OLD TIME WEATHER SIGNS

If it rains before 7 it will cease before 11.

A green Christmas makes a white Easter.

Tulips and dandelions close up before a rain.

If it rains before sunrise expect a fair afternoon.

If October is warm the following February will be cold. If a cock crows more than usual and earlier expect rain. When rain comes from the west it will not continue long. Early frosts are usually followed by long hard winters.

September 20, 21 and 22 rule the weather for October, November and December.

If the crow flies south, cold weather will follow} if north, a warm spell may be expected.

INDUSTRIES — POTATOES

Advancement of Machinery

As potatoes did well on new land they planted their potato eyes in between the stumps in the spring and the potatoes were dug with a fork in the fall. '

In some cases the eyes were taken out of the potatoes with a quill to preserve them for seed; some people saved the peelings to plant, th rest of the potato was used for food. -

As they increased their clear land the settlers ploughed between the stumps with a short one handled plough, share and coulter strongly locked together. Potato bugs were unheard of then and very little blight.

As plows came in sets were planted after the plough about a foot apart planting every third furrow after the old iron plough and every second furrow after the Western Boy.

Between the rows was kept clean with a scuffler. Later as the tops enlarged mold boards were placed on the scuffler in place of the two back teeth which were removed and the potatoes were thus hilled up.‘

Jarvis Dalzell at the reins.

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