Connecticut western news., 1875-10-01
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Death of Vines, Bushes, Etc.

Do2tn oI Vhmeos nuhm0@p EeCs
 A correspondent of the Americo,, Artisan says: The writer has several hundred raspberry bushes of @ choice variety. They generally withstand the winter, but occasionally, after @ very cold season, or when the ground has been less protected by snow than usual, they fail to put forth in the spring, so that 1t is safest to cover them in the fall. Last fall they. were neglected, and last spring they failed to come out. An old gardener who examined them said, "the sap had been all frozen out of them," and this freezing out of the sap he con- sldered as in all cases the cause of the death of vines and shrubs after unusual ly cold winters. The gardeners expla- nation was hardly satisfactory, and the question, " How came the bushes to die ?" became the subject of reflection. A theory suggested itself The frost had been very deep, the spring was un- commonly tardy, the ground for these reasons remaining cold, and the roots remaining torpid much later than usual. Might not, under these conditions, the stalks and buds, exposed to the sun and winds of spring so long before they could get sap from the torpid root, be- OSAAO oO uAlCu Ouu uh4O bI0 StR fOoSoIS SO contracted that the sap could not find it's way up3 If this theory were correct, might not the cause be removed by arti- ficially moistening the stalk in some waya Acting upon this as a plausible or at least possible hypothesis, three bushes were bent down to the ground and covered with moist earth. At the expiration of eight days they were taken up. The buds had put forth their leaves from half an inch to an inch. pale from lack of light, but healthy and vigorous. The stalks were staked up, and the leaves soon got their color. These three bushes have since done we'll. The theory seemed to be corroborated by the ex- pertinent, at least sufficiently to make it worthy of further observation and fur ther investigation.
 If 1t be true the covering of bushes and vines protects them not against the direct action of the cold in winter, but against the drying influence of the sun and winds of spring until the root is fairly warmed into life, it seems quite probable that all the bushes in the lot above mentioned might have been saved like the three upon which the expert ment was tried, by being put down and covered with earth in the spring. This, however, cannot be considered as cer- tain, nor the theory by any means as de- monstrated. But it may be of interest enough to lay before your readers, some of whom may be disposed to consider it, and perhaps to experiment upon it.
 The Food of Swine.
 If there is any one thing in rural prac- tice which needs reforming more than another, itsis the manner of raising and feeding swine. From the time they are large enough to eat they are offered all manner of refuse about the place, such 2 as rank weeds, filthy slops, spoiled vege- tables and meats, dead fowls. etc. They are allowed to rummage the barnyard - and glean the refuse of food in the feces of cattle and horses, on the ground of s economy. But we imagine that the quantity of food saved in this way is very insignifcant-not to exceed the value of 8 bushel of shelled corn 8 year among the whole stock on an ordinary sized farm. The objections to the prac- - tice of keeping swine in this way are so serious, however, that the reasons in favor of it have no force at all. The origin of trichinosis in swine may be aI- , ways traced to the consumption of vile o00oo III bLC1 AOOu, O1 bO UO141A hOllSou and yarded amid filth and foul air We are quite sure that every farmer and every one who feeds and fattens a pig will only need to have their attention called to so important and serious 8 matter to secure a complete reform in the practice of feeding an animal which will take whatever is offered to it and will live in the most filthy holes and yards. ........: '&e On the farm the swine should have clover pasture, and for swill only milk and cornmeal, no dishwater or meat scraps from the table, as these are sure to putrify and poison the mass in the barrel or tank. Pure water with little meal added is preferable. The dish wa ter may go to the compost heap, and the scraps from the table to the poultry, while they are fresh. Spoiled meats should be buried or mixed with com posted materials they should never be given to any domestic animal. Large numbers of swine are frequently con- fined in small quarters, with very little regard to cleanliness or pure air. Of course, some of them will lose appetite, the first sign of the Arrangement of the organs of nutrition and assimilation. They do not thrive, but they are kept along till slaughtering time, and are dressed and packed among the lot. Such animals are extremely liable to be in fested with trichine and other parasites; and those who consume them as food ex- pose themselves to sickness, diseases of lingering nature, and to death in amost horrible form.
 Interests, therefore, as dear as health and life require thorough reform in oA os food be as pure as that which other ami mals consume. Let them be kept in clean quarters and have pure air. Let diseased or unthrifty animals be separ- ated from those in health, and we may have no fears of trichinosis among either swine or human beings.
 How Co Choose Poultry.
 Young, plump and well-fed, but not too fat poultry are the best. The skin should be always finely grained, clear and white, the breast full-feshed and broad, the legs very smooth, the toes pliable and easy to break when bent back; the birds must also be heavy ir proportion to their size. This applies to fowls and to pigs. As regards ducks and geese, their breasts must also be very plump, their feet flexible and yell low; when Shey are red and hard, anC the bills of the same color, the skin full of hairs, and coarse, the birds are old For boiling, white-legged poultry mus be chosen, because when dressed theil appearance is by far more delicate; but dark-legged ones are more juicy and ot better flavor when roasted. The great est precaution ought to be taken to pre- vent poultry getting at all tainted before ;s .aooEaH T1n1oco kho xuaofhar h. very warm it should be kept for day O &.uo ak least and a oraak deal lonna,. i,