The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-10-17
TOPICS FOR THE FARM

Swine at the Paris Exp0sition-Mr.
Samuel Dysart, special commissioner
from our government, from Illinois, to
report upon live stock at the Paris Ex-
position, writes as follows concerning
the show of swine:
"The exhibition of swine was not
equal to that of one of our Western State
fairs, in quality of animals exhibited.
True, there was great number of what
might be termed breeds, represented by
what would be considered very inferior
specimens in our country. We have all
the principal English breeds in as great
degree of perfection as / have seen
them here. France is not what might
be termed pork-producing nation, and
but little attention has been given to the
Improvement of swine until quite re-
Gently. The different English breeds
have been largely imported and bred
pure IN many places, but they have been
more generally crossed with the native
breeds, greatly to the general improve
ment in the quantity and quality of the
meat produced.
"The grand prize of honor was won by
a Suffolk, owned by G. NJ. Sexton, Ips-
witch, England. The prize of two hun
dred dollars, by the agricultural society
of France, was awarded to Frenchman
named Porsin, on the Middlesex breed.
There was splendid show of Berkshires,
but the juries seemed to favor the white
hog where they competed with those of
dark color, and the small breeds over
the large animals"
How to Start Long WoOls.-We have
| in this country, says Harris in Stock
Raising" millions of common sheep,
| with more or less Merino blood in them,
that can be bought at little more than
their pelts are worth. Select from these
a flock of strong, healthy, hardy, vigor-
Gus ewes. Feed them well, and cross
them with pure ram of any good NUT
ton breed. | happen to have the Cots
wolds; but will not say that the Lei,
cesters, or Oxfordshire, or Shropshire,
or Southdowns will not produce just as
good lambs. All l say is we can raise q
wonderfully hardy, healthy, vigorous
and profitable class of sheep in the way
I have suggested. We have a grand op.
portunity to produce mutton for the
English market. And I would rather
see mutton exported than corn and oil
cake. A carcass of mutton, weighing
one hundred pounds, and worth, say
eight dollars, contains less than two
pounds of nitrogen and three and hal
pounds of mineral matter, while eight
dollars worth of bran, say half a ton
contains twenty-five pounds of nitrogen
and sixty-six pounds of mineral c'atter
think it is better to keep the bran a
home and sell the mutton, and conver
the nitrogen and mineral matter thu
saved into grass and Northern Sp,
apples.
Canker In the Mouth.-This is mos
uncomfortable and unsightly affection t,
which old fowls generally are subject
1t is also common to game birds tina
have been used in the pit. Youn,
chickens rarely are troubled with this
But adult fowls that are quarrelsom
thus cause small beat-wounds upon tn
heads of each other, that terminate il
) cankerous sores. 1t will quickly spreat
among fowls-when once it gets started
and it proves hard to control. A stron,
alum-wash is recommended for this
The diseased fowls should BIZ taken ava,
from the we'll ones, directly, and cank
cred birds should be treated by them
selves till they recover. A little physic
constant washing the diseased parts ant
removing the accumulated cankerou
sores, daily, is all that can be done t.
help this disorder. A wash of chlorat
of potash dissolved in common rum
whisky, or vinegar, is very excellen
application for canker. 1t needs clos
: attention, every day, however, to cur
it; and unless the bird is a valuabl
one-upon its first appearance, it j
better to kill and bury the victim, t
prevent its spreading through the foch