The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-09-26
farMers' Column.
" Speed the PIOiU.o


thousands OF farms in the cheese districts
of England where the pillow is not used at
all in the pastures. There is soft velvety
turf, the result of century ofcose feeding
There are millions of acres of pastures in
the trans, Missouri country fed for ages by
the buffalo and antelope, growing richer
every year by the grazing of these animals
and the decay of the buffalo grass. In the
best grazing districts of New York and
Western Connecticut, there are large farms
kept in permanent pasture, and growing
more fertile every year by the feeding of
beef cattle. The only fertilizer applied be-
side the dropping of the cattle, is an occa-
sonal dressing of plaster, at the rate of
bushel to acre. Some of these farms will
carry bullock to the acre, and leave
thick mat of grass upon the sod when the
bullocks are sold off in the Fall. The
store-cattle are bought in the market in
the Spring, and put in the pastures as soon
as the grass starts sufficiently to feed them.
The cattle increase in weight, and in the
quality ofthe beef, Turing the Summer, and
are sold to the butchers as soon as they
are ripe, from August to November.
One man can take care of several hun
dred cattle, and the Winter is season of
leisure. Where there is good Judgment in
buying and selling, the profits of this kind
of farming are very handsome, and the
farm is all the while improving in fertility.
Everything it produces is returned to it
again.
Ofcourse all farmers cannot follow gra-
zing, but the low price of grains and tie
high price ofmeats indicate that the raising
of meats pays better than the raising Of
grain. In the new settlements of the West,
they must still raise grain, for there is little
capital there and the raising of grain is the
easiest way OF making money. But in the
more thickly settled portions of the coun-
try where the farmer has a good home mar
ket for beef and mutton, veal and lamb,
and labor is high, he should enlarge his
pastures and increase his stock. 1t is sur
prising to see the change effected in few
years upon an old pasture by heavy gra-
zing. We came into possession of an old
rented farm, three years since, that
carried but four COWS, pair of horses,
and small flock of sheep. There was a
hundred acres or more devoted to pasture,
badly moss grown, weedy and bushy,
from want of grazing. About 80
head of cattle and % sheep with their
lambs have been kept in good condition in
this old pasture, the past season, although
20 acres of it were devoted to rye. The
feed has been more than quadrupled in
quantity, and greatly improved in quality.
White clover has come in abundantly, az
have fine grasses, and the weeds and bushes
are disappearing under the noses of the
sheep. If the bushes are large, it is neces-
sary to pillow, or cut them frequently to get
rid of them. But almost any neglected
pasture, free of brush, may be restored by
grazing. Top-dressing with concentrated
fertilizers will hasten the process of ameli-
grafton. In some districts plaster will be
sufficient, but the action of plaster is so I'M
equal that an experiment only can tell if it
is advisable to use it. In all, bone dust
and ashes will be good and paying invest
ments.-A1nericnn Anrifglturi&t.-
HISTORY OF HoRsE-RAD1su. - Wins
brought horse.radish into greatest notorie
ty was the following circumstances Be-
tween fifty and sixty years ago, in Gray's
Inn Lane, was vast mountain of years and
years accumulated London cinder.dust. filth
and garbage; yes, real mountain of it:
and among its vast and varied accsmula.
tions were immense plants of lorse-raaisb.
growing right up through the whole, the
produce probably of crowns cast from soul
leries to the dustbin. Here it found fa-\
vorable site, and as the mountain increased
in size and height, so did the headed crown
continue to thrust itself through it.
Enough at least did so to create astonish-
ment in those days, and to bring the horse
radish into prominent notice; for when
this mountain of refuge was removed, the
immense length and size of the horse-rad-
ish roots were discovered.
We had no horticultural journals in
those days; but the Times and the few pa
pers we had, prominently adverted to this
wonderful horse radish, and related how
and where it grew. 1t was, indeed, real
phenomenon, the leaves being as large and
thick as those of a banana, while its roots
were as large and as long as scaffold-poles.
How many hundred weight a root of it
wgeihed, it would be difficult to guess,
yet one root, as large as a farm-yard
gate-p ost, was dug out and exhi BIZ
ted The publicity thus given to the
matter, and the extraordinary perfection
the roots attained in so rich pasture, pro-
we'd how simply horse-radish can be grown,
and induced everybody to cultivate it in
earnest. London Garden.
KEEPING GRAPES FOR WINTER USE
If you desire delicious, fresh grapes, in win
ter, they can be had by very little care
and expense. Pick the punches only in
dry, warm day, and place them in dry,
cool, shady place for at least three days;
then commence to pack them in paper box
es that will hold about ten pounds. Be-
| tween each layer of grapes place single
thickness of newspaper; the boxes should
not contain more than three layers in thick
ness. Then place them in cool, dry room
NOT in cellar, for the natural dampness
there will cause mould and decay.
--<+A~S---
KILLING LICE ON CATTLE.-A correspon-
dent of the Maine Farmer says, in reference
to advice that had previously been given
not to apply kerosene oil to cattle for the
purpose of killing lice Il avoided the use
of kerosene for this purpose for several
years, fearing it might be injurious, but
for the last three years have used nothing
else with our large stock of cattle, and
should bn unwilling to give it up. AS Of
ten as the stock are known to be troubled
with lice, each creature is carded all over
quite thoroughly, frequently dipping the,
teeth of the card in the oil. Two or three
applications are sufficient. No remedy that
l have tried is SO convenient, and none
more harmless or effectual.
| ------sse.s--
BEANS AS POULTRY FooD.-If you have
any beans that you cannot market, you
may make good use of them for fowls
They will not eat them whole, however,
as everybody knows, but they must be