American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-06-07
AGRICULTURAL.

SHIP THEM.-An experienced dealer in
New York gives the following directions
for the marketing of fruits and vegeta-
bles, which are applicable to all mar
kets: "Gather when ripe-not before
especially not after. Over-ripeness is
great cause of trouble, because by the
shrinkage and paleness it always pro-
duces it gives it look of deafness. Do
not mix different grades more than is
unavoidable in the same package. When
a buyer looks at the contents of q pack
age he fixes his price good deal more
by the inferior than by the better grade.
Be sure that the vegetables are dry be-
fore you pack them. This is very i'm
portant. 1t ought not to be forgotten.
The dryness refers not only to the sur
face but the pores of the vegetables as
well. Moisture creates fermentation,
and this produces decomposition. Veg
etables are not to be cried by artificial
heat, but simply by exposure in a shady
spot to the ordinary temperature for
about one day after they have been gath
cred. Be careful not to gather when
the dew is on them or right after rain.
The best process of drying is to pile
them two or three feet deep for IL hours.
This sweats them; then spread them
out; this takes away the sweat. When
dry, pack at once, and forward to mar
ket by the quickest route, without re-
gard to whether the cost of Transports
ton by one route be little more or less
than by another. Time is money. A
hundred packages shipped in conformi-
ty to the above rules will bring better
returns than 800 packages would if put
up and consigned in violation of them.
This may seem like an extravagant as
sertion, written at random, and without
due reflection; but we have framed it
deliberately, and believe your expe-
rience will prove it true.''
LARGE AND SMALL ANIMALs-THE
DIFFERENCE IN THE CosT OF THEIR
FEEDING.-Abundant experience, if
such proof we're necessary, shows that
there is more profit in feeding the larger
breeds than the smaller breeds of ami
course there are exceptions to this, as
in all general rules. The small Jersey
cow, for example, which is expected to
produce an exceptional product of high
ly colored and finely-favored butter;
but this does not affect the rule above
stated. 1t is only necessary to consider
that, when we feed two animals of 700
pounds each, we have to supply the de-
mands of two sets of breathing, circu-
lating, and muscular apparatus, which
are considerably more expensive than
those of one animal of 1,4O0 pounds.
This is true of every animal that we
feed, from the fowl and pig up to the
COW and fatted steer. Ten small Me-
rino sheep, weighing 80 pounds each,
will cost much more to feed than four
Cotswolds, of 200 pounds each, or five
of 100 pounds each. Besides the grain
in feed, we have also large advantage
in the less proportionate amount of
offal in the fewer large amin us
than in the larger number of small ones.
Where flesh and milk are the objects in
view, this consideration ought to have
great weight in the selection of stock to
be kept. The choice, of course, will be
restricted by the opportunities for keep
ing the stock, but it will not pay to keep
Short horn cows upon pasture where
only small, active cattle can pick up a
living; but where other things are equal
this consideration should be well
weighed. Just now there is opening up
large opportunity for feeding stock for
beef, which many farmers will very soon
find desirable one to seize upon. In
choosing animals for feeding, then they
will find it to their profit to select such
large breeds as the Short-horn or Here
ford, where their locality admits of it;
and where it does not they will certainly
labor under the disadvantage of pre-
pairing for market an article which can
neither sell for the highest price nor can
be produced at lowest cost. Further,
there is another advantage in marketing
the largest amount of product in one
package, so to speak; for animals of
1900 to 1900 pounds can be sent to
market at less proportional cost than the
same weight in the form of animals that
are one-half or one-third smaller.-Ag-
7iculturist.
MELONS FOR HOME AND MARKET
Farmers who grow melons on a large
scale for market have planted before this
ho Of