The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-05-29
TOPICS FOR TIE FARM.

A Good Lawn.-Samuel Parsons, Jr.,
writes in Scribner for June: No greater
faIlacy exists than the idea that spading
is better than blowing of an equal depth.
No tilth can ,be better than that given
BY the plow, followed by frequent and
continual applications of the harrow.
Leveling with the spade can be executed
in the most perfect manner, and the fin
ishing touch can be given by light
cross-plowing and narrowing. Seed
should be always literally applied; and,
instead of the various lawn-grass mix
lures, We believe in the use of simple
red-top seed, together with very little
white clover; and when it is thus ap-
piled (during quiet hours of the day
that it may fall evenly, two or three
years should suffice to grow thick, vel
vety turf. Weeds are the great enemies
of good turf, and every lawn should be
kept as free from these pests as flower
garden. The employment of good arti-
fetal fertilizers greatly helps to secure
permanent freedom from weeds, since
foul seeds cannot very well lurk in them.
The Future Of Hog Raising.-It is to
be expected, Judging from the general
rule of human action. that the long
continuance of low prices. for pork will
operate to discourage hog raising. That
low prices should have depressing ef-
feet is natural result of good cause,
and yet that does not signify that it is
the part of wisdom to feel depressed.
Indeed, what product of the farm is
there that has not been low, and if man
is TO be driven out of producing one
thing for such a reason, will he not be
deferred from producing anything?
Large fortunes have been made in rails
ing hogs, and fortunes will be made
again in like manner. That it can be
done next year or the year after, we can
not predict, for we do not know any
thing about it. But we do predict that
hog breeding will again be profitable,
and that it will average all the time,
year in and year out, as well as any
thing that is produced on the farm.
The consumption of pork is constantly
increasing. The wild prejudice against
it, which some people entertain, is being
gradually overcome. The hog is being
better understood every day. The er-
roneous notions about swine are as alb
surd as they are astonishing. Ono man
does not eat pork because the hog is
filthy animal" This is not true. Swine
are naturally cleanly, and if they eat
have nothing else to eat and nowhere
else to live. They do just as human
beings do. Rather than starve a man
will eat from the swill barrel, and even
worse than that Rather than freeze he
will sleep in dirty pig stye, if that will
furnish warmth. Give the hog good
clean food and a good clean pen, and he
will not seek filth fer food nor filth to
wallow in. The public by degrees are
beginning to understand this. Our i'm
mense packing operations in the West
can not fail to draw attention to the
hog, and when the attention is attracted
to any object the mind will study it
more or less.
Another man refuses to eat pork, be-
cause " it is unhealthy" This is not
true either in its broadest sense. Dis
eased pork is unhealthy. So is diseased
beef. The consumption of large quanti-
ties of pork by people living in warm
climates or by people whose habits are
sedentary, is unhealthy. The consump-
tion of large quantities of beef under
similar circumstances is also unhealthy.
We think that constant pork eaters will
compare favorably, as to health and Ion
gevity, with constant beef eaters. People
are generally beginning to understand
this, too and the result of all this bet
ter knowledge is to increase the con-
sumption of pork; which, of course,
must point TO an ultimate better market.
The hog disease is one great source of
Encouragement, but everything that
breathes is liable to disease, and every
species of animal is liable to an epidemic
Next year it may be our cattle that will
be swept off, or our horses, or our sheep.
Really it seems as If there was not a
great deal of choice upon that ground !;
and il we had been raising hogs, we
should continue to raise Them Western
| Rural.
EconOmy.-This will apply to labor
of all kinds. 1T is economy to have
everything ready before beginning work.
1t is economy to have good tools, a good
start, fast-walkiDg team and good
hired man. 1t is economy to feed the
teams well and take care of them. II
is economy in order to raise good crops
to SOW geod seed of the best varieties.
1t is economy to ditch or ftile-drain
heavy land and all land which is springy
If it is to be sown with crops. In Other
respects many farmers could with profit
practice more economy. They should
save more, and waste less. They should
shelter tools and keep them in good re
pair. They should secure crops in sea
son. They should continue to use u4
all materials to the best advantage
Manufacturers understand this aDl
learn to save the refuse materials ant
waste nothing.
Responsibility of Agriculture.--A
clergyman once said to me, Will farm
ing ever be considered more respectable
than nowT My answer was, "No.'
Farming is highly honored. when W,
consider that from it flows all the call
for artisans of every name to suppl,
the real or imaginary wants of all man
kind. Heaven, as state, whether it re
lates to the present or the hereafter
consists mainly in the beautiful. Adam
was to dress the garden, which mean
to make it look well, and at the sam
time it would be useful. How is it to
day2 A beautiful garden attracts visit
ors from all the surrounding country
No less does an extensive farm, mad
beautiful by the diligent hand; by tn
product of the farm, man and beast SUI
vive. All other callings are supporte'
by it; but to the question, els it NOR
respectable than formerly, or will it be :?
4 / answered, 1t has always had tn
precedence in respectability." God an
good men in former time looked wit
, pleasure and delight upon seed time an
harvest; 20 in this age, professional me
extol the beauties of agriculture, and e.
pecially every one who is looking for
lucrative Office from the honest yeomar
as much as to say, your calling is n
!, spectable-Robert Mansfield.