The Hickman courier., 1879-01-17
FARM AND HOME.
FAum HINTS,

There is no time better than the pres
ent for draining wet ground. Swamps
are now dry; work is not pressing; every
root of land a farmer owDs should be
made prof table, and if the season Is
permitted to pass and this work is
neglected, year must elapse before the
opportunity returns.
The horns of cattle in South Africa are
said to be longer than even those OF our
Texans, and are often curiously hent and
twisted. This is effected by scraping the
horn on the side toward which it is de-
sired that it should bend, and repeating
the operation until the wished for shape
has been attained.
An English farmer, very successful
during ten years in fsttenipg cattle and
sheep, supplied ration made as tollows.
Eight bushels corn soaked in ten pals
water two days, then simmer for an
hour. afterward mix with fourteen
pounds coarse, cheap sugar, and com
mingle with cut straw, hay or other fod-
der.
Apples are so plentiful 10 New Hamp-
shire and prices so low, that the farmers
cannot afford to pay for picking them.
Barrels, on the contrary, are in such de-
mand that, when some thieves entered
a bsrn in South Seabrook the other
night, they emptied the apples upon the
barp ,Aoor and carried of only the bar
rels.
But for the cactus, freighting would
be impossible through some of the ster-
lie districts OF Mexico, as it furnishes
the best of noulishment TO the cattle,
who find neither water nor grass in thoss
regions. The cactus, on being cut off
and roasted over a fire, so that the
thorns become sottened, is eaten vo-
raciously by them, and they will go four
or FIVE days without water when thus
fed.
A farmer Of Boise City, Idaho, catches
400 rabbits a Gay. Along his fences he
places traps, boards hinged upon pivots
above deep pits; the rabbits jump over the
fences and light on the boards, which tip
up, spill their occupant and reset them
selves. About 400 rabbits day is their
yield. The farmer gets cent bounty for
each ear. The rest OF the rabbit he feeds
TO his hogs.
The east is increasing her aiea of
wheat. According to the Maine Farmer,
one farmer, in Somerset county, Me, will
have this year nearly 100 bushels of
wheat, where two years ago he had but
so, and in his neighborhood are 100 acres
of wheat. In one neighborhood near
South Thomaston, 1000 bushels were
harvested this season, where, only six
years ago, scarcely any wheat was raised,
Teach the boys to love the farm, but
do not prove hard taskmasters. Do not
make their farm life one of drudgery and
and toll if you would have. their thoughts
in after life turn lovingly TO their old
homes and happy young lives. Teach
them that something more tkan smusc
and physical endurance is required, ~
indeed agriculture is a science or an
should be conducted according I'd
defined laws and well establish
ciples, and successful in proporti
intelligence that directs it.
Mr.. Crandall, near Burlington, IN
will iced this winter 400 head OF D.
and 100 head of hogs, and is still owneN
OF the mammoth OK, Bucephalus, weigh
ing $3.50 pounds. This animal was taken |
to the Neosho Falls and Emporia Fairs
where he made clean sweep, and carried |
off all the prizes. His girth is 161 feet; |
four feet in diameter; six feet high; four 1
feet across the brisket, and his length |
from tip OF nose to tail l5l feet. He is
In splendid condition, and will be kept
over another season.
WISDeALIs il the horse are the re-.
suit OF severe work. The back sinews |
are encased In fine sheath which con-
tains synovia, or as it is commonly
called, joint-oil. The use of this oil is
to facilitate the motion of the two great
fexer tendons, one upon the other; 90
when the pace is too fast or the labor too |
energetic, the delicate membrane which |
secretes the synovia becomes irritated |
The consequence of irritation is increased
secretion. More joint oil is poured out |
than the sac can contain. The mem |
brane, therefore, bags out at those parts |
which are weakest. Windgalls generally |
appear on the hind legs because these |
members generally do the heaviest part |
OF the horses work. There may be one
or three on both sides of each leg.
A WRITER in the Southern Farme,
says that his cow gives all the milk that
Is wanted in family of eight, and that
from 1t, after taking all that is REQUIRED |
nor other purposes, 260 pounds of butter |
were made this year. This is in part his |
treatment OF the COW. If you desire 10
get large yield of rich milk, give your
COW every day water slightly warm
and sllghtly salted, in which bran has
been stirred at the rate of one quart to
two gallons of water. You will find, If
you have not tried this daily practice,
that your cow will give IS per cent. more
milk Immediately under the effects of it
anu she will become 80 sttachsd to the
diet as to refuse to drink clear water
unless very thirsty. But this mess she
will drink almost any time, and ask for
more. The amount of this drink neces-
sary is an ordinary water pailiuI at
me, morning, noon and night.
USEFUL AND SUGGESTIVE.
PR0FITARTE Porrrr,x =,