Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1872-03-08
Farm and Garden.

Scraping.--This is good time to re
move all dead bark from trees in tn
orchard. Trees which have been neg
leeted for several years are soon coveret
with moses and ichens, and are thu
rendered unsi ghtly. The best wash tha
can be applied to trees is one of strong
homemade soft-soap, thinned will
water SO as to be easily applied with
brush.
Make Your Repairs NoU.-Half a day
now is not of SO much Importance a,
one hour when the heat of the summer
solstice is driving vegetation, good anG
bad, at the rate of three miles minute
Then a loose spoke, broken tooth, {
rotten whifaetree, a cracked piowhandle
gives the weeds the advantage of ar
armistice, and on that start the fate O.
the summer campaign may turn.
Quick Groaoth of Ducks.-The prejudice
against ducks, on account of their ex
treme voracity, is not we'll founded, fo1
if they eat enormously when halfgrown
they increase in weight proportionately
Quick growth is one of the things most
desired in animals of all kinds that are
raised for the table. If the experiment
be tried of rearing chickens and ducks
that were hatched on the same day, in
flock together, and giving them all
they can eat, the latter will outstrip the
chickens in growth. ... .....- =.
Il Barn Basket.-Little economies on
| the farm are worth considering. The
| end of a -four barrel cut off above the
second row of hoops, with leather handles
nailed or lashed on with thongs, makes
feed basket that is light, handy, and
costs only little labor.
Spreading Manure IN Wtmter.-Says the
american Agriculturist "We are asked
what advantage there is in spreading
manure on frozen ground. 1t depends
much upon the condition of the ground
If it is covered with grass, either pas
ture or meadow, there is a great advant-
age in more than one respect. The sur
face is protected from sudden changes
during winter, and the first .thaw car
ries the manure to the roots, where it
causes vigorous growth early in the
spring. If the ground is plowed for a
spring crop, it is also benefited by hav-
| ing the manure ready to be absorbed by
the soil whenever the ground thaws; !;
the seed, as soon as it sprouts, finds
what it needs close at hand. On sod
ground to be plowed for corn in the
spring, the same advantages are gained
as in the case of grass lands,and the man.
ure is on the spot in time, which in a
late season it might not be, for want of
time or improper condition of the
ground. But after all, it is far better to
get the manure upon the ground before
it is frozen, if possible; the earlier in
! the fall, the better Winter top-dress-
ing of grain is only poor substitute at
best for proper and timely preparation
in the fall, and rarely pays for the
trouble, unless it may be in the advan-
tage gained by the spring-sown clover.
Women at Farmers CZu6s.-Damascus
Stephenson Co., ILL.,, has a farmers club
in the meetings of which the wives of
the farmers take part. That they are
sensible women, and that they are in a
| fair way to adorn, if not to enlarge, their
sphere of usefulness, may be seen from
| the following subjects which they have
selected for discussion at meetings this
winter: Economy of rag carpets y
Housekeeping" "Shall we dress for
comfort or for skow?" "How shall we
plant and cultivate our gardens ?''
"What kinds of flowers will
prove most satisfactory, and produce
| the most pleasing effect during the en-
tire season ?' House-cleaning ;" Do
the size and location of our sleeping
apartments have an influence on our
health?'' Household economy;" "Treat
4 0f -o1o 4eO O,i &c ~
tions 5" "How can we best inculeate the
love Of truth and honesty in children?'
Punctuation IN Farming.-There is a
| floating population among our farmers,
| in their changes on the farms as well.
A few years ago pork WIS in high de-
| mand hogs were then the rush. Pork as
well as beef is now down. Wool was q
drug. Now it is at the very highest
point; every one is looking out, though
as yet generally, for sheep. Soon this
industry will 60 with the rest. The
dairy, especially cheese, is at a low ebb.
| Already there is look-about for a
change to something more lucrative.
The more easily moved will drop into
| butter, to escape from it almost as soon
as they adopt it. Cows will be at
| low figure. And so the change goes on
from one to the other, and almost al
ways for the worst. The farmer who is
established in all the branches, and per-
sistently carries them on, receives the
benefit of them all, including what the
fuctuat:ng farmer is aiming at, but
what he seldom reaches, as the change
again takes place before hefully realizes
the benefit; but he is sure to get all
there is of the least profitable. This is
on account of his halting and changing,
which experience has proved is not for
the best, while the true, steady farmer,
carrying all, is sure to reap all, the good
with the poor, the poor losing but little
to him, and the good making good
harvest. He always, every year, has
some of this good harvest. He has been
| growing hops, as we have known him,
for twenty years, and has realized a
small fortune in the good years that
have occurred, as they will.-Prairie
| Former.
| ;pfe, fnr. fl,a Haucatvifn.