Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-09-30
FARM. GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.


questions aud Answers.
What remedy Is there for tree split
tingf
One farmer recommends, whenever q
iorked tree is found, cleaning a small
limb on each fork of its leaves and lat.
eral branches, then bringing them to-
gether and winding them round each
other, from one main branch to the
other. This will cause them to unite in
years time, and is perfect security
from splitting.
Does soil have any influence on eggs
The poultry In and about Amiens are
the most celebrated layers in France;
the reason given by one writer on the
subject is the soil OF that district, which
contains marked quantity OF silica, is
highly favorable for egg laying purposes.
The neighborhood of Boulogne il said
to have this same quality Of soil, and
when fowls are removed from it their
fecundity ceases.
What are the effects OF drainage
The most important effects OF drain
age are the deepening of the soil and the
lengthening of the seasons. Roots OF
plants will not go down into stagnant
water, but take away the water and they
will reach out after the plant food below
the surface. The week or two gained
by drainage is great relief to backward
springs. Drainage also increases the
effect of the application Of manure.
Which produces the best keepers
the seed from onions planted out in the
fall before the rains begin, or onions
raised from seed produced by onions
kept until the first Of March
The keeping quality OF onions, accord
ing to California farmer, depends much
more on the soil in which they are raised
than on the time when the bulbs which
produce the seed are planted. A dry,
sandy loan will produce better onions
for keeping than low, heavy land. Much
also depends on how onions are cured
and treated in the winter. A second
growth allowed after the onion has
ripened will in itself spoil the onion for
long keeping.
Domestic Hints.
To loosen glass stopper, pour around
it a little sweet oil, close to the stopper,
and let it stand in warm place.
To have corned beef juicy after it is
cold, and not as dry as chip, put it into
boiling water when you cook it, and do
not take it out until the water is cold.
Stove polish, when mixed with turpen-
tine instead of water, and applied in the
usual manner, is blacker, more glossy
and enduring than when mixed with any
other liquid.
To remove paint from cotton, silk, or
wooden goods, saturate the spot in
spirits Of turpentine, and let it remain
several hours, then rub it between the
hands. 1t will crumble away, without
injury either to the color or texture of
the article.
To prevent chimneys from cracking,
place them III a kettle of cold water, and
gradually heat it until it boils, then let
it cool. They will not be broken by the
ordinary fuctuation of the flame. Out |
ting them on the convex side with dia-
mond, to allow room for expansion by
heat, will, it is said, prevent them from
cracking.
Any poison which has been swallowed,
Intentionally or by accident, may be rem
dered harmless by swallowing two gills
of sweet oil. An individual with very
strong constitution should take twice
the quantity. The oil nutralizes every
form Of vegetable or mineral poison with
which physicians are acquainted. A
heaping teaspoonful each of common
salt and ground mustard stirred into
half glassful of water is q good anti
dote for poison; this vomits as soon as
it reaches the stomach; but, for fear
some of the poison may still remain,
swallow the whites of one or two raw
eggs, or drink cup OF strong coffee.
scasonnble suxxes,,ons.
Sheep well kept in winter rarely suffer
from ticks.
Feed cattle given to gnawing boards
and rotor wood as many corn cobs as
they will eat. Feed them from the
hand, repeating this whenever they re-
turn to the habit.
Gather few barrels of road dust be-
fore the fall rains set in to dust cattle
and fowls with during the winter to rid
them of vermin. Road dust is also an
excellent disinfectant.
Black walnuts intended for planting
should be gathered at the usual time in
the fall, and covered with few inches
OF soil during the wintea. This cover
ing prevents their freezing and thaw-
ing. When the ground is ready for
working in the spring the nuts may be
planted. Care should be taken not to
injure those that have sprouted. Do
not plant near other trees, and place
them where they are to remain, as it is
n difficult matter to transplant walnut
tree. Plant the nuts two or three inches
deep.
Watermelon vinegar aud Syrup.
Both vinegar and syrup can be manu-
featured from the watermelon. About
ten years ago, while Oh sheep ranch
one hundred and sixty five miles back
from Los Angeles, Gal. from whence we
received our supplies, took forty
gallon oaken cask and filed it with lipe,
or nearly ripe, watermelons, all being
bruised to pulp or into quite small
fragments with a wooden FOUNDER, as
they were thrown in. Then the head
was replaced, and every day we changed
ends, one resting on the ground. In a
little time the rinds of the melons chang
ed to pulp, and the whole mass was
formed into a pleasant but not strong
vinegar. But by the addition of few
quarts of moiasses, we drew out OCCASION
ally from the larger cask into smaller
one, supplied with the plant. or "m 9TH
err" all OF which made very fine vinegar.
Since then, gardeners manufacture all
the syrup they need from the melon,
tho uice of which is reduced by evapo-
ration according to the usual simple
process Of the sugar maple syrup in this
country, and is about the consistency of
ordinary syrup, coarse in grain, but rich,
and Of fruity flavor, very pleasant to
the taste. Some prefer it to any other
for domestic purposes. There is no
great expense attached to its reduction.
In these times of rest it may stimulate
others tn a vvnrtbv tr;ol