Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-08-24
THE FARM AND GARDEN.
Conducted by veteran Northwestern Aericultur,st

THE FARM AND GARDEN.
Conducted by = veteran Northwestern Agricultural
How Much Money!
A cow should bring each year to the
owner, at least forty dollars. That is
to say, COW should be worth to the
farmer in good, true, and lawful
money forty dollars per year. A
good, fair average COW, when cheese
will bring fifteen cents per pound, will
be worth fifty dollars PER year to the
farmer. We mean the western COW.
We mean, too, when the COW is well
cared for, carefully MIXED and proper
ly fed. When butter is worth thirty
cents per pound, which city folks have
to pay for good, clean, fresh butter,
good COW will bring more than
fifty dollars per year to its owner, but
however good cow may be, unless
the proper care is observed the cow
will not pay for it's keeping. And yet
a cow only wants to have plenty of
good food, kept warm and clean in the
winter, with plenty of good water,
treated kindly, never hunted by dogs
or kicked or beat by man, and she will
be worth double to the farmer, than
when no attention is given to her CON-
fort.
TIL Black Faced Scotch Sheen.
We have frequensly wondered why
this breed of sheep has not been intro
duced ON the prairies of Minnesota
and Dakota. They are a wonderful
handy animal Astounding in the High.
lands of Scotland. In the bleakest and
widest pastures of the mountain rang
es they can be found and always in
good condition. The mutton is remark
able for its fineness and delicacy of
flavor. The fleeces averages about
four pounds, and while the wool is not
certainly of the finest texture, yet it is
reliable. We do not belong to that
class of people, who believe the Me.
rinos, Catsmould, Leicester, Lincoln
and Southdowns will not do well in
this climate and latitude, because we
know they will, and one or other of
the above named breeds should be on
every farm, but these black-faced fel
lows, are kept so easily and so cheap!y
that it could not be otherwise than
source of profit to the farmer. They
breed so copiously that for mutton
alone the farmer would derive liberal
revenue.
Plaster Of Paris.
We cannot help believing that
good application of Plaster of Paris to
meadow lands, and for that matter to
all crops of grain, would be attended
with the most beneficial results. It
acts on the soil differently from that of
any other fertilizer: All manures ex.
cept plaster, have tendency to render
the soil dry and porous, while plaster
makes it damp and compact. It acts
as a fertilizer chiefly by drawing moist.
ure from the atmosphere to the roots
of the plant. OF course plaster is
simply ground stone, and all stones
draw dampness, and plaster will lie in
the earth for years in almost the same
state as when applied. A distinguish
ed agriculturist in speaking of this
fertilizer says:
Plaster, if properly used, has
marked effect on the crops for num-
Der of years. It should not be applied
more than once in five years. If it is
applied often it does an injury. I.
have heard farmers say that they had
applied 1t to ti:.lds till they would raise
nothing. It should not on any account
be applied very early in spring, and it
should not be applied unless the
ground and grass are thoroughly wet
with rain. Three barrels may be an.
piled to field OF ten acres or two
barrels mingled with about the same
quantity in bulk of wood ashes. Plaster
may be used on all kinds Of land, but
l would recommend it's use especially
on poor and exhausted farms, as it in
creases enormously the quantity of
straw, and thus enlarges the yearly
manure heap. 1t is most effective on
peas and clover.
We have seen the most marvellous
results from the application of plaster
on the sandy soil near and around
Minneapolis. Clover has been made
to yield three times as much more hay
in the same fields where plaster was
used.
Large Farms.
DR.. johnson used to say, HE who
waits to do great deal of good at once,
will never do any, This is the kind
of a mistake some farmers commit. In
their zeal to do great business, they
run in debt for large farms, and they
are always working at disadvantage.
With a smaller capital, with industry,
and independence, they would in ten
years be much better off. 1t is great
deal better to do little in the best
manner, than great deal specifically
and with disorder and confusion.
With one or two exceptions we do not
know, or at least we cannot call to
mind at this time, solitary instance
where those who embarked in farming
on large scale have succeeded, or
have become rich or even fore. handed
upon large farms, and we presume
we have about as extended an acquaint-
ance with the agricultural country
as any man in this vicinity.