The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-06-26
ARMERS} COLUMN.
MntIcrs ofIntcrcnt.

HoME-M ABE FEATHER DUsTER.-A Feath-
Duster is an article, the convenience Of
hich every housewife appreciates, but it is
ten too expensive for many farmers to buy.
or all such, some hints as to how duster
equal utility and durability to a store one
lay be made at home from the feathers
bat would otherwise 90 to waste, may be
seful, If beauty is not sought, any round
ick of the proper size, such as the end of a
room handle, will serve for the handle ol
be brush If one happens to have an old
F.. Fith saw make series Of grooves or deer
otehes in the lower end of the handle. BY
ie aid of hammer the lower portion oil
aeh quill should be so fattened as to pas;
lto the grooves. AS fast as the feathers are
ut in they should be tied with strong twinei
nd as the work proceeds glue should be
l. ided, that the feathers may be the more
rmly fastened. In this way new rows oi
FATHERS, followed by the twine and glue
ay be added, until the end is completely
pvered and the dustor is of sufficient size
fter which the finishing row oflarge feath-
rs, selected for the purpose, is placed around
ne whole, and tightly bound with twine
utsde of the base of this last row of feath.
rs, a neat strip Of leather may be glued tc
9th improve the appearance and render the
FATHERS more secure. A brush thus made
i'll serve all the purposes of purchased
ne, and if the work is carefully and thor.
ughly done it is neat in appearance.
Do THIsr1Es ENRICH THE Soil Pit is sta.
ID that a good growth of thistles (Canada)
eaves the soil richer than before. This is
: oubtless the truth, and the same may be
bid of any crop, provided it is not removed
ON the ground. This is merely the gener-
way that the soil is made rich in the or
hnic elements that are SO essential to the
Fowth of profitable crops. But there is
bore than ordinary ability possessed by the
listle plant to enrich the soil. The roots
. enetrate to a great depth, and bring up
rge quantities of potash and other valuable
Pnstituents, and deposit them upon or near
be surface, as their stems and leaves decay.
gain, the mechanical action of vigorous
Fowths of thistles is to loosen, pulverize,
. nd render the soil more accessible to the
! pots of other plants. Granting that the ac-
on of the thistle plant upon the soil is good
e must look at the other side of the ques-
on. What is the cost of this method of i'm
!. f.rovement? While the thistles hold possess
+ on no paying crop can be obtained. When
.seiul plants are sown, they must be care
sllly tended, or the thistles will crowd them
ut. Lastly, the bringing up of valuable
distances from the subsoil, can be as well
one by plants that are themselves useful
|Pr food, as clover, ETC., and no miserable
Feed left afterwards to infest the ground
he best that can be said of the thistle is
bat it is miserable prickly pest, which
hen allowed to have its way, loosens and
ariches the upper soil.
Lxs9ERs.-A ncighbor of ours wants tc
rim vine that is running up and over hi,
piazza, and has neglected it because there il
o means at hand for getting up to the much
eeded work. This is but an illustration O
he many cases in which, if ladder was
and, important work could and would b,
one, which for the lack of one is neglected
here is often more time spent in doing
iece of work, in left handed and imper
ect way, than it would have taken to hay,
rst constructed the ladder and then don,
he job. In haying and harvesting, nov
oon to be upon ms, ladder is often the on
hing needful, to get at some out-of the-wa,
place, off Of some NOW, stack, or even load
md just before the rush, it would be proue
70 provide ladder for the emergencies 0
he season. All cannot make handsom
: adders, but every one can construct stron
Pne that will serve his purpose. straigh
pine pole sawed lengthwise through th
penter, and fastened together with Grounds
( pf oak or other hard wood, makes goo
adder and is quickly done.
HtGH FARMING WHAT'S IT?-To be brie
$ it growing of the best crops on the be:
soil under the best conditions; and, finally
!. he crop giving the best profit in return ?
No, There are cases when a comparativel
poor crop grown on a poor soil with little c
:. no attention. may give the best returns "a
ls the case in the imperative extensive farm
ing of a new country. High farming is whe
'tHeA capital is spent ON little land for III
production of large crops of great value. Til
production Of beef on the plains may be c
profitable as the growing of onions, but
is not high farming-it is the character ,
s the culture the soil receives, and not th
profit, that determines whether farming
high or low. High farming is the proAta
BILE farming of old, thclSly settled eountrie
md the kind that we are tending to; bu
et it is not the best farming in all section
The SIZE or Cows.-The size of the COW
dairy man may desire for his herd,
I" A'uNeSA VI ldAlSg DutB Olut
Lhings being equal, when the cost Of feedin
etc., is taken into consideration, the mediuI
sized cows are the most profitable. Cows al
machines for making coarse food into In,
pf a more concentrated and valuable forI
nnd, like other machines, there is a size lh.
ioes this work with the greatest ease, wit
he le0St waste, and therefore greatest prof
LIoUID MANURE. The amount of lertlii
ng material in the urine Of animals eoua
hat contained in the solid excrement, br
= in q form that may be very readily los
The urea is the iugredient Of chief value
quite complex nitrossnous substance whic
easily decomposei into carbonate Of an
nonia,a and then escapes into the atmospher
Whenever there is pungent odor of an
|nonia from manure heap,or tank in whic
LIQUID manure is stored, there is loss
valuable manure taking place, and it shou
be arrested by using some absorbent as pla
Ter, muck, or any litter.
A Chester county dog made meal {
Paris green a week 100 aud is not Ioad ,.o