The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-12-23
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD


tl&hb ttllu uhll 1uCutS WIS CuOotu
stead of four feet eight or some other
even number of inchesl Answer. The
first railroads were constructed for coal
traffic, and were tf the same gauge as the
colliery tramways, four feet eight and
half inches, and the latter are 30 old
that no one can now tell why this width
was chosen.
L have quantity of homemade wine,
that has fermented in too warm aplace,
and has consequently become somewhat
acid. How can L correct it without in
jury to its flavor Answer. The free
acid may be neutralized by addition to
the wine Of the proper quantity of BIZ
carbonate of soda.
What will take grease out of sheep
skins after they are tanned with the
wool on9 Answer. Try digesting for a
short time in bisulphide of carbon, and
dry in the air. The sulphide is very
volatile, and in short time will COM
pletely evaporate, leaving no unpleasant
odor behind.
What produces the brilliant coloring
Of the autumn folisges Answer. The
action of organic acids upon the color
ing matter of the leaves.
What will remove grease from tor
toiseshcll hair combl Answer. Try
stepping it in benzine OF chloroform.
Is exhaust steam beneficial or in
furious if allowed to escape under CRATE
bars Sufficient steam to keep the CRATE
bars from burning is good. 1t also in
creases the draft in the furnace.
Please give me o recipe to prevent
cracking of rubber bootsi Answer. The
cracking of the rubber is due to the oxi-
dation of the sulphur which it contains.
As preventive, coat the rubber with
thin covering of varnish made by dis
solving pure gum rubber in hot naphtha
or bisulphide of carbon. n.-Scienhfc
american.
Care nf stock,
President Hoffman spoke to the FL
mira On. Y farmers club upon the care
of stock during the winter. He said We
should ourselves make still further i'm
provement in this direction, and should
repeat again and again the importance
of having stock brought into winter
quarters Wig )rous and strong. Begin to
give extra and better feed now. Cows
especially are apt to receive neglect.
They should not be allowed to wander
over the farm and depend upon what
they can pick up. Liberal feed now
will save feed in the spring. A good
coat OF flesh is all excellent protection
against the cold of winter. Scrimping
stock won't pay at any season, but if it
must be done let it come at some other
season than the present. l learned q
lesson when q boy from an old man who
took care of some calves for us in the
woods all one winter, We constructed
Il cheap hovel for them and supplied
him with fodder. He sought the priv
togo of feeding and caring for them
There were about dozen calves. In
early winter l observed that he carried
e2ch morning about two quarts of corn
meal to his pets, but toward the close OF
winter he no longer took them meal,
but made them rely on hay alone. He
said "That is the very way-make
en- fat in the fall and they'll stay SO all
winter" Momentum eXerts au import
nut influence either up or down. Start III
animal down hill in the fall, and the
winter SHOWS and cold will ice the road
aud make resistance almost impossible
but get the animal strong and fat in the
fall, and, with strong feed, give it an
upward start, and the momentum will
last al winter. 1t really costs but little
more to keep stock good than poor, if ii
Is intelligently done
Farm Notes.
The Indiana Farmer says that
genuine foot and mouth disease has ap
pcared among the herd of Jerseys Of F.
Nj. Churchman. This is an alarming an
nounccmeut, and should receive prompt
attention from the State authorities OF
Indiana. There appears q decrease il
hogs to the number of 642, pa since last
year.
Competent authority estimates that
fully thirty per cent. of the COWS on the
island OF jersey die of milk fever or q
disease closely allied to it-a condition
OF things which, happily, does not OBJ
tain among the same breed of stock il
our 0wa country.
Three years ago two young ladies O.
Oakland, Cal, started bee farm at Lo
Angeles, and this season they have sen
1900 pounds Of honey to market.
II is wonderful how much better al
things go on when little thought il
spent on little things. Little shelterl
made to keep things warm; little gut
ters made to drain away water and keeE
things dry; little boxes to keep thing
near the house and save useless steps
1t is indeed in the care and though
which the husband and father shows fo
just these little things that tells tn,
whole story as to whether he is q grea
man or not.
Keeping Butter.
The american Grocer says it is a la
mentable fact, known to all but the grea
majority OF the dairymen, that few o.
them have the proper facilities for keep
ing butter ut any season of the year, an6
fewer still know how to properly make
and pack it for long keeping. A very
small percentage of the butter thai
reaches the principal markets is strictly
fine; and much of it that is stale and un
marketable would have brought fail
price had it been marketed when new.
This almost inevitable and rapid deteri
oration of butter is a strong argument
against its retention by the producer, il
the hopes of higher figures, when re
munerative ones are at once within his
reach. 1t is better to sell my article
when it is ready for the market and the
market is ready to receive it at paying
prices. Those who act on any Other
principle will, ia the long run, be the
losers.
Apple Jelly.
The following directions for making
apple jelly come from Scotch house
nifa aud will ba fnund aynallant ~, al