davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

BREAKING UP SETTING HENs.-I can see
no necessity OF trying the many harsh expedi.
ents recommended to break them up. God
has given them the instinct, and why should
they be abused for carrying out the design
of their Creator2 Why should they be
pulled from the nest with such rough hands
and flung upon the floor, with force enough
to stun the poor innocent thing every night for
a week or more? Why should they be dOuscd
in water tied by the leg starved; kicked
and knocked about, for acting out the nature
given them2 If hen sets, remove her
very gently from the nest and place her and
all others taken the same way, in yard by
themselves. At night, or when 1t rains, let
them 90 into the pen kept for their benefit
but have nothing there but the roost. After
they have been thus confined few days
with plenty of good food and pure water
they may be ready to 60 to laying again
Let them all out aud they will 60 into theil
own pens, and if done wishing to set, they
will 90 to roost but if still materially III
clincd, will 60 into the nest boxes. Go ou
after dark and remove them again, and 81
on. The hen house should always be entered
very quietly. You cannot work too still
The timid birds will soon learn to remail
quiet when approached, and the bold one
will crowd around you aud really seem glaC
of your company, and if you talk to them il
low soothing tones, they learn to enjoy it.
We never buy wheat screenings, but con
slider wheat the best egg producing fooc
We are raising but few chicks this year, a
it is great deal Of work to get them earl
enough, to make them pays. b. Sa'cye
IN Country Gentleman,
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

A New CULTURE FoR AsPARAGUs.-Th
horticultural observations and experience
you 80 wisely invite, have worth Just in pro.
portion as they come tested and sifted from
mere notions and whims. What others tell
us they have tried or seen, gains value only
through like ordeal. No one matter with
which the human family has to do is fuller
Of humbugs told as truths than horticulture
l, therefore, sift well all new ways, put out
as betters of the old. Under this rule, ask
ing for what am about to tell, only the
trust deserved by well weighed words, l re.
late new mode Of asparagus culture, told
me by the venerable Elias Fairchild, whom
all here know to be truthful and exact.
Just over our New York boundary, hotel
keeper, who was also q garden-lover, plan
ted on good, level soil an asparagus bed Of
some twelve by twenty feet. When its
growth became strong, he, year by year, GOV.
cred it with two or three inches Of good rich
mold Up through this shot the stalks
and crept the roots. The method was fol.
lowed up every season, with the result Of
larger growth and product, till the bed be.
came an oblong mound of some two or three
feet in height, and perfect wonder in the
quality of asparagus furnished for the table
That yearly blanket of soil was, my friend
thinks, the only culture or enrichment given
The bed was never dug with fork or spade
Cor Canada Farmer,
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07
Superphosphate on Turnips.

Having lately come into possession says
a writer in tho Colonial Farmer, had no
barn.yard manure for any crop with the
exception of small quantity for my pota-
toes, and had concluded to put in the tur-
nips with no manure. However, a neigh
boring farmer, well.known in this locality
as good and successful farmer, happened
to call about the time l was preparing the
ground, and strongly advised me to use
some superpAosphate. l was rather incred-
uous as to the result, but l concluded to
follow his advice, and for the sake of max
ing fair comparison as to the effects of
this artificial manure, left six ridges with
out any, and distributed the superphosphate
upon the remaining fifty, then at the rate
of l2I lbs. per ridge, at a cost of 81 cents
per ridge, and total cost Of Sl3.55.-with-
out counting the labor of applying it, which
was about two-thirds Of a days work for
one man.
When l commenced pulling the turnips
had every bushel measured with care, and
the following is the result The six ridges
without the superphosphate yielded p bush
els the six ridges alongside with superphos
phate yielded &c bushels difference in favor
of the manure 40 bushels. And by calcu.
lating the cost Of the superphosphate on the
manured ridges, find that the extra 40
bushels only cost me three and four.flths Of
cent per bushel. Thus you will see,
obtained nearly three times as many from
the use of the manure, and the same ratio
was maintained over the whole field. The
total yield was 620 bushels. If l had ap
piled the manure to the first six ridges,
would have had about 80 bushels MORE. anC
taking these ridges as standard, and sup
posing had not manured any part, | would
have had Just 220 bushels from the acre
| might also add that only about a fourtt
part of the 27 bushels off the unmanuret
ridges were salabe turnips, while of the
593 obtained from the manured part, not II
bushels were small or otherwise poor. Th'
soil is a sandy loan on slight elevation
in fine condition, and was planted in pota
toes the previous season. The superphos
phate was that called Cumberland Super
phosphate" and was procured from Jardin
| x Co., st. John.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

