The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-11-14
evening State aollrnat.
ESDAY EVENING, NOV. II, 1871.
RURALREADrNGs.

STOCK RUNNING AT LARGE
The practice Of allowing stock-cows
hogs, and sheep--to wander about the pub.
lie roads is troublesome and very waste.
full one. A great portion of the value Of
the feed of an animal properly fed and kept
in yards is returned in the shape of manure
but if stock is allowed to roam at large. ali
the manure dropped by them becomes the
perquisite of some long-headed farmer, who
keeps the road-drans and cutters open on
to his farm, so that he receives all the wash
after every rain. A very noticeable cause
of the poverty of the stock met with in dis
tricts where this custom is observed, is the
promiscuous mixing up occasioned by al
lowing animals of both genders to run um-
checked. In such localities farmer can
not tell when he can expect calf or litter
ofpigs, and often they come at most UNI
seasonable times and of very undesirable
parentage. Thus, without order or system
in this particular, and from want of care
generally, the stock becomes next to worth
less, and Is hardly worth the feed it con-
sumes. Besides, it is very unfair to others
who keep better stock and keep them in
pastures. Wandering stock is generally
unruly, and will occasionally get into other
fields than their owners at times when
their presence can do mischief which their
owners can not repair. 1t would be better
for all concerned that no stock of any kind
should be allowed to run at large. In
well-ordered and prosperous communities
this practice is considered the reverse of pro-
per or profitable.
BEE NOTES FOR NovEMBER.-If. as is
often the case this month, the apiarian does
not feel quite satisfied that all is right with
his bees for winter, he can look them over
again on any cool day. He may see things
that escaped his observation in warmer
weather when the bees were less compact.
Any weak stock should be united with
some other; or, if that is not convenient,
kill the bees rather than let them freeze or
starye. Untitled boxes, or such as contain
so little honey as not to be worth removing
for the table, may be saved for another
year. Dry comb should also be saved for
the same purpose. Hives containing bees
may be painted now without injury to
them, and new hives ought also be painted.
that they may thoroughly dry before an
other year. Use different colors, that each
bee may know his own hive at a glance.
Protect hives standing out of doors by
wire cloth placed over the entrance, leav-
ing passage for bees only. Ventilation
should be secured by holes two OF three
inches square at the bottom. A good plan
for accomplishing this is to have box, two
or three inches deep, of the same size as
the bottom Of the hive, set under it, with
hole in one of its sides covered with wire
cloth. Let it be where the wind will not
drive directly through It'll. Qaia6y.
LUCERN.-T., Prince George county,
Va, asks What is the time for seeding,
quantity of seed per acre, and the quality
of land required for growing lucern also,
the price of the seed. Lucern should be
sown in the spring, at the rate of 10 pounds
of seed per acre, if in drills, or 10 pounds if
broadcast. 1t should, if possible, be sown
in drills fifteen inches apart. We, how
ever, have got good stand, IN clean ground,
by sowing broadcast. The land must be
fine, mellow, deeply plowed and rich.
Weeds are very injurious, and crowd out
the young plants, which are slow in start
ing. For this reason sowing in drills is to
be recommended, as the cultivator can then
be used. When fully established it will
yield heavy crops Of green fodder, nd'may
be cut, if OH rich soil, once month. All
kinds of stock will eat it eagerly. Pigs
seem especially fond of it. 1t is long
rooted plant, and perennial. For plow-
ing under it is possibly equal to red clover.
The seed costs about forty cents per pound.
PRESERVING EGGS IN WINTER.-'sE
A. b." Herkimer county, Now York, asks
how to preserve eggs for winter use. Wei
have kept eggs perfectly good from October
to March in the following manner A
piece of lime, as large as a quart-dipper, is
put into five gallons of water, and salt
added until an egg will float. This is
strained and put into clean key, into
which loose head is made to fit easily a
knob is fitted to the head for a handle.
The eggs are put, as they are gathered, in |
to the liquid, and the loose head placed on
them to keep them below the surface. The |
key should be kept in cool place in the |
cellar. The liquor will not freeze except at
a lower temperature than freezing point. |
Eggs thus preserved will sell readily as
''imed eggs until fresh eggs come, and are
almost as good as fresh ones.
CIDER AND CIDER PRESSES. -August |
Diedrich, Dubuque, Iowa, wants to get
cider press. The old-fashioned wooden
cider press is, in our opinion, the best.
Those which have iron about them convey
an unpleasant flavor to the cider and darken
the color. The whole press, being wholly
of wood, has no Ill effect on the cider. and
besides it is of far greater capacity. The
barrels to hold the cider should be perfectly
clean. Brandy casks are the best, if they
can be procured. Whiskey or alcohol bar
rels come next, but should be we'll washed
before using. No barrel in which vinegar
has boon kept, should be used for cider.
Where common, old-fashioned mill is not
available, the Buckeye mill is as good as