The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-09-01
USEFUL AND SUGGESTIVE.

USEFUL AND SUGGESTIVE.
A MASSACHUSETTS farmer says he can
his COWS On steamed feed for one
third less expense than On dry feed, and
get one fourth more milk. This results
from five years experience.
1T is said that when a stable is on fire
there is only one way of inducing horses
to make their escape, and that is by
throwing something over their eyes to
blindfold them, when they can be led out
with the greatest ease, just after they may
have resisted every attempt to compel
them to 60.
PROF. LINDLKY says that pruning,
when welldirected, is n of the most
useful, and when ill-directed n OF the
most mischievous operations that can take
place on a plant. The best season for
pruning is mid-winter or mid summer. 1t
is, however, the practice to perform what
is called the winter pruning IN the au'
tumn.
THE Small Fruit Recorder says that it
is very beneficial to cut OIL the entire top
of the strawberry plant after it is done
bearing. If this is done the plant COM
mences q new growth Immediately after,
and by fall becomes a rank luxuriant hill.
Strawberry plants arc much weakened by
leaving on the old dead leaves and fruit
stalks.
THE Germantown Telegraph gives the
following method Of storing celery for
winter. Sink barrels in the earth SO that
the tops are two or three inches below
the surface, and hen fill them compactly
with celery, without any soil, but with
close, compact covers upon them, SO as to
exclude moisture, and then a couple of
inches of soil. BY this mode it may be
kept well until late in the spring.
A CORRESPONDENT of the American
Ag~riculturiSt picks and stores his squash
| es in September and has them sound till
the following June. He says, "Gather
the squashes for late keeping between
September 1st and 10th, taking only those
that grow near the root; put them on the
shelves where they are to be kept, and
keep them dry and cool.
How BONES RI GRoUND.-Bore mills
are made with several pairs OF cast iron
rollers arranged one pair above the other.
The bones pass between the upper ones
and are coarsely broken; then in sue
cessiOn through the others, which reduce
them more and more until they are fine
enough. These mills are expensive, and
no farmer can afford to grind bones in
small quantities. A much cheaper
method of pulverizing bones consists in
using a stamp such IS is employed by min
ers in preparing quartz for the ~anlalgamat-
ing process.
Mr.. READE, Superintendent of the
Reade paper mill, in Connecticut, recent
~ stated in the American Farmers Club
that he cut from four to five Ons of clo-
yer ON two acres of land, which had been
generously treated to a dressing OF ashes
(from 80 to 70 bushels TO the acrel for
two years, and that or other portions OF
the same field that had been manfred ex-
actly the same, without the ashes, the
crop was lot a ton. The ashes were a
mixture OF chestnut and oak. The land
was sandy, and lot very rich. Clay soils
are but little benefited Dy ashes; but for
sandy land, good hard wood ashes are al
most Invaluable.
WASH FOR HORsEs.-A writer in the
Prairie Fdrmer says: al will give you
a receipt that is alm0st invaluable to per
sons who have horses with sore or CALLED
shoulders: Sugar of lead, = or; good
vinegar, 1 gill; alcohol, 1 gill. Put in a
quart bottle and fill up with a strong dc.
coction of black oak bark; when black
oak bark is not to be had, white or rcd
oak bark makes 2 very good substitute
Shake well before using, and battle The
parts intended to cure, or tougher, three
times per day. Il is excellent to harden
colts shoulders when first commencing
work"
To PURIFY DAIRY UTENsILs.-Stand
on end, IN a Convenient place for use, an
Open-endcd vessel Of suitable dimensions
for the size of the dairy, say from q halfa
barrel to a hogshead. In this sake some
good Quicklime, enough to make a thin
whitovvaah whom filed full OF water, snC
cover TO keep out dust and dirt. The
lime will settle, leaving a saturated sOiu
tion OF lime Yer it, as clear as spring
water. Alter using the milk pans, etc,
WASH them IS other utensils are washed
aud rlnsed then dip thern in tho adjnin-
ing Cask of lime water, giving them
quick turn, SO that every part becomes
Immersed therein set them to drain and
dry, AID the publication is complete, with
out any scalding process, from the ne
pan to the worn-out one. The lime in the
clear water instantly neutraiizeS the acid
ity OF the milk YET remaining in the
cracks or seams, ETC., of the milk vessel
TO destroy which the process OF scaldlnS
has been performed. In the case of q very
small dairy, or of IL COW, the clear water
may, if preferred, be dipped out for the
time being and poured gently back again
the lime purifying the water and keeping
il good all summer. Of course there Wi
be a little waste from evaporation, which
will be made up by adding clear water a:
needed, the lime settled in the bottom o
the cask keeping up the strength Of the
saturated ISOLATION. Let any one, who
reads and doubts its efficacy, simply try
it thoroughly, and he Will effect u great
saving in time and cOst.-ErckNRqe.