The Lake County star., 1876-06-01
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
SwELLED LEGs.-Swelled legs are
more often due to debility than any
other cause, and in some cases this ten
dency may be, and is, traced to damaged |
food, want of exercise, irregular work, |
etc. These swellings are of a dropsical
nature, and they are generally met with |
in the hind limbs. The watery fluid
collects in these limbs mainly on account
of their dependent position, and, per-
haps, in some degree, from the parts
being the most remote from the center of
circulation. AS debility, partial or
general, is the cause, the treatment
should consist in the use of tOnics,
generous diet, regular exercise, frequent
hand-rubbing of the legs, and bandaging.
Flannel forms the best bandage, when
properly applied, to improve the general
system, and, with it, the legs. We know
of no tonic equal to arsenic, which may
be given in solution, and with the food.
One ounce of liquid arsenicalis should
be poured over boiled oats and scalded
bran every night, and continued for
three weeks or month.
INADEQUATE INCREASE OF FARM
ANIMALs.-The numbers of farm ami
mails are not keeping pace with the ad-
vance of the country in population.
Horses appear to have made the greatest
increase, amounting to about three
per cent; cows are more numerous by
one or two per cent, while other descrip-
tions of cattle have not increased. Sheep
are found in larger numbers only in the
more western States, the aggregate being
little larger than that of last year. Swine
appear to have decreased about eight per
cent. This may be correct, as no stock
of the farm is so subject to rapid
fluctuations in numbers, very few being
kept more than two years, and quite a
large and increasing proportion of pigs
being killed before year old. The
States showing the largest increase in
cattle are Nebraska, Oregon, Minnesota,
Louisiana and Iowa, no others having
more than three per cent. advance.
Minnesota, California, Oregon and Ar.
kansas have the largest percentage of
milch COWS. Nebraska shows the largest
proportion of horses, in comparison with
last years record, followed by Oregon,
Texas, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, West
Virginia and North Carolina. The
largest increase in sheep is in Kansas,
Nebraska, Florida, Texas, Minnesota
and Oregon.
RICH REWARD OF AN EXPERIMENT IN
DRAINXGE.-The following paragraph
from the Live Stock Journal ought to be
an inspiration to farmers everywhere:
John johnson, of Geneva New York,
came to this country with little more
than means to plant him Oh his American
farm. He saw the needs of his soil, and
commenced draining off its surplus water,
and the jeers of his neighbors at his
folly were soon turned to astonishment
at the crops he produced. They saw
him reap wheat crop double the aver
age of the State, raise cattle and feed
sheep at a profit, while others reported
only loss. He proceeded, with the calm
confidence of knowledge to tile drain his
three hundred acres at an expense much
greater than he paid for his farm; but
for some years, in relief of his old age, he
has been able to rent portions of it at
twenty-five dollars per acre. He had
faith in his business.
ROTATION AT THE STATE AGRICUL-
TURAL COLLEGE.-The rotation of crops
at the Agricultural College is six
course system, and has been in practice
there for many years. DIR. Miles, who
first adopted it there, only recommended
il for the college farm, saying it was
adapted to the labor, it being mostly
done by the students. Inc course of
cropping is as follows Sod ground is
turned over and planted to corn, the
second season sOwn to roots, and these are
followed by oats. Immediately after the
oat harvest the ground is plOwed, sOwn
to wheat and seeded to clover, which is
moved the first year, pastured the
second, and this finishes the course. The
manure is applied for the corn in as
large quantities as possible.
Mr.. Ingersol, foreman of the college
farm, in commenting upon this rotation
before the Alumnus Club the other even
ing, said he thought the roots, although
they were raised very cheaply, were
quite costly feed in the end, because il
took SO much more help to prepare them
for cattle food, and again that the stock
did not thrive as well when fed so ex.
clusively upon roots as when roots were
employed as minor portion of the food
He believed roots were very exhaustive
upon soil, and would suggest as an
amendment to the rotation that the root
crop should be only one-third as large
and the other two-thirds of the field put
into equal areas of potatoes and beans
These are full as good crops to clean the
ground and leave it in fine condition fol
a grain crop.
How TO MAKE PAsTRY.-A man cook
writing in the New York Times, in
answer to an inquiry as to how to make
pastry, sends the following full direc
lions:
Success in making pastry depends on
several things, which l will name in theil
order. The right sort of -four, good
shortening, proper baking. The best re-
cipe will fail without these essentials
Pastry flour is the finest and lightest
known to the trade. Good pastry can
not be made with ordinary cheap -four
such as is put in bags. The shortening
should in all cases be only pure leaf LARD
and sweet butter. Grease from pork
beef drippings, etc., is only CHEAP
pevice to cheat the stomach. Since the
shortening is to be eaten, it is only com
mon sense to get the best. The heat re
quired is about 2400, or just SO the hand
can be held in about minute. The
process is as follows: To pint of -four
measured, take half pint of shortening
lard and butter, in equal parts, turn the
-four on a board, put the shortening in
the middle and chop it up with knife
till it is about. the size ofwalnuts; put
all back in bowl or small pan. and put
just water, ice cold, enough to make a
stiff dough--as little water as you eau
use. Put another cupful of -four on the
pastry board, turn the paste into it, -four
the rolling. pin, and roll it out fiat, al
ways on the Toured beard turn all the
corners over toward the center, like an
envelope, and roll again; repeat this