Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-10-25
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Thorough TillaEe.

This is an art that every farmer and
gardener should thoroughly understand
and effectually practice, il he would
grow good remunerative crops, either
on the farm or in the garden. Soil well
titled is rendered productive, regardless
of its peculiar class, provided it be not
destitute of the elements of plant-food.
This is done by blowing, narrowing,
crushing, with all the other methods of
stirring it. Old Jethro Tull claimed
from the lessons of experience as a
farmer, that thorough tillage would en-
tirely obviate the necessity of using
manure. Soils, he maintained, contain
all the elements Of plant-food, which are
set free and ready for use by thorough
tillage.
The pillow turns up the soil and ex-
poses it to the atmosphere, which acts
thereupon, rendering it soluble-the
condition of plant-food. The first benef-
icent effect OF plowing is to loosen and
render the ground friable. Land that
is firm and hard is not in a favorable
condition for plant growth. If the at
tempt be made to grow a crop on soil
thus conditioned, the farmer or garden.
er is doomed to disappointment. Ex-
posure to sun and air increases fertility.
The oxidation of soil refreshes it. Fer
tility is further increased by tillage in
bringing up the silicates and exposing
them to atmospheric air. Double sill
Gates contain ammonia, which, being
liberated, promotes fertility and plant
growth.
The roller should be used to crush
lumpy ground with the harrow, thus fin
ing the soil-an important condition of
a seed-bed. II the soil be too hight
porous-as is sometimes the case with
sandy ground, the use of the roller
renders it more compact, and therefore
in better condition for plant-growth.
Fineness and moderate compactness are
essential conditions Of a good seed-bed.
Horse-hoeing and hand-hoeing are
found necessary to promote the circula-
tion of moisture and air in the soil, as
well as for the destruction Of weeds, nm
less it be decided that it is better econo-
my to grow these than it is to pay labor
ers to remove them, which may be
deemed scientific, but not economic by
farmers generally.
Drainage is often found to be essential
to thorough tillage. Soils that hold
water must be mechanically assisted to
discharge it before the best crops can
be grown. Thus is removed, with the
water discharged, the organic acid left
by decaying vegetable substances.
Drained land is warmer than when un-
drained. The improvement of soil for
plant-growth makes it more healthful
for animal life, this being due largely to
the growth of sweet and more nutritious
herbage. The thorough drainage OF
land not only increases the productive
ness thereof, but it also diminishes the
cost of tillage. Drainage, thorough
thorough tillage. Leander WethereU,
IN Rural Ne,0 Yorker.
ROosiina Places for Fowls.
Far less attention is paid to providing
suitable roosting places for fowls and
chicks than is given to host of other
and less important matters connected
with poultry and poultry houses. We
have seen neat, tasty poultry houses
which appeared from an outside view to
he the most comfortable places fowls
could wish for, yet an inspection Of the
inside revealed the roosts from five to
six feet high-far too high for heavy
fowls. In the olden time, when light
bodied fowls were the go, it did we'll
enough to let them roost high, especially
as the hen house was not carefully closed
at night to prevent the visits of preda-
tory rats, weasels, and other animals
with a natural relish for chickens in the
rough. Now we have heavier fowls,
are more particular in regard to the con-
dition of the plumage, and take more
pains with them, so these aerial roosting
places can readily be dispensed with, q
substitute being readily found in the
now popular roosting benches, which
can be made with but a small outlay of
time, labor and money, and are movable,
permitting the fancier to move them
wherever necessary. These benches can
be made from twelve TO sixteen inches
high and Of two by one-inch stats. There
is no regular length for these benches,
from five to six feet being very con-
venient size, though, if the compart-
ment be not too wide, they can be made
to conform to the width Of the house,
being careful to make them set true on
the floor, with widespread legs well
fastened on.-Poultry Journal.
Household Hints.
To SOFTEN SHOES Kerosene will
soften boots or shoes which have beer
hardened by water, and render them al
pliable as new.
BED. BUG REMEDY. ointment anc
kerosene mixed in equal proportions
and applied to bedsteads, is an unfailing
bed-bug remedy.
To REMOVE STAINS FROM A MATTRESS
Make a thick paste by wetting starch
with cold water. Spread this over the
stain, first placing the mattress in the
sun. Rub off in q couple of hours, and
if the ticking is not perfectly clean re-
peat the process.
To RESTORE PLASTER FIaUREs Al
far as real beauty is concerned plaster
figure is as satisfactory as marble, bu
the cheap material betrays its inferiorit,
by turning yellow and gathering dust tt
On extent which makes it very unlik
the thing OF beauty which it is meant t,
be. A coating OF whiting and very THU
glue, applied with brush, will restor
its whiteness and make it once more
real ornament.
To DYE BLACK Goops. fiv
pounds of goods take six ounces OF blu
vitriol and boil few minutes, then dill
the goods three-quarters of an hour
airing often take out the goods an
make dye with three pounds of log
wood; boil one-half hour, dip three
quarters of an hour, and air the goods
and dip three-quarters of an hour more
wash in strong suds. This will neithe
crock nor fade.