The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-08-02
TOPICS FOR THE. FARM.
A Suggestive Example.-During t

A Suggestive Example.-During the
last six years Russia, with a population
aggregating eighty-fve millions, i'm
ported foreign sugar to the amount of |
only $3.50, 900 per annum, the remainder
of the vast quantity consumed through |
out the empire, having been manufac-
tured from beet roots. During the same |
period the United States with a popula- |
ton of thirty-eight millions, and large
domestic production of cane sugar, has |
sent out of the country, every year, an
average of $500, 10000 to pay for her
importations of foreign sugar. Were
manufactures of beet-root sugar estab-
lished throughout those districts favor
able to the culture of these roots, as
thickly as they are to-day in similar
regions in Europe, this vast sum might
annually be kept at home to enrich the
enterprising manufacturers, their nu-
merous workmen, and a multitude of
farmers who would find a profitable
market for their roots at the factories,
and for other produce, among the opera
tives. The thing has been a success
elsewhere and must be here, when capital
shall be content with a moderate but
certain interest.
Insects.-E. R. Elliott writes: Touch
ing insects, the statement was at one
time made that 100000 species were
known, and that we have 10000 in this
country, but only abo~ 1000 are so in
furious as to be of importance. Most of
our destructive insects are from Europe
and have driven out the native kinds, as
foreign weeds have superseded the in
fl,nt VII
the currant bushes are two moths under
names of Egeria tipulJormis and EWopia
ribearid, one other beetle, Psenocerus
supernolatus. This beetle, with the first
named moth, consume the cores of the
stems, often killing them. The best
way to destroy them is to cut away the
stems on the currants that are injured
and burn them, for there the chrysalides
are nested The other or fourth insect is
asaw-fy, Nematus rentricosus, which, with
the;second named moth or caterpillar,
produces what we know as the "measur-
ing worm," and lays its eggs upon the
stems and branches of the bush, where
they remain all winter and may be found
and destroyed The saw-fy is of
European origin, and known as the cur
rant worm. 1t comes out of the ground
| in May, finds the leaves ready, and lays
about hundred eggson the under side
along the principal veins, where they
can be seen by turning up the leaves,
which should be gathered and burned.
This is the easiest method of destroying
the insect. If the eggs are allowed to
| hatch, the worms Immediately begin eat
ing the leaves, at first making little holes,
which they soon enlarge, afterwards eat
ing the edges, then going to other leaves
The worms should be gathered and de.
stroyed. When they have finished eating
they go into the ground and form a
cocoon near the surface, or under the
| leaves. These are the most important
enemies of our currants and gooseberries
although others are known which do, al
times, very severe harm to the bushes.
Oats VS.. Corn for Live StOck.-Con
cerning this subject, DIR. James, the Com
missioner of Agriculture of Georgia
writes as follows: Taking into consid
Grafton the cost of production, thu
chemical analysis and the comparative
freedom from stealage, oats are cheaper
as stock food than corn. One bushel, o
fifty-six pounds of corn costs ffty-eigh
cents, while one bushel, or thirty-twt
pounds of oats, costs twenty-nine cents
making a difference of thirteen cents il
the cost of one hundred pounds of tn
two Chemical analysis shows that oat
contain twelve per cent. of albuminoids
or flesh and muscle-producing principle
while corn contains ten per cent. 1t vii
thus be seen that for work animals, oat
are more valuable than corn as foo
| re 10
now, that one hundred pounds of oat
cost thirteen cents less than one hundre'
pound, of corn, and the case stands dc
: cidedly in favor of oats for work stock.
In fat-producing proprieties, corn ha
seven per cent, oats SIX per cent. 1t wi
be seen, therefore, thatwhen equal weight
only are compared, corn has the advar
tage as fat-producer. But taking th
cost in consideration, there is no choic
in this respect. Another decided adval
tage of oats for our climate, and e.
pecially for summer use, is, that Will
they supply more muscle, they are les
heating and more invigorating to tn
work animal consuming them. Sti
another advantage is freedom from TO
ten grain and weevil, which frequentl
: cause corn to injure stock. Still anothe
item in favor of oats is that freedme
a do not eat them, nor can they so rapid
> sell them when stolen. This correspond
;, with the fact that ninety-six per cent. {
the correspondents report that cotto
cannot be raised on bought supple
, Eighty-four per cent. say that cotton ca
!, be raised at profit at present prices 9
: supplies made at home. This is readi]
IL understood, in view of the fact tn;
y bought corn and oats cost from two
e three times as much as homemade; tina
; as reported by correspondents, only fort
< seven per cent. of home supply
y pork is raised in the State, and tina
Is while it costs an average of sixty dolla
> per head to raise a horse or a mule {
le the farm, s., 100000 were expended Ia
I season in their purchase from drove
at an average cost per head of more thu
20 twice the cost of raising them. Nc
% withstanding this enormous annual ou
'1 lay in horses and mules, and the ia
Sc that it costs only sixty dollars to raj
le them to three-year-old, only six thousal
u u and thirty-three are reported annual
'ee foaled in the State.
in DOMESTIC HINTS.
n, Summer Mince Pice.-Four cracker
| 1 IL