The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-07-28
FARM NOTES.

Pres that have been raised on milk,
grass, clover, tubers, and roots, till they
weigh $50 or 200 pounds, are generally
healthy They are then in good condi-
ton to fatten.
PLASTER scattered over the floors of
the chicken house is powerful absorb
ent, preventing the smell which arises
from the droppings.
THERE are one hundred and fifty named
and described varieties of wheat, and
yet one-half the people who grow the
grain don't know the difference-such
is the lack of training in the natural his
tory of plants.
M11K1NG.-The best time for this is
J either before or after feeding. Never
milk while the COW is eating. When a
COW has once acquired the habit of feed
ing at milking time she will often refuse
| to let down her milk unless food is be-
fore her.
WHEAT IN THE WEsT.-The continu-
GUS wheat growing in the West, followed
as it is by burning the straw, is certain,
sooner or later, to result in exhaustion of
the soil. A crop of Indian corn, when
wheat shows signs of tagging, is gener-
ally sufficient to restore the fertility.
THE New England Farmer remarks
that cider made late in the season and
| stored in a cold place, will keep sweet
because active fermentation is prevented
! If it is rich and sweet when it comes
] from the press, and care is exercised in
making it from good, sound apples, it
will not become sour if kept in moder-
ately cool cellar, in tight cask or in
bottles.
A NERVOUS, excitable steer is not as
profitable to feed as lymphatic one
with broad, deep, chest, for this last
is seldom disturbed by anything-he
feeds well, sleeps well, and fats well. 1t
is just thirty years since the first Jerseys
were brought to this country. They are
making great change in our dairy in
terests and the good results will become
more apparent in the ensuing year.
The CABBAGE WoRM.-To save his cab
bages, and as an experiment, Mr.. How
ard tells the Fruit Record that he mixed
four quarts of ir-slacked lime, one quart
of fine salt, and quarter of pound
each of red and black pepper. When the
dew was on he applied this mixture by
means of q large-sized tin pepper-box to
400 cabbages, that were doubtless as
wormy lot as could be found. He gave
them but one dose, but it did its work 80
effectually that there has been no further
trouble on account of these destructive
pests.
CORN STUBBLE.-FieIds that have been
cleared in time should be plowed In read
mess for early sowing Of oats in spring.
If roots are to follow the corn the stuble
may be plowed at once and sown with
rye Three or four bushels should be
sown to the acre. This rye will furnish
q heavy crop of green fodder next May
or an excellent early pasture in the
spring, or may be plowed under as a
green manuring. In either case the eH-
pense of the seed, which Is the only out
lay, will be many times repaid in the in
crease of the following crop.
SHEEP IN WINTER. Sheep need free
dom of action and variety of food more
than any of our domestic animals In
winter they require shelter only against
heavy rains and melting SHOWS, as even
a cold storm is better than heated barn,
at least for Cotswolds. A rough shed,
facing the south and capable Of being
closed during the rain and snow storms,
is quite sufficient They should then be
kept in small focks, have spacious yards
ing the storms, fed in racks out of doors
in ordinary weather. Where cold storms
are rare, and the ground is free from
heavy snow, artificial shelter is hardly
necessary, for Cotswolds at any rate.
How TO FEED.-The trouble with most
persons who keep horses, no matter
whether on farm for farm work or for
driving purposes, is they feed too much
hay; and to this can be attributed, the
general sluggishness often manifested by
the horses until they have been working
q couple of hours, while their wind is
also much impaired. Night is the only
time when hay should be fed, especially
to animals used for quick work; even the
slow pillow team should have but little
hay at the morning and noon feeds, but
give them generous supply at the even
ing meal. BY doing this your horses
will keep in better spirits and condition,
and free from amy tendency to 'tpot
belly" which horsemen so much dislike
to see.
REMEDY FOR BLIGHT Josiah Hopes,
Weschester, Pa, veteran author, fruit
grower and experimenter in the An,eri-
can Garden, says: "No sure remedy
can be suggested to prevent the blight
in the pear nor the ye11ows In the peach,
but the following are not injurious and
are certainly beneficial: Wash the bodies
of the trees as well as the larger branches
with ordinary thin whitewash or soap
suds. Top-dress the soil beneath with
weak lime, good rich compost, TIN
bleached wood ashes, &C., any refuse
decaying vegetable matter, in fact, that
will furnish food for your trees. A slight
, dressing of salt used sparingly also an
swers an excellent purpose, and some cul
tivators recommend ground bones and
. others iron filings A heavy mt1lchine
, with muck is beneficial to all young trees
> USES FOR SA1r.-A writer in the Rab
raj Neao Yorker says that the salt ques-
7 ton is always on the carpet, and while il
it is equally certain that its application
is decided benefit. The retardatior
and often complete ruin Of crops by in
\ sect depreciation is well known, but it ii
: not at all appreciated to its full extent
f Salt can act but in three ways benefi
: cially. 1t attracts moisture and hence Ii
r useful in dry seasons; it drives away in
: sects, and therefore, is useful in all seas
4 ons, and when thoroughly dissolved b.
3 heavy rains it acts by assisting inert O.
: insoluble material to become fit for plan
t food. The first mode is slight gain
f not enough. though. to pay for the salt
e the second is very valuable, paying fo
/ the salt and the trouble of application
| from ten to one hundred times over, ac
t cording to the prevalence and destruct
s iveness of the insects; the third mode i
S of but little value because insolubles ar,
generally proof against its feeble action
If we sum up the gain from the thre
modes of action we perceive such yer,
decided gain that one fair trial is sufi
cient to convince the most sceptical. Th
, only danger is an excess, but as fiv
bushels per acre can do no harm tn
3 danger is not likely ever to be alarming