Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-01-31
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD,
INTERESTING TO FARM ER.

Dairymen and holders of butter are
advised to keep cool in the present
emergency and await further develop.
ments before forcing their goods on an
unwilling market.
The advance in the price of corn is
causing the sale and shipment of much
fattening stock about these days. That
the price holds up as well as it does, in
dicates possible scarcity which must
be more felt later in the season.
The temperature of soil depends
very much upon its humidity. Dry
land absorbs heat more quickly and
loses it more slowly than that which is
wet, and thus the summer temperature
of our undrained districts will be lower
than il they are drained. The tempera-
ture of drained land is in summer occa-
sionally 800 Fab. above that of un-
drained land.
Bullock's blood is used on q large
scale as manure, but chiefly for mix
ing with other fertilizers. In its natural
state, blood contains about three per
cent. of nitrogen when dried it con-
tains twelve per cent. 1t makes an ex-
ce!lent manure for turnips when mixed
with bone-dust or phosphate guano.
Mixed with peat or mold it may be ap.
piled as top dressing to wheat crops
and to grass land.
1t is said that 100000 pounds of
oleomargarne are shipped yearly from
New York city, This takes the place o.
a much larger amount of good butter
which would be Used if it could be had
at reasonab rates. The sale of oleo.
margarine hurts honest dairymcn in two
ways: 1t brings butter into disrepute,
and largely decreases the demand for
both good and poor quality. The fact
tnat an article is adulterated causes
many consumers to fight shy of it.
Cotswold sheep are increasing in pop
ularity, as the demand for mutton and
early lambs is greater than for wool.
They do not shear as heavily as the best
American Merinos, but are more pro-
life, many of the ewes bringing twins.
A cross of Cotswold and Southdown
makes the best lambs for the butcher.
The dam should be of the Cotswold
breed, as she is better able to support
twins, and with good feed will give
enough mix TO keep them growing IN
til able to eat grain or grass
The potato, says Peter Henderson,
the well-known scotsman, like ali
robust. growing vegetables, can be grown
with varying success on soils of all
kinds, and in all conditions of fertility,
but the soil best suited to it is q sandy
loan. In all heavy soils it is more sub,
iect to disease, and the flavor also is
much inferior. In breaking up good
pasture land, the decaying sod answers
sufficiently well for the first year in lieu
OF manure. Manure is applied either
in rows or hills, or broadcast over the
hills and plowed in, the latter in most
cases being preferable, If the soil is
good, but little manure is required. In
highly enriched soil the plants are more
liable to disease than when grown IN
soil that is naturally good. The best
fertilizers are those of dry or absorb.
ent-nature, as plaster, lime, superphos.
| phate Of lime and bone-dylst. For wet
soils these are particularly beneficial, as
they not only promote growth, but pre-
vent disease. Plant as early in spring
as the ground can be had in fair work
ing order, in hills or ridges, about three
feet apart covering in light, warm soils,
about four inches deep, but in cold, wet
situations two and half or three
inches will be sufficient
Drains.
In many q New England and Middle
states farmhouse may be found this
state of things: First, well dug near
the kitchen door and between kitchen
and barn. Second, an open drain lead.
ing from the kitchen sink, pouring out
all the dirty water of washing day and
every other day, which sinks in the
ground about and becomes one feeder
OF the waiting we'll. Even when the
drain is nominally closed and out of
sight, it is not an earthen or iron pipe,
but simply wooden conductor, parting
with its contents at every joint. But
for not only New England, but south
and west as well, the open drain is the
general rule. Such drain having con-
tributed its share toward the family
water supply, the manure pile in the
barn-yard sends its quota, not at once,
but gradually soaking through and iniil-
trating the ground; and last and worst,
the privies in the same manner finish
the work. And the most startling OF all
these most disagreeable and unsavory
facts is that with every one of these con-
ditions in existence, the water may be
unchanged in odor or taste; may even
be especially sparkling and delightful,
this having been proved in various well,
known cases. Tile C",tinenL
Sorghum.
Commissioner Loring recently said in
an address: "The fact that sugar can
be made from sorghum has been
proved. That it can be profitably made
Profs. Weber and Scoville have demon
strated. and have so declared to this
association with their figures before
them. That there is market for the
product no man doubts. Whether it is
a universal crop or not, time and expe-
rience alone Can prove. When l asked
Prot. Weber, "What are the obstacles
Prof. Goessmann found in Massachu-
setts which render sorghum sugar max
ing there impractcable?' his reply was
"Shortness of the season, danger of
early frosts, and an incomplete develop.
ment of the cane" Who can say, as
yet, that this crop will take its place
among the special crops of our extreme
Northern and Eastern states, Or will
occupy the place now filled by the sugar
cane of the South? Nor is this impor.
tant. Like all other agricultural
products, the profit of sorghum depends
on locality. soil, climate, and the COM
mercial status Of the cultivator as
regards the ownership of his land
whether he possesses plantation OF
thousands of acres or small farm
whether he sets up his own sugar mill
and runs sugar plantation or depends
upon neighboring factory for his
market OF the crop from his few acres.
We have right to expect that it will
find its place, as every other crop has
done, and will be accepted in its proper
sphere either for the domestic supply of
molasses when convenient and econom
ical or for conversion into sugar where