National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-01-13
Farm, Garden and Household.

PICKING APPLIES The loss to tn,
country by bad picking and packing o
apples will, in u year of abundance lik,
this, not fall below million Of dollars
VEGETABLES. In cooking vegetables
remember that soft water should be used
If hard water only can be had, II tea
spoonful Of carbonate of potash may b,
added. They should always be boiled
Ivy 81 omselves, md kept closely covered
throw in little salt with the vegetables
For potatoes, only water sufficient Il
cook them done is necessary. Vegeta
bles of the medium size are preferable
Onions need 10 he thoroughly cooked un
al tender.
GREEN WooD. Green wood is Il yexa
ton at the best. Besides this, it involve,
lois of nearly fifty per cent, compar
ing it, when taken directly from the log
with what has been dried under cover
for year But sometimes it IN be
used, and the best way to prepar, It for
the fire is to bake it beforehand Keep
the stove-oven full, when not used for
other purposes, and when taken there
from and put into the fire, combustion
will be greatly aided, and not little in
convenience saved.
REMEDY FOR Ivy POISONING "A cor
respondent of the Scientific American
says that the free bathing of the affected
parts in spirits Of nitre is the best rem
edy for ivy poisoning He says that he
has proved this remedy, and from ten
years experience is satisfied with its
efficacy, having often previous to the
discovery been rendered helpless and
Il I'd bv ivy-poison. If the blisters be
broken, go rs to allow the nitre to pene-
trate the cuticle. more than single APP
phcation is rarely necessary, and even
where it is only applied to the surface of
the skin three or four times during the
day, there is rarely trace of the poison
left the next day
PREMIUM FOR CULTTvATING THE PUBLIC
LANDS. Mr.. G. G. Andrews writes to
Hearth and Home: "a bill is now before
the Senate Committee on Public Lands
which provides for the payment in each
of the seventy districts of the United
States of two classes of premiums The
first of 500, for the best farm and crops,
the latter to be OF least of the value of
81 200. For the second premium, $3.50,
the crops must be worth not less than
$500. The premiums are to DO paid to
homestead settlers on awards made by
the Register and Receiver of the Land
Office, with appeal in case of contest to
the Interior Department, the warrants
for the money in all cases to be drawn by
the Secretary OF the Interior.
PUMPKINS FOR CALVES Through the
columns of the Rural New Yorker, wish
to communicate what think is valuable
to stock growers. We have often been
asked the question, Do YOU think
pumpkins of much value for stock ?"
In reply, I wish to give my experience
in feeding them. Years since, found
out their value as food for mich COWS,
and their milk producing qualities This
fall found that, for calves, they were
better than anything / ever fed. l only
raised three spring oa,ves-one born
April 9th, one on the 18th, and one on
the Both. They were fed as usual, on
skim milk, until pumpkins were ripe,
when we began to feed them Mt the rate
of bushel per day, cut fine. This was
increased until they were fed two bush
els per day. / weighed them to day at
noon. and the three head weighed l, 435
pounds.
THE GREAT POULTRY SHOW The
poultry-men Of the country were really
taken by surprise at the magnificent dis
play of poultry made by the New York
State Poultry Sociegy. The entire en-
tries were nearly 1000. OF course,
not all the specimens wore brought which
were entered, but there was enough
The principal features of the show
were tho Games and Asiatics, though all
other valuable classes were well repre-
sented. We are sorry to see falling off
in the number of Poland fowls. and
really anticipate. unless an effort is made
to preserve the most beautiful of all the
Poland varieties the Black, of
which superb specimens were shown
that before long they will follow the /,
Black-crested White Polands into ex-
tinctiop. We were. however. much |
gratiiied ut seeing SO many fine chickens
of 1870 bred in thi' ,ountry In the
French clnsses, heretofore bred here
We have had many imported coops, but
few American bred among them, as well
as among Dark Brahmas, and Partridge
Cochins. In this show the native Matched
outnumbered the other consider ably
Hearth and Home