The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-11-19
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

To DESTROY LIcE-There is no really
effective method of destroying lice upon
any animal without oil or greese of some
sort. In some recent experiments in
England mixture of one part of sulphur
with three parts OF lard, and mixture
Of part Of oil of tar with three parts
of linseed-oil, destroyed the lice to which
they were applied almost Immediately,
while corrosive sublimatc, mercurial
ointment. arsenious acid, and carbolic
acid were without any effect ut the end
Of two hours, and tObaccO-water, de-
str0yed the vermin ut the end of an hour.
We have found mixture of lard and
kerosene-oil to completely destroy lice,
both upon poultry and calves, without
any injury to the animals whatever.
KerOsene-oil alone will severely injure
the skin.
ABOUT HoRsEs.-It is affirmed by
some that if their hay and straw be cut,
and their corn bruised, horses can be
kept at one-fourth less cost than when
these are given them whole. Everyone
knows the value of grass as an article of
food for horses. A mouth Of it in the
early part of the season, when it is young
and tender, is worth two when it gets old
and tough. Great care must be taken of
horses when first put on grass-indeed,
changes of food of any kind, must to
them be introduced with caution, as
many have had to pay dearly for neglect
of this. Even change of water has at
times been known to affect some horses, so
very sensible does their alimentary track
seem be be. A shallow watering-place
in running stream should never be al
lowed for horses while at grass. Fatal
results have often been induced from
drinking sand along with water from
such places.
MADE LAND.-The reclamation of a
valuable tract of land upon one of the
Scotch rivers was made in simple man.
ner quite recently. Stakes were driven
into the mud at the waters edge at regu-
lar distances parallel to the course of the
river. Between these stakes branches of
trees and brush were thickly matted or
interlaced. This simple coHtrivance re-
suited in the deposit at every high water
OF large quantities of silt and mud, until
at last an embankment was thrown up
without any further expense, sufficient
to keep out water except at high floods.
The land thus reclaimed was sOwn with
grasses, and is now used for grazing cattle
and is valued at three hundred dollars
per acre for this purpose alone. There
are thousands Of acres alongside of our
rivers, both upon the coast and inland,
which might be reclaimed in this or
similar ways at very little expense. As
preventive of washing away of banks
it might also be made use Of in many
cases.
ADJUSTING THE HARNESS TO FIT THE
HORsE.-Every part of a harness should
be buckled up shorter or let
out until the harness fits the
horse as neatly as pair of boots
that are Of the proper size for ones feet.
The collar should fit closely, with space
enough at the bottom to admit mans
hand. If too large it has the bad effect
of drawing the shoulders together. On
no consideration should team or any
work horse be compelled to wear mar
tingale, as it draws the head down and
prevents him from getting into an easy
and natural position.
The check-rein may be used, but only
tight enough to keep the head in a
natural position and should never be
wound around the names. See that the
names are buckled tight enough at the
top to bring the draft irons at the proper
point on one side of the collar. If too
low, it not only interferes with the action
of the shoulders, but gives the collar an
uneven bearing. Caution should be
taken that the girth is not buckled too
tight, particularly on string teams, for
when the traces are Strengthened it has
the tendency to draw the girth against
the belley and distress the horse A
teamster should be educated to harness a
horse correctly, as this is something that
cannot be taught by writing.-Mew York
Herald.
CONTRACTION OF THE HORIZON
traction of the hoof is brought on by cut
ting the frog, and by ignorance in setting
the shoe, by carrying the seating or
bevel of the upper side of the shoe so far
back that the heel rests on the slope OF
the seating, otherwise on two inclined
planes so that every step presses the heel
together. The frog, having been cut,
loses its elasticity and resistance. The
heel should rest on fiat surface, and the
shoe set flush with outer shell of hoof all
round, and the frog should seldom, if
ever, be cut. Nature has made ample
provision for throwing off all superauOus
frog. Contracted hOOt operates on no
part of the leg above the fetlOck Joint.
The coffin joint is most affected. Your
correspondent can experiment on the
sensation produced in contracted hoof by
putting the feet into pair of boots that
are two sizes too small and three sizes too
narrow on the bottoms, and walking ten
miles per day for thirty days, then stand
ing in them all of the next day on ahard
floor. This will give him a better idea
ofwhat causes the lameness than can be
describes.
PLASTER FOR PoTAToEs.-According
to Mr.. Crompton, author of the prize
essay on the cultivation of the potato,
very remarkable resultsare obtained from
plaster by busting the vine with it as
soon as they are through the soil again
Immediately after the last blowing and
hoeing; and at intervals through the
whole growing season. The first applica.
ton may be light, the second heavier,
and after that, more bOuntiful, say two
hundred pounds to the acre. 1t renders
the plant less palatable to the insects, and
appears to be fatal to many of the fungi
family. The vines retain bright lively
green color, and the tubers continue
swelling until growth is stopped by the
frost; besides, potatoes thus grown are
so sound and free from disease as to be
easily kept for the spring market, with
out any loss by the rot. Mr.. Crompton
says he has seen a field, all planted with
hn satx NJ
one-half of which that had received NO
plaster, the yield was but sixty bushels
per acre, and many rotten, while the
piled, yielded three hundred bushels per
acre, and not an unsound One.-Er.
Household IIelps.
To CLEAN JAPANNED ARTICLEs.-A
II Al