The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-06-09
FARM NOTES.


ONE praiseworthy act of the Iowa
Legislature was the adoption of a law
directing that at least twelve shade trees
shall be set out IN every school-house
yard.
IT HAS been estimated by an entomol-
ogist that 1000 chinch-bugs on farm,
in spring, Will, IN a favorable season, II
undisturbed by quail or other enemies,
increase In one year to 1900, 900, 600.
CANE syrups show a greater tendency
than beet syrups to become acid and
pass into the invert form of sugar in the
process of boiling down. The loss OF
crystallized sugar from this cane is very
large.
Flax is cultivated as a field crop IN
California for the seed only. The crop
of 1881 produced 10, 167. 545 pounds of
seed, grown on 1882 acres. The fibre
is not utilized in any general way, and Is
only to some small extent locally
THE principal food of the farm laborers
of Orkney Islands is oatmeal. potatoes,
fish and milk. Bread of fine wheat flour
does not give strength TO work, and
English tourists express surprise at the
apparent vigor and youthfulness of the
Orkney octogenarians.
In FLANDERS 1t Is customary to churb
the milk in summer after twenty-foui
hours, but in winter three DAYS are al
owed to expire, when the milk is poured
into the tub that stands in the cellar.
If it then does not become sour, the
dairymen place can With warm water
in the tub to accelerated.
For disinfectants about poultry houses
and sheds, smoke fron a wood fire Is
one of the best; also sulphur. In using
the latter close every opening and chink
where air can escape, place pound or
two of birthstone. in small pieces, into
an iron pan and let it gently burn,
leaving the house shut UP for the day Il
possible.
The average Of German observations
show that the annual yield OF milk rises
gradually from the birth Of the first calf
till the fifth, reaches its maximum after
the sixth, sinks then gradually TIL the
tenth calf. when it is about the same as
at the first calving, and, after the thlr-
teenth or fourteenth calf, Is only one
fourth or one fifth of the maximum yield.
II HAS been estimated that sugar-cane
contains about eighteen per cent of
sugar, of which about one-third Is left IN
the canes after crushing, and is, there
fore, lost; that an acre of land will grow
thirty tones of canes but that, owing
to the loss in crushing and boiling down,
the acre does not produce more III actual
practice than two and one-half tons of
raw sugar.
THE usual theory as to crooked breast
bones is that they are caused by giving
perches to chickens too early IN life, or
by the perch being too large or too mar
row. Experience shows, however, that
crooked breast-bones are found if the
chicken is weakly one and wanting in
constitutional vigor, or if the birds are
pampered and brought up at high pres
sure IN confined and over-crowded pens,
where stimulating condiments and excess
of feeding take the place of free range,
fresh air, and ample, nutritious food.
SPEAKING of the hereditary diseases
and the importance of sound breeding
stock, Manly Miles gives the following
case IN illustration A mare affected with
ring-bone, that untitled her for farm
work, was kept as a breeder for several
years. Her colts were quite uniform in
form and color, and, as they showed no
indications of the disease when two
or three years old, they found ready buy
ers at good prices. At the age of five or
six years, however, they all had ring
bone, to a greater or less extent, and
several were entirely disabled.
Coop food and pure water, regularly
given, are most essential points IN feed
ing cows. 1t has been proven that cows,
which have been fed regularly on food
somewhat inferior, have yielded more
milk than those to which richer food has
been given, yet not at regular intervals.
Irregularity in the hours of feeding Is
invariably followed by smaller supply
of milk, and where this falling off has
taken place it takes some time for the
COW TO resume giving herproper quantity,
or that which she has been accustomed
to do with regular feeding.
THE pig acquires full mouth of in
cisor teeth OF about three months old,
some time previous to which three
molars have appeared in each Jaw, viz:
the first, second and third. At six months
the primolars and the fourth permanent
molars appear in nine months the tusks
and fifth permanent molar are changed.
Three months later the first, second
and third temporary molars are shed,
and replaced by permanent ones. At
eighteen months the sixth or last molar
and the lateral incisor are cast, and the
changes at this time are complete.
WITH every improvement in blood "
a corresponding improvement IN feed
ing and managing live stock must be
made or nature will surely thwart the
breeders plans by asserting her suprem-
acy and adapting the animal to the con-
ditions in which it is placed. In the
cross of q superior breed upon the average
r. E. IL -
be obtained by better system Of feed
ing than the original stock had been
accustomed to. An increase in size and
the ability to fatten rapidly would be-
come a source of weakness rather than
an advantage in animals that are unable
to obtain a sufficient supply of food TO
give q full and active development of
the system.
MAMMOTH squashes, though of but
little value for table use, on rich lands
and in those sections where roots are but
little cultivated are very profitable as
food for cattle. James j. ii. Gregory
says q half-acre of these squashes have
averaged seventy-ive pounds each in
weight. Among prolific varieties for
stock the vegetable marrow holds high
rank. Fourteen tons have been raised
men of the mammoth Yellow Chill
squash grew to the weight of 1872 pounds,
another in Nebraska reached a weight of
239 pounds; from two seeds the same
party raised nine squashes weighing GAO
pounds. From the seeds of Mammoth
squashes a Minnesota grower reports
squashes weighing lis, I37 and 139
pounds each, and several Others from
rs up to 104 pounds, and all from three
vines.
MILK, either of COWS or goats, is easily
obtained in Italy, and is one thing in
which the Italians are scrupulously hon
est, and they cannot help that either
The law obliges them, if desired, to
drive the COWS or goats to your door to
be MIXED, and it is a very pretty sight
to see, about six or seven O'clock In the
morning, the long droves of pure white
goats pattering through the streets from