The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-02-11
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

Sop FENCEs.-In England and Ire
land they have the "sod fence" i have
seen IL in this country occasionally, but
/ think il our farmers knew its practical
merits we would zee il oftener. Only
dig two bitches four feet apart, three feet
wide, and two feet deep; throw the dirt
from the bitches on the space between
beat il down till il has some hardness,
and give it enough slant to prevent "cav-
ing" and you have fence for lifetime.
In most cases here we need no turf or
"win-bushes" as they do, for in year
the bank will be covered by luxuriant
growth OF. blackberry bushes, answering
every purpose. Even where timber is
plenty Wa can make this fence cheaper
than almost any other.
The ENGLISH WALNUT.-Some twenty
two years ago we planted in our stable
yard, now part of the garden, an
English walnut tree, at the request OF
valued friend, who died two years after.
He said In dozen years it would begin
to bear fruit, and thereafter afford suffi.
Gent fer family; that his father had
many years before planted three such
trees in spots Of ground that were useless
for cultivation, and they yielded large
supply. We followed his advice and
planted this tree, which has for several
years given US fair supply of fruit, but
the present season we have gathered over
one bushel, it never having yielded more
than a peck. There are now number
of these trees In this neighbOrhOOd, COM
ing into bearing, showing that they do
very well here but this is about the
farthest point north that they will stand
the severity of our winters. Some eight
feet of the top of the tree upon our prem
Uses was killed in the severe winter six or
seven years ago.-Gymaato,c Telegraph.
PAINTING SINGLE ROOFS. - The
Country Gentleman has the following on
the subject: Our own experience is
against the use of either coal-tar or paint.
The black surface made by applying the
tar causes the roof to become hot in the
suns rays, and the shingles to warp and
crack; the wood becomes water soaked
beneath the tar when it rains, and the tar
prevents speedy drying. The conse-
quence has been that tarred roofs are
destroyed in a comparatively few years,
while the rain water has a copious black
sediment. Painting roofs produces a
similar result, but in much less degree.
uNless the shingles are thoroughly
painted on both sides, and arc kept thus
painted, which is almost impracticable.
Some years ago we took up a roof laid
about twenty-five years before with good
shaved pine shingles, painted before lay
ing with good redochrc paint in oil.
Every single when removed was com
pletely rottOn. The paint had held the
ha,n nd N
harm than good. A roof is so much ex.
posed to the direct rays of the sun and
to the rain, that it is nearly impossible
to prevent the cracking of the paint and
the entrance of the water; and when
this process once begins decay goes or
rapidly. Wen-laid pine shingles have
lasted forty years and more when no
painted.
HoRsE-CLIPPING.-Sa the circus
proprietor was the first to clip horses il
this country, in 1874. There was Oppo
sition to the practice at first, but expe
rience proved that clipped horses escaped
many maladies to which the animal i
subject, such, for example, rs the cold
that are taken from the congealing o
perspiratiOn under thick coat of hair
The clipped horse does not perspire, s.
freely as the animal whose hair is suffered
to grow he is therefore less likely t
catch cold after heating drive in
freezing atmosphere. Moreover, tn
clipped horses skin is more easil
kept clean. This is the time of clippin
for the winter, and at many establish
ments in this city the work is done wit
machines under the pressure of extensiv
patronage. A knife is made tn revolv
over comb, cutting of the hair event
as it projects above the teeth. Thus RI
pidity and evenness of clipping are 81
cured, and there is no danger of cuttin
the skin. A horse can be clipped in thi
way with one machine in two or thre
hours, but several machines may be OF
epated at once on the same animal, thu
greatly expediting the operation. TIL
price varies from six dollars to eight do
lars, and the operation is usually repea
ed later in the season. Horses used
running races are not often clipped, b
cause they are not used in winter, al
because their fine coats are not benefite
by the shortening of the hair.
The custom of clipping is believed
have originated in Wales, where rougl
coated ponies are in use. Thence
spread to England and other countrie
The extent to which it is followed in tn
country was shown on the boulevar,
yesterday, where unclipped horses we
exceptions among the hundreds tn
dashed over the snow.-NeW York San.
INVENTIONS NEEDED.-The An,erict
Artisan calls the attention Of invento
to the following needful agricultural II
plements: A ditching machine that wi
cut narrow ditch for the reception
drain-tile; an apparatus to be drawn |
horse power and capable of laying Il
tiles in the ditch when formed; a mo
pillow which shall make a subterranes
drain that will not choke up in year
two; an efficient potato harvester
though scores of machines designed +
this purpose have been devised, mol
actually comes up to the needs of u
grower, and the laborious, dirty and di
agreeable work of potato harvesting
still universally done by hand a stOn
gathering machine capable of clearing
field of stone and piling the same in wi
rows, fitting the field for easy mowiI
with a machine; sowing apparat
that will SOW peas and beans as effect
ally 40 thC COhihiOh Bihiho aiS oo"Su,
he it known that these round or near
round seeds persistently refuse to be co
cred by the action of the harrow, al
roll to the surface as fast as the tee
stir the soil about them a small m
chine, it must not be large or costly,
pulling fax; a small, pOwer-accum
lating windmill, not to exceed in cost
user more than fifteen or twenty dolla
for churning and similar purposes;
automatic sheafbinder for harvesters
device already experimental with
many ways, and projected for using vii
twine and straw in its operation, b
nevertheless not yet thing asco
plished.
Several important machines are Il
out of this list, among which may
named a corn-husker, a sheep.shearer
cow-milker. and in the house n GO