Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-04-17
AGRICULTURAL

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! ONIONS, parsnips and lettuce can not
now be put in the ground too soon.
MAKE shallow basin in the ground
not far from the kitchen, and fill with
coal ashes as it is made, and on this
throw mig ht slops, wash water, etc. An
immense amount of the very best of
fertilizers can be made in this way.
PURE air and water are of even more
importance than exercise in the care of
young animals. They are often huddled
together in houses altogether in houses
altogether insufficient in size, and in
which the atmosphere is almost con-
stantly impure from the product of
respiration.
MOST of the diseases of cattle are
caused by wrong treatment-too much
feed at one time, too little at another,
too rich at one time, too, poor at another.
If cattle and horses we're fed, and water.
cd, and used properly there would be
little disease.
To clear cistern water add two ounces
powdered alum and two ounces borax to
that is blackened or oily, and in few
hours the sediment will settle and the
water be clarified and fit for washing,
and even for cooking purposes.
If, after the wool has grown to some
considerable length, sheep or lambs be-
come annoyed with lice or ticks, wash
the lambs in strong decoction of tobac-
co. Another way is to take a pair of
bellows and inhale tobacco smoke; they
blow the smoke with a considerable
force among the ticks. This will prove
instant death to them.
THE liquid Weddings of animals are
worth more-good authorities say one
sixth more-pound for pound, than the
solid excrements, and they are saved
with greater care by the best European
farmers and gardeners. All the leaks in
the stable are not in the roof; these
often in the floor are quite as objection
able and are the cause of a great deal of
waste.
In preparing ground for squashes,
put liberal amount of manure in each
hill and cover it with two inches with
soil. Then cover the whole with coal
ashes with which the whole is filled, and
the soil on the manure covered. The
seed are then planted in the ashes d.
rectly over the manure. At each hoe
ing, scatter fresh supply of ashes
around the plants, and grubs will never
trouble the plants.
CONFINEMENT and want of occu pa
ton are among the chief causes why
fowls eat feathers. The former is often
inevitable in winter, but the latter can
be avoided by burying some of their
grain food in sand and allowing them to
hunt for it, which will afford them
pastime and healthy occupation. Give
them some green food, fresh meat two
or three times week, burnt bones,
oyster shells, charcoal, clear water and q
clean hennerv, and if all this doesn't
cure them of the habit, wiring their
necks for they are incurable.
THOUSANDS of pigs are lost every
year because there is no record kept of
COWS were bred. We have also known
cows to drop their calves and mares their
colts, tied up in the stables, for the
same reason. Only year age friend
of ours lost valuable mare and colt in
this way, and it proved very serious
loss to him, too. A record should be
kept in all such cases, and it should in
clude not only the time of service, but
the date of parturition, SO that glance
would show when to exercise the proper
care. Once is enough to make the nee
essary calculation, if it is put upon re-
cord in the proper manner.
IT is folly to keep old sheep. They
should be turned of to the butcher
while they are in their prime. 1t does
not take half 80 much to fatten them
then. When they get old and thin, in
order to put them in condition to
slaughter, the whole superstructure
must be rebuilt. Four sets of lambs are
all eve should bear; this will bring
her to five years, and this il an age when
with little extra care, she would round
up to a fine and full carcass. Excep-
tons may be made when the breed is
scarce and the blood is more durable
than anything else.-Nev York Tribune.
Now, at the beginning of the season
all farm implements should be put in
proper condition for work plows should
be made sharp, harnesses, single trees,
gates, fences, in fact everything should
be put in order. If all this has been at
tended to and there is no blowing or
other farm work on land, clean up your
yard and lot, burn up all old, useless or
worn wooden tools and put away the
iron. If corn has not been planted,
prepare the land as soon as possible, and
overlook and select your seed. Watch
everything closely, read what is going
on all over the country, as we'll as the
columns. devoted to your interest, and
learn from the experience of others, as
we'll as from yourself how to he prudent
and prosperous.
SPEAKING of tanning with the fur on,
an English writer tell the Country that
he has cats skin, pliable as kid, free
from smell and the hair still clinging
firmly, which two years ago was dressed
according to his receipt, which he says is
equally safe and unfailing in all such
cases: Nail the fresh skin tightly ant
smoothly against the door, keeping the
skinning side out. Next, with broa
bladed blunt knife, then scrape all loose
pieces of flesh and fat, then rub in niue
chalk and be not sparing of labor; when
the chalk begins to powder and fall off
AXE the skin down, fill it with finely
ground alum, wrap closely together and
keep so for two or three days; at the end
of that time unfold it, shake out the
alum and the work is done.
IT is the opinion of some of our best
breeders that the impure mating Of: a
hen, if but for once, renders her forever
afterwards cross. This view is urged
by Wright, our greatest authority on
poultry culture, by Burnman,: one of