The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-31
FIELD AND HOME.


johnson, of Illinois, translates the fol-
lowing from French Encyclopedia of
Agriculture: For long time there has
played by the earths in agriculture. For
a long time it has been considered as an
| inexhaustible source of agricultural pro-
| does not stop short for want of manur-
ing, as the steam engine does for want of
fuel. 1t continues to produce, but the
crop returns become so small that they
cease to pay the expenses of production.
| The impoverishment and exhaustion of
the soil is the consumption OF nations.
The countries lying along the shores
of the Mediterranean offer a striking
illustration of the truth OF the PROPOSE
| ton. The countries. the home OF early
civilization, and formerly densely popu-
lated and covered by Opulent cities, are
ali more or less shorn of their ancient
spendor. If political revolutions; if
bad governments; if the invasion of
Islamism, were the only and true causes,
how explain the generality of the facts?
How explain, then, in the case of Sicily, |
Spain, Provence and Lower Languedoc?
| How, above ALL explain the sole excep-
ton presented by one of these countries,
which, in spite of successive revolutions
and brutal despotism, las continued
rich and populous, to be the granary of
part of Europe. / refer to Egypt.
1t is strange but probable fact that
to Egypt is due that sterilization of the
countries above named, and others, which
she herself has escaped. In her position
and character as the most advanced ma
ton of that part of the globe, Egypt, in
colonizing large portion of the Medi-
terranean coutries, carried thither her
arts, her customs, and, above all, her ag-
riculture, in appearance so advanced for
that epoch. But the agriculture of
Egypt made no account of farm animals,
over and above the few needed for labor.
Though bounded by narrow zone and
swarming with inhabitants, she paid no
attention to the production of manures,
or to fertilizing the soil. And for what
reason did she neglect these important
things in agriculture? Had she not her
Nile, whose periodical foundations were
an inexhaustible source of fertilizing ele-
ments? The agriculture of Egypt, then,
consisted in taking everything possible
from the soil sand returning nothing.
This is the principle which she intro
duced with her colonies, upon both
shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and
, which has prevailed over the whole south
of Europe; this is the principle, | re-
/ peat, to which is due the general decay
: of these countries, once SO prosperous
3 of those ancient granaries of Rome, when
: the earth returned from one hundred to
one hundred and fifty and two hundred
!. for one, but where to-day, with the best
3 practice, she gives no more than five,
A four and even three; decrease of crop
y yield from one hundred to four Behold
!. the solution of the riddle, and the ex-
:; PLANTATION of the slow but irresistible de-
= scending movement which has placed the
. ancient center of civilization and of
$ riches at level so low?
!. JERSEY CATTLE.-The London Agri-
a culture Gazette strikes the following
). hard blows at those who value color as a
Q mark of pure blood.
i If the value of Jersey stock is to rest
= on color, deterioration will surely follow
of those useful qualities that are far
n more noticeable in the good old fashioned
o parti. colored cow than that which will
= be found among the generality of fine,
i high-bred, whole colored fawns, grays, or
s foxy, so-called, Jerseys. / have owned
/. hundreds of acclimated Jersey stock, and
y have never, as rule, found the whole
a colored such large producers as many
I, parti-colored ones; in fact, by far the
), most butter-producing cow ever Pos
a sessed was not only parti-colOred, but lie
/. most ugly and ungainly beast of the LIT,
e yet her stock have never failed to show
r their large butter-making qualities The
n true type of a Jersey COW is, in fact, an
n animal that will not make meat. l do
u not say that this is not improved upon
d by acclimatization and a slight introduc.
II ton of harder breed, OF which are
If termed Chichester Jersey are the best
h description, neither do / say that Jersey
d breeders on the island itself have not in
y some instances breed that shows dis
i position to make some flesh, and very
>. probably may then be following up the
e requirements of fashion, yet maintain
e that pure Jersey should throw the bulk
IL of her feeding properties into butter,
e and with little to flesh. The parti.
y colored good COW may have but white
d spot, especially under the belly, but
throughout the body the rich yellow skin,
under any colored hair, will be found
black, white, or fawn. l have seen the
J. commencement of a whole-colored herd
:. the property of noble duke, to obtain
h, which have seen wealthy and large pro.
II ducing cows sold off to prevent an
animal remaining with the slightest stain
of other than one color.
II LIQUID EXCREMENT-How strangely
o we overlook the value of the liquid ex
u crement of our animals! A COW, under
= ordinary feeding, furnishes in a year
e twenty thousands pounds OF solid excre.
o ment, and about eight thousand pounds
Of liquid. The comparative money value
II of the two is but slightly in favor of the
n solid. This statement has been verified
y as truth, over and over again. The urine
g of herbivorous animals holds nearly all
y the secretions of the body which are
e capable of producing the rich nitroge-
nous compounds 80 essential as the fore
II ing or leafforming agents in the growth
: of plants. The solid hold the pbosphoric
i acid, the lime, and magnesia, which go
e to the seeds principally, but the liquid,
1 holding nitrogen, potash and coda, is
D needed in forming the stalk and leaves.
The two forms of plant nutriment should
: never be separated or allowed to be
!, wasted by neglect. The farmer who
: saves all the urine of his animals doubles
his manurial resources every year. Good
D seasoned peat is of an immense service
: to farmers, when used as an absorbent,
and the stalls for animals should 60 con-
. structed as to admit of wide passage
3 in the rear, with generous passage room
for peat, to be used daily with the ex-
! crement.
Home Hints.
DRINK FOR THE SICK.-Two teaspoon
fuls arrowroot in quart pitcher, with
little cold water; three tablespoonfuls
white sugar, the juice of one lemon, and
part of the rind; stir all quickly while
pouring boiling water until the pitcher