The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-03-04
TOPICS FOR THE FARM.

TOPICS FOR THE FARM.
Prepare for Work.-Look ahead far
mer, think in advance of your work and
have your pi ans well laid. just now is
a good time for this business.
Weed Statistics.-A botanist SAYS that
there are $4,000 different kinds of
weeds in the United States. Farmers,
attend.
Pear B1ight.-Pear blight in several
instances has been arrested in affecting
trees by Swinging them with a weak
solution of potash, and it has proven a
preventive when applied to the healthy
trees.
Corn Acreage.-The State giving the
largest average of corn per acre last
year was Nebraska, the average being
As bushels. Colorado returned the larg-
est average of wheat, amounting to 23.1
bushels per acre.
Care of POultry.-Most kinds of
poultry are like Indians. great tramps,
and, when growing and developing mus
Gle and bone we should let them tramp,
but when it comes to fattening, the more
quietly they can be kept, the more
quickly will they be ready for the table.
Lookout for Swindlers.-This is the
season when experienced gentlemen
plowl around the country, merchandis.
| ing in the interest of farmers. selling
patents, etc. 1t would be we'll for far.
mers to give peddlers of this class wide
berth, and make their purchases from
regular merchants.
Breeding Poultry.-To obtain a sup
| ply of winter eggs, we must have the
chicks out in March or April. Leg
horns and some of the smaller breed.
will do we'll in May or the first of June
but the Brahmas and Cochins mus
come off early, that they may have th'
full season for growth.
Sweeny.-In young horses sweeny Of
wasting of the muscles of the shoulder
is otter consequence of unsteady pull
ing with an ill-ftting collar. Cuppine
| the shoulder will not do. Apply TO
some time once day potion of equa
parts of oil of turpentine and tinctur,
cf cantharides. Shake the bottle Will,
applying the contents. Liberty out
doors every day in suitable weather.
Horse Feed.-Corn is an excellen
| feed for horses to work on; perhaps no
so good for fast driving. Horses ar
more quiet and tractable on corn thai
with any other grain, and will do more
hard pulling with less loss in condition
Oats makes horse sprightly and active
corn may make q horse dull and slow
but strong. For colts, wheat bran shoult
be mixed with the corn; it will b
lighter and less heating.
Grape CultiyatiOn.-It is the opinicl
of the San Francisco Chronicle that in
few years the growing of grapes and tn
manufacture of wine will be the great
est agricultural interest in Californis
The variety of soil and climate in tn
State makes the cultivation of any Of tn
numerous grapes entirely practicable
and it sees no reason why as fine a grad
of champagne and sill wines may not b
produced as can be found or manufat
|
The Hardest Grass.-A correspond
ent says that meadow oat grass is les
affected by the drought than any of tn
grasses, having grown about five fee
tall. This grass seems admirably adaI
ted to the South, especially for th
cheapening of the seed. 1t seeds abur
dainty, and the seeds are easily threshe
out. 1t should be remembered, ths
about the time of sowing turnips is til
best season for sowing this grass, and i
fact, all other grasses and forage plant
at the South.
An Acre of Land.-The number {
!. square feet in an acre is Al, $50. In ordt
to have this area the piece of land mu
be of such length and breadth ths
the two multiplied together will pr
! dude the above number. Thus, an acl
/ of land might be 43, $50 feet long by on
T foot broad 81, ,780 feet long by two fe'
broad; 1880 feet long by three fet
t broad, and so on. If the acre of land
, to be exactly square, each side must
! as nearly as possible 208 feet 81 inche
The nearest you can come to an exact
square acre with an even number
feet in the side is to make it 220 fe
long by 1913 broad.
What There is In Wheat. The whe,
: grain is fruit consisting of seed an
/, its coverings. All the middle part
: the grain is occupied by large, thin cell
E full of powdery substance, which CO
= tains all the starch of the wheat. Gu
!. side the central starchy mass is a sing
|. row of squarish cells filled with ye
3 lowish material, very rich in nitrogen
|. GUS, that is, fesh-forming matter. B
Y yond this again there are six thin Goa
o or coverings, containing much miner
). matter, both of potash and phosphate
4 The outermost coat is of but little valu
t The mill products of these coverings {
d the seed are peculiarly rich in mutt
e ment, and fine -four is robbed of larl
d percentage of valuable and nutrition
r. food. Middlings not only contain mo
v fibrin and mineral matter than fiji
n -four, but also more fat. The fbro
n matter or outer coat, which is indigest
O bic, forms one-sixth of the bran, but n
r one-hundreth of the fine -four. Whe
contains the greatest quantity of glut
It and the smallest of starch; rye,
d medium proportion Of both, while
is barley, oats and corn, the smallest pr
Is portion of starch and the smallest
n gluten are to be found. practice
h pounds of flour will make from 1873
n 1877 pounds of bread, good avera,
h being 1876 pounds; hence barrel of l
"a pounds should yield 266 one-poul
It loaves.