Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-03-14
Farm, Garden and Household.
The Guano FrautIs.

selling fraudulent mixtures under the
name of Peruvian guano. The move
ment which resulted in this action was
inaugurated by analyses under auspices
of the State Agricultural Society of
sample bags of so called guano OBJ
tanned from ten prominent dealers,
and which showed that abominable
swindles were systematically practiced
upon the farmers, six of the ten having
furnished an article largely adulterated
with sand, brick dust, or similar sub
stances. Here the matter rested, so far
as the general public knew, but those
who have kept run of affairs quietly
advancing in the Halls of Justice have
seen the evidence gradually unfolded
notwithstanding the laws delays, aud
now that the deposition of the chief
defendant is recorded, signed, and filed
in the Office of the Clerk of the New
York Superior Court, it is shown by
his own statement that sand was used
In large quantities for the adulteration
of guano, and the farmers paid high
prices for the sand.
- SOIlIng.
j. r. B., in the Practical Farmer,
gives an account of what he produced
from two and a half acres of land put in
tirst-rate order, and used for soiling
and root-growing. The land was used
from Aug. 1, 1871, to the end of the
season of 1873. The corn-fodder,
green rye, (for autumn use, and white
mustard, furnished food for twenty
five COWS for two months, and for
thirty-ffve cows and two oxen for one
month. In addition to this he raised
$40 bushels of round turnips, the same
quantity of beets, and $50 bushels of
rutabagas. When dairymen learn to
produce such an amount of fodder from
an acre, a fifty-three acre farm will
carry as many COWS as 200 acres under
the wasteful system of three or four
acres to pasture a COW. If dairymen
would study the best method, support
ing more COWS on their small farms in
stead of buying more land to be spoil
ed by half tilage, they would make an
improvement in the right direction.
Sheltered Manure.
Having been convinced of the in
creased value of manure kept under
shelter, and having adopted this method
OF keeping it, writes a correspondent,
give my experience. Fearing it would
frefang 1 watered it very literally. The
next year l watered less, and the next
year still less, and have not been able to
detect any difference. I came to the
conclusion that except around the sides
of the heap there is no danger of it
being too fry, and there some water
should be applied. make it point to
mix the manure from the horse and COW
stables, and keep the surface even; the
cattle tramp it, lie on it, and it comes
out completely rotted and retaining all
its good qualities. AS it is said the
manure heap is the farmers gold mine,
am trying to act on that theory and
make the manure pile both large and
strong, preferring to spend money fol
bran and other food and pass it through
stock, rather than buy patent ma.
nures.
Pneumonia I'm Sheep.
Pneumonia may be supposed to exist
when the symptoms are, dropping
condition, rapid and labored breathing
watery eyes, and other catarrhal indi-
cations, and when on examination after
death the lungs are found of a dark
color and full of black spots. Treat
ment is very rarely effective, as the
disease has generally progressed too fa1
before it is observed. Two ounces of
Epson salts, with half an ounce of gin
ger, might be given at the first appear
ance of the symptoms, and bleeding
from the ear might be useful, as well as
cool, pure air and careful nursing in a
dry, comfortable pen. Prevention is
the best resource, and this consists in
protection from sudden changes of tenn
perature or cold and damp; good sound
food; pure water we'll ventilated
and not too warm pen or shed, and a
little salt and some linseed cake meal
given frequently and regularly.
Alfalfa In the North.
The Country Gentleman SAYS
There seems to be some uncertainty
yet, just how much frost lucerne viii,
endure. 1t has been reported to live
through the winter on the shore O.
Lake Superior, but in this case snow
covered the ground all winter. A close
observer in the New England State,
thinks it will live there anywhere. i
the ground is not frozen too deeply be
fore the snow covers it. An isolated
case is reported from Chautauqu,
county, N. Y, where alfalfa has en-
dured four winters planted in lawn
under some maple trees, where tn
snow is usually all blown off by tn
winds. 1t was planted then as a curl
ooslty, and was called 'Californi
Glover"
Change of Seed.
The american AgricultuwiSt answer
correspondent by saying With al
other grains than corn q change of see
now and then is considered advisable
Potatoes are especially improved by
change procured from different 10
cality and soil. But corn has not gen
orally been found to deteriorate b,
long planting on the other hand Their
are many farmers who are now plantin
feed produced from the corn thei
fathers planted a generation ago. Rur
ming out of the corn is more likely t
be the result of impoverished soil, an
the best method of improvement woul
probably be a crop of clover upon til
land, to be plowed under, or some othe
substantial fertilizer"
To Keep Potatoes from sprouting.
To prevent the termination of pot.
toes in winter stores, it is recommends
to expose them to the vapor of sulphu.
GUS acid, which is simply the fumes {
burning sulphur. If not entirely effe,
tual in accomplishing the object, it wi
at least retard or modify the sproutin
to such an extent as to render the il
Jury caused thereby very slipht Tb