The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-02-02
Farm and Garden.

dt Ill
KICKING HorseS.-The Country Gentleman
has the following OF the subject Of kick
ing horses Much of the kicking OF
horses is owing to the villainous practice
by attendants, men and boys, of teasing
and tickling the animal, and all owners
should look carefully to the conduct of
hired men and others. 1t is very diff
cult to lure kicking horse. When he
kicks in the harness, in consequence OF
the whitlletrees or other objects striking
his legs, it is recommended to harness
him loosely to strong whit1letree, 10
which a long and strong rope Is at
tached. One person takes the end OF
this rope, and lets the whifiletree touch
his legs. When he kicks, draw the rope
ND, so that the whiffltree will fall against
his heels every time, when he will give
it up. To cure kicking III the stable,
double strong MANILA cord, and pass
the loop over the top Of his head, then
the cord through the bit-rings, then
through ring on each side the surcin-
gle, then fasten to a strap buckled
around each pastern. When he kicks,
il will Jerk the bit in such manner
that he will desist for the time, if not
cured
The Economy o. Cooking Food.-When
wheat straw is fermented by means of
green moist vegetable matter, as fresh
clover or grass placed III layers amongst
it, its quality as feed is much improved.
1t is found that the process not only
renders more soluble the fiber Of the
straw, but actually converts part OF it
into starch, sugar and gum. Accurate
notwithstanding to Prof. Voel-
ker, in Transactions OF Royal Agricultu-
raj Society of England, 1871, have
proved that the fermenting process
enabled fifty per cent of the vegetable
fiber to become soluble, while of the
unprepared straw only twenty six per
cent il soluble. When chaff of straw is
steamed in an ordinary feed-chest, UNI
der q pressure of fifteen pounds per
inch, and allowed to cool gradually, the
same effect is produced, and one ton is
equal in nutriment to two tons UNI
steamed. Besides, by mixing with it
meal of any kind, or bran, the flavor is
diffused amongst the mass and it is rem
dered much more palatable. In this
way, even wheat straw may be used as
fodder, and great saving effected.
TO Drive the WeevH from Mills and Gra-
narieS.-Numerous remedies have been
proposed to protect wheat and corn
from the destructive ravages Of the
weevil (curculio garnariuS), but most of
them have been impracticable or too
expensive. Tar has been found a certain
and economical agent for expeling
these insects. a writer to a French
publication asserts that his father had,
a long time ago, his graneries and barns
infested with these insects so much so
that they penetrated into all the chests
and among the linen. He placed an
open cask, impregnated with tar, in the
barn and then in the granaries; at the
end OF some hours the weevlls were
seen climbing along the walls by myri-
ads and flying in all directions from the
cask. On moving the tarred vessel from
place to place the premises were in few
days completely cleared of these
troublesome and pernicious guests. The
farmer who is troubled with these in
sects may, as soon as he perceIves their
presence, impregnate the surface of
some old planks with tir and place
them rs required in his granaries; care
must be taken to renew the tar from
time to time in the course of the year
to prevent their return.
,Su6soa Plo,oS.--lt does seem little
strange that the value of this implement
is so little known among our farmers. In
Britain il has come into almost univer-
sal use, greatly to the advantage of the
crops. On strong soils of clayey ma
ture it is especially valuable. Were it
used more, especially on land intended
for root crops, OF TO be seeded down to
grass, the farmers would have much
less complaint to make of losses from
drought and short crops. Properly con-
structed the implement is strong, SIM
pie, and easily worked, and less costly
than an ordinary pillow. The effect of
subsoiling can in great measure be at
tanned by using two common plows, one
of them having the mould-board and
coulter removed; furrow is turned by
the ordinary pillow in the usual manner.
The other follows behind, running in
the furrow made by the first, and mere
ly lifting the soil and breaking the
hard-pan without turning it. At the
next round this loosened soil is covered
bv the furrow slice of the first pillow,
leaving deep mellow seed bed for the
roots of the crop that follows to luxuri.
ate in. On light soils and those natu.
rally deep and friable, subsoiling is of
less benefit than on heavier ones, that
are more liable to pack and form hard
pan through the action OF the sole OF