Litchfield enquirer., 1836-02-25
FARAlERs' WORK.

Take the leisure time which Februar affords to most farmers, to select and pur chase such things as you may deem need tuI to stock and furnish your farm, and ne cessary, convenient, or indispensable to sue cess in your occupation. If you can fnc any better breeds than your own of any domestic animals, vegetables, &e. such a. neat cattle, sheep, pigs, seed corn, seed wheat, garden seeds, &c. take this oppor- tunity to obtain enough to answer your purposes for introducing them on your own premises. You, will thus comply with a maxim, which should always be among the governing rules of every cuItivator, viz /" Choose those animals or vegetables to breed from, that possess the qualities you wish to propagate in the greatest perfec- tion." Instead of this commendable prac- tice we are told that some of our farmers sell their best stock to the butcher, and keep the poorest to breed from and gath CT seed. roots, &c. from vegetables oflittle value for market or domestic use.
 The directions which we have SO often gwen relative to the particular attention which should be bestowed on COWS with calf, and ewes with lamb, need not be re- peated, but should not be forgotten. A little extra strengthening and nourishing food, together with warm and dry lodgings, in such cases are called for. as much by a regard to your own interest as by the dic- tates ofhumanity. The best nursing which you can give to calves and lambs, is be- slowed by plentiful, regular and judicious feed to their dams.
 Cleanliness is principal requisite in the feeding of cattle hence not only the managers, but also the stalls ought to be kept as clean as possible and the former should be cleared of dirt and dust with a blunt pointed trowel every morning. Af- ter cleansing their stalls, sufficient quan- tity of fresh litter should be strewed over the floors, which will invite them to lie down. Rest greatly contributes to fatten cattle, and combing and carding their hides every day, promotes their thriving more than equal to the small portion of time thus consumed"
 Last years calves should now be fed with hay, roots and other good fodder i; and they should be we'll fed, and kept per- fectly clean. Cattle stinted in their food in the early part of their growth will never make valuable animals.
 It is said that pine boughs given to sheep once in two or three days will cure their oolds and prnmnte their general heal,h.- If pine boughs cannot easily be had, spread tar over board or in a trough, and over this little fine salt, which will induce the sheep to lick up the tar, and thus take as much as will prove beneficial.
 Potatoes are said to be very useful food for sheep. A writer in Rees' Cyclopedia recommends gallon of potatoes day to each sheep but this depends in part on the quality and quantity of the hay which is allowed them. Besides their use as foOd for sheep, potatoes are serviceable by their opening or purgative quality as a sub- stitute for medicine, when given raw. But if boiled or steamed, they yield more nu- triment than when raw.-N. F. Farmer.
 ELDER TREE.-Sir J. E. Smith has re- marked that this tree is, as it were. a whole magazine of physie to rustic practitioners. It is said that if sheep that have the rot can get at the bark and young shoots of elder they will soon cure themselves. The wine made from elder berries is too well known by families in the country to need any en- comiums; it is the only wine cottager can procure, and when well made, it is a most excellent and wholesome drink, taken warm before going to bed. It causes gen. tie precipitation, and is mild opiate. II a rich syrup be made from ripe elder ber- ries, and few bitter almonds, when added to brandy, it has all the flavor of the bes, cherry brandy. The white elder berries, when ripe, make wine much resembling grape wine. The buds and the young tender shoots are greatly admired as pickle. The leaves of tho elder tree are often put into the subterranean paths of moles, to drive those noxious little animals from the garden. If fruit trees, Towering shrubs. corn or other vegetables, be whipped with the green leaves of the elder branches, it is said insects will not attach themselves to them. An infusion of these leaves in wa ter is good to sprinkle over rose-buds, and other flowers subject to blight, and the de- vastations of caterpillars.
 Neigh Hrnt's London Journal.
 PREDICTIONS FOR THE YEAR 1850.
 This year will be famous for thousand wonderful things. From January to De-