The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1881-05-13
M&FARM NOTES.

warm xeather. IN III
TEMPER IN animals is hereditary 8
well as In man; it is not desirable to
breed from vicious sire.
Ma ADAM SoorV, q prominent Maine
-heep-breeder, last winter fed 33O
wethers, and to discern how rapidly they
were gaining in flesh secured two which
he weighed every month. On the 18th
of January they weighed respectively
100 and 1916 pounds, and continued TO
gain steadily up to the 18th OF April,
when they weighed $50 and no.. They
were fed one and one-fourth pounds OF
corn daily with all the hay they could
eat. The total cost f0e feed being
estimated at seventeen cents per month
An increase OF about twenty cents per
month for each sheep over the value OF
food eaten.
A REASON for the application Of salt as
a fertilizer for growing crops 10 that it
contains both soda and chlorine. Nearly
all plants contain these substances to
some extent, and need to be supplied;
some plants contain more than others,
as, for instance, white clover contains
five pounds of soda and two pounds of
chlorine in 1000 pounds; beets, cabbage,
and turnips contain from four to six
pounds in 1000; tobacco contains seven
pounds of soda and nine pounds of
chlorine; beet seeds contain eight pounds
of soda and five pounds of chlorine, and
all these are greatly benefited by an APP
plication of salt.
TREES should be generally set the
same depth that they previously stood
in the soil, allowing an inch or two more
or less for the settling of the newly
stirred earth. On heavy soils they will
be more injured by being planted too
deep, than on those of a light sandy, or
gravelly nature, andwhere greater depth
is needed to prevent the effects of
drought. On lands inclining to be wet,
setting trees upon the surface, and rails
ing the earth upon the roots is q mode
that has some advantages, among which
are the greater depth of soil thus made
and the prevention of water settling
among the roots.
The raising of cattle, sheep and poultry
for the supply of our village and city
markets Is every day becoming a matter
more deserving of the attention of the
agricultural community. The demand is
becoming more and more difficult to sup
ply, as larger quantities and finer quail
ties are being continually sought after.
AS raising supplies of beef, mutton, veal,
lamb and poultry attracts more and more
of the attention of farmers, in like pro-
portion will all information be welcome
which furnishes accurate and reliable
details as to the worth, economical meth
DDS OF fattening and getting ready for
market any of the above products. The
breed of animals most easily fattened,
and the kind of feeding which is at once
most etfectual and most economical, are
points upon which we may yet obtain
considerable increase of reliable and USE
full information. W rrT ~
The age Of horned cattle may general
ly be known by rings on the horns till
their tenth year; after that time they
give no indication of age further than
that the animal has passed its tenth year.
The first ring appears on the horn after
the animal has passed two years old
soon after, as general rule, though
sometimes before that age. During the
third year, the ring gradually increases,
and ut three years of age it is completely
formed The second ring appears during
the fourth year, and at the fifth year it is
complete. After that period an additional
ring is formed each year. This rule is
sufficiently plain, and even young
farmer needs but little practice to enable
him to read a cows age on her horns.
A COW with three rings is six years old;
with four shei is seven years old. Nonew
rings are formed after the tenth year;
the deeper rings, however, and the worn
appearance of the horns are pretty sure
indications of old age.
For CURING BEET, PORK, MUTTON.
HAMS, ETo. To one gallon of water,
II lbs. of salt, ! Id. of sugar, ounce
saltpetre, ! ounce potash. In this ratio
the pickle can be increased to any guam
tity desired. Let these be boiled to-
gether until oil the dirt from the sugar
rises to the top and is skinned of. Then
throw 1t into a tub to cool, and when
cold pour it over your beef or pork. The
meat must be well covered with pickle,
and should not be put down for at least
two days after killing, during which
time it should be slightly sprinkled with
powdered saltpetre, which removes all
Vic ouiiaCc piOou, cue, icuNlnB VIC hicue
fresh and clean. Some omit boiling the
pickle. and find it to answer well,
though the operation of boiling purifies
the pickle by throwing off the dirt al
ways to be found in salt and sugar. If
this recipe is strictly followed, it will re-
quire only single trial to prove its SUI
periority over the common way, or most
ways, of putting down meat, and will
not soon be abandoned for any other.
The meat is unsurpassed for sweetness,
delicacy, and freshness of color. Omit
the potash unless you can get the pure
article. Druggists usually keep it.
FARMERS UNIoN-The following prac-
teal advice on the management of colts
is from the Lancaster Farmer. If colt
is never allowed to get an advantage, it
will never know that it possesses
power that man can not control; and if
made familiar with strange objects, it
will not be skittish and nervous If a
horse is made accustomed from his early
days to have objects hit him on the heels,
back and hips, he will pay no attention