Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-08
aarritulturaI.

He propounds the query, and then answers
Humanity, at least says MOI with the
natural fear a sheep has for water, it must
he cruel to subject them to such treatment
ss they sometimes get by the process famih-
arly called washing yet, in truth, it is
not only detriment TO the wool, but to the
sheen We take it for granted, that what is
good for the health Of man in the way of
care, holds good with the sheep; and who
among all our shepherds would think Of fol-
lowing his sheep home from a mill-pond,
without q change of clothes, when some
times il is cold enough TO make his teeth
chatter. How can we then expect it to bene-
fit our sheep, especially when we have a
weeks rainy weather Just after the washing,
and very often, in this climate, it is cold and
unhealthy for man and beast. Yet some will
say it does the sheep no harm but facts
prove that this is not the case-Dotn your
sheen and lambs suffer materially. But
this is only ore feature. ~ costs a great
deal of time and money, which could be ap
MED 10 a better use in cultivating our
Spring crop. 1t is no trine 10 WASH o,ooo
8 eep every year.
But the most potent argument in favor of
not washing our sheep is, we can shear
from three TO four weeks sooner, and thus
give the more time after shearing for the
grow III of wool. to protect them from the
fall rains and from the cold in Winter,
which is no inconsiderable item How often
do We delay washing on account of the
water being too cold, when the wea her is
abundaotly warm to shear. The sheep will
not suffer with cold in Nay, if they are
cared fer during the three days immediately
after sbeariDg. We would gain one sixth
il ore clothing, to protect our sheep from
the csld of Winter, besides stronger con-
stitution and healthier sheep, thaR if we
had fIt zen them in May, by washing them.
Finally, manufacturers roatd rather haze
the wooi uhwdShed. They have TO rewash
it after us why not let them do their own
washing, and then, ii it is not well done,
they will know who to complain of. One
half of the wool in some sections of country
where they have no clear running water is
actually damaged by the attempt TO wash it
on the back. 1t is made a bug bear of in
msrke', and thus the producer is forced to
take less than his wool is really worth.
Wool. pioWeIsl we stand in our own light
upoD this subject. But taking unwashed
wool to market can not be practiced by one
here apd there. 1t must be a general re-
form How then shall we best and most
directly get at it? 1t can be done by
'Couuty Organizations Shall we make
the attempt? By SO doing we shall practice
humanity, save labor, save time and money,
improve our sheep, benefit ourselves, and
benefit the manufacturer.
THE BEsr MODE OF MILKING Cows.-A
writer in the American Stock Journal says
The frst process in the operation of milk
ing is TO fondlen with the cow-making
her acquaintance-and thus giving her to
81 J 1. ~
milking-pail," approaches her with friendly
intentions, in order to relieve her of the
usual amount Of tactical secretion. 1t will
never do to approach the apimal with COM
bstive feelings and intentions; shoulder the
mixer, swedr, ScOd or kick, and otherwise
abuse The COW, che may probably prove re-
fiacloTy as a mule, and may give the uncouth
and untteling mixer the benefit of her
beels-a very pertinent reward, to which
he, the uncouth mixer, is justly entitled
Before commencing to milk COW, she
should be fed, or have some kind of fodder
offered her, in view of diverting her atten-
ton from the otherwise painful operation of
milking; by this means the milk is not "held
up q, the saying is, butts yielded freely.
The mixer should be in close contact with
the cows body, for in this position, if she
attempts to kick him, he gets nothing more
budu puSn1 NhClNuoj IL uG olbo Ol at u
distal ce, the COW has an opportunity to in.
f1ict severe blow whenever she feels
6ispC Sc d 10 do so.
Before commencing to milk COW, the
teats should be washed with water, warm
or co d, according to the temperature of the
atmos pbefe, the object Of which is to remove
fifth which might otherwise fall into the
milk-pail, TO the disgust of persons who
love paIe milk, and hate uncleanliness.
Mixers of COWS should understand that
the udter and teats are highly organized,
ard consequently very sensitive, and these
facts should be taken into consideration by
amateur mixers, especially when their Fl: st
essay is made on young animal after her
Fl st impregnation; at this period the hard
tuggipg and squeezing which many poor
"uumb bTutes' have to submit to, in conse-
qUence of the application of hard fists and
callousod fingers, is baIbality of the very
worst kind, for it often converts a docile
creature into a state Of viciousness from
which condition she may not easily be
weaned.
USE OF THE FORK AND SPADE.-The time
honored spade, says the Connecticut Home
stead, is fallen into disgrace. Look at you-
der son of Erin as he drives tie shining
blade into the moist loan, and heaves out a
square compressed mass, two sides of which
aIe smooth and compressed as possible. If
You are standing near or working by his
side, he VIII hit It rap and crumble the top
OF II little, while the mass probably re-
mains intact. The ground will be leveled
on WIN rake, and the Jumps will bake
slowly, and remain, likely enough, hard and
lmperylous al summer, If the ground is not
deeply worked again. When spadiug is
done IN very dry Weather, it is not liable to
the same objection in degree, yet it leaves
the soil always more or less lumpy.
How different it is with the use of the
iork. The sPading-fork is found Of various
torms 10 the shop. We prefer one of narrow
tines, rather long and very thick, made of
Rood steel. good quality Of steel is very
lmpoItsut for often a single tine, striking a
stone or stick, has to take instantly The
whole force of the blow or shove. The tines
should be thick, as considerable pryipg
power Is often required; and they should be
marrow, mat the earth may be no more COM
pressed Than necessary. A fork like this
may De driven much deeper with the same
force; II VIII lit the earth quite as well as
asPaoe, and without packing it. II roots of
treesi Duips' or any thing of the kind are
PLsSt NJ there Is little probability that they
VIII De injured, if care is used, and the
grouLd may be loosened sufficiently in many
cases without lining the earth at ali In q
way 10 bare the roots.
The i0rki IN fact may be used wherever
the spade can be, and shovel Is not more de-
sirable-we do not claim for it Superiority
In shoveling sand or gravel-and il may be
USED IN many places where a spade can not
De used. About trees in raspberry. eurrant
OF vine, borders, especially, will the fork be
lonna Of incalculable service, and the spade
snoa'ao be banished forthwith.
g., Taa Us1 % OLD ooaS FOR FArrnnso
SwNE.T7A, writer in the Ns,O HamDskiT,
Journal 1 Agrieulturs gives soD0s ~efnahIs
hints ON fsItening swine, from which W.
late fatting, and feeding ON soft corn q
ruinOus one. Every farmer should msasg,
so as 10 keep years stock of corn on hand
so as 70 make 81 his pork from old corn,
is worth from fifteen to twenty five per cent
more than corn just harvested. Hogs shoul
not be kept half-starVed through the latte
part Of Summer, waiting for the new crol
as is frequently the case"