The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1884-04-11

New Jersey intends to have agricultural edu-
cation in her public schools.
The woods of the United States are estimated
to cover $50, 000, 900 acres, or l6 per cent OF the
total area.
1t is said there is more food raised in the
poultry yards of France than in the stalls ana
pastures of England.
A little copperas in their drink is an excellent
tonic for fowls. 1t is good to ward off disease,
and the iron it contains will make their combs
red, an unfailing indication OF thrift.
A ton of bran is said to make manure worth
Sl4.50. This leaves its cost for stock feeding
very small. But it is probable that the manu-
rial value is much less when fed to mich cows
to increase the production OF milk.
Where good judgment is exercised in their
use no implement is more valuable than the roll
Ter, but there are none the less some crops which
like corn, need a light, loose soil where the roll
Ter will do more harm than good.
70 avoid possibility of balks in sowing grass
seed it is better to divide the quality to be soWn
on the field into two equal parts and SOW one
half across the other. 1t is better, even with
this precaution, to lap over @ little rather than
make a balk.
English exchanges state that there is now lit
tie doubt as to the value of ensllage as food Tor
cattle, and a recent experiment in its use as a
| f~attening material showed 40 pounds in its IA
yor on 8 cattle, as against 6 other cattle fed on
| the more common hay and turnlps, both lots OF
| cattle receiving the same quantity OF meal and
oil cake.
The annual yield Of the average COW is $50
gallons, and as there are l5,0OO,OOO mllcn COWS
in the United States we have $4,000 900 gal
Ions of milk q year. At II cents a gallon this
is worth $40, O00, 900. Assuming that l pound
of prime beef is equal to 3 IL pounds OF milk,
and that a steers furnishes so per cent OF homeless
beef, it would require about 24,OO0,00O steers
of HOO pounds each to produce the same
amount of food the 10000 600 cows supply per
year.
The Red River Valley is thus spoken OF by a
disguised correspondent: "Three months to
grow the crop of spring wheat, yielding but IL
to 16 bushels per acre and costing from 4O to 70
cents per bushel, floods on the bottom land and
drought on the uplands, a limited market and 4
railway monopoly, the extreme northwest VIII
always remain the Siberia and Finland OF our
Continent This is not a flattering picture, but
is undoubtedly true in a great measure.
1t is estimated that 800, 000, 900 tons of the
South Carolina phosphate rock are within reach
of profitable working. This is, or should be,
good news for farmers everywhere. The sup
ply of bones for furnishing phosphateis running
low. and phosphate rock makes a fair substitute
Though called a rock, the South Carolina de-
posts were undoubtedly once the bones and
Shells of marine animals, and rank next to
bones in fertilizing properties, though OF course
having now no nitrogen in their composition
About 800, 1000 tons of their deposit were ship
ped north last year. The results are so favora.
BILE, and the supply can be SO cheaply obtained
that this amount is likely to largely increase.
There are many places in this country where
the inferior grades of wheat are now relatively
cheaper as food for stock than either oats OF
corn. 1t is very probable that some of the pool
wheat grown in 1883 has gone as food fol
horses. and will never find its way to market ii
flour. Whole wheat ground makes a strong
feed for working horses, and, considering The
small amount needed Tor a Single Ieed, IL Is very
often cheaper than oats. Whole wheat for o.
is always most economical where large produc.
ton of eggs is desired.
Practical farmers are well aware that there Il
a difference in the value of different varieties o.
corn for fodder. The southern or western corr
will grow the greatest weight OF feed, but IN
quality some of the sweet varieties Will quite
make up for their smaller SIZE. some IaIheI'
find even so dwarf a variety as Early Minneso
ia profitable for feeding. Its small, sweet
stalks and abundant ears are very nutritious
and are greedily eaten green or drled.
A flock of sheep will work up a more valua
BILE pile ofmanure from the same feed than any
other stock. In winter their tread is not Sc
heavy as to prevent light fermentation OF TN
manure pile, which is thus fitted for immediate
service. In summer they deposite their drop
ping more evenly than any other grazing ANNA
during the day time, and at night will selec
some dry, poor knoll to enrich. The Spanish
proverb is true which says: "The foot OF tn
sheep is golden.
More.people are made poor by keeping dog
than is generally supposed. Recently a farmer
had a dog come with some relatives who wer'
visiting him, and he noticed that the presence o
the animal made great futtering among hi
poultry. After 3 or 4 days he found the supply
of eggs rapidly declining, and the decline con
tinuedu until the animal was taken away. In
weeks time he reekoned that he easily lost 3
worth of eggs from the worrying that his fowl
received.
Rotten wood, hay, straw, chips and such sub
stances are excellent manures for fruit trees !
properly used. If kept in a pile in q mois
place, and a little %quicklime be added, the acidi
ty of the decayed wood will be neutralized anS
the materials will rot much more rapidly. Tn
less pretty thoroughly decayed, these substan
ces should not be used for mulches, etc, as thcy
serve as harbors for insects. II in considerable
quantities in shaded places they are also to'
sour for the good OF the tree. Swamp-muct
usually needs to be composted and lime added
before it is fit to use. True muck Is thoroughly
friable and pulverized. The substance usually
so called is more properly peat, containing un
decayed fern roots and sour vegetable matter
Mulches should not be removed from plants too
early. A sudden freeze in late spring may ruiz
| p1autsx which borp the winter we'll.