Do BEES GATHER HONEY OR MAKE IT p
Professor Riley, the celebrated American
entomologist, at recent beekeepers conven-
tion at st. Louis, stated that bees do not
extract honey ready-made from flowers, but
make it. The nectar lying in the flowers,
says the professor, could never be manu-
factured into honey, no matter how manip-
ulated by the hands and minds of men; but
it is taken up by the bees and passed through
a state of semi-digestion and excretion, re-
sulting in honey, yet still retaining in part
the flavor or perfume of the flowers from
which the nectar has been extracted. by
which we determine one kind of honey from
another. This view has since been corrob-
GRATED by chemist and botanist of Louis.
lana, who has fully described the changes
undergone by nectar in its elaboration into
honey in the bees stomach. At the same
meeting Prof Riley intimated, in reply to
the query Do bees injure fruit that they
do, but only in seasons of severe drought,
and when urged by necessity. The fact
however, is no derogation to the usefulness
of the insect, for its utility as a pollenizel
more than counter-balances all its depreda
tions upon fruit.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

this mode, an acre yielding in favorable cir
cumstances 120 bushels Of shelled corn, and
Of such uniform quality that ten bushels OF
ears yielded six bushels Of merchantable corn.
Mr. Salmon Dutton Of Vermont also did
for that State what Mr.. Baden did for Mary
land. BY similar process he introduced
the famous Dutton corn, which ripeus in that
cold northern State from the last week in
August to the second week in September, and
yields 80 bountifully that Vermont, according
to the United States census, has the credit
OF producing on the average, more corn to
the acre than any other State in the Union.
Notwithstanding these facts, which could
be multiplied indefinitely, and in direct con-
tradiction to the best cultivators there arc
still many farmers who select their seed corn
from the crib, picking out good-looking ears
generally, but with no regard to pedigree.
Most Of these same men would scorn the idea
of raising stock from animals which were SIM
ply good-looking, but had no claim to being
thoroughbred. Pedigree, however, tells Just
as certainly in Baden and Dutton corn, as in
Durham cattle or Leicester sheep.
Good seed is not the only requisite for q
good crop Of corn. The luxuriant growth man
iiest in a field of corn cannot be produced
without good food and plenty of it. Two
tons of dried cornstalks and three tons Of
sheled corn are often obtained from one acre,
and such big something cannot be had for
nothing. Corn is no light substance, that can
be generated like soap bubble, from air.
Much Of the organic part may come from the
atmosphere, but the inorganic matter must
come from the soil, and Gould estimates the
amount ofthis inorganic material taken from
nn acre Of an average crop of corn at nearly
900 pounds, consisting principally Of phOs
phoric, sulphuric and silcic acids, and pot
ash, lime, magnesia, soda and chlorine
The soil must be rich which can stand such
an annual drain still, some of our Western
bottom lands have yielded large crops Of corI
for one-half century, with little or no ar
tifcial manuring.-Aler. Hyde IN Ne'
York Times.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07
Feed for Pigs,

