Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-09-09
FARM. GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
QuestisHs and Answers,

Qsestisws and Answers.
Are ashes healthy for sheep3
Yes, and essential, many farmers
think, for breeding ewes. They need a
mild alkali for some time previous to
their lambs being dropped.
Is there not some effective home. made
liniment to use for cuts and bruises
about horsesf
Turpentine and lard make a good aud
simple liniment for the use required.
Are wooden or tin vessels best for the
daryl
Tin is generally preferred for milk.
pals; objection to wooden utensils is,
that 1t Is next to impossible TO keep
them clean; the wood absorbs the milk,
and the fat aud curd liable TO remain in
it soon become rancid, making the YES
sells useless.
When should lambs be weaned
When they are four months old they
can DO weaned; they should DO turned
into good feed, feed that will furnish
them with the necessary amount of
bone, muscle and strength; pint OF
cats and shorts apiece, daily, in addition
TO good grass and hay, until they are
turned out to grass the next spring, will
(says one farmer) make sheep with good
constitutions.
What care do sheep require during tho
summer months
They require but little attention be.
You'd supplying plenty Of good feed aud
salt and seeing that none of them are
diseased or sick. Arrangements should
be made during the summer for their
winter feed; that is, roots, apples and
pumpkins, with well cured hay and
grain, should DO raised.
Is there any treatment that will pre-
vent peach tree from becoming loose
and stragglingi
A peach tree becomes loose aud stray
Cling and fails--in conseq bear
the best of fruit for the simple reason
that after having been planted it is left
to take caro- Of itself A peach tree
should be headed back and the branches
not permitted to grow close to the
ground. Three feet is low enough;
this space admits OF the SIMS rays
reaching the ground near the trees.
They should be headed back as often as
once in two years to give the tree
strength. The winter is the best time,
though heading back is often done in the
spring.
In using buckwheat for orchards, how
much seed is required per acrei
A half bushel is the amount generally
allowed per acre for orchards; if per-
mitted to ripen occasionally, what is &C
cidentally scattered will then furnish
sufficient seeding. Buckwheat is one of
the cheapest modes of keeping large
orchards in good condition; it renders
the soil loose, and does not injure the
growth OF young trees MS clover is liable
to do. Many farmers affirm that when
properly managed buckwheat becomes
an aid as regards codling moth, for many
OF these pests will hide in the plants, and
blowing the ground before the winter
sets in destroys them, as at that season
they cannot thrive when in contact with
fresh earth.
What cure is there for bitter cream'
The cause aud cure for bitter cream is
we'll known among these who handle
much milk. 1t is age that spoils the
cream-long keeping makes it bitter
and unfit for use. At three days it will
begin to change, and by tho fourth often
become spoiled. When there is only
one COW kept it sometimes turns bitter
sooner on account of the small amount
accommodating. When there is white
cream to churn add milk enough to give
sufficient body to churn it, and do not
wait until the bitter taste comes. Wher
there is a large quantity of milk keep it
IN pure air, let cleanliness be observed |
throughout, keep in temperature of
about sixty degrees il possible, and
churn as often as every three days.
Farm Fences.
B. Benjamin, New York, introduced
in the American farmers club the sub
ject of fences, which he thought at the
present timo hardly second to any other
i'll the country, in point of interest. He
hoped that tho day is not far distant
which will see all the devices now used
for dividing lots and farms thrown one
side; but 50 long as farmers will have
fences, make them good. Walls furnish
good fences provided stone is plenty,
and they can be laid upon self-drain-
ing subsoil of gravel. On clay lands
and through meadows, to have salts
factory division, the walls should have
their foundations out Of reach of frost
This calls for an immense deal of labor
and expense. A hedge fence requires
more time, and also, again, moro labor
and expense than most farmers are will
ing to expend. Hence the popularity of
wood fences. Tho honey locust, buck.
thorn, Usage orange and native white
thorn wero recommended by Mr.. Benja-
min ms the best plants for making
hedge for defensive purposes. In re-
spect to the kinds OF TINT r, time for
outing it. etc., he said that the timber
for posts should be cut any time be-
tween tho first of September and the
first of December. After having been
split or sawed, give it at least ono years
before putting in use. Ac-
cording to the respective durability Of
different species of timber, Mr.. Benja.
min named the locust first, gave the
second place TO red cedar, tho third to
we'll seasoned chestnut, and the fourth
to yellow bark and white bark. White
wood, spruce, birch and poplar he re-
jected from the list as unfit Tor posts.
Pine boards were advised for board
fences, as chestnut, oak, hemlock and
ether varieties are liable to warp and
draw the nails. The post and rail sys-
TEN was pronounced the most durable,
substantial aud economical for fences
and for shelter for early spring crops
in fruit gardens, the board fence, when
n fence is required. But for shelter to
fruit gardens nothing excels that pro-
vided by close hedge of growing ever.
green's, either hemlock, arbor vite or
Norway spruce.