The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-11-11
FARM. GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
The Army Warm,

operations went aWry, the force OF which
many beginners will realize: "There
is nothing sure in farming but disap-
pointment. Although we have learned
much patience during our eight years of
experiment and frequent failure, and we
have survived the many difficulties which
beset us at the outset, we are constantly
achieving some new surprise, and realiz-
lng that the fund of experimental know
Iege that farm supplies is not easily ex-
hausted. just as we had flattered our
selves that we had gone through the
whole list of agricultural calamities, and
had nothing more to learn, we were
visited one fine day by cloud of army
worms. Judging from the vigor and
the methodical industry with which they
have begun their operations, we shall
probably have occasion to remember
them as long as we live. Almost before
we knew of their coming, five acres of
oats which were in about week to have
been turned into hay (as soon as the
kernel should develop its milk, was al
most black with them, and before we
cold get the moving machine through
the field, and the crop spread out to dry,
nearly every leaf had been eaten, and
only the heads and stalks left. The next
morning another tribe were found at
work at the edge of patch of corn fod-
der. which was to have made us butter
in August and September, and was to
have given us good row of stacks for
forage next winter. Oddly enough
(though perhaps this is the way with the
beast), they had confined their opera
Gions to the first row of corn, which was
rather well grown, but they had reduced
it to bare poles, ragged with the strings
of the leaves, which had been too tough
for their use. Six hours later the next
row had followed, and by the next morn
ing the third was being assailed. We
then adopted the tactics of our neigh
bors, learned during the previous in
roads of this pest, before came here to
live, and cut trench a little way in
from the edge of the sound corn, a good
spade deep, and with steep sides. This
checked their advance. Our neighbors
say that this ditch, if watched, and kept
steep in the sides, will be effectual that
the worms, in attempting to get out of
it, divide their energies between pulling
themselves up and pulling their neigh
bors down, and so keep themselves at
the bottom.
Eot'ttO bugs ana GfhssnOpperss
Mr.. F. D. Curtis, of Saratoga county,
New York, in report to the American
farmers club, said that the potato bug
had ceased to trouble the Western
farmers. The insect had started in the
Rocky mountains and travelled eastward.
They We're now very plentiful in New
Jersey, but he had encountered none of
them i'll his travels through Ohio, Hi
nois, and the country beyond. In their
migrations in the eastern direction they
had reached the Atlantic ocean, and he
thought that there was reason to believe
that Eastern farmers would be soon rid
of them, Speaking of grasshoppers, he
said that they were bred in the North
west and along the Rocky mountains.
That country was well suited to their
production, being dry. They could not
live in wet climate. In his visit to the
West he first met grasshoppers in vast
quantities in Iowa. In the region OF
Omaha he found that they had been
there in the spring. A great portion Of
the corn crop had been eaten there in
the spring by grasshoppers Matched
from the eggs deposited in previous
season. This crop of corn had beer
destroyed so early in the season, how
ever, that the farmers were enabled tc
raise another. In Nebraska one-fifth O.
the crop had been destroyed, but the
crops would be large there this year on
account of the increase of acreage under
cultivation. In Colorado and New
Mexico he found that the grasshoppers
had destroyed the greater part of th'
vegetables, and fifty miles south Of
Cheyenne and north of Greeley the,
We're very plentiful. They visited th'
latter place this spring. The cours
Travelled by the grasshoppers was north
easterly. There was something to b.
thankful for in the fact that there wer
two parasites (worms) which preyeC
upon the grasshoppers and might eventu
ally exterminate them. One of the par
asites grew under the insects wings, anc
rendered it finally so weak and inert tina
it dropped to the ground. The othe
parasite grew in the grasshopper's body
and iu time destroyed it.
Medical Hints.
POPULAR REMEDY FOR SPLITTING O.
BLooD.-Infusion of red roses, fv
ounces and half syrup of poppies
half an ounce; diluted sulphuric acid
twenty drops. Mix. One or two tea
spoonfuls four times day.
SUNBURN AND FREoKLEs.-To remov
these use the following lotion: Mix tw
ounces of rectitied spirits of wine, ad,
two teaspoonfuls of muriatic acid, wit
one pound and half of distilled water
To STRENGTHEN THE HAIR.-Swee
olive oil, three ounces; oil of lavender
one dracnm. Apply morning and even
ing - gnose parts where the hair is thin
in consequence of deficiency of mois
tUre N the skin.
GoUT CORDIAL. senna an
coriander seed, sweet fennel seed an,
cochineal, of each, two ounces; iquoric
root and saffron, of each, one ounce
raisins, two pounds and half rectifie,
spirits of wine, two gallons; digest TO
fourteen days. A dose is one table
spoonful to half an ounce.
A STIMULATING WASH FOR SLUGGIsl
SORES. In half pint of lime water pu
one drachm of calomel and be yer
particular in shaking the mixture u
well before using, as the calomel drop
to the bottom. A teaspoonful of laudl
mum added to the above quantity is a
Improvement. Dip a piece of lint i
this mixture, which put on the sore, an
confne with roller.
SCRATCHES -Trifing as scratches ofte
seem, they ought never to be neglected
but should be covered and protected
and kept clean and dry until they hay
completely healed. If there be the lea'
appearance of inflammation, no tim