The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-11-30
AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.

AGklCULIUhAL IL Il uSs
WILD ALASKAN wheat is being prop
agated in Oregon, where it grows luxu-
riantly, and produces very superior
grain.
LEAVES form an excellent absorbent
and make excellent bedding for stock and
where they must be gathered from the
lawn to ensure neat appearance they can
be readily carted to shed and stored for
bedding. Leaves form a good non-con-
ductor OF heat, and hence are protection
for roots of plants or a covering for veg
etables stored out of doors; for COW
ering upon halfhardy perennials nothing
is superior. They contain a good deal
of valuable mineral matter that is well
worked up for plant use; hence their
presence in the compost heap is Of the
same advantage. They should not be al
lowed to go to waste in fence corners and
by-places, but gathered and utilized as
far as possible.
IT is a good plan where fruit or forest
trees are grown to throw up a bolt
furrow along the line of the rows SO as
to shed the water off away from the
bodies. The earth thus cast up against
their bodies forms quite protection.
When trees are of sufficient size
for transplanting into the orchard
and the orchard ground is quite
exposed it will be well to postpone
the planting out until spring. But we
like the plan of taking up the trees and
cutting off neatly the bruised ends of
the roots in the fall, then heeling in trees
one by one thoroughly, to remain over
winter. In the spring the cut ends of
the roots will be nicely calloused over
and ready to throw out new rootlets and
make business of growing; and, again,
by this method quite little is gained in
time. The trees are all in shape to be
planted out the first good day in spring.
Every farmer should have a little nur-
sery Of trees as much asa garden. 1t
paws in the information acquired in their
cultivation and in the advantage of hav-
ing stock on hand ready for any vacan-
cies that may occur in the orchard or on
the lawn.
FOREST AND STREAM, quoting letter
from New Brunswick, N. j., describes q
case where several woodcocks were
] brought up by farmer and became well
domesticated. He found four in nest,
and brought them home with him, not
expecting they would live. But he saw
that by holding worms before their bills
they would swallow them, although they
would not pick them up off the ground.
In few days they became very tame,
and, as they grew older, and acquired
their full plumage, they would take short
flights about the farm, but always re-
turning to the house and roosting be-
meath the stone slab forming the kitchen
doorstep. When the farmer and our in
formant went into the garden, the birds
attracted by their owners voice, came
hopping out of the brush and few upon
his shoulders, manifesting not the
slightest fear, but not permitting hi'
companion to approach them. After
taking food from his hand they agair
flew away. Watching the birds feeding
it was observed that they would rapidly
drive their bills into the soft ground
constantly boring until they found theil
worm. They would then give peculia
twist, draw it out its full length, ane
gulp the worm down.
NOTHING shows the lack Of energy ant
good management of farmer more thar
to find his buildings leaky and out of re
rair, especially those in which he winter
his live stock. For instance, you stal
your COWS, oxen, and horses in a barn
the boards of which are placed vertically
with no batIens over the cracks, which
are about an inch wide. You might al
most as we'll leave them out of doors, 81
far as warmth is concerned; and the re
suit is that it requires one-third more fee
to winter your stock in good condition
, than 1t would if your barn were bull
warm as it should be. Every animal vii
require at least five dollars worth NOR
! feed during the winter, in consequenc
of the open condition of the barn, Will
. the entire expense of making the Who'll
= barn warm and comfortable would no
> equal the loss that one sustains in
single winter with his stock not properl
. sheltered. Suppose you place stear
y engine in a warm cellar, and anothe
, , like it out of doors on winter day.
it not evident that it would requil
much more fuel to get up steam in tn
: boiler of the outdoor engine than
: that in the cellar? So 1t is with yot
= cattle, horses, swine, etc. When keI
! warm they require much less food, an
= = as hay and grain are money, every farm'
: who neglects to provide warm quartz
!. for his stock throws money away.
n In the dairy show, opened yesterda
!, saws the London Echo of October 20,
= Agricultural Hall, novel and interes
y ing addition is made to the agricultur
exhibitions periodically claiming metr
n politan attention. The dairy farme
It constitute an important section of Il
j. community, the returns OF last year sho'
D. ing that in England alone there were OF
n million six hundred thousand mile
te COWS, of which number it was calculate
II one million two hundred thousand we
re in the hands of fifty thousand rersor
ID The value of the milk produced by the
ne cows, putting the price at sixpence p
n imperial gallon, and estimating that ea
er cow Yields four hundred gallons ye'
as would amount to twelve millions sterlir
n With the facilities afforded by the ra
ways and the operation of the adulte
d, tion act, the milk trade is rapidly
or creasine. 30 that there is as much excl
,s- for an annual exhibition of dairy p
all duce as of horses, poultry, dogs, cats, b
maids, donkeys, or babies. If the dai
st show leads to the vending of pure m
or and the total annihilation of "Simpsol
Ie f" calves brains," the cow with the IL
ler tail" and other adulterants, until
ter Gently said to form component eleme
he of "London milk" the British Da
ns Farmers Association will not have lii
ms, in vain.
GOV The phenomenon of flesh falling fl
cloudless sky occurred in Gas
County, North Carolina, on the 28tl
nd October. The shower fell in cot
L a 4 u =. L. u.x.aI