The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1882-01-27
THE FARM.

If the spruce is planted as a hedge or
screen. then it needs to be dwarfed,
rather than encouraged to grow upwaro:
Cutting back the new growth, before IL
has vet hardened, is generally done In
lime. this has the effect to keep the tree
IN a dwarf. compact form. If the object
is merely to regulate the shape, by re-
moving or shortening certain branches,
II NAV be done in autumn at any time
before severe weather comes. For cut
ting away the lower limbs of Norway
spruce. CT other evergreen, there Is no
one proper time.
GYpsUM-PLAsTER OF PARIs.-When
gypsum, or crude plaster, is heated 10
272 degrees it loses the water 1t natur-
ally contains, and becomes plaster oil
Paris. Though the operation Is often
called burning" it takes place at
comparatively low temperature. When
mixed with water. it re-unites with that,
and becomes chemically the same ms 1t
was before. and when re-ground is
probably as valuable a fertilizer as the
.'raw stone" We say probably, as
we are not sure that it is quite so solu-
BILE as at first, though 1t IL not likely
mat there Is any perceptible difference
in this respect. The usual time for ap-
plying gypsum on clover is in the spring,
when vegetation is just starting.
REMEDY FOR SIDE HOLE IN Cows
TEAT-Make the edges of the opening
raw" with sharp knife, or cauterlze
with pointed stick of nitrate Of silver.
The hole may then be closed with strips
of adhesive plaster, or better yet by
coating of ''collodion," which can be OBJ
tanned of any photographer, if the near
est druggist does not keep it. In milk
ing be careful not to displace the
drassing-and it will perhaps be better
to draw the milk with tube for several
days If the opening in the teat is not
quite small, it may be necessary to close
it Ivy stitch just through the skin with
fine thread. In most cases the scratch
ing Of the edges of the opening with n
knife and the application of collodion
will, however, be sufficient.
AQricuitlwist.
PRESERVING EGGs-Several plans
have been tried with more or less sue
cess. To preserve eggs, the pores of
the shell must be stopped up, for two
reasons TO prevent the entrance of the
air, and consequent spelling of the con-
tents and to prevent the evaporation
of the moisture of the egg and n drying
up of the contents. Placing the eggs in
net or basket, and plunging them for
a few seconds IN boiling water, long
enough to cook or solidify thin film of
white next to the shell, is successfully
practiced in some families, but II would
spoil the eggs for sale. Closing thepores
by smearing the shell with lard, suet, or
inseed oil, has been tried with more or
less success. Many years ago q patent
was taken out for the use of shellac var
nish for the same purpose. The care
required in the use of the varnish, rs
each egg must be treated separately.
and as a slight uncovered space would
allow the egg to spoil, besides the dis
coloration. prevented this from coming
into Use.
FEED FOR LAYING HENs.-Fat hens
rarely lay. If hens are fed so much OF
so often that they begin to fstten rapidly,
they will soon stop laying. No food is
better than Indian corn or ground corn
(Indian meal), to fatten hens, and Of
course it should be fed sparingly to lay.
ing hens If hens do not lay and are
fat, feed them but once a day-at even
ing Just before they go to roost-givine
wheat screenings, buckwheat and oats
in such proportions as you judge best
Throw the feed upon clean ground only
so fast as they pick it up. Stop Just al
soon as you see any of the flock begin
TO wander away. Let them forage al
day for weed seeds, grass, insects, etc
They must have warm quarters, wei
ventilated at night, and a sunny run b!
day in winter. After while begin t
feed them sparingly little meat SCRAP
chopped fine, broken bones, oyster shells
etc, and they will probably soon begiI
to Law.
WEIGHT AND HEATING POWER or DIF
FERENT KINDS OF WooD-More fuel j,
required during January than in any
other month IN the year, and fewitem:
may be interesting as we'll as useful
Another article {" Keeping Warm y de
scribes the production of heat. Carbon
(pure coal) is the chief source of al
heat used for domestic purposes and fol
driving machinery by steam power
This carbon is mainly derived from wood
hard coal and peat. Coal is most uset
for producing steam power, but taking
the whole world together. wood isInucl
the most extensively used fuel. For thu
present purpose we may consider al
wood as essentially composed of carbon
or charcoal and water (mainly as sap
All woods heated away from the air yielC
watery vapor chiefly, leavingnearly pure
charcoal, which when burned leave:
OF green wood one-third TO one-hai
or more of its weight Is water, partl.
depending upon the time of cuttin.
In Schuller's experiments-
Cut in Janua-y. Cut in April
100 his. lbs water. lbs. water
Ash wood contained go. %
Sycamore contained 800. SO
White pine contained 81
A practical lesson for this month
here indicated. All kinds of wood Gu
in January contain from Is to % pc
cent. less water than after the sap is il
motion in April, and considerable earle
in the Southern portion of the country
Ii is well to now cut down the trees de
signed for fuel, even if working them III
is delayed to the following months.
As wood seasons naturally in the ali
it loses one-sixth to one-third its weigh
of water, but still contains one-sevent
TO one-fourth its weight of moisture.
considerable part of the latter may b
expelled by kiln-drying, and most of
If the kiln heat be raised to 212e {
boiling-water temperature. Some care
full tests made by one of our Wester
readers showed that five cords of beec
and maple Just cut weighed as much 6
eight cords of the same wood whe
thoroughly air-seasoned. The aboN
teaches two important practical lesson
l. To haul and handle green woo
requires very large waste of strength
In handling five cords of green beeC
wood for example, we have loade
hauled, and unloaded three or more tol
of useless water, which n few month
seasoning would have removed.
q Aud still more important: Whe
wood is not thoroughly seasoned is use
for fuel, its water or sap must be e
PEELED before its carbon comes into pll
to produce heat. This takes place gra
ually on the outside, or on one side,
little of the carbon comes into action
time. But, as stated in another articl
the escaping vapor conceals or carries {
very large amount of heat, sometim
almost enough to use up all the he
produced by its carbon. 1t is safe to 81