The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-08-04
THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY,
Tuesday. August 4. 1874.
FARM AND GARDEN.

L
ant, West Va, last week
A hen, aged 1 years, is one of Ches
ter (Pa County's antiquities.
Rhubarb leaves scattered around will
kill and drive away crickets.
Farmers are like fowls-neither will
get full crops without industry.
The increase in taxable property in
New York last year was $3.50, 100000.
It is estimated that the produc: of but
ter in the United States amounts to 700,-
100000 pounds annually.
The Commissioners of st. Paul Coun.
ty,n Mimi, have appropriated $1,000 for
the relief of the sufferers by the grass
hopper plague.
A Wisconsin man thought mustard
seed was fax seed, and sowed hundreds
of acres. He stands good chance to
reap fright smart crop"
Simply bind chips of wood, four or
five inches long to to the hens legs,
leaving only the hip joints in working
order, and this will cure her of setting
An Iowa paper predicts that in five
years every barrel Of western -four will
be sent east in barrels of paper, made
from the straw the wheat grows on.
Better than farming-Last year the
N,tional Secretary of the Grangers, at
Washington, received nearly $1,000 for
salary aud arrears, besides other perqui.
sites.
The Raprahannock mosquito does not
love the pungent breath of the ailanthus.
A few whiffs will persuade it to lie down
and toot its little life away.-BrooklyR
argus.
Long stapled wool sellsfor more mon
ey than short stapled and fine wool -
The long-wooled sheep yield larger in
come every wau, in wool, lambs and
mutton -Rochester Democrat.
One firm in Adrian, Wis, recently sent
to Chicago 10000 pounds of dried sp
Piles to fill one order, and if she only
dared drink the water of her odorous
river, Chicago would soon be more puffed
up than ever.-St. Louis Journal.
To REVIVE WnTED CUrTINGs.
Hearth and Home says: Mix three or
four drops of spirits of camphor with on
ounce of water, and keep their stems in
this 6uid for half day or more, in
dark place, until they have entirely re-
eoverld.
Calves do not injure an orchard, but
usually improve the fruit by picking up
the wormy fruit as soon as it falls and
thus destroys the insect eggs. Calves
seldom are inclined to guaw bark or to
iniure even small trees; they will some
times rub against the trees, but could do
no damage unless to those newly set
Rochester Democrat.
Sawdust. "thoroughly rotted," is an
excellent mulch around trees. Fresh
sawdust is Objectionable around young
trees, as it forms bed for the growth Of
fungi, which are said upon good author
ity to ipjure the trees. If the sawdust
is considerably decomposed, it might be
abetter use of it to compost it with lime
and use it as fertilizer rather than as
mulch.-Rochester Democrat
Hardy border plants require attention
the moment we can work in the soil
Peonys, Dicentras, his. Phloxes, Chrys-
anthemums, &C., should be dug up and
carefully separated, always bearing in
mind that at least one bud must remain
on each section, otherwise planting will
be labor in vain. Herbaceous plants as
a general rule are benefited by this treat
ment; and at least every two years well
established specimens may be safely sub
jected to it After the plants have made
considerable growth there are many spe-
cies which may be increased by cuttings
Of the young shoots. These should be
allowed to ripen somewhat, then made
into short cuttings, with two leaves at the
top, placed in shallow boxes of sand and
set on hot-bed.
We would call the attention Of farmers
at this time to the valne of sunfowers as
crop, and enumerate some of their val
ues and uses. In the first place the flow
ers abound in honey, and furnish food
for bees. The seeds contain oloaginous
matter, and yield oil at the rate of one
gallon 10 the barrel, which is but little
inferior TO olive OIL One acre will pro
duce so bushels of seeds. 1t is only
valuable for food for horses and poul
try; it has been used for bread by the
American Indians, and also in Portugal.
The leaves are excellent fodder for cat
tie. The stalks while growing may be
utilized as bean poles where they are
scarce and difficult to be obtained, and
when dry may be used as roofng,or set
up against fence to form windbreak
They contain large amount of potash,
and are excellent for fire kindling The
seed has also been recommended for
fuel The reputation of the growing
sunfower to absorb miasmatic vapors,
and preventing fever and ague, is well
known,-Backeye Farmer.