Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-11-26
FARM AND GARDEN.

yIoIu LII Gno laSG Jour years.
IT is proposed to hold the next ma
tional convention of cane-growers at
New Orleans December II.
SHEEP grow quickly and mature
early, and with their fleece pay dividends
oftener than any other live stock.
WHEN summer following is practiced,
sheep act as cleaners in clearing fence
corners of briar and weeds and in keep
ing annual grasses that spring up on
plowed lands.
THIS is good time of the year for
p-dressing orchards, the manure
serving as an excellent mulch, as well as
decomposing and enriching the soil,
thereby assisting the crop next season.
IT is not clear that the profits from
sheep-raising on farms where other
crops are grown, instead of wheat, would
be less than on wheat-farms. Sheep
make good use of corn-stalks. prairie
hay, oat-straw, and almost any kind of
fodder or feed grown.
AS rule crops give q better analysis
OF land than any chemist can. When
ever poor spot in field has shown q
stunted growth stake should be driven
and larger amount of manure applied
In proportion than the other parts of
the field receives, an" evening up" proc
eSs.
THE Indiana Farmer says: "Some
OF the strawberry and raspberry vines
IN the experimental gardens at Purdue
University bloomed and almost fruited
last month Octoberl. Some of the
berries were nearly ripe when the frosty
nights came and put stop to the fool
ishness."
BLACKBERRIEs and raspberries start
very early; fall planting is preferable.
TO propagate from root cuttings, cut
the roots into pieces two or three inches
long, and place in box with alternate
layers of roots and soil. Keep the box
in the cellar, or other dry place out of
reach of frost.
SALT applied to grain and grass crops
usually produces moderate or slight in
crease in growth, but on some soils it
has no effect. Six or eight bushels,
more or less, may be sown broadcast on
an acre; or it may be mixed in the COM
post heap at the rate of peck or more
to the two-horse load.
A CORRESPONDENT of the Indiana
Farmer says the man who plows and
barrows his land to get rid of Canada
thistles makes great mistake. Every
root or piece of root not removed will
serve as the nucleus of new colony.
He prefers to get the field into pasture
and salt them lavishly while they are
small.
ONIONS will keep much better in a
cool place than in one too warm, as they
sprout into activity with the least de-
gree of warmth. Should they become
frozen during severe weather do not
handle them, but endeavor to prevent
them from thawing too suddenly when
the weather begins to moderate. Do
not put them in heaps, but keep them
in thin layers and cover them with straw
or some other light material.
MIR. j. W. SHEPPARD, secretary of the
Mississippi Valley Creamery Associa-
ton, quietly induced many leading
dairy implement manufacturers to of
fer special premiums to exhibitors. He
then went to the exhibitors and induced
them to compete. The consequence
was that the dairy department was the
best feature of the st. Louis Fair, and
also the most attractive, it being con-
stantly crowded with visitors till the
fair closed.
In the East where the movement of
cattle from place to place is very limited
and generally from the country towards
the large cities, pleuro pneumonia has,
despite all efforts to stamp it out and to
restrict its progress, extended from
Long Island into at least six Atlantic
states. What would be the result if the
contagion should appear among cattle
that range at will in the West and are
found hundreds of miles from their
home range.
THERE is no safe method of determin-
ing the butter qualities of a herd ex-
cept by churniRg the milk of each COW
separately. The bulk of the milk is
not sure indication. Very often the
cow that gives but moderate quantity
of milk may yield the largest amount OF
butter. In breeding up herd a knowl-
edge of the characteristic of each COW
will enable the dairyman to breed for
the best results, as the superior COWS
may be used for breeding to thorough
bred bulls. It does not pay to keep the
calves, unless the merits of their sires
and dams are well known.
Milo maize is receiving considera-
BILE attention in the South. An Ala
bama man says that he has grown this
crop in small way for two years. A
drouth prevented the maturing of the
crop last year, and he cut
it down the last of October
and made hay of it." My stock
ate the hay ravepously, not leaving even
the hard stalks" he says. Gall kinds
of stock-horses, mules, COWS, sheep,
etc. are fond of it, This year it was
planted on medium mulatto land. Two
crops of hay have already been saved
from it, and another is nearly ready for
the sickle.
Mr. ROBERT H. ELLIOTT, Kelso, pro-
poses to show how laying down land to
grass may be done without diminish
ing the rent-paying power of the land.
He also proposes to explain, through
tho Edin h11rr Soo+oroar