The Newtown bee., 1880-02-25
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD
Plaster for the Compost Heap.

.~~s "<AA~D-A' TAAND AAoOhAAAoAD
 Plaster for the Compost Heap.
 Manure should not be applied to land until it has routed one summer at least, and what has accumulated during the winter should be piled in the heap so as to be turned over from time. to time. The only remaining care to be exercised is to have 8 barrel or two of plaster on hand at all times to prevent the loss of ammonia in the vapor arising during the heating. To prevent this some twenty five pounds of plaster to every ton of manure are thinly spread over the heap as it is piled up or forked over; and if, during the heating, the smell shows that any great amount of ammonia is escap- ing, then slight application of plaster will serve to keep this valuable ingredi- ent within the pile. Any liquid drain ing from the pile should be absorbed by earth or muck and returned upon it. Composing should be done under cover. as all manure should be kept under cover, in summer especially, the location otherwise is of less mo- ment. If the composing can be done upon the land where garden or other crops are to be raised it is better than if done in baInyard, unless water tight floor is provided, as very much is' washed into the ground, even with the best possible care. It is not necessary that any amount of teaching should take place; in fact. no liquids should escape or be added to the heap, except as ab- sorbed by some bedding or deodorizer, or such as will readily be absorbed by the refuse already in the pile. The shape of the heap is of little account. It is much more convenient to handle in & pile much longer than wide, but there is much saved by having the sides en- closed by tight board fence. The prac- tice of supplying a couple of hogs with all the refuse and the additional ingredi- ents, as obtained, and scattering few kernels of corn upon it, is good one but whatever the first process of piling up the material, it must needs be forked over frequently during the year it is waiting for use, to allow of decomposi- tion.
 Liberal Feeding Pays.
 An important consideration is suitable and abundant food. l have no hesita- ton in saying that the lack of these often renders the whole years business of dairying, or other stock husbandry, unsatisfactory, if not unproftable. A given amount of food is requisite for the mere maintenance of the COW; SUD- pose this is twenty pounds hay a day, or it's equivalent. If we give only this amount we get no return, either of milk or flesh. Now if we increase the feed beyond this point, we get n return for each additional pound up to the full capacity of tho animals digestive power, which.we estimate at forty pounds. If the amount be fed we receive a return from twenty pounds, or one-half the amount consumed. If only thirty pounds art fed We geta return from one-third of the feed. Thus it appears that to feed tC the greatest profit we should feed to tho full capacity of the digestive organs O the animal. If the coarse fodder is tt ba consumed it should be used in con necLion with good hay or with more concentrated food. Few animals if fec wholly upon swale hay, will eat suf ticient quantity to maintain their con dition, and the hay is used at the ex pense of animal flesh. This accounts for the fact that very many cattle leav' the barn in spring with less weight thai they carried the previous autumn.
 E,Ws tyh hinh orn Iru in yuintar ., with proper care, consume large pro portion of coarse fodder without in jury. but they should not be left to de pend upon such food when near the tim of calving. During he last month be fore calving the tax upon the system 0 the COW is nearly or quite equal to Una of the full flow ot milk and the fee, during this period, should, without to, sudden change, be brought to th point desired when in milk.
 think Q COW in full. flow of milk il winter should have, in addition to gooc hay, from two to four quarts of cor meal or it's equivalent in roots an grain, such as rye, oats or buckwheat.- PhineGS S.tdDlan, Chicoree.
 Household Hints.
 Lamp shades ot ground glass shoul be cleaned with soap or pearlash; thes will not injure or discolor them.
 Cold boiled potatoes, used as soar will clean the hands and keep the ski soft and healthy. Those not over boile are the best.
 The earthly mold should never b washed from potatoes, carrots or othe roots, until Immediately before they ar to be cooked.
 Charcoal powder is good for polisl ing knives without destroying tn blades. It is also a good tooth powde when finely pulverized.
 Potato water in which potatoes hay been scraped, the water being allowe to settle, and afterward strained, is geo for sponging dirt out of silk.
 Straw mating may be cleaned with large coarse cloth, dipped in salt an water, and then wiped dry. The sa prevents tho. straw from turning yellow
 old Flower Seeds.
 Most flower seeds are good for nor than one year. Asters, stocks and som other sorts are worthless the second SC, son. Of a large mum Der of varieties, portion will germinate the second yea but not very high percentage; sue