The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-11-01

The following, which is compiled from vari-
Gus sources, will be found interesting to farm
ers, house-keepers, and horticuIturaIists, r.
Aningenious machine for drying grain was
recenfly exhibited in New York. The grain
wnIle running through a tower with various
2 serves, is exposed to an airicuIrent ascending
and drying it perfectly a seed separator
which separates mixed grain was also exhibit
ed. 1t receives the grain mixed, and deposits
oats, hay seed, peas, corn, large wheat, small
wheat, and refuse wheat, and chess in differ
ent vessels.
A fibre of silk a mile long weighs but u
grains, SO that there are 283 miles offbre in a
pound advoirdupois.
The ascending power of a balloon filled with
hydrogen gas to one filed with coal gas is as
Is to IL nearly. ,.r
Sea water is both salt and bitter at its sur
face, but only salt at its Depth
Tulips should be planted in October and
November, in good garden soil Set the early
Towering kinds five inches apart, and the late
varieties seven or eight inches apart. The
earliest flower in this latitude about the first
of May. IN
Experiments in feeding charcoal to fatten-l
ing poultry have been very successful. Fowls
fed daily on pulverized charcoal mixed with
their meal and having plentiful supply bro
ken in their pens, are fattened much quicker
and their meat is much better than those fat
tened in the usual way.
Forest leaves make excellent manure mix
ed with fermentable substances Gathered in
masses and mixed with lime or ashes they will
quickly decompose.
Wet your cut straw or hay before you mix
your meal with it for cut feed. When every
piece of hay or straw has meal adhering TO it
the cattle viii eat it clean.
Radishes may be grown in winter by soaking
IL L 4 ~.
hanging it in bag in the sun day or two,
till it terminates. Then sow in a half barrel
filled with rich earth, and place another half
barrel over it. Water occasionally with luke
warm water. ss,i .s
Experiments with cast iron rifled guns of IL
isch bore lsaye demonstrated that they are not
desirable additions to our ordinance.
A box for transporting eggs without break
age, and car with large tank for transport
ing oil in bulk, are among the new inventions.
Where fruit trees grow too luxuIiantly to
bear well, they can be improved by "root prun-
ing" digging root around the tree at pro-
per distance. A fifteen year old tree may be
encircled five feet from the tree. Care and
Judgment should be used not to cut close, and
stunt the tree. The aim should be to reduce
the roots about two-thirds.0
The strawberry, blackberry, raspberry should
be protected in winter north Of Philadelphia;
most kinds are hardy enough to live without
this care, but it is better to employ it never
theless. Strawberries may have leaves or
straw thrown over hem, and little sol
thrown over to keep the wind from blowingl
tnem away. kaspDerries and blackberTies
should have their last seasons bearing shoots
taken out, the young canes pruned so that
three or four of the strongest only are LETT,
and then lald down and covered with soil. To
do this without breaking them, dig out spade
full of earth on one side Of the hill and with
the heel press the stock over. The inclina-
ton win be sufficient to prevent the breakage.
Never over feed poultry, Never allow any
food to lie about Never feed from trough,
pan, basin or any vessel Feed only while the
birds will run after the feed, and not at all if
they seem careless about it,
The Okra plant is recommended for more
extensive cultivation. The pods give delic-
ious flavor to soup, and are good stewed. The
plant can be cultivated as easily as Indian
corn. They should be plucked when perlect-
ly tender, when they can be dried for winter
use. g - ~ ~, 81 n
At meeting of the American Institute
Farmer club, Mr.. William A. Burgess of Glen
Cove, N. Y, presented bushel basket full of
different varieties of seeding roses, which
were produced by himself from the seed. He
remarked that the idea had prevailed that
seeding roses could be produced only in
France, but the trath was they could be prop
agated from the seed here better than in
France. He advised everybody to plant their
rose seed. He had obtained blossoms in nine
weeks from the seed sprouted. sssf si5 81 +.
Scarcely too much can be said in praise of
onions for fowls. They seem to be a preven-
tive and remedy for various diseases to which
domestic fowls are liable. For gapes and in
famation Of the throat, eyes and head, onions
are almosta specific. A small addition ofcorn
meal is an Improvement. 3
Many farmers in digging potatoes expose
them to the sun and air several hours before
taking them in, supposing it to be necessary
to their good keeping The idea is very erro-
neous, and it is also injurious to the potatoes.
Farmers should be careful to put. their pota-
toes away as soon after digging as possible,
and if the potatoes are to be placed in a, cellar
it should be dark and cold and they should
have as much dirt around them as will stick to
them. q