The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-12-13
FARM AND GARDEN.

crop Is l6 per cent. below norlhai
crop. The crop of last year was estl-
mated at 1902 100000 bushels. In
view of the decrease of 4 per cent. In
area the indicated reduction is above
% per cent, or 5O,OO0,000 bushels.
The only States returning the average
condition are Georgia, Florida, Arkan-
sas, California and Oregon. The other
averages are as follows Maine, IS;
New Hampshire, 80; New York, SO
New Jersey, 90; Pennsylvania, SO !;
Delaware, 76; Maryland, 81; Virginia,
90; North Carolina, 95; South Caro-
lima, SO Alabama, 90; Mississippi, Sc;
Louisiana, 90 Texas, 7S; Tennessee,
81; West Virginia, 90; Kentucky, "a;
Ohio, So; Michigan, So; Indiana, "a;
Illinois, 81; Wisconsin, So; Mlnneso-
ia, 81; Iowa, 81; Missouri, 76; Kan
sas, &c; Nebraska, II.
TENDER FoorED HoRsEs.-An old
man, who has had much experience In
handling and dealing in horses for more
than half century, said to me recently
that he had never known horse to get
"tender footed that was kept loose in
a shed and yard, or in box stall. That
turning round and treading with their
feet in the manure kept them constant
ly moist and soft. His theory appear
ed perfectly reasonable to me. l
have no box stalls, but l use shavings
for bedding, and every morning with a
large shovel move the wet shavings un-
der the horse forward, in front of and
under his forward feet, and then the
last thing at night cover these with
dry shavings for him to lie on. He al
so remarked that he had never known
a fat-footed horse but what was a
great worker.-Cor Jour. of Farm.
RED PEPPER FOR INsEcTs.-A CORE
spondent of the Rural Press says: 81
have discovered by practical test that
cayenne or red pepper (capsicum) will
destroy cabbage lice or cabbage mildew.
/ have some two hundred fine cabba-
ges growing, and to my sorrow some
two weeks since found them covered
with lice. sprinkled them wherever
the lice could be found with the capsi-
cum, and am delighted to see my cab
bages entirely cleared, save few that
l did not sprinkle, that 1 might con-
trast them, and that l can assure you is
very evident or speaking, for those l
SO left are covered with the little de-
stroyers. Now / am of the opinion
that capsicum will in the same manner
destroy the fungi of all plants, vines,
fruits, etc., spoken of in the agricultur-
al reports of 1871, from page ITO to
l23. l also sprinkled a humble bee
with it, and the result was death in
few minutes to the bee. Now this
might be applied to the vines in the
form of solution; but for the cabbage
sprinkling dry is preferable, as it sticks
or adheres closely to the leaf.
SOAKING SEEDS BEFORE PLANTING.
1t is good practice to soak seeds be-
fore planting, when the weather is cool,
or when danger is apprehended from in
sects. Professor Mapes used to recon-
mend adding carbonate of ammonia to
the water in which the seed is to be
soaked. When seeds first germinate,
they obtain carbonic acid from the
soil, having no leaves to absorb it from
the atmosphere, and the carbonate of
ammonia supplies it. James Campbell
has for many years stepped corn and
other seeds in a solution of carbonate of
ammonia, and is convinced that germi-
nation is fastened as well as the matur-
ity of the crop, and that the yield is in
creased, all other things being equal.
The carbonate of ammonia can be had
of druggists, and four ounces to a gal
Ion of water may be used.-Science of
Health.
GLUTToNY OF BIRDs.-A letter to
the London Times says -" Would it
surprise you to hear that not only
such birds as seagulls, but that all the
owls, even up to the eagle owl, feed on
insects when they come in their way,
and not only the owls, but all the six
British species of true falcons-the
peregrine, hobby, orange-legged hobby,
merlin and kestrel-as also most, if not
all, of the hawks, and some, if not all,
even of the eagles, the spotted eagle,
for instance. Few persons are aware
of the innumerable number of insects
thus destroyed by birds. The following
observations, and several of them are
much below the mark, will show this /:
The blue titmouse has been watched,
and found to feed its young from $3.50
a. m. to $50 p. m, AIS times, bring
ing one large or two or three small in
sects each time.
The thrush, from lis a. m. to 9:15
p. m, 206 times.
The blackbird, from 3:15 a. m. to
$40 P. m, 1l3 times.
The mistletoe thrush, from APO a. m.
to p. m., &C times, each time bringing
several large worms or insects.
The sparrow, from two or three to six
or eight insects at once, and as this
goes on for all the day, and they fire.
quently have two or three hroods in the
year, they must destroy great numbers.
/ watched the other day a wagtail
catching insects to feed its young. and
it took eight or nine into its bill in a
minute or two, and had not left off
when turned away.
The starlings l frequently observed
this spring getting caterpiIlars for their
young, flying from tree to tree with two
or three together in their bills to collect