Middletown transcript., 1876-05-13
Aaritultaral.

9gritnltural.
Written for the TRANscRIPr BY one of the
most experienced farmers, gardeners and
fruit growers 10 the United States.]
LEARNING FARMING.
When intelligent young men are de-
sirous of learning the business of farm
ing in the most scientific manner, they
are met with the difficulty that no
agricultural institutions exist in this
country, under the management of
sound, practical farmers. Those that
do exist are managed by Professors"
who have had little or no practical ex-
perience in farming; and the conse-
quence is, that their labors generally
consist in making experiments. which
result in nothing Of much value to the
world. Young men who desire to learn
farming must, therefore, 60 somewhere
else than to Agricultural Colleges" to
learn the practical part Of the business
to some intelligent farmer who is
noted for the extent Of bis operations,
and his skill in his business, even if
they work for their board, or pay for
the privilege Of working on such farm
for year or two, after they have ac-
quired knowledge Of agricultural
chemistry to aid them in their vocation
in after life. The writer has very
poor opinion Of the ability Of ''Pro-
fessors Of Scientific Agriculture" to
manage farm successfully, and in nine
cases in ten their theories will fail when
they come to a practical test. The
proof lies in the fact that for thirty
years we have had State and other
Agricultural colleges among US, and
yet they have not demonstrated their
utility to practical farmers in the least
degree.
SHORT HORNS FOR BEEF.
The best beef cattle in the world are
the short horns. This does not admit
of doubt. They require good pas
lures, as they will not thrive on scanty
pastures at all. Where the Devons
would keep in good condition they
would lose flesh rapidly. But with an
abundance Of feed in winter and summer
they make the best beef cattle known.
Cows Of this breed often reach from
], ,50O.to j, 800 lbs live weight, aad sell
to the butcher for $100 to $3.50, A Eve
ysar-old COW lately Killed, on failing to
breed, contained 200 Tbs Of tallow.
PRICE OF POTATOES.
: lao vsason vss singularly favorable
!, epol ~ growing 10 nearly every part
Of The country; and the consequence
was Ehe price went down very low.
This season farmers may be inclined to
plant less seed than last year, but they
will make mistake if they do, as the
probability is that the season will be
less favorable than last year land that the
bugs will be very destructive, which will
put up the price next fall very high.
Don't be deceived, farmers, by the re-
suit last season but plant just as many
potatoes as ever and fight the bugs to
the end. Suppose you lose half Of your
crop by this pest, the other half will
be worth enough more to make up the
loss in quaniityI Obtain your Paris
green before you need it, SO as to be
prepared for the battle. It sold last
season 1 1Ns1I York BY the single pound
at4fon1 ee3 4. ] and It ought to be sold
everywhere at about that price.
TICKS ON SHEEP. [
At shearing time lambs often become
infested with ticks. Dipping the lambs
in a solution of tobacco water will kill
the ticks Take the coarse stems of the
tobacco plant for chespness, steep 10 {
water and immerse the lambs, except
ing their heads. wetting their wool to
the skin. This will speedily kill the
ticks BY having the lambs stand on
an inclined platform connecting With
the tub the tobacco juice can be
squeesed from the wool and used for a
large aocksi l3 .lii Gt5J :
YARDS FOR POULTRY .
A dozen fowl would do very well in |;
yard so feet square, with little grass
plot in one corner, as fowls must have
grass. This space is as small as can be I
used for that number; and if one can
not give as much space he had better
buy his eggs and chickens, ,as fowls can !
not be kept proftably without certain d
area of yard room. A few fowls may s
be put into much smaller yard, and =
will lay Well lerSasfew weeks; but after
awhile,s with the grass all destroyed,
the hens will begin to lay less eggs, G
and viii be- Improbable, OF course, .
a large range is always best. but in a b
village one cannot do as he could on
farm. Don't forget to supply your fowls t
with gravel, old mortar, or ground, or b
pounded oyster shells. as this aids in d
the formation Of eggs.
CLOSE BREEDING.
In breeding stock, moderate in-and- +
10 breeding does not injurs their good .
qualities. as the experience Of hundreds +
Of cattle raisers can prove. A western .
stock grower says: ut is now quite \
certain that the only way to maintain .
. choice breed Of stock is to keep up
the intercourse between them. regard
less Of relationship, so long as there are I
any good qualities worth of preserva-
tion. Any system Of breeding which is
based on any other prineipalis is founded
% error and is sure to fail, as so many
Of our previous attempts at improving
western heads have failed"
CARE OF HORSES.
The following rules for feeding
,orses are taken from London. Eng 4
publication. 1t is we'll occasionally to o
'ead the opinions Of English farmers on o
he subject: ''When horse is worked b
,ard it's food should be chiefly oats if f
lot worked hard its food should chiefly .,