Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1872-08-02
FARM AND FIRESIDE.
ADVERTISING RATES.

SoILING .-The following essay by Thomas
Wood, of Doe Run, Chester county, was
read before a recent meeting of the Expert
mental Farm Club, 1t contains matter
&orthy the special attention of every farmer
in Eastern Pennsylvania, as well as else
where:
''To enclose farm of 100 acres in square
form and divide into nine equal enclosures,
it will take about 800 panels of post and
rail fence, including yards, orchards, &c.
But as our farms average over hundred
acres, are irregular shaped, it will require
1000 panels Of fence, and all well know
that good post fence will cost one dollar
panel, which will make cost of 81. 900 to
begin with.
This with interest at 6 per cent, with
compound interest for Is years Cat which
time new posts will be required) will amount
to S4,793.11. The new posts and labor
required will amount to so cents a panel.
making $1,000; this added to the other
makes s5,793.11. With interest COM
pounded for another fifteen years makes
$13, S34O.
The fence will now again require new
posts; presuming the rails will last another
| set of posts at cost again of SO cents a
panel, making 81 900 to be added to the
$13, 1888 40, this sum on the interest COM
pounded another fifteen years will make
S35. 666.7S.
1t is now forty-fve years and our posts
and rails are both worn out and the whole
Of this snug little sum is gone and our farm
without fence. Don't be alarmed, as this
thing happens with all of us who farm over
one hundred acres forty-fve years. five
don't actually put up the fence at the cost,
we buy it already put up when buying the
farm, and if the farm should be fenced with
the uncouth looking worm fence, and the
cost will be nearly two.thirds of this sum,
and if we continue this system of farming
and fencing another outlay of dollar
panel or more will be required
Methinks hear some one say Why my
fencing don't cost me half that much. To
those all have to say is, count the cost
and all the time spent in repairs, hauling,
board, &c.
We clip the above from the Practical
Farmer. The paper discusses with much
force the advantages of soiling and demon
strates the economy of the system.
COOKED CUoUMBERs.-We find the follow
ing in the Rural Southland: eft does not
seem to very generally known" says an ez-
change, "that the cucumber is one of the
most useful vegetables that we have, and
can be dressed in a greater variety of pala-
table ways than any other, except the TO-
mato 1t is better than squash and more
delicate than the egg plant, prepared in the
stuffed, and, above all, can be parboiled,
mashed up in batter and fried as fritters,
more pleasant and easily prepared than any
vegetable or fruit When a cucumber Just
becomes too old to be used raw or for pick
ling, it is then at its best for cooking-and
may be used for that purpose even until the
seeds become hard. A raw cucumber is,
Tor most persons, an indigestible abomina-
ton, however much they may admire its
flavor and odor."
DOMESTIC Uses OF BoRAx.-Borax is the
pest cockroach exterminator, yet discovered.
Ibis troublesome insect has great aver
sion to it, and will never return where it
has once been scattered. AS the salt is per-
fectly harmless to human beings, it is much
to be preferred for the purpose to the poi
son Gus substances commonly used Borax
is also valuable for laundry use, instead of
soda. Add handful of it powdered to
about ten gallons Of boiling water, and YOU
need use only half the ordinary allowance of
soap For laces, cambrics, etc., use an ex-
ira quantity of the powder. It will not in
Jure the texture of the cloth in the least
For cleansing the hair nothing is better
than solution of borax water. Wash af.
terward with pure water, if it leaves the
hair too stiff. Borax dissolved in water is
also an excellent dentifrice, or tooth wash.
dow TO TREAT A FELoN.-Place the
felon in white lye four or five minutes, or
until you can scrape the outside skin off
then apply the following poultice: Streaked
maple bark, scraped or pulverized, one part,
and wheat bran, two parts, mixed with
boiling water to the consistency of a thick
pudding. When the poultice becomes dry,
moisten, and then apply as before. had
three telons IN one year, and either one
would have been nearly enough to kill
man, if allowed to go through. But they
were rendered perfectly painless by the appli-
cation of the above poultice. The same
poultice for boils or carbuncles render them
perfectly painless.
IHIsTLEs.-A correspondent gives the
following as his plan of discriminating
thlstles, but of receiving some benefit from
the nuisance" When I salt my sheep, as I do
once In five Or six days, one part good wood
ashes, three parts salt, I 20 over part of the
held and put handful of the mixture on
each thistle and mullen, and the sheen eat
them to the root. I know they learn to rel
lsh them, for when go again over another
part Of the field 1 find great many of them
eaten with fragments of leaves lying around,
where no salt had been put on. The appli-
cation should be made before the thistle and
mullens grow too rank.
MOVING STRAWBERRIES. The following
IS taken from the Report of the Massachu.
sets Horticultural Society: ssThe principal
practiced point developed was the ADVANTAGE
of moving down the leaves after the crop is
gathered The plant having finished the
work OF the season, and being about to com.
mence new one, a salutary stimulus is
given to it by removing the old and useless
and perhaps fungus.eaten foliage" Sue.
cessful strawberry growers say the practice
III moving on the vines after taking off
crop Of fruit, is an important advance in
strawberry culture.