The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-09-06
TOPICS FOR FARMERS.

Feeding for Manure.-A correspon-
dent of the New England Farmer says:
The English farmer buys cattle in order
to fatten them, and by so doing he makes
a very rich manure pile. There are
sections in England where it would be
difficult to fatten all the cattle they
raise, from the fact that it is difficult to
ripen and harvest any kind of grain in
these sections. have seen oats covered
with snow in November; but large
quantities of cattle can be raised-some
| are fatted -on grass, others when grown
are sold to the feeder. Now, these ami
mails, having built up their frames, re-
quire little nitrogen, little phosphoric
| acid or line; these they have brought
| from their native hills. But they re-
ouire food rich in oil, starch and sugar;
these they convert into fat, only sup
plving the waste of the muscular system, |
made by the involuntary motions of
| living. from the food received; hence |
they void large quantities of nitrogen |
and phosphate of lime, and other |
minerals. If we examine the price |
paid for what are termed the Stock |
bridge fertilizers, which means sulphate
of ammonia, phosphate OF lime and
muriate of potash, we shall lind that we
can afford to buy rich food to feed cat
tie, if we have to sell them at cost
when fat. By cost, 1 mean the first cost
of the animal and the cost of its feed.
How to Tell the Age of FOwls.-If
a hens spur is hard, and the scales on the
legs rough, she is old, whether you see
her head or not, but her head will
corroborate your observation. If the
underbill is so stiff that you cannot bend
it down, and the comb thick and rough,
leave her, no matter how fat and plump,
for some one less particular. A young
hen has only the rudiments of spurs;
the scales on the legs are smooth, glossy
and fresh colored, whatever the color
NAV be; the claws tender and short, the
nails sharp, the underbill soft and the
comb thin and smooth.
An old hen turkey has rough scales on
the legs, caliosities on the soles of the
feet, and long, strong claws; a young one
the reverse of all those marks. When
. the feathers are on, the old turkey-cock
has long tuft or beard a young one
but a sprouting one: and when they are
off, the smooth scales on the legs decide
: the point, besides the difference in size
: of the wattles of the neck and in the
l elastic shoot upon the nose.
+ 7 An old goose when alive, is known by
the rough legs, the strength of the wings,
particularly at the pinions, the thick
/ ness and strength of the bill, and the
|. firmness of the feathers; and when
e plucked, by the legs, the tenderness of
Z the skin under the wings, by the pinions
IS and the bill and the coarseness of the
J skin.
Ducks are distinguished by the same
d means, but there is the difference-that
duckling's bill is much longer in pro
is portion to the breadth of its head thar
Is the old ducks.
A young pigeon is discovered by it,
o pale color, smooth scales, tender, col
1apsed feet, and the yellow, long down
); interspersed among its feathers. A
pigeon that can fly has always red
le colored legs and no down, and is thel
too old for use as a SQUAD.
Warming Against the Cattle Plague
er Our Minister to Russia has addressed
letter to the Secretary of State on th
n. subject of the cattle plague in Russia
n, He says: "It is always more or les
lie prevalent, and generally kills who'll
ID herds Like cholera, it is both con
N tagious and infectious. By these term
Y I mean to say it is communicated from
S, one animal to another by the physica
imposition of the virus upon any anima
re from any object containing the virus
and also that the virus may be CARRIE
le in molecules in the air, and thus produc
the disease. 1t evidently did not orig
it nate in England, but was carried ther
I'd by ship-loads of cattle from the Russia
of Baltic ports. If this theory is correct
er then all importation of cattle fro1
I'd abroad should at once be prohibited b
in Congress- if not otherwise possible to b
ng prevented. And it would pay well
at call Congress together for that purpos
he only. No ship having a COW or sheel
an on arrival from Europe or countries ha'
by ing the pest, should be allowed to Ian
lis in America without sufficient quarantin
re Every disease must at some time hay
-as originated from violent disregard {
the natural laws, and this as others. Bl
he I am of the opinion that there is nothin
III, in the management Of cattle in Gre'
he Britain or America to generate tt
dy disease; so also no sanitary precautiol
i'm can arrest it short of non-intercourse.
he believe it to be species of blood
)k- murrain, aggravated by the marsh
he nature of Northern Russia and the utt
,ut disregard of all the laws of healt
spt known to man and beast, especially
hit, regard to ventilation and cleanlines
M which prevails in these cold climate
where great expenditure of heat
the needed and fuel and food are scare
as The same causes are producing now Il
aggravated typhus fever here, which
ed. called outside of Russia the plague
the England was warned long since of Il
by danger of direct Importation of catt
her from Russia, but failed to heed t
led advice. 1 trust our country may
cks more wise and more fortunaten