The weekly Shasta courier., 1873-02-01
FARM AND GARDEN.

POULTRY DEAR FooD FOR CoNsUM
ERs Poultry is evidently dear food tt
the consumer, but does it cost more
food to produce pound of poultry thar
pound of meat, live weight. / an.
swer decidedly not, but the reverse; fol
my cattle and sheep don't eat worm.
and insects, whereas fowls consume
them abundantly, and economize anc
apply every scattered seed or kerne
that would otherwise be wasted. Ii
another point of view, is the cost of at
tendance and shelter greater with poul
try than with cattle Ireply not. As
to the production of eggs, that depend.
upon the quality or quantity of food
administered, and the accompaniment
of proper warmth and shelter. There
is no fear of overstocking the market
with either eggs or poultry; we consume
daily one million of foreign eggs! ]
generally keep from 800 to 400 fowls.
They have free access to every field
during the whole year, and although
they help themselves at harvest-time,
when the corn is in sheaf, l always gel
my best crops of corn on fields adjoin-
ing the henhouse. l have this year two
fields of wheat drilled, and only one
bushel of seed per acre. They come
within ten to twenty yards of the fowl.
house, and are a perfect plant, although
the poultry has been scratching ano
cultivating the fields ever since they
were drilled. We are apt to forget that
fowls. like sheep, manure where they
go. I must say used at one time tc
feel nervous and angry when saw
them hard at work on the newly sowr
corn, but l soon learned to feel conf
dent that insects were their principa
gain, and that my well and deeply
deposited corn escaped.
KEEPING EGGS IN FRESH EARTH
One of our subscribers, Mr.. Hudson, O
Lyons, Wis, writes us that in plowine
potatoes last summer, he accidentally
covered clutch of eggs in the line O
hills. Subsequently in October in dig.
ging the potatoes, the eggs were un.
earthed, perfectly sound and fresh. He
intends to try the process again next
year.
EFFECT OF OxAL1c ACID ON SEED
An English scientific journal states thai
oxalic acid promotes the sprouting O.
seeds, so that seeds forty years old vii
germinate by its application. The meth
cd is to soak the seeds for one or two
days in solution of oxalic acid, till they
commence to sprout, when they are tax.
out and planted.
GRAPE GRowER's MAxIMs. The
following maxims are drawn from the
experience of years:
l. Prepare the ground in fall, plant
in spring.
2. Give the vine plenty of manure,
old and well decomposed; for fresh
mature excites growth, but it does not
mature it.
8. Luxuriant growth does not always
insure fruit.
4. Dig deep, but plant shallow.
S. Young vines produce beautiful
fruit, but old vines produce the richest.
6. Prune in autumn to insure growth,
but in the spring to promote fruitful
ness.
7. Plant your vines before you put
up trellises.
s. Vines, like soldiers, should have
good arms.
9. Prune spurs to one well develop
ed bud, for the nearer the old wood the
higher favored the fruit.
10. Those who prune long must soon
climb.
IL. Vine leaves love the sun, the
fruit the shade.
IL. Every leaf has bud at its base,
and either bunch of fruit or tendril
opposite to it.
Is. A tendril is an abortive fruit
bunch--a bunch of fruit a productive
tendril.
IA. A bunch of grapes without a
healthy leaf opposite, is like a ship at
sea without rudder-it can't come to
port.
Is. Laterals are like politicians; if
not checked they are the worst of
thieves.
l6. Good grapes are like gold = no
one has enough.
II. The earliest grape will keep the
longest, for that which is fully matured
is easily preserved.
IS. Grape eaters are long livers.
10. Hybrids are not always high bred.
20. He who buys the new and un-
tried varieties should remember that the
sellers maxim is: Let the buyer look
out for himself.-Rural american.
The SOUTHERN FREEDMEN.-Mr.
a.. L IL