Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-07-09
FARM ANDiFlRESIDE.

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4 How TO HAVE Coon MEADows.--Mr. N.
Platt Of, Bradford County, Penn. in a letter
I to the American Institute Farmers Club,
gives his experience as follows:
My laud is adapted to all kinds of grain
and to timothy grass and red clover. My
practicesis, when | SOW az piece IN grass,
not to pillow it again in eight years, and l
frequently let it lie a much longer time.
have meadow now which has been moved
for sixteen successive years. and it was never
better than now. In fact my meadows I'M
der the right treatment, grow better as they
4 grow older. do it by returning to mead
ow all the. manure the hay made that was
taken from it, and sowing a bushel of
gypsum per acre each year.. In that way
the yield of grass is heavier and finer, and
richer as the sod thckens. "a
| use manure only for top-dressing the
meadows; in that way get double price
for. it. It produces as much worth of grass
as it would in grain, and also reproduces it.
self again in the turf My turf when ready
for blowing under, is a solid body of grass
roots twelve inches deep Or more, and SO
thick on the top that no soil can be seen.
[ consider one such turf when turned un-
der, equal to 100 tuns of frst-class BARN.
yard manure per acre. -. ....,..,
Land so often plowed for grain gives up
to the grain all the bone, beef and tallow
there is in it /; consequently the grass crop
is SO destitute of nutriment that farm stock
will not thrive well upon it without grain
portion of the season. 1t furnishes plenty
of skin and rib as the cattle are witnesses,
but the flesh is minus Grass grown upon
land kept in the right kind of order for grass
will keep stock in first rate order at all sea-
sons of the year. I have seen it tried in
both ways. and know whereof I speak,
Raising grain on a piece Of ground three sea-
sons, two Of grass enriches it in the same ratio
that paying So for So would enrich man.,
Like produces like in grass as in breeding,
consequently manure made of good hay is
the best for meadows. 1t stands to reason
for meadows to grow better when their own
production is honestly returned to them. ,,. =.
/ Many of our writer's on agriculture have
incomes from other sources beside their farm,
and can follow any system Of rotation and
have plenty of time and leisure. But the \.
man who begins at the foot of the hill, runs
in debt for two-thirds of his farm, all his
stock and tools, then clears his land of stones
and stumps, walls it in, enriches it, puts on
the buildings, and raises family of children,
must sound all the depths of true economy;
in that case he must not raise much grain,
if he does the sheriff will sell some of it for
him. ''
| Hf.s1sas.a., a---iiu}
HoUDAN CHICKENS. "A correspondent in
/ the English Journal of Horticulture gives
the following account of his experience with
Houdans
L have reared an average of nine chicks
from every sitting of thirteen eggs during
the past two seasons. Some breeders would
call this good luck, but in my opinion it is
what any person, by the commonest attcn-
ton, might do with Houdans in the most
limited space for rearing chickens. -...6.7,.
reared all my birds in sandy yard TO
the first three days, giving chopped egg,
boiled hard, with bread crumbs and lettuce,
with an occasional handful ofshelled oats.
With this food supplied little and often 81
the birds grew with wonderful rapidity, and Z
an aptitude to make flesh is a strong argu-l
msnt in favor of the breed for table purposes.
Its flesh is delicate, tender and nutritious. ~
/ My Houdans Matched in April were fit to
kill month before Dorking chickens of the
same age ). but, unlike other fowls, the hen
birds are the most rapid of growth, and
when only few hours old may be distin-
guished from the cockerels by their superior
vigor and large crests.
| AS layers the Houdans will hold their own
against any fowls with which I am acquaint-
ed; their eggs are large, Of fine rich fla
! vor, and equal in weight to those laid by the
famous Spanish
The Houdans never sit, which is another
strong argumentin their favor; for coping
and all its attendant trouble is thus saved
and these birds, after couple of days rest,
recommence laying, whereas ''clacking
hens are the pest of the amateurs life.
! The Houdan is gentle, very tame, and
of a contented, stay home, disposition;
not at all dainty feeder, and not addicted
to scratching As a proof that fancicrs are
becoming alive to the increasing popularity
of Houdans, I may point to the fact that the
late National Poultry Company at their sale
4 obtained e3 los. for their cock and hen,
4 which was the highest price paid for any
two birds among the eight hundred sold. - -
4 = 80 n "a GiH gnifa
5CHLoRoFoRM1NG OF BEES. 4@Chloroform-