The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-11-27
FARM AND GARDEN.
MARK YOUR TOOLS

steel and rubbing on the wax, warm
until it flows, and let it cool. When
hard mark your name through the wax
with graver and apply some aquafor-
tbs nitric acid; after few moments
wash off the acid thoroughly with wa
ter, warm the metal enough to melt the
wax, and wipe it off with a soft rag.
The letters will be found etched into
the steel.
HENS TEETH.
Scarce as hens teeth" This is an
old saw. Yet you should see to it that
your fowls are possessed of good teeth.
Not natural ones, exactly, neither arti-
fical ones. but natural artificial ones, in
the shape of gravel stones, with which
thev nv triturate the food in their giz-
zards. Hens teeth comprise no in
cisors, no CANNES, but are all grinders.
The fatish, or scaly gravel is not suit
able, but form approaching the
spherical is to be preferred. IF your
is not gravelly, blocks of
granite or quartz may be reduced to
irregular, angular fragments, which
are excellent. Shells of the quahog or
round clam pounded serve the double
purpose of grinding and affording a
supply of lime for the formation of egg
shells, and on this account are better
than oyster Shells Canada Farmer
FINE AND COARSE HAY.
Producers are sometimes puzzled to
know why city buyers generally ask for
coarse, well-matured hay in preference
to the more tender and in reality more
nutritious kinds. The Lire Stock
Journal thus enlightens them '' City
men feed hay for a different purpose
than the farmer. The farmer feeds it
for its nutriment and as a principal
food, while the city man regards grain
as the cheapest food, and only gives
sufficient hay to make bulk in the stom-
ach, and for the purpose of health.
Coarse, well-matured timothy serves
this purpose better than the early cut
and fine grass. They do not desire such
hay as will tempt the horses to eat too
much of it. Straw would answer this
purpose, if cut and mixed with the
grain, about as well. But farmers
of the city customer, for it enables them
to sell their poorest hay for the best
price, and to retain the best quality for
home consumption.
MULCHING APPLE TREES.
If mulching was not attended to in
the spring the following is good time
W HAVE IL 1AS1s SbIdWSy
and such material could be obtained for
the purpose now, it will be good plan
to cut some swale hay, or trim up the
coarse grass and brakes growing in the
pastures or along the road-sides to be
used as mulch. One of the best or
chardists in Kennebec county informs
us that he has noticed the most excel
fent results from mulching bearing fruit
trees in August, and some of the heavi-
est crops of apples he ever obtained he
to the use of mulching at this
season. If the material used does not
decay sufficiently before winter sets in,
it may be a good plan to throw it away
from the trees a little, that it may not
afford lodgment for the mice, as they
are very liable to injure young trees in
winter by gnawing the bark, and the
mulch, if it is not pretty thoroughly de-
cayed furnishes them just the house
they like. Hence the advantage of
putting on the mulch early IN spring
but it is better to be put on now than not
at all. And, considering its great advan-
tages, it is not little surprising that or
chardists do not practice mulching to
greater extent than they dc. It is the
very best means for promoting the life
and growth of young trees, and the or
chardist who neglects it ought never to
eat of the fruit thereof. Maine
Farmer.
DON'T FEED TOO MUCH CORN.
It is evident that much of the disease
that affects swine in this country comes
from feverish food. While we do not
agree with the theory that heavy corn
feeding produces cholera, and that it is
the chief cause of this troublesome
epidemic, nearly every feeder of hogs
will admit that constant and excessive
corn feeding to hogs is dangerous and
should be avoided. The following from
the Western Farmer is good advice,
and should be followed, as much for
the purpose of preventing disease as for
economy:
The indications are decidedly in favor
of good price for corn during the
summer and next fall and winter. In
view of this, it is especially important
that farmers should take provision to
secure as much growth and flesh for
their stock during the summer as prac-
ticab1e, and to provide food that will
take the place of corn to some extent.
IF there is good field of clover for
the hogs, this will save the corn dur
ing the summer. We wish there was
more attention paid to root growing for
stock feeding. Some farmers have
found peas profitable crop for feeding
from the field, sown either alone OF
with oats. A great growth of pump
kins can be secured and they are well
worth their cost. Corn thickly sown in
drills is not only valuable for cattle, but
for hogs in the early fall.
We would substitute artichokes fol
pumpkins, and plant them in field by
themselves.
TREATMENT OF HORSES.
Mere hard work does not break dowr
horses, unless it is carried to that ex
tent which becomes cruelty, when it de
serves some rebuke. Good feed, with
good care, will sustain ordinary or ex
traordinary horses through the most Sc
we're requirements that ever ought tG
be put upon them. If man abuses
his own strength and endurance it forms
no justification for excessive strain pu
upon his animals. He takes extra bur
dens in the hope of gaining reward
thereby, which becomes his persona
possession and serves him, if he chooses
so to regard it, as compensation for hi
abuse of personal strength. But ther'
is no such hope for the poor patient ami
mails which contribute of their very lif
to aid his desires. A horse at twent,
should be in his prime. any well KEEP
| farm or road team is really much bette
! for all performances during the year
| from twelve to twenty than from fou