The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-07-23
AGRICULTURAL.

OLD SoYTnEs MADE USEFUL. "A. J. F.
Howard writes: "lIaving, like almost
every other farmer, a number OF old soy thes,
some of which are not much worn, and
having last winter q little leisure, made
some very useful and handy tools, and
without any outlay. no make a bill hook
] cut of 20 inches of the point of an old
hcythc, leaving 10 inches for the blade.
Tho handle is made by cutting away the
edge or blade part of the scythe, leaving
the back, around which cloth was wound,
until it was of sufficient size, when 1t was
covered with leather. For drawing knife,
which find useful in making handles to
tools, etc., l use "a inches of an old
scythe, IL inches for the blade, and 6
inches at each end for the handles. With
cold chisel l cut away the blade portion
of the scythe at the ends, and bent the
back which can be done without heating.
The handles may be made Of cloth and
leather, as Tor the bill hook, or Of wood. A
knife for pairing apples, cutting turnip tops,
and many other uses. This is made from
the end of scythc, 4 inches for the blade.
1 cut the back Of the scythe entirely away,
using only the thin part, then took a piece
OF wood-an old broom handle will do
and with a fine saw made cut in the end
TO admit the end OF the blade, which was
fastened on by rlvcts. A chopping knife
for cutting meat, apples, etc. For this
Knife l used II inches Of the middle Of u
scythe, leaving 4 inches foE the cutting
surface in the centre Of the piece. The
inches on each end had the blade removed,
and were turned at right angles to the CEN
tral portion, with tho ends passing into
wooden handle" But very few tools are
required in making the articles above de-
scriDcd, and any farmer, during q rainy day
Or two, may construct them nom al old
bcythc, aud at no outlay Of money.
THE AGE OF Fow1s.-lf hens spur is
hard and Tie scales on the legs rough, She
is old whether you sec her head or not, but
her head will corroboratc your observation.
If the under bill is so stiff that yo,i cannot
Deud it down, and the comb thick and
rough, no matter how fat and plump, leave
her for some one less particular A young
hen has the rudlmcnts of spurs; the scales
on the legs are smooth, glossy and fresh
COlOrcd, whatever the color may be; the
claws tender and short, the nails sharp, the
under bill soft and the comb thin and
smooth. An old hen turkey has rough
scales on the legs, caliosi,ies Oh the soles Of
the feet, and long strong claws; a young
one the reverse of all those marke. When
The feathers. arc on the old turkey cock has
q long tuft or beard; young one but a
sproulng one; aud when they are Oft the
smooth scales Oh the legs decide the point,
besides tue difference in the size of tho
wattlcs of the neck and III the elastic shoot
upon the nose. An old goose, when alive
is known by the rouph legs, the strength of
the wings, particularly at the pinions, tho
thickness and strength Of the bill, and tue
finencss OF the feathers and when plucked
by the legs, tho tenderness Of the skin
under the wings, by the pinions and bill,
and the coarseness Of the skin. Ducks arc
distinguished by the same means, but there
IL the difference tina: duckling's bill is
much longer III proportion to the breadth of
it's head than the old ducks.
WHAT SIZE TREES TO Buy. Purchasers
of trees often make the mistake of suppos-
ing that the larger the tree bought the
greater the gain. Nurserymcn, who OF all
men should know as to this, say that there
is absolutely nothing gained by buying
large trees. This applies of course in a
general sense. If Il tree could be removed
every few years, 40 as to have an abundance
OF tibrous. or small roots, there would bc
w CucSh oH lCLlOShl, hnn bllCn u trCO wOulu
never become too large to move profIably.
Tho general run Of trees are not treated
thus, and 30, the larger the trees the less
likely Ii it to have many roots, aud as Il
consequence the tree must either be pruned
back severely, or let alone to make weak
growth, and perhaps die. The best way is
to get medium tree, treat it well, and 1t
will give far more satisfaction than a large
"a wi bnI, NJ 4, 4
a GOOD garden Is one OF the best invest
mcnts farmer can make, paying both IN
pleasure and III profit. Not a stingy little
garden, to furnish greens for the chickens,
but broad well kept garden, with every
thing planted in long rows that may be
kept clean by the frequent use of cultlva-
tor. Let this garden be filled with all tho
improved varieties of garden sauce that
shall add to the relish and digcstibility, and
forcc-giving value of the farmers table.
Plant sweet corn every two weeks for a
succession.
A TEAsrooNFuL of powdered charcoal, a
quart OF bran, and refuse from the table,
mixed and moistencd with water, are the
ingredients of capital egg g-producing food
for hens.
ONE good farmer says that he purchases
In the summer his mill feed for his stock.
when it is cheaper than it is in the winter.
n Japanese Bronze IVorkcr.-Thc
most skilful bronze worker in Japan, and
one of the most skilful of workers IN metal
that Japan has ever posse sessed, is said to be
Kiyoto artisan named Zoroku. His spe.
ctalty is inlaying with silver and gold, an
art which he carries to such perfection that
Ii pieces are scarcely uistinguishable from
the chcfS-d0urre of the Min period. What
one sees on going into his atcticr is very
old man--some G5 OF 70-peermg throurh