The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-11-24
HOUSE AND FARM.
Farming BrevluSs.

It ia ascertained that Oregon will have q
surplus Of about 200, 600. tons Of wheat of
last seasons growth, and Washington Ter
ritory 10000 tons. On the completion Of
the Northern Pacific railway, and that also
projected through British territory, it may
become practicable to supply the Atlantic
states with -four made on the Pacific coast.
The New England Farmer observes that
shipments of Merino sheep to Texas, COL
orado and other western states and terrific
ries are large and rapidly increasing. Sheep
raisers are ambitious to improve tho grade
of wool in these sections; and rams which
cost 81 500 to s., 600, reviving recollections
of the first importations Of that remarkable
broad Of sheep.
For eggs in winter It is indispensable that
3 warm house be provided for the hens.
This is best done ly building place with a
basement or half Cellar where frost will
not penetrate. A stone or brick house
would be preferable to one of wood or tim
Der, and broad window should open to
the south. This should be closed by =
tight shutter at night. A chimney should
be provided. SO that q fire could be made
in the house in cold weather, aud the ashes
and dry earth would make an excellent
place for the fowls to bathe in. The walls
Of the house should be exposed only On the
south side, he rest being banked up with
earth. With such house one may expect
eggs during the winter months, Il good
hens are kept.
An old pork butcher, in Detroit, says the
prejudice in Europe against American pork
arises partly from the factthat hogs fattened
on our Indian coin do not make as fine
pork as do those OF Germany, the Neither
lands, France, etc., which are fed chiefly
on peas and buckwheat. With the latter
such condition as rusty pork" is I'M
known. As both peas and buckwheat grow
rankly in this country, wherever properly
cultivated, it may be worth while tor some
farmers to test the matter. Possibly the
oleoginous principles in corn may tend to
deterioratinR effects, in some degree, though
that cereal will doubtless continue the
principal food for fattening hogs in this
country.
The strawberry beds now require cover
ing for the winter. The covering is often
ut on too early. In fact, it is the repeat
ed thawing and freezing Of spring that often
do the greatest injury. When the earth is
frozen hard enough TO bear up wagon and
team, the time to cover has come. II one
has few valuable plants it will pay to cover
the beds with evergreen boughs just enough
to shade the plants-this is the best Of all
coverings. Litter from the hotse
stable is generally used, as It is light and
easily scattered, and enriches the soil.
Thee1ecutive committee on the Michigan
State Grange P. of H., on the subject of the
claim of one N. w. Green for alleged in
fringement on patent he says he holds
for driven wells, report their belief thai
said claims belong to the class Of frauds
which, through tho unjust and oppressive
patent laws which disgrace our statute
books, enable pretenders to levy black
mail upon innocent users OF inventions
that have long been in free and common
use. The committee describes the cunning
and cautious operations Of these black
mailers, and advise farmers to refuse to
pay them one cent for any alleged claim
unless compelled to do so by law. They
authorized the retention of good lawyer
tcsinvestigate and report upon the whole
subject.
A farmer in Wisconsin who for many
years has given great attention to raising
potatoes, making them his leading crop,
being asked which varieties he preferred to
plant, replied: ''The kinds that will pro.
duce the largest number Of bushels to the
acre." He declared that all other qualities
sank into insignifcance when compared
with produotiveness. He tested new vari-
cites, not to ascertain their value for the
table, but to ascertain how we'll they would
produce, He generally raised few for
bis own table and for presents to friends
that possessed very line eating qualities,
although they were shy bearers, but in Sc
Letting seed for raising potatoes for the
general market he took none but very pro-
ductive varieties. He stated that no farm
er could afford to raise for markets any va
riety OF potatoes that was not productive.