The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-11-15
HOME, FARM AND RANCH.

lIONiC, EhnW hINO nHNOTI.
Sulphur is specific against the
mlldew which attacks grapes and |
other fruits. 1t is, however, only |
helpful when scattered on the leaves |
and fruit. In the soil it is no benefit |
against mildew.
Barbed wire can be used as a fence |
against hogs by putting the lower
wire four inches from the ground, and
the next wire q foot or fourteen in
ches higher. This fence does not
need to be high if hogs only are to be
enclosed.
BY the use of the lysimeter, it is
learned that soil which is cultivated
loses less moisture from evaporation
than that in sod, or that which is bare
and uncultivated. This fact has been
often asserted but has not been prov
ed. The teaching of water through
the soil is, however, the greatest on
the part that is cultivated.
a Baltimorean who has just re-
turned from New South Wales says
that some of the sheep stations"
there are from 100000 to 100000 acres,
and as many as 100000 sheep. On
Alfred Hays farm 1000 sheep were
shorn before breakfast by about sew
enty-five shearers. Kangaroos are
numerous and troublesome. They
ruin the sheep pastures. and the gov
eminent has been constrained to offer
a bounty of IS cents head for their
scalps. Hundreds of thousands are
killed annually.
Allerton, the Chicago cattle dealer,
explains the cause of disease among
cattle in parts of the United States.
"They have been locking up cattle in
native yards or fields formerly occu-
pied by tick-covered steers. When
the Texas cattle are shipped to the
east many of them are covered with
little nests of ticks or bugs, and these
insects fall off to the ground and
crawl over the grass. If the herds are
changed, as they usually are, it often
happens that the native cattle get into
the TsXas pastures. The native cat
tie eat the grass covered with these
| poisonous green ticks, and in short
time get sick and show SYMPTOMS of
what is termed pleuro-pneumonia
But it is not pleuro-pneumonia. 1t Is
easily cured. Give steer lot OF
green corn, and see how quickly this
dreadful thing they talk of will disap-
pear"
| MARKS OF A GOOD COW.
Those who keep but one or two
COWS naturally want them for gene.
raj purposes, do not want mere but
ter COW nor yet a mere milk animal
but one which combines both in al
great a degree as can be found. Sucf
COWS are not plentiful, we admit, O.
at least are not often for sale at ;
moderate price, so that when they ar
offered, it behooves would-be pur
chasers to be able to tell them.
We do not believe in very small
cows, nor yet in large, heavy animals
as neither, as a rule, are capable o
filling the bill, the former too oftel
falling short in the quantity, Will
the large ones are apt to run too mucl
to flesh to make them profitable dair
animals. The medium sized ones il
variably produce the best results, an
heavy mixer and a large butte
maker is seldom fat, as the majorit
of the food she consumes is converte
into milk and butter. The hea
should be fine and bony, with sma
horns, large mealy nose and SHAPED
ears. The base of the horns and the il
side of the ears Should be Of brigf
golden color. We have never W
seen an animal with horns and cal
we'll colored golden Yellow whic
failed to make fine quality of butte
and highly colored. 1t is an unmi
taxable sign. The body should be {
good size, and the width and dept
rapidly increase as it runs to the res
or hind quarters. The milk veiI
should be large and prominent, an
the udder need not necessarily /
large, so it is not meaty, but is vel
small when MIXED out. The tea
7 should be of good size, and only hay
{ | single hole in each; we have see
! quite a number with teats having tW
holes. The hair should be fine an
soft, while the skin should be pliabl
and almost as soft to the touch /;
velvet or kid. In color it should |
tinged deeply with yellow, especial
on the shoulders and flank and alon
{ the back. Color of the hair is secol
l Diary matter, though the best Gov
are generally yellow, fawn, gray
white, with dark marks edged wit
yellow. Black COWS but seldom prov
r to be good general purpose one
though of course there are exception
: frequently met with.-[Corr. Mar
land Farmer.
r MATERIAL FOR EGG SHELLS.
q While birds are in their wild sta
= they have no difficulty in procuring
supply of material for forming IL
shell of the eggs they lay. They hay
{ an unlimited range. and can pick L
:. particles of limestone, portions of d
e composed bones and other substance
: that can be converted into the shell
of eggs. Wild birds at most lay on
as many eggs as as they can hatch
two sittings. Some kinds of birt
? hatch only one brood of young in
e season. Domesticated birds. especial
T fowls, produce Il large number of egi
O in the course OF IL year. Some of Il
:, non-sitting varieties of hens lay
'' many as one hundred and fifty egJ
$ in a year. A large amount of mat
d rial is required to form the shel
Y for all these eggs. 1t is not co
! tanned in the grain and other kin
q of food that are furnished foW
= especially those kept in confnemeI
. AS a consequence they lay eggs tn
), have very thin shells at all. The eg
n that have thin shells are liable
: break in the nests or during remov
from place to place. Fowls, wheth
allowed to run at large or kept
close quarters, should be supple
!. with materials for forming shell
I The best substance for forming egg
u shells is bone-dust. 1t should be pI
. pared from fresh bones. The ne
: best material to entire bones pulve
!. lied, is made by burning bones al
q then reducing them to powder
? small grains. The pulverized shel
I of oysters and CLANS are very goo
: and fair and cheap substitute
! either of them is found in marb
! dust, which may be obtained of Il
manufacturers of gravestones al
> monuments. Air-slacked lime shou
I be furnished fowls for forming egg
> shells if no better material can
readily obtained.-Poultry Messengt
Storing Sweet I'Otatoes