Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-06-06
The DOll's Vigil.
u Dolly, I'm tired, so tired of play,


"Dolly, our mothers asleep by this tree,
They covered the place with grass
For fear of the cold, and lest she should hear
The footsteps of people that pass.
Homo must go when it gets quite dark,
But Dolly, I'll leave you here;
If mother should wakon, and see you, she'll
know
We two have been wandering near,
"Oh, Dolly it's snowing there's no one to care,
And oh, it il damp and chill;
Poor mother may wakcn so, Dolly, wen stay,
And lovingly watch by her STILL"
Both mother and orphan were sleeping soon,
They heard not the winds sad tone,
While drifting the snow DER their resting placc,
Whore Dolly was watching alone.
Farm, Garden and Household.
GOATS are pronounced profitable to
farmers, if tor no other purpose than
ceariug the land obnoxious weeds, which
they will devour with avidity in all stages
of their growth.
WHEAT AVERAGE. The average yield
Of wheat in different countries varies re-
markably. In Austria it is IA bushels
per acre in France and Prussia, II in
Spain, % while in Britain the average
yield is from 2S to 80. The yield Of bar
ley in France is 81 bushels per acre ; in
Prussia, %; and in England, from 30 to
40 bushels per acre.
OPPOSED TO DRILLING CoRN.-A writer
in the Prairie Farmer says that his ex-
periencc leads him to oppose the plan OF
drilling corn when raising this crop for
grain, and he gives the following reasons
for the opinion; First. In a wet season
weeds and grass outgrow corn, and moth
ing short OF hand or hoe will remove
them from between hills. Second. When
the season iayors the growth of corn, one
stalk in Il place will sucker and corn will
be too thick. Third. In cultivation all
one way there is too much sOilremaining
without stirring.
AN EXCELLENT FERTILIzER.-A top
dressing for fruit trees, vines, grain crops,
or garden crops Of any sort, On ground
that has been somewhat exhausted by
cultivation, tue preparation described
below will be found very useful. 1t would
improve the mixture, however, to add to
the ashes about q peck of good, newly
Stacked lime, which would bring the pot
ash of the ashes to n caustic state and
enable it more speedily to soften and dis
solve the bones, which, when lime is thus
used, need not be necessary in the alb
sence of quicklime. With its use in this
way, and with a sufIiciency of good I'M
leached wood ashes, the bones, which
have merely been cracked up with the
hammer, may easily be softened. Take
one barrel Of pure, Underground bones,
and mix with 1t barrel Of good wood
ashes during the mixing, add gradually
three pNilfuls of water. The heap may
be made on the floor of q shed or barn ;
and, by the use of the hoe, the bone and
ashes must be thoroughly mixed. The
water added is just sufficient to liberate
the caustic alkalies, potash and soda ;
and these re act upon the gelatine of the
bone, dissolying the little atoms, forming
a kind of soap, and fitting it for plant
alment. 1t must he used in small guam
titles, or IN about the same way as the
so-caled superphospates. A barrel of
this mixture is worth two of any of the
commercial fertilizers, and the cost will
be but half as much. Ii the bone-meal
and ashes are very dry, four paifuls of
water may be required, but care must be
exercised not to have it inconveniently
moist. 1t may be ready for use in a
week after it is made Pure, raw, finely
ground bone and the best of ashes should
be employed. -JOmmal Of CHEMISTRY.
AMERICAN FARMERS CLUB.
WoRMs.-J. S, Titus Sidney, N. Y,
asked what will save seed corn in the
hill from wire worms has anybody ever
tried smoking the kernels before plant
ing, and with what result also, what is
the best practical means of checking the
rayages Of the cut worm in corn-ields,
and how about the tobacco dust which
is advertised by the barrel by a New
York manufacturer Doctor Trimble
Nothing could be done to seed corn to
prevent the attacks of the wire worm.
The wire worm is the grub or larva of O
beetle, and is bred in the ground. As
to cut worms-they are caterpillarS the
larva of moths-a very different family,
but bred in the ground also. An old
sod is best for corn, and there these
caterpillars are liable to be. Plow early
plant early, and drop eight or ten grains
in hill, and if some are cut of so close
as not to sprout again, there may be
still enough left if not, replant. These
caterpillars, like most others, soon come
to their growth, and will be out of the
way by that time. Mr.. Cotton One o.
the best farmers / ever knew always
dipped his seed corn in coal tar before
planting, and it is fact that he was
less troubled with the wire worms thar
his neighbors. Coal tar Is SO cheap, ant
to be had in almost every town at the
gas works, that it is easy to try it at any
rate.
WooD AsHEs.-J. A. Manson, Sauls
bury, Tenn, said he has LOCO pounds
of leached ashes of hard wood, and HI
would know upon what garden crop it i
best to apply them. Mr.. Curtis The,
are excellent to drop on top Of q corn
hill as soon as the seed is in ; admirable
around apple and other fruit trees, ant
valuable everywhere. Mr.. Stewart :
There is no better fertilizer for potatoes
DR.. Trimble : The most profitable use
have ever made of ashes was upon pas
tire ground where the soil was rathe
light. Put on thick, and the white Glove
comes as if by magic; and white Glove
is good pasture.
ISRAEL s. FOWLER, WILLIAMSON, Mass.
said: [ have tried the "premium San
ford corn" and am satisfied it is hum
bug Last year planted, May 20, on
neck on good old land flat had bee