Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-02-24
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD,
Iuformoi Question. aud Answers.

Informni Questions aud Answers.
What makes the best gate post for
farm purposes-a single long stone9
Yes; but good stick Of hard wood,
set not less than five feet in the ground.
and filed around ut least for three feet
below the surface with small stones, 80
! tliat the frost can have no effect on 1t, is
I good enough tho most important point
being to have it set deeply and protected
against the action of the frost, rs rec
commended.
Where should the fastening Of farm
gate he placed to prevent the gate from
rocking in heavy winds 49,,
The fastening, whether it be u hook,
Latch, bolt.or pin, should be about half
way between the top and the bottom, so
that the force of direct winds will have
IN equal bearing above and below.
What exposure is best for barnl
A barn should be placed so rs to have
yard on the warmest and sunniest side
of it. Ordinarily the coolest winds blow
from the north and northwest, while tho
warmth of the moving sun in winter falls
best into hooks whose lookout is toward
the southeast therefore southeast ex.
posure is usually the best.
Define the term subsoiling.
BY subsoiling is meant any process
which loosens the subsoil without bring
ing it to the surface. Inspade work this
is accomplished by throwing the top spit
forward and loosening without removing
the next spit below. In plowing, the
loosening effect is produced by follow
ing in the furrow of the surface plow
with subsoil plow, which passes like a
wedge or like mole through the subsoil,
allowing it to fall back in loosened con.
dition into its original place.
The Grades Of Corn.
The following schedule of grades OF
corn has been adopted by the Produce
Exchange of New York city White corn
shall be sound, dry, plump and we'll
cleaned; an occasional straw colored
grain shall not deprive it of this grade.
No. 2 white corn shall be sound, dry,
plump and well cleaned, but in berry
and color may be slightly inferior to No.
/ "white conn.,"
Yellow corn shall be sound, dry, plump
and well cleaned an occasional white or
rcd grain shall not deprive it of this
grade.
No. ] mixed corn shall be of choice
quality sound, dry and reasonably clean.
No. 2 mixed corn shall be sound, dry
and reasonably clean.
Low mixed corn shall be sound, dry,
reasonably clean, but in color unsuitable
TO grade "mixed corn."
Steamer corn shall include corn of the
above named grades in quality; in con-
dition it may be slightly soft Or damp,
but must be cool.
NOTE - The steamer grades are
"steamer white" y" steamer yellow and
steamer mixed" there being no grade of
" steamer low mixed corn.
No. 3 mixed corn shall include all
soft, damp corn, not damaged, but in-
ferior in quality to that described as
"steamer corn.
Lime und Crops.
The bulk of all fertile soils consists of
three earths, to wit: Silica alumina and
lime. Unmixed with clay, sand, or
other organic and inorganic substances,
lime consists of the oxide of the metallic
element calcium, and as it enters into
the composition of all plants, it neces-
sarily occupies large place in natures
laboratory. Chemistry tells lis that it
has an affinity for water and carbonic
acid; when applied to the land it absorbs
watcr, forming hydrate of lime; this
hylrate then absorbs carbonic acid, so
that lime, although applied to the land
in the caustic state, really exists, shortly
after its application, in the form of car
Donate, along with a little sulphate and
phosphate as previously mentioned.
Lime has for long time been used as
fertilizer; when land previously un-
worked is brought into cultivation, or
when wornout pasture land is broken
up, lime is generally applied. 1t affects
chiefly the vegetable matter contained
in the soil, promoting its decomposition,
and thus rendering it available as plant
food
Diseased Poultry.
Half a century CT experience in
breeding poultry extensively convinces
me that it does not "pay" to spend
great deal of time in doctoring" them.
The following states the case clearly:
The diseases of fowls are so numerous,
and their origin 50 various, that doctor
ing them is worse than useless. This
being the case, the best thing that can
be done is to put all sick fowls in
roomy box, placed in q cool spot if the
weather be warm They should be fed
Just what they relish most, and plenty of
good pure water should be supplied. If
the disease is ctlrable, nature will do the
work; if not durable, which is often the
case, the bird will die and the rest of the
flock will not be endangered Sick
fowls should always be removed from
the flock as soon as possible. Prompt
ness, in this respect, may be the means
Of saving the entire flock from conta.
gion.
To Prevent Rot In Timber.
A member of the Farmers club speak
ing on this subject gave several of the
more effective remedies for dry rot, such
rs pure solution of corrosive sublimate
N water, in the proportion Of one
ounce to gallon, to be used hot. Also,
/ solution of sulphate of copper, half
pound to a gallon of water, laid on hot;
md paraffine oil or the cheapest naphtha
Ill. But this dry rot should not be al
owed to prevent it nothing is better
han a thorough seasoning, with proper
In fact, the fundamental
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