Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-11-28
FARM AND HOME.

we'll. dram, and place IN steamer over
your Irish potatoes; steam till done;
take them out, put in a pan, and set in
the oven till they are light brown.
How TO CLEAN FLAT IRoNs.-The
best way to clean flat irons is to take
small, clean board, put coarse table salt
on, and rub the irons thoroughly on
that, then wax them and wipe them on
clean cloth. This will make the face
smooth.
To Boil POTATOEs.--Put the pot on
first, with sufficient water Wash the
potatoes twice to be sure they are clean.
When the water boils drop them in, and
cook over brisk fire till done; then
pour off the water uncover them, and
set on the stove q minute or two before
taking out.
WASHING OII-CLOTHs.-Inw washing oil
cloths never use any soap or scrub
brush. 1t will destroy in q short time
an oil-cloth that should last for years.
Use instead warm water and a soft cloth
of flannel and wipe off with water and
skim milk. Keep the best Of soap on
hand; but by a fair trial it will be seen
that full two-thirds more soap IS used
tnan Is Denenc1al.
MoLAssEs FRUIT CAKE-One pound
of sugar and three-quarters Of a pound
OF butter, beaten to q cream. Slightly
warm two cups Of molasses and mix
well with the butter and sugar; next
the well-beaten yolks of six eggs and
half cup Of sour cream; one tea
spoonful Of cinnamon and one Of cloves;
| f,,1 3 e i
two pounds of sifted -four, with the
well-beaten whites of six eggs; one
heaping teaspoonful of soda, dissolved
in hot water, and at the last one pound
of raisins, seeded and chopped; one
pound of currants, we'll washed and
dried. Flour the fruit we'll before mix
ing. Bake in two bread pans in a slow
oven.
COTTON-WOOD 1REEs-A member of
the American Institute Farmers Club,
at a recent meeting, said he desired to
speak a good word for the cottonwood,
which wonderful tree is fast commend
ing itself to western farmers, on account
of its exceedingly rapid growth and the
reluctance with which it dies. He could
not understand why this tree, SO easily
cultivated and SO useful, has not been
adopted in the Eastern States The
cuttings can be obtained from nursery
men west at a small cost The cotton
wood not only furnishes good fuel in a
short time, but makes a shade tree IN
surpassed for cattle.
GAPES IN CHICKENS.-ln a recent con-
versation with an experienced chicken
grower, he informed me that he had
been very successful in conquering that
precariOus disease in his young fowls
by the application of air-slaked lime.
AS soon as a manifestation Of gapes in
his fowls appears, he confines his chick
ems in box, one at time, sufficiently
large to contain the bird, and places q
coarse piece of cotton Or linen cloth
over the top. Upon this he places the
pulverized lime, and taps the screen
sufficiently to cause the lime to fall
through This lime dust the fowl in
hales and causes it to sneeze, and in a
short time the cause Of the gapes is
thrown out in the form of Shiny mass
or masses of worms, which had accu-
mulated in the windpipe and smaller
air vessels. This remedy, he consid-
ers, superior to any he has ever tried.
and he seldom fails to effect a perfect
cure.
MONEY IN SWEET CoRN.-An Ohio
farmer grows over 500 acres Of this crop
annually. The drying house employs
over fifty persons The fresh ears are
steamed five minutes to "set the milk"
the grain is then cut off rapidly with
cutters having concave faces; then
to1
heat applied four or five hours from
long furnaces, stirring constantly; then
packed in barrels, three bushels each,
for shipment. Great care is required
to have the corn Of the right age, and
to have it dried enough to keep well.
Four bushels of corn on the cob make
one bushel dried, the wholesale price of
which is 500 to 500 per barrel.
STEAMING FODDER FOR SHEFP. farm
er in Ohio who has experimental extern
sively in feeding sheep, as is reported,
selected 800 ewes and divided them into
two equal numbers, and as nearly equal
in size, weight, age and condition as he
could get them. One lot of $50 was
placed in one shed and received liberal
rations of clover, hay and sheaf oats.
The other lot Of $50 was placed In q
neighboring shed, and fed twice day
with steamed corn-fodder, cut to three
quarters Of al inch in length, mixed
with two bushels of bran, and wet down
with boiler-water-at the rate Of one
bushel of the mixed feed to ten sheep.
Before beginning each lot was weighed
on set of stock scales conveniently
near, and thereafter were weighed twice
a week. Each lot received the same
care in watering, bedding, exercise, pro-
lection against storm, &c. The expert
ments were continued over a period of
eight weeks. The records of the details
were SO satisfactory as to seem to war
rant the purchase of an engine and
boiler, and the putting up of works and
conveniences on scale adequate to the
wants of the flock Since then he has
fed this food almost exclusively. Last