Connecticut western news., 1873-06-13
Farm, Garden and Household.
The Maggot Fly.

 said: Sheep during the summer months l are esubjected to extreme annoyance from flies, principally the gad-hy, and the | several varieties of worm, or maggot- | hies.. Fine-wooled sheep, from the 1 eompactness of their wool, do not suffer | from the attacks of the latter, unless l from SCOUTS or wounds, but the French | long wooded varieties are especially ex- posed. The insects passing under the name of fly, though most troublesome in July and August, attack sheep from May to September inclusive, depositing their eggs among the wool, in general about the tail, the roots of the horns, or any part which affords, from its filthy condition, 8 prospect of suitable pro- vision for the maggot. When the eggs are matched, process which IS, 1n sul- try weather, almost instantaneous, the maggot invades the skin, and speedily brings the adjacent parts into fit state for the reception of succeeding mem bers of its species. The backs of long wooded sheep are, from their exposure, more liable to be selected by the flies as receptacle for their eggs than the cor responding parts in such as are covered by short, thick fleece. No sooner has the maggot begun it's operations than the sheep becomes uneasy and restless, rubbing itself on fences and trees, and endeavoring by every means in its pow CT to free itself from the annoyance. Teased by the constant irritation, fever soon sets in, and if the sheep is not re- ieved by the shepherds aid, death will inevitably follow.
 To ward of the attacks of flies, vari- ous substances obnoxious to them have been recommended. Tar, with spirits of turpentine, may be applied about the ears, horns, and tail while others pre- fer a little melted butter or lard, thick ened with flour or sulphur, put along the sheep's back, which Is, on the au- thority of Blacklock, an effectual pre- ventive. I have preferred mixture of tar and turpentine to anything else, as nothing is so abhorent to all insects as the odor of turpentine. Sheep far mers cannot be too vigilant during the summer months, and if any of their focks are affected wiGh SCOUTS or wounds they should be got up withoutany delay and the above application made. Rams should be still more closely watched, especially the Saxons and Merinos, whose pugnacious tempers incline them so frequently to battle, often inficting wounds around the bases of the horns which are certain to call the flies. Many valuable rams have been lost from this cause, which watchfulness might have prevented.
 F. D. Curtis-I have had some expe- rience with those maggots. They are apt to appear after wet weather. l mo- ticed after long spell of wet, sultry weather, that one of my bucks was af ficted as MT. Merrill represents. ex- amined him and found that he was cov- cred with millions of the maggots. I tried rubbing them off with shingle, but abandoned that, and went to bath ing with spirits of turpentine; that killed them. He was a valuable animal, and lived for many years afterward.
 s. B. Todd would recommend com- mon pine tar as being equally as good if not better than spirits of turpentine, and not so harsh.
 idea, especially if the tar is thinned with spirits of turpentine.
 New Method of Curing Hams, SC.
 It is proposed to better preserve hams, bacon, and the like, by encom- passing them with an impervious coat ing of specially prepared paper. After killing, the swine are hung up in tenn perature of forty degrees for thirty-six hours then packed in ice and salt dur ing twenty-four, and afterwards in brine for the same length of time. After this they are sprinkled with saltpetre and coarse salt, and allowed to lie for seven days. For another seven days they are packed bodily in salt. After this pre- hminary treatment they arc washed in clean cold water, hung up to drain for twenty-four hours, and then all moist 1otI alum is then rubbed over and upon them, and paper made pliable by soak ing in alum water is closely pressed upon them, forming close, and it is claimed, practically impervious cover ing, to exclude the air. But it is doubt ful If this paper covering will serve as good purpose as that formed of melted parafine, and used with fair results in preserving fresh beef from rapid decay by keeping it away from the contact ot the atmosphere.
 Preserving Eggs.
 A Wisconsin housekeeper has pre- served eggs fresh from fall to spring by the following recipe: "Take piece o1 tough, pliable paper, five or six inches square. Wrap it cornerwise around the egg, and twist the paper protruding al each end of the egg firmly in place Let the paper be large enough to cover the egg entirely, pack in tub or box small end down, and keep in coo place." The secret of keeping eggs seems to consist in excluding the ai1 from them, and in standing them on the little end down, so that the yolk cannot adhere to the shell. Of course eggs should be packed when perfectly fresh for change once begun cannot be ar . rested.
 Feeding Cows.
 I do>not think, says correspondent l ever kept my cows and horses so eco nomically as during the pastwinter. Ant the COWS have been fed principally o1 cut corn-stalks, with little bran ant corn-meal. I driU in my corn and las year I not only had good crop of corn but also large growth of stalks. think this a better plan than raising corn fodder alone. Drill in the corn il rows 34 feet apart, and put on about a much again seed as you would if plant ed in hills; and if the land is ricl enough you are pretty sure or a gooC crop of fodder, and stand fair chanc of getting a good crop of corn. This on my farm, is better than to grow corr for fodder alone.