The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-12-30
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

ICQuiiC hNC SNo.S -N~
for the ton timothy, five hundred and i
fifty: clover, six hundred and fifty; ,
coarse meadow hay, seven hundred or {
mare. After being stacked thirty days {
the bulk would be decreased from five to |
ten per cent, possibly more, according
to the size of the stack and the pressure
upon it, Again, hay will vary some
what in measurement, according 10 the
time it is cut. If this be done when 1t I
is Just coming into blossom, rs it always
should, it will pack closer and weigh
more per cubic foot than If left till the
seed begins to ripen, and the stalks ana
leaves have grown coarser and become
drier. Good judgment and some cxpe-
rience in measuring and weighing are
required to get at this correctly. A
neighbor of mine informs me that he
once had the curiosity to weigh his tim
othy hay as he put it into the barn in
July. lie sold it about nine months
after, and on reweighing it as it came
out of the barn he found, greatly to his
surprise, that it had shrunk to within a
fraction of twenty-five per cent.
HANDLING BEEs.-To make smoke,
says a correspondent of the Western Az
ricuHurist, we use piece of rotten wood.
1t burns with smoke and without any
flame. To open and visit movable !
frame hive, blow smoke in at the en-
trance Tor few minutes; then open the
hive, blowing smoke again on the bees
If the bees are Italian, no more smoke
will be required. The frames should be
lifted slowly and carefully. No quick
motions should be made around the
hives.
If bees are properly tanned, they can
be taken by the handful and handled
even by the most inc experienced. A bee
can be caught with the hand, when on
the wing, and released without singing.
We have many times opened hives OF
Italian bees, and have taken out the
frames covered with bees, carried one OF
them in the house with the bees and
queen on it, and showed it to company
of ladies. The frame would be passed
from hand to hand, brood in all stages
would be examined, and the frames re-
turned to the hive without single bee
Offering to sting or even fly OIL.
In the olden times of superstition it
was generally believed that bees would
sting those who swore or used improper
language around the hives. This belief
was due to the bees singing away angry
persons sooner than others, simply be-
cause angry, quick people are apt to
make many quick gestures and motions
Therefore quick motions should be
avoided.
If bee tries to sting you, don't fight
it with your hat, nor throw your hat
down trying to drive it away. Stoop
down quietly and keep still till it goes
of. If you get stung do not leave the
stinger in at all, but Immediately rub it
out. Do not pinch it out, for then you
drive all the venom in the wound, but
rub it out of the wound by pressing it
sidewise.
PAINTING FOR FARM-HOUsEs.-Ag gen.
eral use of some kind of paint upon the
uncolored houses and outbuildings in
MANY rural districts would add greatly
to .heir attractions and increase the val
ne of lands in the estimation of purchas
ers. 1t would increase self-respect and
the respect of children for their homes
II would be an evidence of thrift, and
stimulate to other improvements on the
farm, and be a step upwards toward re-
fnement and many comforts rarely to bt
found where houses and outbuildings arr
left neglected. Besides, buildings weal
longer, nails hold better, without decay
ing around them, when kept well painted
There is no excuse on the ground O
cost. If one is able to build new house
of plaued siding, nothing is 30 neat ant
valuable as the application of linseed OF
and lead. which may be colored to sui
the taste. But for rough work much
cheaper and equally durable preparation
may be used, and it is equally good fO
old weather worn houses and Outbuild
ings.
we give a formula, for the excellenc,
of which we can vouch:
One bushel of best stone lime cigh
quarts Of salt; two pounds of rice flour
two pounds of glue three pounds o
burnt lumber.
The lime is Stacked in the brine mad
by dissolving the salt in sufficient no
water to slack the lime and make a past
;. of the consistency Of thick cream.
The rice is ground TO -four and boie'
to soft paste, the glue dissolved in tw
gallons of water, and the burnt umbe
mixed with water, when all il thorough
mixed with the lime until the color
uniform. 1t should be applied quit
warm to hold the glue and rice in eve
solution. The trimmings are colore
D with the same composition, made col
sderably darker by the addition of NOR
lumber. 1t is applied best with larg
paint brush, but white-wash brushes ma
+, be used. 1t goes on very much like o
paint, and will be quite as durable an
hardly distinguishable at a little distanC
from it.
II IL other colors are desired, for wifi
leave out the lumber, for yellow III
chrome, for darker yellow raw sienn
and for yellowish brown, burns umbe
u Lampblack may be used to deepen u
tone for the trimmings for the lumber
desired. Raw sienna or Indian yello
would form a suitable contrast for Il
trimmings for a yellow house. Bur-
sienna for house colored with lndis
yellow.
BY the trimmings of house is unde
stood the cornice, corner strips. blind
n pillars, etc.-everything except the boo
of the house, which should be OF light
:, one than the trimming.
The formula above given will not COZ
in a reasonable market more than a DE-
lar and a half or two dollars, and will
sufficient for large house or ordina
barn thirty by forty feet. 1t makes
excellent paint for yard and farm boa
fences. We used it many years ago
the side of white lead and oil, and
lasted quite as well as the lead, thou
Il changed color more in wet weath'
but the color was restored when dry.
We would like 10 see great impro'
ment in the matter of painting far
houses aud outbuildings In many OF
rural districts, especially in the tow
along our railroads. 1t has very
polling look, noticeable by all strange
r. to see stores, dwelling houses and bar
devoid Of all color except such as I
storms and weather have impaired.
is even shame 10 see il when impro'