A. b. Allen in his premium essay on
Berkshire Swine, in speaking of the treat
ment and food for young pigs says;
The best food | have found for pigs for
few weeks after weaving, is as much cows
milk or whey as they will drink. Into this
stir more or less, as required, Of finely
ground provender slightly salted, composed
Of six parts of oats, two of corn and one OF
fax seed. If the latter is not at hand, sub
stitute oil or cotton seed meal. If milk or
whey are not to be had, use pure, fresh
water. Ii all could be cooked, so much the
better.
When more convenient or economical
other food may be substituted for the above
such as pea, bean OF barley meal, and un-
bolted wheat, rye or buckwheat flour
Shorts and bran l have found are apt t;
scour them at this time, especially if un
cooked The same remark will apply t
vegetables, apples, and other fruit, which
fed at all, should be first steamed or boiled
and then mixed with meal. Brewers grain
and malt combs arc recommended, bnt neve
having tried them for very young pigs,
cannot speak of their suitableness from m!
own experience. They are good for olde
animals.
Other kinds of food assist in producing
rapid growth Of the pig, as ofal from hot'
tables, fisheries, slaughter houses, ETC., bu
as few can avail themselves Of these, l spea
more particularly of such as is produced o
the farm. Being an omniverous animal,
does not matter so much as to tho kind {
food given, except when put up for iAttenin
then it must be grain or meal Of SON
sort entirely-provided it keeps the pig in
healthy, thriving condition. Care must
had during growth to neither stuff or scrim
both being alike injurious.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

FIRE AND WATER PROoF CEMENT.-A
correspondent Of the Canada Farmer says a
cement that resists fire aud water may be
made as follows; Take ] pint of milk, mix
with it an equal quantity of vinegar, so as to
ooagulate the milk separate the curds from
the whey, and mix the latter with the whites
of 4 or eggs well beaten up. The mixture
of these two being complete, add to them
quick lime, which has been passed through
a sieve make the whole into a thick paste.
to the consistence of putty when used. This
cement has been used to close the fssure Of
an iron cauldron for the boiling Of pitch, and
which has been in use for five years, without
requiring further repairs.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07
Injurious Effects Of Overlooking and
Close Breeding.

The breeders in England Of improved
stock already see, what we shall realize ere
long, that the refinement Of breeding and the
forcing of stock has been carried quite too
far. The Saturday Review has the following
Just comments on the subject.
Doubts begin to be expressed pretty freely
ia England as to whether high breeding
has not already been cultivated to excess.
1t appears to be admitted by all-hands that
Shorthorn cattle, for instance, have decreased
in size, while it seems also certain that the
fecundty of these highly.bred animals is not
10 great as it was for it is said that certain
tribes have become celebrated for the barren
ness of their females, while at the same time
q delicacy of constitution has been developed
which units them for "roughiug it," and re-
duires luxurious arrangements to preserve
them in health. As in our race horses we
have, according to some authorities, sacri-
feed stoutuess of constitution and capacity
of endurance over long courses for the sake
of obtaining high speed over short distance
so in our cattle the desire for fneness OF bone
aud rapid development of meat has brought
into fashion animals which have lost may oil
the valuable properties Of their ancestors
Such breeds cannot exist when subjected tC
the rough weather which prevails on the ex
pesed hilsides and moors which are so valu
able as breeding grounds and nurseries io
stock and perhaps it is for this reason tina
Ireland, which is prolific in cattle raising
without shelter, fails to send us anything
which eau obtain place in our exhibitions
No doubt ireland possesses first-class cattle
but these are bred, sheltered and fed unde
tho same conditions as those to be seen a
Islington. And the consumers have some
thing to say also in the matter, as there
beef and beef They prefer, and justly pre-
fer, the meat of the Devon o
the Scot, whose young days are spent in crop
ping the scanty herbage Of the moor
mountain, because the meat has more havo
than that Of the rapidly forced stall.fed OF
which has been crammed with corn and lin
seed cake from its calfhood. So that eve
if it be true, as the breeders of the delicat
animals contend, that their meet can be pre-
duced more economically, because more raj
idly than those of other races, let them n
member that in losing stamina they restrl'
the area upon which the best can be reare'
and that We want flavor in our meat even
we have to pay price for it.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

