The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-05-04
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

much as anything else the farmer keeps.
The man who plants out an orchard,
lets the land grow up to grass and
weeds, gives it the run of the cattle, and
does nothing to make the trees grow
and produce, might be expected to say
that orcharding don't pay" And the
farmer who expects to make hens pay by
not feeding them, by letting them have
free use of his own and his neighbor's
garden, and by not providing for their
wants will tell about the same story.
We are satisfied, however, that hens,
like cows and apple trees, will "pay" if
reasonable amount of attention is be-
slowed upon them. But they must be
confined in summer. True, upon large
farm they can be fenced out of the gar
den, and given the range of the estate.
About barns, yards and grass fields they
do no harm. But we have seen grain
crops, when sown near farm buildings
so badly injured by the hens that the
amount of damage was greater than all
their profits for the season. 1t is safer
upon the whole to have place for them,
even on the farm-in villages and
thickly settled communities it is the
only way to escape neighborhood re-
bellion.
Build a hen house, or provide spe-
cial apartment for their use in the barn
or some of the out buildings. They are
nuisance when kept confined any
| where but in their own quarters. If the
former, build it for the hens. not for
yourself. Let it be well lighted, the
windows being upon the southern, not
| lo A.,
the sun of winter, which is better for the
| hens than food. In winter it is not so
much the light the hens need as the di-
rect rays of the sun. Our hens have
laid all winter. There have been but
a few days we have not had an egg to
each hen, per day. From sunrise to ten
o'clock A. NJ, they have had the sun
shine upon them, when there has been
any.
In summer hens need frequent
change of food, and to have their quar-
ters cleaned out at least once week.
Adjoining the hen house should be
yard which they cannot fly over. The
size of this yard can be regulated ac-
cording to the space there is to build it,
the number of hens kept, and the fancy
OF the owner. But however large or
small it may be, it will soon get trodden
over and filthy.
To provide for that change necessary
for the health of the hens, make small
movable coop, about two feet high, four
feet wide, and as long as ,an convent
emily be handled. Connect this with
the main yard and let the hens run into
it. Move into new place once week,
that they may have a clean run, fresh
taste of grass, and new place to bur-
row in. Give in addition to good food,
sufficient pure water.
Lastly-we mention it last only be-
cause we wish it to be remembered as of
more Importance than anything else
get good breed of hens.-Maine Farmer.
COFFEE AS A DIsINFEcTANT.-Cof
is one of the best disinfectants known.
While chloride of lime, and similar sub
stances, produce smell that is almost
as disagreeable as the stencil sought to
be destroyed, coffee is just as efficacious,
and leaves a smell that is delightful to
all. Experiments with it show, in one
case, that room in which meat in an
advanced state of decomposition had
been kept for some time, was instantly
deprived of all smell on an open coffee
roaster being carried through it, con-
tanning pound of coffee newly roasted.
In another room, exposed to the effiuvi-
um occasioned by the clearing out of a
manure pit, SO that sulphuretted hydro
gen and ammonia in great quantities
could be chemically detected, the stencil
was completely removed in half min
| 1tfn M nf
of fresh roasted coffee, while the other
parts Of the house were permanently
cleared of the same smell by being sim
ply traversed with the coffee roaster al
though the clearing Of the pit continued
for several hours after. The best meth
cd of preparing and using the coffee for
this purpose is to dry the raw bean,
pound it in a mortar, and then roast
the powder on moderately heated iron
plate, until it assumes dark brown
tint. when it is fit for use. TLen sprin-
kle it in sinks or cesspools, or lay it on a
plate in the room which you wish to
have purified. Coffee acid or coffee oil
acts more readily in minute quantities.
KALsoMINING AND WHITEwAsHINa.
There are many recipes for whitewash-
ing, but we believe the following to be
the best that can be used: White chalk
is the best substitute for lime as wash.
A very fine and brilliant whitewash
preparation of chalk is called "Paris
White" This we buy at the paint store
at six cents per pound, retail. For each
sixteen pounds of Paris White we pro-
cure half pound of white transparent
glue; costing sixty or seventy cents a
pound. The sixteen pounds of Paris
White is about as much as person will
use in day. 1t is prepared as follows
The glue is covered with cold water at
night, and in the morning is carefully
heated, without scorching, until dis
solved. The Paris White is stirred in
with hot water enough to give it a
proper milky consistency for applying
it to the walls, and the dissolved glue
then added and thoroughly mixed. II
is then applied with a brush like the
common whitewash. Except on very
dark and smoky walls and ceilings, q
single coat is sufficient. 1t is nearly
equal in brilliancy to "zinc white" q
far more expensive article.-Hudson Re
publican.
PROFESSOR BLOT ON COFFEE MAKING
Grind the coffee, rather fine than other.
wise. / think it is usually ground toe
coarse. use coffee pot with a filter
You can get them at any tin store
Mixed coffee is best. prefer mixture
of Java, Mocha and Maracaibo. Soft
or spripg water is best. Proportions
one quart of water to three ounces o.