that much of the corn is put in the ground too early—before the ground is warm enough to sprout it, and it is liable to rot. This was the case, in many instances, last season, and the result was, that from this cause and defective seed, much replanting had to be done. The ground was so cold that the germ could not come forth as vigorously as it should, and the result was a second rate crop, as a rule; but the season is now far enough advanced to plant, if the ground is warm enough. This is an important matter and should call forth the practical common sense of every farmer. There can be no unyielding rule laid down for the planting; it is a matter to be decided by every intelligent man for himself.

There is, however, the one important consideration—plant at an early day as you can with propriety; and in order to do this, the ground should be in complete readiness, that when the proper moment comes, you will be ready to avail yourselves of it.