The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-08-23
TOPICS EOR EARMERS

The Kerry Cow.-This valuable little
animal is very little known in the United
States, and yet there is no country in
the wide world where it would thrive
better or prove a greater blessing to
poor families. In the rural dis
tricts of Ireland, where it be-
longs, the Kerry cow is truly the
poor mans best friend, living every
where hardy, content with scant fare,
yielding, for her size, abundance of milk !
of good quality, and fattening rapidly |
when required. Genuine Kerry cattle
than our native cattle, but their loins |
and launches are heavy and wide; al |
though the hair is thick, the hide is
mellow; and the lacteal supply is almost
equal to that of the Alderney in guam
tity and quality. They belong to the
Middle Horn" tribe, and are regarded
in Ireland as an aboriginal breed. They
are exceedingly hardy; they live
through the winter in exposed situations,
sometimes fattening on their native
mountains and moors; when removed
to better climate and soil they thrive
readily, and when generously fed take on
fat very rapidly.
To Prevent Grubs i'm the Head of
Sheep.-A sure preventive of this
troublesome ailment is to set up a low
shelter, about four feet high, in field to
| which the flock has easy access at any
time, whether they feed in it or not. 1t
may be roughly built of small forked
posts covered with boughs. The intent
is to give the sheep shade in the heat of
the day, and protection from the attacks of
the gad-fy which, all summer long, darts
about their noses, in which to lay their
eggs, rendering the unfortunate animals
almost frantic in their efforts to escape
them.
More than forty years ago the writer
used these shelters, and has never known
them to fail. To succeed in her instinct
i've efforts to place her eggs in the noses
of the sheep, the fly must rise to the
height of several feet, and dart down
upon the animal selected. The shelter
effectually prevents her doing so. The
animals will voluntarily run to it in the
heat of the day, when the attacks of the
fly are most violent, and will there find
peace, shade, shelter and complete i'm
inunity from their tiny but terribly an
noying and irritating enemy.
The gad-fy probably does no more in
jury to healthy sheep, than the bot
fly does to healthy horse. But its at,
tempts to lay its eggs in the nose are far
more annoying, and in winter and early
spring when the animal is weakest and
, unable to withstand any unnecessary
strain upon it the grub may be an i'm
portant factor, with other minor causes
in producing death.
. Such a shelter will usually cost moth
q ing but few days work to the flock
master. 1t undoubtedly will be worth
many dollars to him in the course of {
: year.
Cnre for Hog Cholera.-Many rene
dies have been suggested for the various
diseases called hog cholera. Nearl,
S every community has local remedy
5 or ar least breeders have cured SOM
u u diseases affecting their swine, calling i
u cholera, by course of treatment tha
fails to cure in other places. The Legis
lature of Missouri offered reward o
Il $4,000 for certain cure for no.
e cholera. This is now claimed by
Z Major John Million, of LaPlata, Macol
Il y County, Missouri. His remedy is feed
u u ing turnips. Major Million was an off ce
u in the Confederate army. While actin
Ill tndIC pdC1ty he nau charge at one Gl1l
of many thousand head Of hogs, whic
were collected together in MissisipI
n when the cholera broke out among then
Immediately upon discovering the pre-,
y alence of the disease he says he began
exert himself to save as many as poss
d BILE. He separated them as well as pos
sible, keeping the infected ones apar
1t He had on hand, also, large quantities {
turnips, which he began to feed tn
n hogs. Very soon he observed improve
ment, and then he made numerous e.
le periments. He selected some of th
diseased hogs and penned them apar
to They were fed on turnips, and nothin
else, and all of them recovered. H
lie says his experiments demonstrated tt
fact that turnips are not only cur
" but a preventive of cholera. He h.
S. impaired the secret to many farmers
j. the State, all of whom found the remed
lie sure. One wealthy farmer in Howar
County, Major Million says, had thirt.
re eight hogs afflicted with cholera. L
at was advised of the turnip cure, bt
placed no faith in it. However, he COZ
Id cluded to give it a trial, and selectin
er one of the hogs worst afflicted, he put
in pen alone and fed it turnips. I'll
ne result was, that hog recovered and all tt
It's rest died. Major Million states that IL
less the hog is too far gone to eat, tt
eh turnips will cure him. The remedy
d, a cheap one and easily procured, and
certainly can do no harm for farmers
n give it trial.