The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-10-03
TOPICS FOR THE FARM.

In the city, that 1t was hardly con-
sidered worth while to lay aside a stock
of winter apples which we're not grown
in Western New York. But year after
year this idea has been losing ground,
and now we look for our main supplies
to the constantly improving orchards of
Michigan and this State. The southern
portion of the Illinois Central Railroad
has developed wonderfully in fruit cul-
ture during the past decade, and as
growers have become better acquainted
with varieties which were reliable, the
quality and increase have developed.
What was true years ago regarding this
market, was equally true regarding
points farther west and north of us. It
is but a few years since the main agents
for the distributing points in Iowa,
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Kansas, Nebraska
and Colorado depended almost entirely
upon dealers here for their supplies,
who, of couse, shipped them the pro-
ducts of either New York or Michigan
orchards. / have known of car load
upon car load of Michigan apples being
shipped to Denver, Greeley and other
points in Colorado, the freight on the
same costing as much as the fruit, and
still the shipment when arriving in good
order, paying a profit of from fifty to
one hundred per cent. This condition
of the trade and production, however,
is rapidly changing, and not only are
Wisconsin, Iowa, and notably Kansas,
supplying their own people with a great
variety and excellent quality of fruit,
but even amid the shadows of the Rocky
Mountains, in far away Colorado, there
is springing up and rapidly developing
a new industy in the shape of fruit Gull
ture which promises important results.
1t has for many years been held that the
friendly to the raising of peaches, ap-
Piles, pears, etc., but from a very in
teresting conversation a day or two since
with an intelligent merchant from
Denver it seems that, leaving climatic
and other theories behind, some inter-
prising Yankee have actually been
planting orchards, and in the immediate
vicinity of Denver will harvest several
hundred bushels of excellent apples. In
other parts.o o. the State. apples, peaches,
pears and even grapes are not only
thrifty. but promise a most satisfactory
return for the experiment of the growers.
1t seems strange to n long identified
with the fruit traffic in this city, and
who has made many shipments to
Colorado markets which were sold by
the pound, to be informed that in the
immediate shelter of the s~now-capped
Rockies" the red-cheeked apple,
luscious peach and juicy grape are
growing in marketable quantities. Our
own local market has rarely ever seen a
more abundant supply of all varieties of
domestic fruits, ave peaches, than dur
ing the present season, and of a quality
unsurpassed. Then peaches have turned
out much better than was anticipated,
and prices have ruled lower than
housekeepers were led to expect. Ex-
cellent qualities of Crawford, Old Nixon
and kindred varieties are selling on the
streets from forty to seventy cents for
full peck baskets. Apples are a drug.
and choice fall varieties sell by the
single blrrel at from one to one dollar
and fifty cents. The crop in winter
varieties in Michigan promises to be
quite large and of unusually excellent
quality, and as we now depend for oul
principal supply from that State, the
outlook is correspondingly agreeable.
Domestic Animals.-While a few
farmers are really hard-hearted, many
of them perform cruel acts toward theil
domestic animals by reason either o.
mistaken economy or intended mercy
Many owners of dairy stock will tell you
that at no time is it good to allow
shade trees in pasture lots, because the
mich COWS W~illspend their tinae-in-ths
shade, when they should be grazing il
order to give a fair portion of milk
Place these unthinking men in the sam,
position-deprive them of all shade anc
rest during the heat of the day, tina
they may not neglect their work, aut
how long will they last? Animal struc
ture is very similar throughout tn,
whole species. Proper food, gooe
exercise and the sleep and rest to re
cuperate its energies are required b,
each animal, whether human or other
, wise. So, too, the protection ant
shelter which a man gives himsel
, against excessive heat OF, cold and rapit
changes of temperature are quite a
necessary for his domestic animals, witt
such notifications as difference of struc
i ture and habits will naturally suggest Il
every thinking man.
But much t~oo'frequently the thinkin,
and reasoning part of the proposition i
, held in the background and some wis
, saw of the grandfather becomes tn
: prompter. Hence, the poor animals ar
tbeimmediate sufferers by physicalpain
! and the unfortunate owner the ultimat
sufferer by loss either of the animals o
! their usefulness. A little careful
thought bestowed upon the subject vii
at once show the fallacy of many of tn
' ancient saws, and then, by the addition
! of a fair degreesof WHAT'S called horse
sense, the average farmer will at ono
: discover that care for the comfort of tn
/ domestic animal is a %precaution agains
r the sickness and failure in its spher
, of usefulness. MI. Bergh's humane in
tentions may be entirely ignored in thi
, proposition, and it will prove itself O.
purely economical grounds. Then ad,
Bergh to economy, and team is mad
which must insure success.