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

the poultry and egg department of the
farm was presented in strong light by
the Secretary of New Hampshire Agri-
cultural Society. The revenue from this
branch of farming was said to exceed
that derived from the potato product
of the State. A bushel of corn produced
nine pounds of live poultry. The amount
of the product of a bushel of corn fed to
hens for eggs was nine dozen. The ma
nure from the perch was equivalent to
guano, pound for pound, and would pay
we'll for attendance of hens. The Secre-
tary said this industry would furnish
profitable employment for men too infirm
for field labor, and for woman's active
hands and busy mind. For the egg de.
partment, the nonsitters recommended
were: Leghorns, Houdans and Black
Spanish. Good layers were marked by
single combs. Good layers were found in
other breeds, but their product was small.
The different varieties of hens, by exper-
iment. were found to lay the following
number of eggs yearly: Dunghills, 24O;
Brahmas, 240; Black Spanish, 120 to
100; Leghorns, 200; Hamburgs, 240 /;
Houdans, $50. The Secretary would
feed moist food in the morning and dry
at night. The liability to disease should
be prevented, as it might be in great
degree, by care and attention.
INDIGESTION IN HoRsEs.-M. Petty, a
French veterinary surgeon, draws atten-
ton to the liability of horses and cattle
suffering from indigestion from the con.
sumption of forage in humid or musty
state. 1t is from overlooking this COM
plant is ordinarily produced, or to the
too rapid transition from dry, unlimited
green food. Another very common cause
is the putting of animals to work imme-
diately after their feed. The giving Of
chaff and the refuse of the threshing
machine is also another principal source,
as we'll as excessively cold water, and,
above all, allowing the animal to drink
the water of marshes. A little salt or
handful of meal isexcellent in the drinks.
Old animals ought never to be given too
much food at once, and it should ever be
mixed with little straw. When the
morse shows symptoms of indigestion,
restlessness, suddenly refusing food, rest
ing on one leg, then on another, the head
dropping and seeking the left flank, its
excrements either hard or liquid, ETC.,
an excitant, as three ounces of kitchen
salt or glass of gin in a bottle of water,
will afford relief; or an infusion of chamo-
mile and sage. In case pain exists, two
spOOnfuls of laIdanum will prove excel
lent. OF course, soap injections, friction
and fumigation, are not to be overlooked
Bleeding, in case of grain Indigestion,
becomes mortal.
SHEEP AS ENRICHERs.-H. G. Abbott
writes to the Germantown Telegraph: In
| 1865 had field of ten acres that had
| been moved some ten wears in succession
without particle of dressing put upon
it; the grass had completely died out
and nothing was to be seen but white
weed and yellow weed, or butter cup and
OK eyed daisy. The soil was clay ey
loan canting q little to the south anG
west, was in the smoothest possible con
ditiOn, without stump or stone, anG
bordering upon a stream of water. In
the spring of the same year put upor
this field Of ten acres forty one-year ole
sheep without lambs. These sheep KEEP
everything down as smooth as barr
floor. The next year put on the same
number and kept them on until time tt
come to the barn. They were not taker
from the field at any time during TIT
season, neither did they have any grair
of any kind. but were in splendid con
dition. They were grade Merinos.
In the spring of 1867 l noticed tina
the field looked green the last of Apri
and the first of May, 80 much so that il
consulting with my neighbors was in
duced to keep off from it and let it com
up to grass for the scythe. The field il
the meantime had been sowed over will
light dressing of plaster, about on
bushel to the acre, and small guantit,
of grass seed, timothy and red top
Nothing else has been done to the fell
in any shape up to the present time.
Now for the result. The first yea
after taking the sheep off had the great
est yield of grass that ever had from
any of my fields under other treatment
and of the best quality, mixture O
timothy, red top, white clover and som
grass that cannot name. Hardly hea,
Of white weed was seen on the field.
But what is the most remarkable to m
and my neighbors is, that the field ha
continued to produce bountifully up t.
the present time, which is eight year
since the sheep were taken off; and to
day august 2d) the field is tented thicl
with punches of the very best hay, aver
aging over one ton to the acre. / hav
since sold the field to one of my friends
and asked him if he expected to &c
another crop from the field without dress
ing it again. His reply was, Yes,
expect to get several more yet"
Soil INExHAUsTIBLE.-W read an,
hear good deal about the inexhaustibl
fertility of the soil, that the idea of ex
hausting the fertile prairies of the Yves
is too much like trying to dry the oceal
with a spoon, etc. This doctrine ma,
do very we'll for visionary theorists +
teach, but the actual facts stand out il
too bold relief to justify any such ground
less assumption. The old system of sell
ing everything off the land for othe
people to convert to their own use ha
brought State after State into compare
tive impoverishment, till the evil j
spreading to what was once called eth
West;" fer it appears that Ohio is al
ready going down hill az rapid rate
and other States of the West and South
west are following in the same track
/ What else can be expected of system
which exports everything from which j
made the strongest and most endurin
manures? gs
The soil of Illinois and other Western
States, it is true, is deep and rich, but |
is not all on top or near enough the SUI
face to be available to crops; and W
already hear from the most reliabl
sources that the soil Of Illinois is givin
out most Enthusiastically; and unless tn
system that now prevails is changed
the time is rapidly approaching whe1
the lands in that State will also be oblige'
to succumb to its exhausting effect
1t does not require the mental abilitie
of soothsayer or Of scientist to know
that manure must be applied to main
tain the fertility of any soil; otherwis
continual cropping will soon run it down
despite all the thorough cultivation ant
deep tillage of a thousand theorists