Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1872-06-01
Farm and Garden.

Sheep Raising IN California.-The San
Francisco Bulletin says: There are now
about eight millions of sheep in Cali
tornia. This is an increase of three
millions and twenty-five thousand
since 1869. To the number first men
toned must be added this spring S
lambs, of which about three millions
will be raised. These figures show the
astonishing rapidity with which sheep
increase here, despite much poor
breeding and crossing, and the most
careless and inhuman system of feed
ing and treatment. The value of the
wool is as great AS the increase in the
number of the sheep is rapid. There
are two clippings, the spring and fall.
In good years for feed the spring clip
averages six and the fall four pounds
Each sheep will yield this spring an
average clip of four and Il half pounds,
or 36,000,000 pounds in all, while the
total wool crop of last year was only
about 20,0OO00O pounds. 1t is expect
ed that 80 cents per pound will be the
ruling rate. If all the crop sold for
that price we would have total of
S6,SOOO0O for the spring clip alone.
| These figures are enormous, consider
| ing how crudely the business of sheep
raising has been followed and its com
parative infancy in California.
TO Destroy lice on CanIe.-I have fre
quently noticed inquiries in your paper
for remedies to destroy lice on cattle
In this section our cattle are infested
with large, blue lice. They increase on
fat as well as poor cattle, and reduce
either of them to skeletons if they
have sufficient time. | have always
watched for remedies, but have never
found any so good and so cheap as the
one | have now, which | send for the
benefit Of those who are unfortunate
enough to have lice on their stock (:
For a COW, take nearly half pail good
soft soap; heat some rain water, and
turn in enough to make it warm, and
stir it well. If the soap is very thick,
it may want little cold water too; it
must only be thin enough to work in
the hair nicely. Tie the creature out
of the wind, in the sun, and apply with
large paint brush; it will bite the
animal as we'll as kill the lice; but it
drys so quickly it does no injury to the
hair nor the animal. Soap is good
medicine for cattle, and if they lick it
Oft, no harm is done. Repeat the ap-
plication again after the nits have
hatched. 1t takes about three applica-
tions for very lousy animal there are
so many nits to hatch out.-HARRIET
GARLoCK.
Plant More BeanS.-If there is always
a cash market for wheat, there is at the
same time a pretty sure cash market
for beans. The numbering interests of
Minnesota and Wisconsin use large
quantities, as we'll as the numerous
boys in blue stationed in different parts
of the Northwest !; besides, beans, as an
article of export, always bring a good
price. The crop is sure one. The
chief expense is in pulling and harvest
ing. Planting and the cultivation does
not amount to any very great inconve-
nience, time or money. They should
be planted in drills two feet apart One
and half bushels of seed to the acre
will suffice. The soil should be mel
low, but it don't matter so much if it is
not so very rich. Never plant the
varieties for field crop that throw out
vines or runners.-Farmcr's Union.
Oiling HarneSs.-The following recipe
is sent us by A. TAFT, of Howard county,
Kansas. He thinks it the best he has
over used, and it is so simple that any
one may easily try the experiment:
Take about half gallon of oil put
in Il pan or shallow basin, and dip the
harness in, one piece Or more at a time !;
then strip the oil off the strap with
your fingers, letting it run back in the
basin hang up to dry; repeat the dip
ping of the harness two or three times,
until it will take no more oil. A little
lampblack added helps the looks very
much. After the oiling take a rag and
rub Off the harness, and you will find
that the hardest leather and the stiff:
est tugs have become very pliable, and
will remain so from one to three years.
\ ou can leave them out in the rain n
dozen times, and you cannot but see
they are as pliable as before the water
touched them. And not only that, but
the rats and mice will never touch
them. If they are dirty it is not neces.
sary to clean before oiling.
Raising GoSlings.-A writer in the
Massachusetts Plonghmaa gives the fol-
lowing as his method for raising gos.
llnSs: take IN the spilnS OF the year
a box and set it in some good place to
make nest for them. When they be-
gin | take the eggs out and put them
in cotton wool and turn them over
twice a week until | set them, when
put thirteen under u goose. and when
they hatch | take them and put them
in a pen until they are a few days old,
as they are apt to get chilled when so
young. The greatest trouble is getting
turned upon their backs, us they will
die unless turned back. At the age of
four weeks they are turned out to pas
ture and are no more trouble. Geese
are the most profitable fowl of any
raised. The breed for poultry is the
Bremen goose crossed with mountain
gander, as the goslings are much larger
bred i'll that way.
An Intruder Upon the Pope.