Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1882-03-24
FARM AND FIRESIDE.


season for his early harvest is at hand. If
he has not already provided such convent
ences and necessaries as will ensure the
comfort and enhance the health and thrift
of the lambs, upon which so large a pro-
portion of his profit depends, he should
lose no more time in psrfecting such ar
rangements. A lamb once on his feet, and
well filled with his mothers milk, has es-
capped one-half the risk of lambhood, and
is ready to grow and thrive; whilst it's less
fortunate associates are overcoming the
backsats resulting from being chilled and
hungry by reason of the oversight or care
lessness of their owners.
At this time, the shepherd cannot be
overland to the in-lamb ewes, provided
| his attentions are reasonably bestowed. -
Comfort they must have. luxuries. if such
can be secured, they will repay-such lux
uries as an occasional run over the pasture
on bright days. chance to nibble in the
rye field, with extra articles of food when
these are within reach. These will give
good tone to the system, encourage the
secretion of milk, and in every way pre-
pare the mother for the trials of materni-
ty and the subsequent demands upon her
while sucking a vigorous lamb. It is not
enough to allow the breeding ewes to take
their chances with the other members of
the flock until weaving time, and then
separate them for change in treatment.
If not kept by themselves all winter, they.
should be separated some weeks before the
lambs are due, so that they may become
thoroughly accustomed to their surround
ings, and have the opportunity to reap
such advantages as are promised by the,
change before the lamb appears. A well
sheltered sleeping place with ample dry
bedding, is an essential that should not be
overlooked. Demanded at all times by
consideration of economy and mercy, and
so readily within reach of every farmer,
the failure to provide it at this time is an
evidence of negligence and short sighted
ness of which intelligent men should feel
ashamed.-Breeder's Gazette.
TRAINING SHEPHERD DOGs.-Darwin
thus describes the training of shepherd
dogs: "When riding, it is common thing
to meet a large flock of sheep guarded by
one or two dogs, at distance of some
miles from any house or man. I often
wonder how so firm friendship has been
established. The method of education
consists in separating the puppy while
very young from its mother and in accus-
toming it to its future companions. A eve
is held three or four times day for the
little thing to suck, and nest of wool is
made for it in the sheep pen. At no time
is it allowed to associate with other dogs
or with the children of the family. From
this education it has no desire to leave
the flock, and just as another dog will de-
feDd his master, man, so will this dog de-
fend the sheep. 1t is amusing to observe
when approaching the flock, how the dog
Immediately advances barking, and the
sheep all close in his rear, as if round the
oldest ram. These dogs are easily taught
to bring home the sheep at a certain hour
in the evening. Their most troublesome
fault when young is their desire to play
sometimes gallop the poor things most un-
mercifully. The shepherd dog comes to
the house every day for bis meat, and as
soon as it is given him skulks away as if
ashamed of himself. On these occasions
the house dogs are very tyranical and the
least of them will attack and pursue the
stranger. The minute however, the lat
ter has reached the flock he turns round
and begins to bark, and then the house
dogs will take quickly to their heels. Ina
similar manner, a whole pack of hungry
Wild dogs will scarcely ever venture to at
tack flock guarded by one Of these faith
full shepherds. In this case the shepherd
dog seems to regard the sheep as his fellow
brethren and thus gains condolences; and
the wild dogs though knowing that sheep
are not dogs, but are good to eat, yet when
seeing them 10 flock with a shepherd dog
as their head, partly consent to regard
them as he does.''
WHITEwAsH FOR OUTSIDE WORK.
Every spring we have numerous inquiries
for "whitewash that will not rub off, y
and now these begin to come in. Ordina-
~ lime wash will rub off and in time is
washed off by rains. There are two meth
DDS of preventing this: One is to add some
thing to the wash, like glue, that will hold
the particles of lime in place, and the 9TH
er is to add something to the wash that
will change the slightly soluble lime into
an insoluble compound. A quarter of
pound of glue, soaked in cold water, and
then dissolved by heat. may be added to
each pailful of whitewash. If fat of any
kind be added to the lime while shaking, a
lime soap is formed which does not wash
off. When shaking lime for pailful of
wash, add a pound Of tallow or clean fat
of any kind to the hot and shaking lime,
and thin with hot water. The Treasury
Department wash, used on Lighthouse and
ether Government buildings. was given
some years ago and is now repeated.
Place half a bushel of fresh-burned lime in
a barrel and slack with boiling water; boil
three pounds of rice flour in water to
thin paste. and add it to the lime; soak
pound of good glue in cold water, and
when soft dissolve by the aid of heat, and
add this, with pound of Spanish White
to the wash. Thin to the proper consist
ence with water. The wash is to be APP
piled warm. Whitewash may be colored
with Venetian Red, TIMBER. or Indigd
adding enough of either to give the desir
ed tint.
WHOOPING CONGRATULATED opinion
seems to be generally unanimous as regards
the efficacy of the carbolic acid treatment
in whooping co ugh. DR.. R. J. Banning
has been in the habit of using it for some
time with very good results. A few drops
upon hot stove in the bed
room upon going to bed will generally pre-
vent any severe attack during the NIGHT