Connecticut western news., 1877-04-27
AGRICULTURAL.

pieces of branches and roots having oc- casionally been torn of and carried down by the current to some quiet places where they took root. In the sheltered bays and hooks of this brook, when al- ternate layers of muck and gravel were washed on, the plants seem to luxuriate the most.
 Where similar conditions exist natur- ally but little labor is necessary to es- tablish water-cress bed sufficient for home use, but when more extensive plantations, otherwise than along the margin of a brook. are to be made, con- siderable labor may be required. If the land to be devoted to this culture does not contain enough gravel or coarse sand, this element must be supplied be- fore planting; covering of from three to four inches will be sufficienB. Where the land is entirely and constantly over | flowed all that is necessary is to cut of rooted branches of old plants and set them out in places where the water is about six inches deep, and to place a stone on each root to prevent 1t from being washed away. A small stream running through marshy ground, how ever, offers the opportunity for a large plantation. - -ss ... es
 In this case ditches from three to four feet wide and as many feet apart should be dug rectangularly from the water cress as far as the water will follow. The depth of the ditches must be ar ranged according to the medium level of the stream, in such manner that the l water in them stands at no season lower than six inches. By means of a dam with sluiceway the water can readily be kept at uniform level. At the bottom | of each ditch the cuttings are placed about two feet apart each way, or closer l if enough roots can be had. Where old plants are not attainable seed may be sown in the shallowest parts of the .ditches, and the plants grown therefrom used for propagation, but of course a year more time will be required to from cuttings. The, month of Sep tember is the best time for sowing the seed as we'll as for planting.
 MIR. STEWART, of Buffalo, is an advo- cate of soiling cattle. He finds that a quarter of an acre of clover will SUD- port COW from 160 to 1S0 days. He had 100 acres, 90 of which was fair meadow and 60 ill corn fodder, oats and clover. He put up twenty steers, three and four years old, eight cows and six horses. He began cutting the clover when eight inches high, of which there were five acres. Two acres were in oats, and three in corn-fodder, which was fed as needed, and grass cut from the ninety acres; but there were sixty-five tons oi hay put into the barns. The grass was cut with 8 machine, raked with horse
 and drawn to the barn in 8 cart, one
 man being employed six hours each day in cutting and feeding and about two hours of horse labor. The total cost o1
 the extra labor amounted to $75 for the season. The sixty-five tons of hay were sold at the barn for $9.72. The cost oi
 cutting and putting this hay into the
 barn was $97 .5O, which, taken from the
 cash received for the hay, left a profit
 in favor of selling over pasturing o1 l $797. 50. The twenty steers sold fol
 $680, and the 100 loads of manure saved
 was worth double what it would have
 been if left on the pasture.
 WHAT THE BIRDS Do.-Farmerss should spare the birds. While it is undeniable
 that they are sometimes severe on the
 corn and sprouting grain, 1t is never
 theless fact that they compensate fol
 it by destroying insects that might dc
 more damage. The swallow. swift anC
 nighthawk are the guardians of the at
 mosphere. They check the increase o
 insects that would otherwise overload
 1t. WOedpeckers, creepers, and chica
 dees, are the guardians of the trunks o
 trees. Warblers and fycatchers pro
 tect the foliage. Blackbirds, thrushes
 crows and larks protect the surface O the soil; snipe and woodcock the soi , under the surface. Each tribe has it
 respective duties to perform in tn,
 economy of nature; and it is an un
 doubted fact that if the birds were al swept away from the earth, men coult
 not live upon it; vegetation woult } wither and die, insects would becom , so numerous that no living thing coal,
 withstand their attacks.
 HORSE CoLLARs.-The Valley Faynse : says collars are, or should be, so made l as to throw the chief force on the lowe lpart of the shoulder. The horse cal 3 apply but little strength on the uppe Epart, and for this reason breast collar 1, are coming greatly into vogue, as tn strength is exerted on the lower part c the shoulder. The collar should be pur chased of the proper size. Just befor - putting it on the first time, immerse : in water letting it remain about min ute, and immediately put it on to work
 The collar, by being wet, will adapt il
 self to the shoulder, and should dry O , the horse. When taken of, it should b 3 left in the same shape it occupied O ] the horse, and ever after you will hay B a snug fitting collar and no wounds. n WHITE HOLLAND TURKEYS. Tn f Poultry Journal and Record says: 'sThi I 1.variety of turkeys is becoming nor @ popular as the public become better at r quainted@ with their excellent tabl t qualities and beauty; for certainly 0 large, clean, healthy white turkey is g y beautiful fowl as any one could wis 8 to see. They are pure white in pit D Image, with pink legs, and of good slz, though not so large as the bronzey an Q yet large enough for market; and W ! I are told are as hardy, and stand ou : severe changes of temperature in wir 2 ter better than any other variety. Tn ! feathers are nearly equal to geese fes 7 thers for sale, and will bring almost { 51 much if carefully selected, and the lare U feathers stripped.
 CANARY SEED.-With the immense il
 crease in the consumption of this con II monly used seed, 1t seems strange tn; ! no steps are taken to grow it in our ow e country. It is as easily produced as whe' ii or oats, and yields politically. Fort "a or fifty bushels per acre can be readil ,o produced, and while it may not be = hardy plant 1t will stand considerab ,0 frost, and our seasons will give amp = time to plant and mature crop. A fe .e acres devoted to growing canary see : will return large profits, as it is now a D. imported and pays duty. Some ente le prising farmer can set an example an Innf olrrl lnD Co g. money in his pocket. Let us be pr,
 ducers instead of importers.
 1-
 w STANDING WATER.-A very impo v tant work is to let off any water that a
 cumulates upon the surface. Tn