The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-07-29
THE FARM.
Large.Tailed Sheen.

1AoIo arc Two Dree0S OF 6neep In HaIeS
tine One much resembles the ordinary
English sheep, while the other is verl
different animal, being to the ordinar,
sheep what the greyhound is to the rougl
terrier. 1t is much taller on its legs, larger
boned, and 1ong-nosed. Only the raml
have horns, and they are not twisted
spirally, like those of our own sheep, bui
ceme backward, and then curl round sc
that the point comes under the ear. The
great peculiarity of this sheep is the tail
which is simply prodigious in point of size,
and IS an enormous mass of fat Indeed,
the iong-legged and otherwise lean animal
seems to concentrate all its fat in the tail,
which, as has been observed, appears tc
abstract both flesh and fat from the rest OF
the body. So great is this strange develop
ment, that the tail alone will sometimes
weigh one-ffth as much as the entire ami
NAL A similar breed of sheep is found in
Southern Africa and other parts of the
world. In some places, the tail grows to
such an enormous size that, in order to keep
SO valuable part of the animal from injury,
it is fastened 70 small board, supported
by q couple of wheels, so that the sheen
literally wheels its own. tail in a cart. It
has been thought by some systematic nat
v u bDe-
cies, and the broad-tailed breeCs of sheep
have, In consequence been distinguished
by several names. Yet they are in reality
one and the same variety Of the domesti-
cated sheep, differing in some particulars,
according to the conditions in which they
are placed, but having really no specific
distinction. 1t is, by the way, from the
wool of the unborn broad-tailed sheep that
the much priced Astrachan fur is made.
CULTIVATION OF ORCHARDS. s.-The ground
among the young trees should be well
cultivated few years at least. We should
always remember that the orchard is to
yield Us important crops, therefore the
land should not be taxed too heavily by
the production of other farm products.
However, our soils are sufficiently fertile
to bear this, and it becomes a question
what we shall grow among the trees.
Fallow crops, as hard crops are preferred,
such as occupy the land for few months
only, and especially those that require
cultivation, such as corn and potatoes, but
grain or white-straw crops should never be
permitted in the young orchard. -
This cultivation of the land, with or with
out the crops among the trees, is very de-
sirable, and indeed necessary to promote
their growth. 1t should be continued four
or five years, and when fhe plow is used,
the furrows should be turned toward the
trees so as to throw the surface into ridges,
particularly if the land be f1at-as this will
effect surface drainage. Some good cuItiva-
tors prefer to keep the orchard always nm
der cultivation, but in billy lands this can
not be done. Most farmers prefer to lay
down the field to grass among the trees af-
ter few years of cultivation, in which case
clover is preferred, both as an enrieher of
the soil and as suitable food also for the
swine that are to be turned into the or
chard. In some. cases, however, the ex-
treme fertility of the land causes the
trees to grow too vigorously for the pro-
duction of fruit, when it has been found
desirable to check this excessive growth
by suspending the cultivation of the land,
and by seeding it down with the meadow
Or pasture grasses, among which blue
grass is the fayorite. In closely planted
orchard we cannot expect to make much
hay nor to have any room for the moving
and it must be- cut with the scythe
or cropped by sheep and hogs. These are
the only animals to be permitted in the
orchard, and even these, particularly the
former, viii need watching lest thsy do us
more harm than good, as they will brouse
of every leaf within their reach, and some
times even strip the bark from the stems
also. In this case they must instantly be
and brought back from time to
time, only long enough to gather up the
fallen fruit. For this purpose many farm
ers prefer them to swine.
WORKING THE Son. 1t is the tillage of the
soil that makes agriculture; but we do not
generally consider itso. We do not plow
enough, cultivate enough, harrow enough.
We lack, if possible, still more in subsoil-
ing and ditching. The last lies at the
foundation of all; it adds all the rest, and
resists, measureably and constantly, the
drouth and the excess of rain; without il
much of our land can be but little benefit
ted. Manure has not the effect that
drier soil would give it. Working the soil
is often injurious in consequence, especial
ly in clay land; the evil is thus augmented,
the land becomes hard and wet, and in a
drouth will crack; in winter it is charged
with water; In spring and fall it is the
same f.--
ALI this is remedied to greater or less ex-
tent by ditching, when this is done the
sub-soil may be stirred to advantage-and
to any depth, ,-otherwise subsoiling with o
hard bottom below, would only increase
the evil, as the soil, loosened, would still
be filed with water, and hold all the more
making in somo cases a bed of mud. This
is not to be thought of. But drained, and
there may be worked any depth, and in
stead of being filled with water, will be
charged with air containing fertility from
the atmosphere, which is left in the soil by
and thus the ground is improv-
ed. The raw soil will now be acted upon,
and if properly managed fund of wealth
may be obtained. This, of course. in heavy
or clay soils. We thus get deep bed, to
be deepened still at pleasure.
Here manure has its full effect; all is re-
tained, whether applied at the surface or
turned in; the clay will hold it, or any good
soil. -, -. ---+ -.
The drouth may now be defed; the long
rains the same. There is conduit in the
soil (porous) itself, to carry of the water,
but only so mueh as it does not want; the
rest IT retains, and it can be made to imbibe,
as IN the case of drouth when there is a
hard drain upon it. This brings us back
to the starting point, working the soil 1t
is this that gathers moisture, and it is this
that enriches, giving q chance for the
moist, fertilized air to mix with it, moist and
feTtilized most when the soil is worked IN
summer, It then contains the gasses
(emanating from the hot soil) and the
moisture by expansion), and warmth also,
d necessity, chemically and otherwise. 81
Soil cannot be stirred too much. This is
seldom entertained. Simply to mellow is
thought to be sufficient, when il is only
sufficient to prepare the ground to receive
the seed. We think our labor is lost when
we work over and over our mellow soil, and
it seems like play-work; simply to stir when
there are no weeds seems not to be the thing.
The dollars do not come up frightening;
but they are there, neEsTthaless, virtually,
lust as much as they are in the corn or the
soil that holds thesQbstance that grows the
corn. To have the boy and horse constantly
at work, refreshing himself, is all the while
a GAIN tho soil (from below thrown up
fresh to the air, taking it in and absorbing
its, wealth, and that wealth iR Just what is
wanted, the organic matter. Especially
should, we see this thing since the attrac-
tive power of the soit8 has been made so
clear and striking recently, 1t is not only
the great "deodorizer" or "disinfectant,"
but the great attraetor in our fields. Only
give it o chance with the air. And younael-
low it as well; and lessen the weeds These
things cannot be too 1mueh repeated, too
much Hrged.-Prqiris ,Fqrps.
THERE is q girl by the name Of Hattie
Brown in the County Infrmary of Shelby