The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-05-24
Farm and Garden.


dent inquiries concerning the best
means of killing lice on calves, and
whether a decoction of tobacco for the
purpose would be considered dangerous.
We do not regard tobacco juice a safe
application for killing lice. The pois'
onous principle of tobacco is absorbed
by the skin, and passes into the circu-
lstion through the pores. Again, ii the
cattle are allowed to lick themselves
after the application, serious injury will
be liable to result. The only way in
which tobacco may be used safely is 10
fire it in a fumigator, blowing the
smoke into the hair of the animal.
Carbolic acid rs vermin destroyer,
either on cattle or plants, is Of late
coming largely into use. Carbolic acid,
when pure, is corrosive and dangerous;
but when dissolved in water at the rate
of an ounce of the acid TO a gallon of
water it is abundantly strong and safe
for such purpose. Carbolic soapis often
used for killing these parasites. 1t can
be had at most of the shops, but may
be made much cheaper by farmers than
it can be purchased, and at very little
trouble.
We give the recipe furnished by Sec
rotary Goodale of the Maine Board of
Agriculture, which is as good as any
we have seen. and is rs follows " Dis
solve pound or two of bar soap in as
little hot water as possible, and stir in
an ounce of carbolic acid. When cold
it can be cut into cakes and kept any
length Of time. The easiest way to
apply it for lice is to wash the animal
with this soap and water"
A wooden string smeared with mer-
curial ointment and tied around the
neck of the animal often proves effect
ual i'm destroying the lice.-Rural Nel0
Yorker.
Bermuda GrasS.-A Texas correspon-
dent of the Country Gentleman writes
The Bermuda of this section fourishes
best on our very heavy, strong, adhesive
clay lands, is very nutritious, much
more so than anything else we have,
but has two bad qualities with us: lst.
1t is not of any value for winter pasture.
ID. 1t will not give up its place when
it gets on piece Of ground. 1t kills
shrubbery, trees, flowers and everything
that ii grows around, and keeps spread
ing, spreading, spreading, till it is
supreme, and takes lawn, garden,
orchard, farm, if sufficient time and not
enough work is given it. For summer
pasture it is uneXcelled. 1t is rich in
valuable matter, it is rapid in growth,
and stands tramping and drought admir-
bly,, but otherwise is dreaded here.
Those who have it as yard grass are
each and all eXterminating it at great
expense and trouble, and advising
others to let alone.
To Test tie Quality of Wool.-A Texas
paper says: "Take lock of wool from
the sleeps back and place it upon an
inch rule. If you can count from thirty
TO thirty three of the spirals or folds in
the space of an inch, it equals in quality
the finest electoral or Saxony wool
grown. OF course when the number OF
spirals to the inch diminishes, the
quality of wool is relatively inferior
Many tests have been tried, but this is
considered the simplest and best
Cotswold wool and some other inferior
woods DO not measure nine spirals to
the inch. With this test, every farmer
a
will enable him to form correct judg
ment of all this kind of wool. There
are some coarse woods which expert
enced wool growers do not rank as wool
| but as hair, on account of the hardness
and straightness of the fiber"
Sugar from the B,uternw.-A CORES
pendent of the Chautauqta Farme
| oh
tapped his sapbush, he had a quantity
of buckets and spiles more than mapl,
trees, so he tapped about thirty butter
nut trees. | thought would see VIVA
! could make Of II, and went to his bush
finding every one of the buckets undo
the butternut trees full, while thos,
under the maple trees were not owe
twothirds full. took a six-quart pal
with me, and borrowed it full OF th,
butternut sap, and boiled it down, get
ting one-hali pound OF Eice sugar. Nh
Brown gathered twenty-nine buckets o
that sap, and boiled it down with hi
maple. 1t worked as nicely as if j
were all maple. The flavor and appear
ance were perfect"
Farmers Wiues' CluJ.-At Oatka Falls
Kansas, they have club composed o
farmers wives. The society meets
once month at the houses of the mem
bers in regular succession, take thei
lunch baskets and have & sort of picnic
supper, so as to give little trouble t,
the hostess. A regular subject con
nected with the management of tn,
domestic department of the farm j
agreed upon at previous meeting anC
is discussed over the tea and knitting
work. Like good wives they ALLOW
their husbands TO come in the evening
and girls, who expect to be farmers
wives some Gay, are welcome. Tn
meetings are enjoyable and profitable
This is an institution hat deserves t.
be established in more States thar
Kansas.