The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-05-11
AGRICULTURE.

| USEFULNESS OF FERRErs, are
surprised that farmers, poulterers, anG
their sons, do not keep terrets More
| generally. Wherever rats harbor, un.
| der hog pens, hen-houses or buildings OF
places vi any kind, ferrets will 20 after
them, and they are sure to drive them
out, SO the boys and dogs can have first
class sport capturing them, and doing
good besides. One OF tho best breed OF
dogs for use in catching the rats as they
! emerge from their rhlding-places, Is the
genuine Scotch terrier. They are quick
and plucky, aud will attend to ali til o
outside "btZ' the ferret sends them.
Thousands of dollars worth of fruit
trees arc annually destroyed by rab-
bits. If the farmer or farmers bows
used ferret to drive the rabbits from
their holes, spending a half II day or
two scason,) they could make u
scarcity among the rabbits and save
their trees. Tho writer lost whole
orchard some three years since, Of over
100 trees. 1t seemed impossible to pro-
vent the ravages Of tho rabbits among
them, until he got large, strong male
ferret, and in one half days work, the
reward of 10 rabbits saved his trees.
lie has sport and accomplishes good be-
sides. Ferrcts arc more easily kept
than Il cat, their diet being bread and
milk, and occasionally little fresh
meat, it matters not what. They will
cat rats, Bin lis orany thing fresh. Two
or three can be kept on what one cat
would consume. They do not gnaw,
and can be kept in a box, or small
quarters. We know of several who
would not be without ferret for ten
dollars year and its keeping. SO far
Il Il 70;
are about nll alike. All the training they
need Is handling, to become familiar
with person. They are little trouble.
and it costs but II triilc to keep them.
PRESERVATION OF MILK.-Thc papers
are full OF advertising Of preserving
compounds for milk, but by analysing
them they will be found TO contain
nearly always the same substances in
slightly altered proportions and they
are generally sold for from four to
several hundred times their value.
These compounds are bicarbonatc OF
soda, sometimes mixed with commo
salt, boric acid, b0raX, mixture Of borax
with common salt, suiicylic acid, and
81 late mixture containing half Of
ooric acid and half Cf suiphate potas-
Sium. Bicarbonntc of soda has been in
use long time and Is still largely
used. 1t acts by neutraliziug the lactic
acid which is formed in tho milk, but
its action is not perfect iU any way, and
by adding more eilrctual quantity,
the taste Of the milk is spoiIt, as it. gets
soapy. Boric acid is Il powerful anliscp-
tic, and preferable to boraX. The wri-
ter has made, few years ago, many
experiments with all kinds of antisep-
tics employed for milk and dairy pro-
duets, and invariably could state til G
good effects of boric acid is Inferior in
action and very expensive. But the
mixture of b0ric acid and Sulphatc OF
potassium seems to Guido ali the pre-
viously mentioned antiscptics. We
have seen butter, meat, crabs, fish, and
other wares Of an equally periShab!c
nature kept most wonderfully; and as
this compound is perfectly harmless,
very cheap, and obtainublc at every
chemists shop, 1t will soon be more
generally employed. One gramme is
added to each hire of milk or one-toul tn
pound Of butter. 1t ought not to be
thought, however, that these antisep-
tics can snpplant cleanliness, cooling,
and airing! These always remain the
principal elements in preserving milk
for the dairy and for transport, and
only when they arc Insufficient, which
Is rare enough, antiseptics may be used