The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-01-26

Water of moderate temperature
is better for stock than when il il ice
cold.
Wisconsin shcop-OwnerS say that II
it were not for the dogs that State
would have ten sheep where it now has
only one.
The old and wcll-tricd plan for pro-
tecting trees from injury from mice
wncn the snow has come to stay is to
tramplc it down hard around the young
fruit trees. A better plan is to tie
strips of lath or barrel-Staves around
| the trunks.
A farmer reports the effect Of an APP
plication Of one ton of bran to the acre
as equal to that obtained from the usual
application of a mixture of bone dust,
guano. lime, and wood-asheS, and the
difference in yield of the crop that re-
ceived bran as Compared with those not
80 treated WAS very great.
The egg product of the United States
stands second in value only to corn and
wheat, and often surpasses the latter.
During the last fiscal year, for instance,
the corn crop was worth $3.50, 643, 400,
the wheat crop Si6i,675,779, and the
egg crop S475, 6S2, $50 The hen, in her
relation 10 our domestic, economy, is
thus entitled to more respect than has
commonly been paid to her
Keep the barnyards drained SO thor
oughlv that they are ut all times solid
and nayigablc- 1t does cattle no good
to 60 wading about knee deep in filth,
and the exhalations from deposits of
liquid and solid manure, such as are
too often seen on the farm. go far to-
ward poisoning the air for long dis
tances around. The thrifty farmer
will keep his barnyards free from
mire.
Mr.. N. Atwell, one of the Michigan
Commissioners, whose duty it is to
look after the peach districts of that
S ate and check if possible the ravagcs
of the destructive disease known as
"yellows," Gains that there is no
known remedy, and that the only safe
plan is TO uproot and burn the trees
upon the first appearance of the dis
case.
Agriculture, says the Journal Of Ag-
rtcuiturC, should never be entirely d-
vorccd from horticulture. A farm is
not whole farm, unless there is some
where home upon it., and true rural
home cannot be without shade trees,
and fruit trees, and lawn and garden.
Agriculture may provide the income,
buo horticulture mahos the home. The
beauties and dolicacios OF tho farm pro-
coed more from the orchard and garden
than from the farm; and tho farmer
who ignores horticulture is ignoring
one source OF comfort and happiness.
An Eastern paper says; "Seo that
skeleton of II woman Juggling two pals
of water up that hill to the house, while
at n cost Of $50 an aqueduct would
bring water into every building. That
man has 5000 at interest and three
wives OF blessed memory in yonder
ward. The fourth will soon be beside
them, after which there will DO an en-
ger contest for the dead woman's llar-
ness" The paper forgets how hard it
is to get good bank account. And
yet it does seem to be pity that all
murdcrers cannot be hung.
The Swiss COW, says an exchange, is
large-bodied but finc-bodied, of the
style of u Short horn; the horns are
light short, clear and tipped with
black; the color is Of chestnut brown.
mixed with white; the nose, tongue,
hoof and switch are black; mealy-col-
ored band surrounds the black nose;
the udder and teats are large and well
formed and. while they differ to a
great extent from our common notions
about tho right form which n COW
should have, yet they are excellent and
profitable COWS, yielding twenty to
twenty-five quarts of milk daily, and
the milk is rich in butter of IN excel
lent quality. Tho skin is yellow, soft,
elastic and covered with soft, silky
hair; they carry remarkable oscutch-
cons. and are extremely even in app
pearancc. showing careful. and good
hrnpjinU for q con siderable lpnuth of