The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-05-11
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

L
QUESTIONING THE SoIL.-The Science /
of Chemistry, by its searching analysis,
Ia able to reveal not only the elements
of every soil, but the constituents also OF
all the grains, grasses ana vegetables
If science can disclose with accuracy all
the nutritiye elements that enter into
growing plants, and If it can, at the same
time, indicate the relative quantity OF
each of these elements contained In a
given soil, it should be able, by bringing
together these fundamental facts, TO
simplify the processes of husbandry,, and
render the business more profitable TO
the farmer by insuring greater certainty
and larger results. If the chemist can
tell the owner of the soil just how many
pounds of each kind OF plant food are
contained in square rod, or an acre,
and can also tell him with the same GER
tainty how many pounds or ounces OF
each of these are contained in bushei
of corn, why should not the farmer be
able under teaching SO definite and SO
luminous to supply precisely the amount
of nutriment required by the growing
plant for any given result, 80 as to OBJ
tain one hundred bushels of corn, or even
one hundred and fifty bushels from an
acre, with less trouble and with greater
certainty than he now gets thirty or
forty bushels? In other words, why does
not agriculture become, under these con-
ditions, an exact science?
The answer to this inquiry is very
plain. The chemist who tells the hus-
bandman Just how many pounds of corn
elements are contained in an acre OF SOIL,
does not and can not inform him as to
} the condition of these elements; whether
they are free, active and available, or
absolutely inert; and secondly, the theory
|, which teaches what fertilizers to apply,
and in what amount, for yield of fifty
or one hundred bushels per acre, can not
} determine in advance what proportions
I of these clements will find its way into
the growing grain. There is no certain
way Of getting this knowledge, except by
actual experiment. A direct appeal to
: the testimony of the soil will secure the
!. information that chemistry fails tc inn
9 part.
I SELLING SHEEP PELTs.--George Camp
: bell, an Ohio farmer, gives some practi-
!. cal hints upon the management OF pelts,
! and advises farmers to either shear or
4 pull the wool from them rather than sell
D them for seventy-five cents or dollar.
T He manages in this wise: Before remov-
y ing the pelt from the sheep he shears q
!. Mace where the cut is to be made and
= shears the head. Then if the wool is to
4 be pulled he prepares board three feet
, wide and from three to four feet In
= Length, with one smooth side, and sprea3l
OF tie pelt on the smooth side of the bQr&ft
~ =, fSh side up, and observes the follow
~ diections: Have mixed some liime an
d. watr, about the consistency OF gooa r,c
m. cream. rm,c-mixture such as Is sulta3i
ne for plastering . laying brick VIII az
I'd but YOU must use aittle more OF the la
he teri. Wood ashes a;sked with watt
ed as with lime) will start the wool quicke
'as but it frequently eats into the skin, an
~ makes it so tender that the skin will tes
let in the pulling. Spread thin layer I
he coating of the lime mixture all over tn
lis. aesh side. then fold the flesh sides I
ok gether carefully, and roll up and lay
on q moderately warm place from six
ess twelve hours; she wool will then be read
ID" to null. Their place the board mt an a
aid Gle of say forty-five degrees, unroll Il
ost melt. scrape of the lime, and lay tle'
,ns side upon The, board, holding the neck
zen one hand. and with the other slide
her nush the wool off to whole fleece, whi'
INC can be easily and nicely done in ten mi
Ia utes. Then roll it up, same as il shO
md .,ocj. Put the feeces separately in
ich drv airv place for six or eight days
lin let the moisturc escape that is natural
lty- Istelv shorn wool, a. well rs that absorb
les. fror,'tl,e usk of the lime moisture.
md When a farmer kills an average of Il
i've sheep year, he can by little WORK TX
,lu- this direction save as many doiia
on which in tn use close times is worth
ese effort.
use Rrp pAsrURAGE. - Many inquir
re. COME To us regarding the best honey-p
ella: ducing pIa,}ts to cultivate for bees, til
rS OF of sowing or planting, manner of cul
Afn Walton. etc. We can not answer tn
ali questions except in general way. l.
the ferencas in latitude make correspond
owe difisrencesAih the honey yield of the sa
ces. nlants. Tbe seasons have a cOntrolli
the !nfIuencA upon the secretions of
urL nlants. alsp, and, above all, the rava
,h az Of civijisat;on are making changes in
,ent honey weld, through the rapid decir
!, on tion Of the forests, that make it diffic
the IN decide Upon the wants of the count
,ase. Where the linden, poplar (basswt
Mr.. of the Nopth), and white clover gr'
ting bees venera,lly do we'll. We have 81
,;c tha linden Ind poplar transplanted fir
The ia n..:yu h0ils-heavy and rich--s
vsat cessfully to the higher and poorer 81
'ost- Of the hills and think it advisable to
. ae. courage their growth in all portions
w s.s our beautiful cSnntry.. For not only
the they stand pre-& eminent as honey yield
gate but they are of the utmost value TO
mes whole human race-for manuiactur
nish purposes i'm the case OF the former,
ious grazing in the latter. :,
ana 1t is well known fact that all
,% nn mated nature dep$nds upon the ear
met. yielding her fruits 4nd sweets IN I'll
tiga. appointed season, and in the great
!, to abundance. Hence we find the bee to
n of crease and flourish best where the ca
ina yields the greatest prof1sion OF How
on through the greatest number OF mon
, tre1 in the year. But we can greatly as
The nature in her labor by planting and
ing for such plants as we may not mn
our immediate vicinity, and add mat
|. ally to the profits of our apiary Ht
same time. If little pains Is takel
y y COZ rich harvest can be reasonably hoped
KEEP CHICKENS SCRATCHING.-l
]. ], $50 aSo following from the journal of Horti
g G,SSO ture is very sensible: Shelter affort
o'o3s by doors and posts is almost useless.
1900 goo want the shade of living undergrow
100 beneath which the chickens can CIR
$50, : 49, and rest. Chickens, again, must be
S' aos cupied. Those runs which are onl.
= few yards square, and which are daint
Z s5S swept over every day to make them Il
1886 tidy f0r vlsitors, are useless ior culckt
: Nothing can grow or keep healthy
. .. these smooth, billiard-table-like ri
II ,645 Chickens want to be occupied and m
1850 4. 80 -, TLo r,ns ,,ust no dug
1881 and piles of the loose dirt thrown up
'0,467 law on another and the chickens ,