The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-02-24
AGRICULTURAL ITEMS.
Conn does not succeed well after buck

Corn does not succeed well after buck
wheat.
The simplest method to remove the
hull from corn is to make weak lie from
clean wood ashes and soak the corn In 1t.
Poor COWS are dear at any price; really
good ones, if young, are never sold too
high. A COW should give at least $50
worth of milk a year.
IT is well for farmers to bear in mind
that the average for all breeds OF cows Is
about six pounds of hay, or its equiva.
lent, for one quart of milk.
A COW with three rings on horn is
SIX years old; with four she is seven years
old. No new rings are found after the
tenth year. The deeper rings, however,
and the worn appearance of the hornes
are pretty sure indications OF old age.
IT is not an uncommon occurrence to
find sod turned under in May thorough
ly decomposed before one turned under
in November previous. The one turned
under in May is well warmed, decom-
position of the grass commencing i'm
mediately.
FARM TooLs.-A certain number of
tools, and some skill in their use, will
often save the farmer much time in send
ing for mechanic, and some expense in
paying him. Every farmer should be
able to make repairs on his wagons,
gates, and buildings. A room, or a por-
ton of it, should be devoted to keeping
tools; a pin or nail should be inserted
for each one to hang on, and the name of
each tool written or painted under the
pin, that it may be promptly returned to
its place and any missing one detected.
Keep every tool in its place-do not wait
for a more convenient season, but return
every one to its pin the moment it is
done with. If left out of place a moment
it will be likely to remain a week, and
cause a loss of time in looking for it a
hundred times greater than in replacing
it promptly. Keeping everything in its
place is a habit costing nothing when
| formed. The tools should be hammer,
saw, augers, brace and bits, gimlets,
screw-driver, wrench, two planes, chisels,
mallet, files and rasp, draw-knife, saw
set, trowel, and box with compartments
| for different sized nails, screws, nuts,
and bolts. Common farm implements
and tools, such as hoes, spades, shovels,
forks, rakes, and scythes, may be in the
same room, ON the opposite side, and the
same precaution taken to keep every one
in its place.
SoUTH-DowN SHEEP. - The South
down deserves first mention among the
short-wooled English breeds. Valuable
in itself, it has been still more valuable
as means of improving other breeds by
crossing. Originally small, active,
hardy sheep, with a light fleece of short
wool and an Indifferent carcase in form,
but of much excellence in quality of NUT
ton, the South down, as now bred, is
one of the finest appearing of all breeds
of sheep, with form almost per-
feet for meat production. As is
the case with all improved breeds
in America, except the Merino, this
breed is hornless. The face and leg are
dark gray or brown. The head is Of
medium size, well carried. The neck
thickens as it approaches the shoulders,
which should be level with the back,
loins and hips should be broad; the
rump long, the ribs we'll rounded. The
mutton is still classed among the very
best. The fleece has increased in weight,
but is still light. The wool sells at q
good price. Sheep of this breed now
occasionally reach live weight of 20C
pounds or more, but the average is con-
siderably below this. They differ con.
siderably in size and form, owing largely
to the character of the soil and climate
where bred. They are noted for early
maturity. The South-downs have long
been fashionable breed in the United
States-that is, they have been highly
priced by some, and have sold at goo6
| TD,.k Il - 1nx,
been, O widely popular breed in this
country. They have not. been so mucl
used for crossing with other breeds as
When mutton of fine quality is desired
they can hardly be excelled, but othel
breeds are superior for the genera
farmer.
The VALUE OF WATER FOR Cows
Cows should have access to water at al
times, especially COWS that give milk
They want to drink often and return t.
their feed. The best stable, and one il
which stock do the best, is one wher,
water is always running in through
troughs before the cattle. Thus managed
COWS may be kept up to full flow o
milk either winter or summer, and TO
IL
, drouth, it may be supplanted with othe
remedied. So in winter COWS that ar
only watered once day, as many d
who consider themselves good farmers
/ the cows shrink in their milk and it ca
never be regained. The same rule wi
hold good in the stable; abundant fee
: may be supplied, but if the water suppl
fails, the profit will be mil. The necee
sity of plenty of pure water for stock ]
one of the first importance to breeder
and feeders. It must not only be i
, abundance, but it should be in such sur
l ply that stock may either take it at will
or if supplied at stated times it shoul
| be offered at least twice day, and thre
times will be better. No animal ca
thrive properly that has access to waite
!. but~mce day. Every good feede
,, knows this, and hence in all large feed
ing establishments the greatest care
taken to keep the supply ample and COZ
stant. Many farmers neglect this, an
always to their cost. If water cannot b
, had near in any other way, wells shoul
5 be dug, and the water raised by wind c
other power, SO that the stock get it 9
, regularly as they feed. 1t will pay
! Remember that animals should b
treated well in order to thrive properl,
We are familiar with troubles incider
n to the neglect of regularity in food an
!. drink with the human body, and til
q consequences are somewhat analogou
for our cattle.
!, FEEDING.-The horse, though esse1
: TALLY gramnivorous, is capable of SUI
. tanning life and doing work on a gre,
. variety of articles besides those in gel
. eral use. Grass is the natural food !,
q ! the horse, and in his wild state it alor
J. constitutes his food. In state of d,
) mestication the horse, when at gras