The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1863-11-14
FARMERS DEPARTMENT.
From the Valley Farmer for November.
AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

Allu WlHLSTJ Win liLlle OF no snow. e.,
a season in which the ground is much bare
and warm, is the season for eggs. Last
winter hens were laying in all directions;
merchants were largely stocked with fresh
eggs.
Will not our friends take hint here, and
convert all winters into egg-laying winters;
that is, by artificial means, make a mild
winter for your hens.
Our aunt said last winter that she was
going to have eggs from her seven hens.
She put them in a small, cold barn-the
temperature inside equal to the outside-put
IN couple of ee-hiyes filed with straw,
and fed her hens the scraps of the table.
We told her she would be very apt to get no
eggs. The season advanced. The weather
proved mild. One day she announced four
eggs, and she did it in triumph.
Eyes, but all the neighbors have the
same luck; they all gel eggs. How is this?
1t is the summary aspect of the season that
does this, and proves what said, that hens
"a warn nlace in order to lay"
VIII nv ann, or any Oo@~5y else believe
that as soon as cold wes,...r sets Is, IN
will continue? Even my aunt VIZ. ma out
she Is mistaken. Hens must not suffer n~,-ui
cold, If we wish them to lay; they must not
suffer at all. Feed them as much as We
may, they must not SILVER in the cold if they
are to lay. They love to see the sun; they
must have ground to be on, and to walow
in, fresh water, and a good, quiet place to
go to lay. Most of all, they must be warm
RAISING BEANs-Beans can be raised
where other crops fail. The white bean
will cover your barren knobs and benefit
your pocket-and not much trouble either.
The worst is to dry them, to those who are
not initiated in the mysteries; and these
mysteries are simple-only TO get your
beans when ripe above the ground, with
chance for the air to circulate readily.
This secures your bean. The usual way is /
to drive stake into the ground and putt
your beans around it, raising the column as
high as you like and can do with safety
from the wind. This is shelter, air and
freedom from the ground.
Uniformity Of size and ripening should
be aimed at 10 selecting seed This uni
formity will be seen in the crop if fairly
cultivated. A uniformity of size gives a
good appearance to the beans-so does
equal ripening. In a word. every bean
clear and hard-all alike-this is what is
wanted. Select them accordingly.
PRESERVING HAM.-The editor of the
American Agriculturst recently sat down
to the table Of Mr.. Quinby, of St. Johns
vile, and there partook of ham, probably
somewhat as the Chinese boy did of its
nephew the pig, as reported by Lamb
Whereupon (liBe Eliza the editor reports
the case, furnished him by the great bee
keeper. 1t is a case common in the coun>
try thereabouts, so that. after ALL Mr. Quin-
by is not so much, entitled to the credit of
originating truly valuable recipe. There
is one point, however, that seems new, as
reported by our contemporary. But We
will give the whole receipt:
Salt down your ham as usual. When
the salt has drawn through, take it up and
smoke it mo lerately. Then cut it in slices,
boil five minutes, and pack in a Jar. Pour
hot lard over it till covered 1t will stay
there, fresh and sweet, the year round, if
you wish. When wanted, remove the lard
from the top, and your slices are ready cut
for the pan.
THE FARMER's WoRKsHoP-The neat
farmer has not only his neat woodhouse,
we'll filled with dry, sound wood, but he
has his workshop, where he keeps his car
penter's tools and timber for use. This is
not full of chips, save when he labors. 1t
is neatly swept, and every tool in its place.
and he knows, though in the dark, where to
find it. You can see at a glance that be
takes pride nit. And his tools are in order
He lends, but not to every one. This IS
right. Some people are as careless about
other peoples tools as their own; and a man
does not want to have a thing destroyed.
The sluggard, the slattern, should not be
trusted too far. or he will make sluggard
of himself. Bad neigtbors at the best are
pest, and the less you have do with them
generally, the better. At least, keep your
toolshop in order.
"Well, now! there is no use; I cannot
keep my tools in order; others will have the
handling of them"
This shows you lack grit. The right
kind of man aOiH have his premises-all re-
lating to them-"in order" though he
should sacrifice the good will of the SLOW
ems. The farmers workshop is often a
place to lounge in in idle weather, when the
little tinkering is done by the owner.
AGRICULTURAL MAcHINERY.-It is esti
mated by the editor of the Country Gentle
man, that horse's labor is equal to that of
twelve men. The writer then proceeds to
show the effect of machinery, were it EN-
ployed as extensively as it should be.
Among a million Of the best farmers in the
Northern States, he shows that hundred
million dollars might be saved by the use
of machinery, that is now not saved Farm
ers are rapidly realizing this fact. 1t is in
credible how many moving machines and
haryesters are In use, and to what extent
they are multiplied each year, TO say moth
ing of tue lesser machinery used. Who
Al, Ine hr,k