Connecticut western news., 1877-06-29
AGRICULTURAL.

AGRICULTURAL.
 PROFIT OF FARMING.-We have more than once given our readers our opin- ion upon this question, but if it can re- suit in making one more satisfied with his lot, our effort will not be in vain. An exchange, taking the same view of the question that we have formerly urged, thus alludes to the question "When we go into paper estimates of the profits of agriculture, it would be well to credit the farm generally with those comforts that make our quiet and happy homes. Let us consider what the farm gives us in the way of food of house and of fuel for our fires, horses to draw us, and the many nameless things that people living in the cities buy at great cost. We have seen more than one comfortable and well-to-do farmer sell broad acres for narrow town houses, and under the delusion of edu- eating their children, or living more easy lives, to get nearer lecture and church privileges, and by various other devices of self-deception, persuade them selves into the fatal move which soon proved that farming was better to SUD- port families than the price of the farm at interest. Generally, these mistaken men have found that money received as interest had way of going easily, and very few years have been suff1- cient to cause them to wish themselves again the owners of farms, and to could) that though it might be easy to prove on paper that wheat could not be raised for it's selling price, and that no animal (from chicken to a horse) could be raised on a farm for it's market value, yet that somehow all the final results proved just the reverse for far mers do live well, educate their chill dren well, and leave them, at their own deaths, valuable estates-accumulated 1t is true, by slow process, but never theless entirely the fruits of their own labor on their farms. Can any other body of men show more uniform suc- cess, and more real enjoyment of life ?"
 It is not just to compare the profits of one business with the most successful in another branch, but we should take an average in all cases. If the farmer will only fairly credit his farm with all it affords him and his family, we think he will find favorable balance on the right side of the account.
 DRINKING VESSELS FOR FoWLs.-One of our wide awake poultry exchanges gives the following plan of providing drinking vessels for chickens, so that the supply of water shall be pure and constant. Beside this, it has another advantage, that of utilizing that intol- eaable nuisance, empty fruit cans. Drinking vessels upon the same princi- pie may be formed in fanciful shapes, but for practical purposes the fruit cans will do just as we'll: "Make air tight fruit or oyster can. On one side, half an inch from the bottom, punch three holes, each quarter of an inch in di- ameter. Before these holes solder to the can piece of tin to form a trough one inch deep. Upon the side opposite, at the top, solder also ring by which to hang the can to the side of the coop. Fill it by immersing 1t for a few minutes in pail of water. The secret is in the air holes being in the trough, only water can escape when they are uncovered. So long as the trough is clean the water will be pure. Chicks must be kept supplied with water, and it must be in vessels not deep enough to drown them." Many broods of chickens no doubt suffer for want of water, for in many cases great care is taken to convey all waste water away under ground. Pure water and plenty of it is essential to proper growth and de- velopment in chickens as in other stock.
 Coop ADvIcE.-The Maine Farmer says: 'sFirst enrich all the ground you can, and while you are at 1t enrich it we'll. Then plant what you can take good care of and no more. If it is weedy do not SOW wheat on sthe other half acre. If you try to smother weeds with wheat you will learn that two can play at that game Plant your weediest land and then hoe it. Clean cultivation for 8 crop is like extra feed for an anil nal. It gives that increased yield that makes the operation pay. Here in enough to make it profitable to give crop by half hoeing both; advice from New York to the contrary, notwith- standing. Whether you plant one or two acres of corn plant beans and pumpkins with it. Then they will get hood when the corn does. do not think 1t need to, or often does, make half the difference in the yield of corn that the Farmer called it; and as for the bother, it is our business to be bothered. It is the little bothers that make the diff ference between profit and loss.''
 HEADING DOWN NEWLY PLANTED TREEs.-This subject has been written about for thousand or more years, but 8 note now and then to 8 new planter of trees may be useful. In transplant ing more or less of broken roots have to removed; these must be balanced by the top which they have to support. How ever carefully we may transplant a tree there is certain check given-a certain disorganization of the system takes place. When the roots and tops are shortened at the same time, the