The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-10-16
Red-top or Herdssrass.

NW
States h~erdsgrass is but another name
for timothy, while in all the Southern
and Middle States the term 'herdsgrass'
is applied only to what in New England
is known as 'red.top.' II belongs 10 the
genus known in England as 'bent-grass,'
and WAS introduced into this country
from thence more than a century ago.
In nutritive qualities il is found, upon
analysis, to be but little inferior TO tim.
othy, while in its other peculiarities tits
quite the reverse. Coming into the soil
easily and going ont hard, its tenacity Of
life is such as to enable il to Withstand
heat and cold, drought and flood alike,
and TO form a firm, compact sod equally
proof against the tramping cattle as the
flow OF water, producing a succession Of
foliage from early spring till late in au-
tumn. Spreading itself from the root,
it 0 o occupies the ground TO the e1clu
sion OF weeds, and therefore needs no
resetting, while its fbrous roots I'll the
entire surface, enabling it to stand closer
cutting as we'll as grazing than almost
any other grass. On the contrary, tim
othy, having a Dubious root, is much
more likely to be killed ont, either by
being too closely cut or excessive graz
ing. And while its yield per acre on
good land is nearly double that Of red.
top, yet fine crops of The latter are often
obtained from soils that are too pOor to
grow re~rnunerative crops of the former.
Farm Food.
Where we make one load of manure
nov we ought to make at least three,
sOys an exchange. These are some Of
the multitude OF ways: The liquid waste
is as valuable for manure as the solid
portions, and yet on seven-eighths Of the
farms it is nearly all lost. 1t can be
saved by storing a supply of muck or
common loan under the stable where
the oxen and COWS and horses are to
stand, and putting a fresh coating upon
the pile often enough to keep it from
foul odors; or better yet-for few men
can be trusted to manage a balm base
ment-make a shed or pit for the COM
post, and convey the liquids away from
the stable by suitable drains, which
should be provided in every decent
barn. One hundred loads of saturated
earth will be worth to any farmer, one
hundred and fifty dollars, putting it at
the least. Put the absorbents where
they will do the most good. One other
thing, leaves of the forest are wasted
when they should besaved. They make
excellent bedding, and most excellent
manure; and a few days given to trans
porting them from the woods where
they are not wanted, to the barn, where
they are, will pay.
Farm Notes.
Never try to get a very heavy days
work out of a team. Moderate and
steady going is what counts in a long
race, and the farmers race is a long one.
1t takes but q few hours or even a few
minutes to so tax a horse that he is on
of fix for months.
One of the best preparations to pro-
tect iron or steel from rust is made by
melting a pound of fresh (uot salt) lard
with a piece of resin the size of q hens
egg-the exact proportion not import
ant. Melt the two together, and stir as
it cools; keep secure from dust, and use
it on all parts Of machinery liable to
injury by rust.
Moore'8 Rural chronicles the success
full result during the past year Of an ex-
pertinent which is now new-cultivating
lima beans without poles, by simply
pinching off the ends as soo as they
showed a disposition to vine. This
caused the plants to assume the form of
a thick-set bush, and they we're nearly
as productive as when allowed to climb
as nature designed
Pears should always be ripened off o
the tree, and must be sent to market
before they soften. Half barrels are
handled with ease and safety, and this
is q favorite package. 1t should be
lined with white paper, and packed from
the bottom. In no case should the fruit
be shaken from the trees. Various pick
ers are in use for reaching the speci-
mems which grow upon high and I'M
handy branches.
To rejuvenate old orchards, cut out
all the dying wood and three-fourths Of
the suckers; scrape the trunks of the
trees completely, removing all the old,
hard, broken bark; wash with q prepa-
ration OF whale.oil soap and water, one
pound of soap to a bucket of water; and
give the orchard-not merely under the
trees, but every part Of ia healthy top
dressing Of good barnyard or compost
manure. If there be any life or pro-
~ductiveness in the trees this will bring
it out.
So much sickness, too often fatal, re-
suits from damp walls that every pre-
canton should be taken to remedy the
evil. M istsre may be kept from a
brick wall by dissolving three.quarters
of a pound OF notified soap in one gallon
of boiling water, and spreading the hot
solution steadily, with q large, fiat
hruah. over the %anrface of tha brick