The weekly Shasta courier. [volume] (Shasta, Calif.) 1872-190?, 1873-05-10
FARM AND GARDEN.

FLOODED ANIMALS AND DISEASE
The late epidemic among horses is, in
one point, not without interest to the
poultry fancier and breeder for profit.
Much is being said upon the question of
the constitutional condition of highly
bred fowls, and it is often asked wheth-
er their ability to resist disease is as
great as that of the common kinds.
The experience of horse breeders in
the recent epidemic is that the blooded
stock endured the disease the best,
while among the ordinary sort of ami
NAL the percentage of deaths was much
higher. The points to which blooded
horses are bred, resembles those bred
to in fowls, in many particulars; and
what is true of the one, in respect to
endurance, may also be asserted of the
other. This result might be antici-
pated for several reasons. The finer the
development of the species, the great
er. in general, the nerve force; and
the power of the individual to resist
depressing or destroying influences de-
ponds partly upon this. The attacks
of disease are not so much to be feared
in those individuals who are possessed
of that vigorous tone, which, in the
physical frame, corresponds to "pluck y
in the mental. Poultry World.
ARRANGING Flowers FOR BOUQUETS.
1t is an art, requiring no small de-
gree of taste and skill, to arrange cut
flowers so as to form an attractive bou-
ouet for the vase or basket. 1t is some
thing, too, which comes to one intui-
lively, and it can hardly be described
in words. However, it may be said In
general that the more loosely and I'M
confused flowers are arranged, the bet
ter. Crowding is especially to be
avoided, and to accomplish this, good
base of green of different varieties is
needed to keep the flowers apart. This
filling up is a very important part in
bouquet-making, and the neglect of it
is the greatest stumbling-block to the
uninitiated.
Spikes and dropping flowers, with
branches and sprays of delicate green.
are of absolute necessity in giving grace
and beauty to vase bouquet. Flow
ers of similar size, form, and color
ought never to be placed together.
Small flowers should never be massed
together. Large flowers, with green
leaves or branches, may be used to adj
vantage alone, but judicious contrast
of forms is most effective.
Avoid anything like formality or
stiffness. A bright tendril or spray of
vine can be used with good effect, if
allowed to wander over and around the
vase as it will. Certain flowers assert
well only in families, and are injured
by mixing. Of these are balsams,
hollyhocks, sweet-peas, etc. The for
mer produce very pretty effect if
placed upon shallow oval dish upon
the centre-table.
No ornament is so appropriate for
the dinner-table or mantle as vase of
flowers; and if you expect visitors, by
all means cut the finest bouquet your
garden will produce, and place it in the
room they are to occupy. 1t will tell
of your regard and affectionate thought
fulness in more forcible and appropri-
ate manner than you could find words
to express. If a small quantity of
spirits of camphor is placed in the
water contained in the vase, the color
and freshness of the flowers will remain
for much longer period. Thus pre-
pared, we have had flowers to keep a
week, and at the end look quite fresh
and bright.-The Name Farmer.
COMPARISON OF Breeds have
had experience in poultry for number
of years, which may be of benefit to
your readers. Much has been said
about what are the most profitable
kinds to keep, and 1 know of no better
way than to give several of the leading
kinds trial; and, in order to do this,
l built house 10 by IS feet, with six
partitions, making seven apartments,
that each kind might be kept separate
ly. l then procured Brahmas, Ham,
burgs, Bolton Grays, Games, Leghorns,
Spanish, and Houdans, and fed them
them the same kind of food. 1 found
that the Brahmas and Houdans ate one
third more than any of the others, and
the Hamburgs the least. l found that
obtained the most eggs from the Leg
horns, and after a trial of one year l
disposed of all except the Leghorns and
the Brahmas, keeping ten of each kind.
l have kept an account since the 9th of
May, and have cleared $25 on the
eggs, besides raising fifty chickens,
most of which l intend to keep over
Cor. Poultry World.
CoTswoLDs AND THEIR WooL.-A
correspondent of the Country Gentle
man, in speaking of long wooded sheep,
says:
l have always found that eve feeces
clipped in the early spring weighed
more than those of ewes having sucked
lambs. Any manufacturer will bear
me out that the weight of grease, or
as we term it, mutton" in the wool is
three times greater in fat, geld eve
than in one who has sucked lambs.
Any one connected with sheep or wool
knows that rams fleece weighs one
third more than a wether's.
From experience have found Lin
coins to produce the heaviest wool.