The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-02-16
FARM AND FIRESIDE.

-he somewhat common custom of pastar-
ing hogs in the orchard, because ne says
they will invariably kill the trees if kept |
in the orchard long, and especially in hot
weather, for the hog must have a cool !
and shady place if he can End it. When
the sun begins to shine, therefore, he
will resort to the shade of the trees and
root up the cool earth around the roots
to make his bed, which gives an un-
natural heat to the ibers, which is IN
healthy, and if long persisted in the trees
will surely die. I spent the summer of
last year up in the nerthern part of Illi-
nois. There 1 noticed great many Or
chards of large trees that were spotted
over with dead trees. 1 asked some of
the owners what was the cause Of the
trees dying, and the reply was, MY
hogs killed them,' and from my own ex-
perience and observation I am sure they
are right.
But turning hogs in the orchard at the
time fruit is falling is benefit to the
orchard, because they destroy many in
sects that inhabit the falling fruit. But
turn the hogs out when the fruit season
is over and you will have healthy trees,
for when an orchard has been planted
and properly tended until it gets
healthy start, and is then seeded down
to some good grass, that will enliven the
ground most and not disturb the roots of
your trees, for they never have any more
roots than they need to keep them
healthy.
SMUT IN WHEAT.-A correspondent
of the California Agriculturist claims that
the cause or origin of smut in wheat is
cracked grains, which have just vitality
enough to germinate and grow, but not
enough to mature the grain. Very few
scientists or scientific farmers, we think,
agree with him ON this point; for it will
require very little observation and but a
few experiments to show that the theory
has no facts fer its support. He also
says:
"Wheat threshed on the ground by
the tramping of horses, and sown with
out the application of any preparation
for it, does not produce smut. Wheat
that falls to the ground in the field and
makes volunteer crop does not produce
smut. Such wheat, like any other, may
blast-that is, black substance is found
in the place of the grain, which blows
away before harvest; but the real smut
remains in its sack till after threshing
Probably the cause of blasting is high
winds during the time the growing grain
is in blossom
The author of the above paragraph
could never have read anything about
wheat culture before the introduction O.
threshing machines, else he must have
known that smut in wheat did not make
it's appearance with the implements il
question.
The ancient Romans trampled out thei
corn with muzzled oxen, and still thei
agricultural writer's inform us that whea
was soaked in the urine of animals t.
prevent smut; just as thousands OF far
mers of the present day soak it in brine
and for the same purpose. The salt il
the urire, or the salt dissolved in pur
water, acts not only as stimulant ant
fertilizer, but at the same time destroy
the spores of the smut plant with whicl
it comes in contact.
Lime and blue-stone (sulphate of COP
peras) are of later introduction, and a
present more generally used for prevent
ing smut than salt.
The writer, however, of the article a.
ready referred to, throws out some goo
hints to farmers in the following
"I have known farmers to sprinkl
wheat with solution of sulphate c
copper and Immediately apply lime
This method will not prevent smut, bs
cause the sulphuric acid unites with th
, lime Immediately, forming sulphate {
lime (plaster of Paris), leaving the col
per in metallic state, and the las
chemical arrangement renders the whol
inert. Lime may be used in the follow
, ing manner: Pour the wheat into
5 trough, sprinkle, and stir till well wei
add lime, and stir well. If properl
: done, the lime adheres to the grain lik
plsstering. Lime applied in this wa
not only prevents smut, but also stim1
!; lates the young plants. The dust frol
5 lime in sowing is very offensive to tt
i + eyes, nose, and mouth, for which reasc
: most farmers use bluestone, my metho
of using which is as follows: Dissol,
:, three pounds of bluestone in woode
:, bucket, using hot water. Put fifty
! sixty gallons of water in a trough al
pour in the solution. Take sacks
l. wheat and divide them into 9th
e sacks, to make them convenient to ha
= die. Immerse them in the trough f
e three or four minutes; then lift them
o a platform where they will drain in
the trough. Add bluestone and wat
: from time to time, so as to use four
e six pounds of bluestone to each ton
d wheat.
u u 1.-The cracking of wheat by threshil
,r machines can and should be avoided.
IF the cylinder and concave teeth are a
n n Justed SO as to pass at proper distant
is and the grate-bar made smooth and fr
from sharp angles, and the speed Ike
-e r down SO that the grain is not hurled,
tie if shot from gun, against the grate-ba
ID the grain would come out in perfect CO
i. dition for seed. Unfortunately, stea
OF supplies the power, and job-work t
le temptation, to make one-twelfth of t
crop unfit for that purpose"
0, Household Helps.
Ia CHICKEN LIVER JELLY.-Boil t
liver, hearts and gizzards of fowl t
5 tender, the unlaid eggs of the same t
" | all