The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-06-02
AGRIUULTURAIs

pounds, oil of yitriol 2Oo pounoS'
sulphate soda $50 pounds, nitrate
soda 10 pounds, salt so pounds lana
plaster 800 pounds, ashes bushels
Mix we'll. Apply 300 pounds to acre. Y
THE BEST SHEEP.-The best sheep
for farmer to keep are those thai
weld the heaviest feeces and the
greatest number of pounds of meat.
The scrub sheep will yield from
three to six pounds of wool per head
while Merlnos will range from ten TO
twenty pounds, and thoroughbred
Cotswolds more. Why is it that all
farmers do not raise the sheep which
will give these heavy feecesG
Then az to meat, the fine sheep
nroduee an enormous amount oil
flesh, and do not eat more than
scrub. But besides these facts, the
fine sheep do not only yield larger
fceces per head, but the wool is OF
superior quality. The same is true
of the flesh of the fine sheep in COM
parison with the scrubs.
Southdowns, for instance, are the
finent mutton in the world, always
commanding an extra price--a flesh
which princes desire-while the fleece
Is medium. The Shropshiredowns
stand next in meat quality, and are
next to Cotswold in feeces. The
profits of these breeds is very great
in times of ordinary prosperity, and
under all circumstances it is best for
the farmer to breed them, because
they pay better-the grand result
which is the supreme object of the
farmer-the highest possible remu
neration for his capital and labor
And all this concerning sheep Is
true of fine breeds of cattle, horses
hogs and poultry. In the face o
these indisputable facts the mass o
people should not handle scrub stool
and entertain an ignorant oppositioI
to fine breeds. There is one 81
., nreme reason for this. The mass
people do not read papers devoted t.
liue stock interest and are who'll.
ignorant of the vast progress that
making in the more intelligent RAM
offarmers. There are sections wher
the improved breed of stock are al
most unknown. It is only a sma
number of men who are alive to II
and keep themselves thorough
posted in regard to the progress 9
agricultural science and the breedin
of the best animal, while the masse
remain in the old ruts, following a
ter the customs of hundreds yeal
ago. If farmers would elevate the
calling and render it more remuner
tive, they must put themselves
living connection with the intelle
tual spirit of the age kentncl
Live Stock Record.
LIME IN AaRrcuLrURE.-The jon
nal of Forestry briefly sums
many Of the uses of lime when a
piled to the soil. The effects
lime, as will be seen, are in part %
chanical and in part chemical.
/. Upon deep alluvial and clay 8
it increases the crop Of potatoes, q
renders them less waxy. sprinkl
over potatoes in a store-heap it p
serves them, and when riddled o'
the cut.sets it wonderfully increa'
their fertility.
2. Lime eradicates the finger a
toe diseases in turnips, and gi'
greater soundness to the bulbs.
8. 1t gives, when applied to me-
ow land, a larger produce of M
nutritious grasses. 1t also extern
mates coarse and sour grasses,
stroys couch grass, and acts pow
fully upon rye grasses.
4. Upon arabic land it destr
weeds of various kinds.
8. 1t rapidly decomposes vegeta
matter, producing a large amour
food for plants in the form OF cart
ic acid gas.
6. 1t destroys or neutralizes
acids in the soils; hence its ada
bility to sour soils.
Z. 1t acts powerfully upon som
the inorganic parts of the soil, e
cially on the sulphate of magn
and alumina.
s. 1t proves fatal to worms
slugs and the Larvae of injurious
sects, though favorable to the gre
of shell bearers.
0 Slaked lime added to veget
matter causes it to give of its n