YARDS FOR PoULTRy.-0ne Of our most
experienced poultry breeders, speaking Of
poultry in small yards, says; A dozen fowls
would do very well in yard 90 feet square,
with little grass plot in one corner, as fowls
must have grass. This space is as small as
can be used for that number, aud il one can
not give that space to them, he had better
buy his eggs and chickens, as fowls cannot
be kept prodtAbly without certain area Of
yard room. A few fowls may be put into a
smaller yard and they will lay we'll for a
few weeks, but after awhile, with the grass
all destroyed, the hens will begin to lay few.
er eggs and will be Improbable. OF course,
large range is always best, but in village
one cannot do as he could on a farm. Don'l
forget to supply your fowls with gravel, old
mortar, or ground or pounded oyster shells
as aids in the formation of eggs,
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

PLAsTER.-Of plaster the Germantown
Telegraph says; Plaster (gypsum) seems
to be on the increase among farmers as an
application to certain crops. There are
sOme-and they are principally fancy far
mers and scribblers for the press--who de-
nouncO the use of plaster as worthless. But
the majority Of substantial farmers who have
made agriculture their regular pursuit. talk
and know differently. They find plaster OI
great use on several important crops, among
which may be mentioned corn and grasses
turnips aud several other crops applied as 4
top.dressng. The nature of plaster consists
in its giving fixed constitution to the nitro
gen, or ammonia, which is brought into the
soil, and which is indispensable to the nutri
tion of plants. In England the crop o
grass has been found to have been increased
by the application of five bushels Of plaste
to the acre, from one aud a-half to three ton
per acre.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

MUTILATING FRUIT TREEs.-The Garden
er's Monthly has the following sensible ad-
vice on the folly Of cutting large limbs from
fruit trees OF all the blunders that the
common farmer and some others make with
trees, none is SO common or so hurtful, and
of which he is long finding out and of which
he might know so certainly, as the practice
of cutting off lower limbs. All over the
country nothing is more common than to see
mutilated trees on almost every farm. Big
limbs cut off near the body of the tree, and
of course rotting to the heart. This is a
heart sin against nature. The very limbs
necessary to protect the tree from wind and
sun, and just where limbs are needed most
are cut away. But the greatest injury is
the rOtting that always takes place when a
big limb is sawed off-too big to heal over
it must rot, and being kept moist by the
growing tree, is in the right condition to rot
and being ou the body, the rotting goes to
the heart and hurts the whole tree. 1t il
common all over the country to see large
orchards mutilated in this way. We often
see holes in the trees where big limbs have
been cut away, where squirrels, and ever
raecoons could crawl in. Perhaps the only
reason these trimmers could give, is that the
lower limbs were easiest got at, and some
would say they wanted to raise crop under
| the tree.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

We have just received from Mr.. j. f.
Ryder's art gallery, 239 Superior Street,
Cleveland, Ohio, package of centennial
chromos, (which are advertised in another
column). The finest of the lot is yankee
Doodle" very spirited group, representing
two drums and fife leading their regiment
in action, a hundred years ago. The best Of
the group is the veteran, hatless and coatless,
his white hair streaming in the wind, one
arm barred, and his stern eager eyes fixed on
the foe, as he advances with steady step, to
the now historic tune, which rolls from his
drum with all the fervor which fred those
patriotic souls at Lexington, Bunker Hill
and Yorktown.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

TURNIPs FOR STocK.-A correspondent OF
the Massachusetts, Ploughman writes from
Barre, Mass: "Mr. James N. Patterson,
one OF my neighbors, had a field Of corn that
the wire worms had destroyed. He did not
know what to do with it, as it was about the
Goth Of June. told him what the Plough
man said about ruta bagas. He said he
would try it; he took just one-fourth Of an
acre Of that corn ground aud ploughed it
then narrowed it smooth. went then and
put in ruta baga seed with my machine, il
rows two feet apart. We thought if they
did we'll he might have one hundred and hitJ
bushels. lie then got him one of Hold
brooks hand cultivators to run between thu
rows. He had to hand weed but once--nC
trouble after that, only some thinning. Th'
product was two hundred and forty'iv'
bushels of good nice turnips besides the tops
These think paid him for harvesting. Iii
COWS are looking finely this spring. lie tolS
me the other day he thought those turnip
had something to do about it, for he did no
feed but very little meal. We think Hold
brooks hand cultivator is worth its weigh
in silver to work among root crops where thu
land is smooth"
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

