The Portland daily press., 1881-03-08
THE PRESS.
Kill the Vermin.

much from lice during the winter mon
causing loss of flesh and lack of growt in
the animals, which often varies balance to
the wrong side of the ledger of the owner
Many cheap and efficient remedies are at
hand, which If applied will destroy these
troublesome pests, but unfortunately some
of those in common use are worse than the
complaint, especially if applied during the
cold Winter months.
A mixture of kerosene oil and lard in
equal quantities, applied thoroughly, will
soon kill the vermin on the worst infected
creatures, but an animal whose coat is
smeared with the above ingredients suffers
much more from the cold than one whose
hair is dry. If half-pound of cheap to-
bacco be stepped in gallon of water it will
form liquid which is sure death to lice and
ticks; but washing an animal thoroughly in
cold weather is very dangerous expert
ment, and one which careful farmer will
be slow to adopt. I... -.tla.
Probably the safest, surest and cheapest
remedy, and one that will destroy sheep
ticks as well as lice, is tobacco smoke which
can be used without discomfort during the
coolest Winter weather. The best instru-
ment for applying the smoke is an ordinary
hand bellows, such as may be found at any
hardware store, and a tube of Russia iron
some nine inches in length and two inches
in diameter This can be made by any tin
smith, and should consist of two compart-
ments, one about eight inches in length to
receive the tobacco, the other about one
inch in length, separated from the tobacco
compartment by perforated piece of strong
Russia iron nicely fitted into the tube. The
end of this small compartment farthest from
the tobacco should be closely stopped by
thick piece of strong metal, either copper,
brass or iron, fitted with solder SO as to pre-
vent the escape of the smoke. The stopper
should have hole in the centre about one
eighth of an inch in diameter, into which
should be inserted copper tube about four
inches long. The end inserted in the stop
per should be about one-eighth of an inch in
diameter, while the other should be only
about the size of an ordinary pipe-stem.
The other end of the tobacco compartment
o: the large tube should be provided with
strong metal stopper, fitted with thread,
like a bolt, while the tube should also be
fitted with a thread, like nut, so as to re-
ceive the stopper. A hole should then be
made in the stopper of sufficient size to ad-
init the end of the bellows nozzle, to which
it should also be fitted by a thread, and the
instrument is ready for use.
Get some cheap tobacco, and cut enough
to fill the tube, packing it III pretty closely,
being careful that small portion of that
which is next the bellows is sufficiently dry
to burn readily. Screw the stopple firmly
to the nose of the bellows. Take live,
hardwood coal, the size of small hazel
nut, and place it on the tobacco. Screw in
the stopper with the bellows attached,
working the bellows gently TO keep the coal
alive. Keep the bellows working until the
smoke comes freely from the small copper
tube before leaving the fireplace, or you may
be obliged to return and apply second
coal.
If the animals to be smoked are cattle or
horses, have them tied in the barn. Begin
ming at the lower part of the neck of the
animal place the end of the small take about
two inches from the skin and blow gently
with the bellows, at the same time raising
the tube and bellows so as to drive the
smoke up under the hair as much as poisi-
bic. One good blast in place is sufficient
and will cover strip from one-fourth to
one-half an inch in width. Each time that
the bellows is filled the smoke tube should
about one-fourth of an inch farther from
the head than the previous blast was given.
1t will be necessary to smoke the neck,
brisket ears and roots of the horns much
more thoroughly than the body las those parts
are generally much more thickly infested
with lice than any other portions of the an
NAL. After becoming accustomed to the
use of the bellows person can smoke four
full grown animals with tubeful of tobac
discharge of smoke, insert strong steel
knitting needle through the small one and
press if up through the tobacco till it reaches
the part that is burning, when it should be
withdrawn and smoke will follow
To destroy ticks the assistance of an extra
hand is required in holding the sheep, and,
beginning at the neck, open the wool little
then insert the tube and blow the smoke
down to the skin of the animal. 1t requires
hard yVnrx and of oh To 10
flock of hundred sheep. but if they are
covered with ticks it will pay to go over
them thoroughly. 1t will be much easier to
fight the ticks at shearing time, but the
farmer who neglected to do so last Spring
cannot afford to wait. go
Colts should be examined very carefully
by those who have good eyesight, as they are
not unfrequently covered with very small
hght-colored lice, that cling SO closely to the
skin as not to be noticed at first sight; but
an application Of the smoke will bring them
to the ends of the hair and make them sick
of life. 1t will require two or three smol-
ings at intervals of few days, in order to
effectually exterminate the lice, as nits
are not affected by smoke and should
be destroyed so soon after Matching as to
prevent increase.-Boston Cultivator.
Maple Sugar Making.
The season for maple sugar making will
soon be upon us, and those who have the IA
cilities for manufacturing this toothsome
and wholesome sweet should be getting
things in readiness in order to secure the
largest possible amount. All the indica-
tions point to good season, and we shall
be very much surprised if it is not So The
continuous cold weather during the latter
part of Autumn and the first half of Winter,
have always been regarded as favorable to a
large flow of sap in the Spring. When
Winter weather comes on early in Novem-
Der and continues for few days followed by
warm, Spring like spell, as is sometimes
the case, the buds begin to swell indicating
that the vegetative functions have prena-
turely awakened and a portion of the sap of
the tree passes into the form of glucose and
is lost to the maker of crystallized sugar
Maple sugar and syrup are great luxuries
which no farmer who has a sugar orchard
can afford to be without. Besides it can be
made source of profit. The season comes
when the demand for farm work is light.
and the product of sugar making always
brings good price. 1t is a wholesome SUI
gar, but no more so than that from cane,
provided the latter is pure, but as now found
in the markets it rarely is pure. 1t is adul-
terated with glucose, and then powdered
with terra alba, Ehite earth which is also
used for the adulteration of cream of tartar
We have recently purchased several sam
plSo VI SIduuldUcu sugar, having decided
blue tint, and when dissolved the same tint
is impaired to water. Such sugar has been
colored with ultra marine, pigment COM
posed of various mineral substances, and is
done to cover up some defect in the sugar
Maple sugar, though not absolutely pure.
contains nothing that is harmful, and good
maple syrup has delicious flavor that is
possessed by no other.
But to insure the best results care and at
tention to all the conditions are required.
Cleanliness is the first requisite. As the
season advances and the weather becomes
warmer, the vessels, if neglected, W soon
become sour and the product will be spoiled.
Washing the vessels in solution of common
soda or in weak lye will destroy the acid
and this should be repeated as often as is
necessary to keep them sweet The evapo-
ration should be rapid and the boiling cor
tiDuous, but not long protrac'ed. If the
same syrup is held too long at a boiling heat
the sugar is converted into glucose After
passing from the evaporating kettles, the
syrup should be allowed to settle which will
usually take from eight to twelve hours
Pure clay rubbed up and mixed in quart
of sap will accelerate the process of settling.
The syrup should then be drawn off and de-
fecated by means of the white of eggs or of
milk, which will carry down any remaining