The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-01-18
AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.


that one hundred and fifty-four Ameri
can cattle were sold recently in Glas
cow. and brought on an average one hun
dred and sixty dollars apiece. 1t was ad
mitted at the sale that finer lot wa
never exhibited by any one person, ant
never in the Glasgow market did 10
realize 80 much on the average. Th,
cattle were principally from Illinois ant
Kentucky.
This is the very time of the year t.
look after sheep. If not carefully
watched they will soon fall off in condi
tion, and this badly Injuries the wool
causing what is known as break, /" which
reduces the value to the manufacturer
one-half. A healthy condition can bt
maintained only by preventing crowdinp
and heating in tho yards and pens, and
furnishing ample ventilation, good food
in abundance, and pure water plenti.
fully.
Rural Neao Yorker: There is move.
ment on foot to establish a Bureau oi
Agriculture as a Government Depart.
ment, represented by an officer with the
title of Secretary Of Agriculture, who
shall be admitted into the Cabinet on an
equality with the Secretary of State,
War, Interior, ETC., thereby having q
voice in the management of national af-
fairs in general. This is certainly move
in the right direction, and it should re-
ceive the cordial support of every one
having the least regard for the future OF
American agriculture. Now let the
farmers "m0ve on" Congress for recOg-
milton in the affairs of the Government,
and see how much the politicians they
have been honoring with an Office and a
good salary care for them after once the
election is over.
From the Saline (Kas.) Journal: Re-
ports from all parts of the State are to
the effect that nearly all of the eggs de-
posted by grasshoppers had hatched
during the recent warm weather, and
that the storms and cold weather of last
week was the means of destroying the
young hoppers. The reports are 80 well
sustained as to leave little doubt that we
will be relieved of much of the trouble
anticipated from these pests next spring.
We have talked with men from all parts
of Saline and from adjoining counties,
who assured us that they had personally
investigated the condition Of the egg
deposits in their localities, and they had
found that in most cases the eyes, backs,
and legs of young grasshOppers had
formed, but life was apparently extinct.
The indications are that this section will
be comparatively free of the hoppers in
the spring.
OWNERS of the "best gift to man"
should be careful how they conduct the
process of clipping their horses, if clip
them they must. A Troy gentleman
concluded to have his animal clipped,
but as the horse, a spirited one, would
not allow it to be done in the barn, he
was taken to vacant lot, and after be-
ing shackled was thrown down. The
clipping was successfully accomplished,
but upon loosing the animal he was
found to be completely paralyzed. The
most active bathing with alcohol failed
to give the least relief, and the horse had
to be put on truck and drawn to the
stable. Up to last accounts he had not
recovered the use of his limbs, and the
clipping is likely to prove very ex-
pensive process in the loss of the animal.
A few more instances like this would
have a tendency to put stop to the un-
natural and inhuman practice.
WINTER plowing is better than fall or
spring plOwing. The earth is turned up
fresh and exposed to the action Of the
air and frost before rains have settled it.
In most soils winter plowing is highly
beneficial, and especially in clay soils.
There is time now to plOw, and to plow
deeply and we'll. The weather is cool
and bracing, and the team can do more
work, and better work, than in spring,
when the weather is warm and debilitat-
ing. Many farmers raise colts, and the
Brood mares carefully worked now are
in no wise injured-but when heavy in
foal, in the spring, there is some danger
in hard plowing. Now is a good time
to use three horses abreast in plowing,
letting the plow run in deep and turning
up the fresh clay, to tie pulverized by
frost, air, and sun.
LET any one who has the care OF
horse these cold, frosty mornings, delib-
crately grasp in his hand piece of iron;
indeed, let him touch to it the tip of his
tongue, and then let him thrust the bit
into the mouth of his horse, if he has the
heart to do it. The horse is an animal
OF nervous organization. his mOuCn Is
formed of delicate glands and tissues.
The temperature of the blood is the same
as in the human being, and, as in man,
the mouth is the finest part of the body.
Imagine, we repeat, the agitation that
would be caused the human, and con-
slider that, if not to the same degree, still
the suffering to the animal is very great,
and it is not momentary pain. Food
is eaten with difficulty, and the irrita-
tion repeated day after day causes loss OF
appetite and loss of strength. Many a
horse has becc me worthless from no
other cause than this. Before India
rubber bits were to be had myself used
a bit covered with leather, and on no ac-
count would have dispensed with it in
freezing weather.