Mr.. w. II. Ragan, secretary of the Indi-
ana horticultural society, is of the opinion
that early autumn is the best season for
transplanting trees, for the reason that the
soil being then warm and the atmosphere
cool, the tree puts forth numerous 6brous
roots before cold weather, which, II pro-
tected by the mounding process will be
ready in spring to contribute to the wants
Of the tree; while in spring planting the
conditions and results are just the reverse
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

Hungarian grass is valuable for patching
up light grass crop. 1t needs a rich OF
we'll manured soil, aud grows with great
rapidity, yielding two or three tons of good
hay to the acre. 1t should be cut before
the seeds are matured otherwise they have
a diuretic and injurious effect on stock.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

MORE EXPERIMENTS IN SETTING MILK
HARDIN's METBoD.-Some time after the
dairymen's association met at Rutland l re-
ceived circular from Mr.. Hardin Of Ken
lucky, giving the details of his new depart
ure in buttermaking, to which was added
the result of the experiment tried by Mr..
Douglass, which | need not recount here,
as it is still fresh in the minds Of your readers
Immediately set twenty-five pounds of milk
in can twelve inches deep and placed it
where the mercury stood below fifty degrees !;
then set another twenty-five quarts in two
ten quart pans, setting it where L usually
set my milk in winter, keeping the tempera-
ture of the room about sixty-6ve degrees.
The milk was all thoroughly mixed before
setting, SO there could be no difference in the
quality. The can was skinned 10 thirty
six hours, and then warmed and set away
again for twelve hours. The result was one
pound and three ounces of butter from the
first skimming, aud about two ounces from
the second. The pans were skinned and
furnished cream enough for one pound and
three -fourths of butter, or almost one.third
more than was made from the first
skimming Of the can; and after the
milk was warmed to eighty degrees in the
can, there was still almost enough cream fol
half pound of butter when it turned sour SC
as to become thick.-L w. SimondS, "a
Ne,c England Farmer.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

Mr.. b. +. Cookrill of Tennessee, cele-
brated breeder of stock, contradicts the old
theory that animals take after their sire in
form, locomotive powers, etc., while tho
size and digestive functions are controlled
by the dam. His own experience convinces
him that the progeny Of the stallion aud the
female ass are uudistinguishable from those
Of the male ass and the mare.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

SOMETHING WORTH TRYING.-A gentle
man who has tried it says it is sure death
on the potato bug. lie mixes strong tea
of tobacco leaves mixed with strong soap
suds. This solution he spriukles on the
potato vines by means Of brush. When
this liquid touches the bugs they fall to the
ground dead. Whenever these pests appear
he repeats the dose, and his potatoes are
now doing finely, thanks to this eficaciOus
remedy.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

VALUE OF MILK FOR MAKING FLEsH. -
Experiments have been recently made to as.
certain the quantity Of different foods which
needs to be eaten to make one pound of flesh
The conclusion arrived at is that it requires
20 pounds of milk, 100 pounds Of turnips
80 pounds of potatoes, 80 pounds Of carrots
eight pounds Of oatmeal, seven and one-hall
pounds of barley meal aud three and one
half Of beans.
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07

Many a rascal is like a bell he seems
made on purpose to bo hanged
Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-07-07
lawmakers, Attention

SANDERS, IMPROVED HORSE RAKE,
the Best and Cheapest shall furnish the above we'll.
known Rake to any responsible party with wheels and
all complete for S22, OF without wheels for SIG,
delivered the IL desired at Windsor or Ludlow,
VT free of charge For further information, address
NJ A. DAVIS, South Reading, VT.
Successor to Wetherbee & Davis.