The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1871-12-02
AGRICULTURAL.

FepO1Je1i catLle plague III W lscoilSlIi
has three symptoms: The anilnalar
first refuses to eat or drink the
nose, ears and horns are cold the
milk dries up, and the blood runs
from the nose, mouth and other ORR
fees. In about forty-four hours
the animal dies
FEEDING PorAroEs TO HORSES
In Germany where potatoes are
no much cheaper than grain, the ex-
pertinent has been repeatedly tried
Of feeding horses upon them, ut least
in part, and this, as we understand,
has proved quite successful. In one
instance five four-horSe teams were
kept hard at work and in good coll-
dision on daily ration, for the
twenty horses, Of u cwt of hay, s
bushels of potatoes, so pounds Of
meal and u liberal allowance of
chopped straw. The potatoes were
steamed, mashed and mixed with
! the raeal while hot, and then coy-
cred up and allowed to remain for
q time, during which they undergo
% slight fermentation and evolve {.
quantity of calbonic acid. The
chopped straw was worked III just
before feeding. This trial was con-
tinued for more than four months,
and found to agree with the horses,
while at the same time it proved
satisfactory in point OF economy
/ dcf IL IL. II
great care is necessary. to prevent
the vessels in which it is kept from
becoming sour.
CLOVER. AS A SHADE.-There is
probably no other plant in the
world Of such value to the farmers
for this purpose. 1t furnishes the
most perfect protection to the soil
during the fierce dry heats Of the
summer. Being a constantly decid-
uo,ys plant, its leaves are Ee1petnally
falling, and soon form q delicate
covering for shade, and easily pene-
trated at all points by the air, which
is the great carrier to the worn-out
soil of those atmospheric elements
that are to enrich it. In this way
the clover plant not only contrib
utes directly to the fertilizing Of the
soil, by giving its own subsistence
to it, but it furnishes a protective
covering to the entire ground, which
encourages and stimulates those
chemical processes by which the
hungry and exhausted soil is recu-
perated from the vast supplies of
nutriment that are held i'll the at
mosphere. 1t becomes to the farm
er the most valuable fertilizer in the
world, as it imparts fertility to the
entire soil.
How TO JUDGE PoULTRY.-Tt
may not be out of place to give .
, few general rules by which the age
of fowls of all descriptions can he
safely judged. In following these
! rules, no reason be assigned by any
grocer, much less any housekeeper,
for purchasing other than whole
+ some, and tender fowls.
Ifa hens spur is hard, and the
scales on the legs rough, she is old,
whether yon see her head or not,
but her head viii corroborate your
observation. IF the underbill is SO
stiff that you cannot bend it down,
: and the comb thick and rough,
leave her, no matter how plump
and fat, for some one less particular.
, A young hen has only the rudiments
, of spurs the scales on the legs are
smooth, glossy, and fresh colored,
whatever the color may be the
claws tender and short, the nails
sharp, the underbill soft, and the
comb thin and smooth.
An old hen thurkey has rough
scales on the legs, callosities on the
soles of the feet, and long, sharp
) claws !; young the reverse Of all
these marks. When the feathers
are on, the old turkey-cock has a
long tuft or beard, young one but
S a sprouting one; and when they
are off, the smooth scales on the leg
decide the point, besides the differ
: ence in size of the wattles Of the
r neck and in the elastic shoot upon
the nose.
An old goose, when alive, is
known by the rough legs, the
strength OF the wings, particularly in
the pinions, the thickness and
strength of the bill, and the finencss
of the feathers; and, when plucked
by the legs, the tenderness of the
skin underneath the wings, by the
f pinions and the bill and the coarse
ness of the skin.
Ducks are distinguished by the
same means, but there is this differ
ence duckling's bill is much
longer in proportion to the breadth
) of its head than the old ducks.
a YOIlnr nire0n is discovered l,n,