The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-01-22
usEFuL KNOWLEDGE.

says Sumac is largely used In tan
ming the finer kinds of leather, espe-
cially in the manufacture of hard
grained morocco and similar goods. 1t
is also employed as the base of many
colors In calico and delaine printing.
Probably the consumption of this article
throughout the country for all pur-
poses aggregates more than 90, 900 tons,
Of which about two-thirds are imported
from Sicily, not because Just as good
sumac cannot be grown in this country,
but because until few years ago, our
people did not know its value, or in
what way to prepare it for the market.
The sumacs of Virginia, Maryland and
Tennessee IN particular are said to be
the best in the world, and even their
worst articles have been officially pro-
nounced by experts to be better than
any imported from Sicily. Almost
every farmer has a clump of these
bushes. They are called by some
" shoemake; by others, "red shoe
make" Probably many farmers may
have tried to kill them by cutting down.
IL they have, they know how difficult
task it is. It grows like asparagus,
all the better for being cut; and when
once started upon a lot and cut once a
year, it is as easy to cut as fodder. The
only trouble is curing it properly.
This must be done with all the care
that is given TO tobacco or hops. Ex-
posture, after cutting, to a heavy dew,
Injuries it, and a rain storm detract5
materially from it's value. It is cut
when in full leaf, and when properly
dried is ground, leaves and stalks to-
gether. An acre in full bearing will
produce not less than three tons, d
E.. 4,
TO 800 per ton. The manufacturers,
as the curers are called, pay about one
cent q pound for it In a green state. A
sumac- mill costs about So, 600.
WHAT IS MANURE ?-Any thing which,
upon being applied to the soil, causes
it to produce a more abundant crop, is
manure. Manure is of three kinds
natural, mental and mechanical. Nat
ural manure is any thing which, being
decomposed, assists the earth to sup
port plant life. It was natures original
agent in preparing the barren waste,
which our earth formerly was, as a fit
ting abode for man. The progress of
decay and death in the animal and veg
etabIe kingdoms is the only mode of
creating natural manure. The final
destiny of all animal and vegetable life
is to be transformed to natural manure.
This is the beginning as well as the end
ing of all earthly things.
Mental manure is brains-not the
animal composite which we call our
brains, but the active, creative Princi-
pie, which is the guiding power of man,
and which, when applied to the opera
tiOns of farming, produce the third kind
of manure, the mechanical. Mechan-
ical manure is the result of brains ap.
piled to rural affairs. Mechanical
manures are of more real value to the
farmer than either or both of the other
two. Mechanical manures consist of
plOws, harrows cultivators, rollers,
spades. shovels, rakes, etc, id On7nes.
If the farmer hooks on to the mechan-
zeal manures, guides them by a
thorough application of the mental
manure, and stirs up the natural ma
nure, he farms understandingly, he
loosens up the soil, the life giving
atmosphere enters in, heat and moist
ure, in cOntradistinction to cold and
wet, pervade the earth, nature asserts
her prerogative, seeds find themselves
in q cOngenial element, the growing
crop feels the treble impulse. manureg.
and comes to harvest abundantly.
All these nanures are depend
ent upon one another. It is first
necessary to cover the earth with the
natural; then the mental comprehends
the necessities of the case, and applies
itself to the good work, and calling in
the aid of her oldest son, the mechani-
cal, so mRnipulates our mother earth
that smiles spread over her whole face,
finally bursting into laugh of golden
Joy, which rings through all the happy
harvest.
And thus may we three meet again,
Whene'er we SOW our fields to grain"
HARMLESS NETTLEs.-It has been
ascertained by accident that, immedi-
ately after a strong wind, nettles are
comparatively harmless. Some French
laborers, having occasion to work in a
field infested by this noxious weed, on
a day succeeding a severe Wind-stOrm,
found that they could handle the netEles
with impunIty. Their sting had lost
its virrulence. NJ. Naudln, in explain
ing the occurrence, states that q strong
wind stimulates the exhalation of the
poison in the stings of the nettle, and
after time the entire store secreted by
the plant will be completely exhausted.
Such was the case in the instance re-
corded. The truth of the statement is
supported by the fact that, eight DAYS
af er the gale, the nettles had refIled
their sacks of poison, and were as
vicious as ever.
KEEP THE Hoes OUT OF TIE WATER.
"A correspondent of the Colonial
Farmer, whom the editor declares to be
q practical breeder, writes that to han
die hogs to the best advantage a pas
ture is needed of green grass-clover,
blue grass and timothy-and it is best
If there is no running water or stock
ponds in the lot. Hogs do better where
there are no branches or stock ponds TO
wallOw in. In place thereof have we'll
water pumped for them. Have troughs
made and nail strips across, eight inches
apart, to keep the hogs from lying down
IN the water, and let these trOughs be
placed on floors, to keep them from
digging up wallowing- holes. If feed
be given, it should be soaked in swill-
barrels for twelve hours before feeding
no lOnger-and feed to them as drink.
CHICKEN cholera is caused by several
things. Damp, unclean quarters, i'm
pure water, or q scarcity of water, in
digestion, produced from want of
gravel, overlooking or unwhoIesome
food, and too much confinement, will
each and all produce it. The removal
of the cause is the first remedy the
next is to give half a teaspoonful of
castor oil, followed by pill Of CASTLE