Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-11-25
RARH, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
iThe Soil for Fruit Trees

suitable, but no water must be allowed
10 stagnate around the roots. Mrs.
Quin says that on stiff, tenacious clay
soils, with clay subsoils, undertaking
and deep blowing will be found essen
tial to rid the soil of stagnant water, in
order to get the conditions which will
promote healthy and vigorous root
growth. But on good farming land,
such as will produce, with ordinary
treatment, $50 to 300 bushels OF potatoes
TO the acre, or sixtyl or seventy bushels
of shelled corn, il would be useless
waste of money to spend the amount
necessary to underdrain the soil before
planting pears. A dry, hilly place will
be better than ow one, with no good
drainage.
Care in Managing sheep.
American wool growers or shepherds
have yet much to learn in regard to the
management of their flocks. For ex-
ample, the sheep in Silesia are never
exposed TO much rain S h elter and
shade are provided for them. Nor are
they exposed to dust, for that is known
TO be Injurious TO the fleece. The great
est possible care is taken in the breeding.
Men of experience are employed to 90
| from farm TO farm TO examine the sheep
and select the best rams that can be
.ound. The rams are closely examined
as TO their fleece bearing properties, and
ali but the very best are sold off. The
whole economy of the sheep farm is
rs perfect rs intelligence and industry
can make it.
Successful Poultry Raising
In raising poultry or stock, it should
be the aim ofevery one to keep it healthy
and improve it. You can do it very
easily by adopting some systematic
rules. These may be summed up in
| brief rs follows
|. Construct your house good and
warm, so as to avoid damp floors, and
afford a food of sunlight Sunshine is
better than medicine.
2. Provide a busting and scratching
place, where you can bury wheat and
corn, and thus induce the fowls TO axe
needful exercise.
3. Provide yourself with some good,
healthy chickens, none TO be over three
or four years old, giving one cock to
every twelve hens.
4. Give plenty of fresh air at al times
OF tie year, especially in summer.
5. Give plenty Of fresh water daily,
and never allow he fowls to 20 thirsty.
6. Feed them Systematically two or
! three times n da and scatter the food
so they can't eat too fast or without
proper exercise. Do not feed more than
they will eat up clean, or they will get
tired of that kind of feed.
7. Give them variety both of dry
and cooked food; a mixture OF cooked
meal and vegetables is an excellent
thing for their morning meal.
6. Give soft feed in the morning, and
the Whole grain at night, except a little
wheat or cracked corn placed in the
/ scratching place during the day.
9 Above all things keep the hen house
| clean and well ventilated.
10. Do not crowd too many in one
house. II you do, look out for disease.
IL. Use carbolic powder in busting
bins occasionally to destroy lice.
IL. Wash your roosts and bottom of
laying nests with whitewash once "A
week in summer and once a month in
winter.
l3. Let the old and young have AS
large range as possibe-the larger the
! better.
IA. Don't breed too many kinds of
fowls at the same time, unless you are
going into the business. Three or tour
will keep your hands full.
Is. Introduce new blood into your
stock every year or so, by either buying
n cockerel or sittings OF eggs from some
reliable breeder.
l6. In buying birds or eggs, 90 to
some reliable breeder who has his repu-
tation at stake. You may have to pay
little more for birds, but you can de-
pend on what you get. Culls are not
cheap at any price.
II. Save the best birds for next years
breeding, and send the Others TO market.
In shipping fancy poultry TO market
send it dressed.
IS. And, above all things, read the
poultry department of some good, re-
liable paper. You will gather more from
it than you can from any poultry book.
BY paying attention to the above, you
cannot fail to succeed and make poultry
keeping as profitable as thousands have
done all over the United States
Rural Nebraska
Household Hints.
In washing silk handkerchiets wash
in water in which the best white CASTLE
soap has been lathered. Then snap be-
tween your fingers until nearly dry, fold
and press under a weight. Never iron {.
Zines may be secured with great