Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-02-24
AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

neat oil, with four ounces of lamp
black, well mixed, is simple and effective
THE draining Of land promotes warmth
because it diminishes evaporation, and
thus less heat is distracted from the
earth.
| Mr.. Moore, DeKalb County, Ind,
says that he finds that equal parts Of
air-slacked lime and salt will cure foot
rot In sheep, one or two applications be-
ing sufficient.
| A MISSISSIPPI farmer dashes cold water
into the ears of choking cattle. This
causes the animal to snake its head VIC
lently, and the muscular action dislodges
the obstruction.
A LADY says that to kill insects she
uses one teaspoonful of kerosene to a
gallon of water, and sprinkles it on the
plants with hand broom. 1t DESTROYS
green flies and other pests.
Wild VINES on OLD BUILDINGS. Out
buildings of all kinds, that have become
dilapidated through time OF by exposure
to storms, may become objects of beauty
by training wild vines, such as woodbine,
Wild grape or forest ivy upon them.
These vines spread very rapidly from
their lateral branches, or will increase to
an astonishing extent by cutting or layer
ing. The picturesque beauty of many
of the rural villages in Europe is almost
entirely owing TO the vines that over
spread the dwellings,. Some Of the more
hardy grapes may be grown with profit
over low buildings; ana at the same time
they will give pleasant appearance to
thatwhich before disfigured the premises.
CHESTER WHITES. This breed of swine
which at one time was very popular in
Minnesota originated in Chester County,
Pennsylvania 1t seems that from their
great size, and the extra quantity of food
required TO make them fat that the far
mers are not raising so many of them as
formerly. An animal of this breed. when
old and well-fattened, frequently weighs
from 500 to 800 pounds dressed, and it
is claimed that the flesh from the man.
moth creatures IS not as sweet when
cooked as that OF the Berkshire or Suf-
folk. Where farmer has plenty of feed
for his hogs, the Chester White is more
Than an average good breed but they
should never be suffered to become low
in flesh as it costs too much TO recuperate
them.
WEARING Our Tools. Farm tools viii
rust out sooner than they will wear out.
Many farmers iniure their farm inlple-
ments more by exposure to the weather
than by the use on the farm. An ilnple-
mcnt which with good care would last
twenty years, will, when exposed to the
weather, become useless in five years or
even less. A farm cart which, with good
usage, would last almost lifetime. will
only few years, when exposed to the
weather. The explanation Of the reason
why farming does not pay with money is
found in this neglect to take care of the
farm tools. All farm implements are
costly, and the farmer who has 10 buy
three or four times as many rs his
neighbors because he does not take care
OF them, of course viii not find much
profit in farming. The same carelessness
IN any other kind of business, would in
sure equally as disastrous results.
CHANGING SEEDs.-The practice of
frequently changing seed is now recog-
nized IN many sections as essentially
necessary to the production of a first
rate crop. We all know that the prac-
tice OF procuring seed potatoes from a
distance, say twenty or thirty miles, and
from different kind of soil, has a most
marked influence upon the product.
While the rationale of this is not quite
obvious, the fact is indisputable. The
same result follows also in the manage
ment of corn and all other varieties OF
grain, as well as garden seeds and yeee-
tables; in short with the whole vegetable
kingdom. Even where exchanges are
made between farmers in the same
neighborhood, and where there is no
very marked difference In the geological
or mineral characteristics of the soil in
the respective localities, the practice is
conducive to improvement. Let those
who have never tried the experiment do
SO. Ii they are at all skeptical, they can
do so on small scale at first and mark
the results, both as regards quantity and
quality of crop
FARMS BETTER THAN BONDS. A young
farmer of Montgomery County. Indiana,
named J. A. Mount, makes an itemized
showing for the year 1880. His sales
from n two hundred-acre farm foot up
50, 213s5. his outlay 81, 40S 90, giving
him net profit of 81, S0t 95, which on
the capital invested in lands. stock and
implements, shows gain of fourteen
per cent. An inspection of TENS shows
that he has been liberal toward his
preacher and to his family. He paid
toward the support of the church $40,
books, and papers and periodicals 500. 20,
teen years ago n poor man. renting
q. L.. l.. a..
for him. He now owns two hundred
acres, is out Of debt, and proposes to tell
readers of the Indiana Farmer how he
did it, His outlay for books and soul
expanders about Christmas have widened
out the man. 1t will be very useful for
farmers to read. who claim that they can
not afford to take paper, and for those
who take only one, and that the weakest
and cheapest they can find. Mr.. Mount
has read and thought more than the
ordinary farmer, or ha could not make so
good showing for 1880. - Indiana
Farmer.
PorAsH IN Com CoBs.-The willow
contains a larger per cent. of potash than
any other wood, but corn cobs contain
twice as much rs the willow. Since po-
fash is one of the articles the farmer pays
much in labor or cash to get back into
his soil, it is poor economy TO leave cobs
by the million scattered about over the
farm where, instead of doing good. they
kill out the grass aud make an unsightly
spot. Neatness and strict economy alike
appeal to the farmer to see to the saw
ing Of the corn cobs and their return to
the soil. This may be done by burning
them on the soil. ana it is to be recon-
mended where iarnars feed hogs in their
blue grass lots. The cobs should then
be raked up and burned, and the ashes
spread ON wheat or grass lands will be
found to repay well the labor. Then,
too, the scattering corn cohs allows the
grass to grow, and gives al air of neat
ness that is commendable and profitable
When feeding floor can be so arranged
as that the cobs work off into pile and
catch the droppings Of the pigs, they
become good nbsorbents, and when
hauled to the corn lands will be found
most valuable. We in the West have
not yet learned the art of saving even
the corn cobs. They are a few of the
many wastes on our Western farms.
1t pays also to rake the corn cobs into
winnows in the feed lots and burn them
there. The pigs enjoy the ashes, es-
pecially if spriniling of salt be added.
Tine TO Sow Clown. There can be
no iron-clad rule for sowing clover seed.
| We have sown Ia February, March.
| Anril and May, and in Jul,, when laying
Il ~,.I ..-, bo x-, <xf,<,J o,,ns,n~., =. III