davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10
ERGOTIsM.

The late sensational reports of the ap-
pearance of the foot and mouth disease in
Kansas having been sa tisfactorially explod-
ed by the surgeons who Investigated the
matter, the following notes of the real
trouble may be of interest to stock raisers.
The examiners decided that the direct cause
of the loss of feet and limbs is from freezing,
being rendered sensitive to the cold for want
of circulation in the extremities, which was
retarded by the ergot poison contracting
the blood vessels. The highest authorities
agree that ergot, when taken as poison,
produces the disease known as ergotism,
and this disease is of two kinds-spasmodic
or conyulsive, and the gangrenous. The
symptoms in man OF the spasmodic form
are, irritation of the skin, GOODNESS of the
body, cramps and numbness of the limbs,
and pains in the head and back, followed in
from one to three weeks by gastralgia, gid
diness, fainting and cenyulsive movements
of the muscles; frequently the skin becomes
spotted with vesicular eruption. Great ex-
haustion and craving for food ensue. The
gangrenous ergotism begins with weariness
and pain OF the limbs; the skin grows dull
in hue, and at last dry gangrene attacks the
extremeties, and when death does not super
vene, the parts affected are generally lost
The poisonous action of er -ot Oh various
animals has been shown by the celebrated
chemists, Boujean, Diez, Gross, Parola,
Wright and others. Boujean was the first
to produce the extract known as ''ergotin," :"
used in medicine to check hemorrhage
Erootism in animals is found to produce
the following symptoms. 1t causes first: ::
redness of the eyes and ears, then coldness
of the limbs and swelling of the joints, and
finally gangrene OF the extremeties and in
testines, and death during convulsions. The
highest authority on the subject is that in
animals gangrene always attacks the legs,
resulting, whether in warm or cold weather,
in the sloughing of of the parts affected
the same as the telegraph has informed us
is the case with the castle disease in Kansas.
Ergot is of parasitic Origin, attacking rye
principally, but also some other starch
producing cereals. When this vegetable
parasite begins to perform its work in the
ear of rye fermentation takes place, and
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

remove the wheat to a large willow or split
basket, which must be set near the tub on
wide board arranged with grooves on it,
SO as TO lead the vitriol which drains from
the basket back into the tub. While the
tub is being filled with wheat, that which
was first put into the basket will be suffi-
clent y drained to be dumped in pile upon
the floor. 1t is a good plan while the wheat
is in the vitriol to take skinner and skim
OFT the dirt which arises to the top. Con
tlnue to repeat the operation OF filling the
tub and then emptyng the wheat into the
basket letting it drain and then pile on the
the floor. This will enable you to thorough
ly clean the wheat.
Proceeding in this manner one man can
vitriol very rapidly. About one bushel of
the wheat should be put in at time, and
ordinarily it should remain in the tub about
five minutes. If, however. the wheat is
very smutty, it will be necessary to use
little more than a pound of vitriol TO the
bushel, and to allow it to stay in the tub
little longer than above stated. This de-
pends entirely on the condition of the wheat.
The amount that can tie vitrioled in day
also depends on the condition OF the wheat
The great object should be to thoroughly
cleanse it. The wheat may remain in pile
on the floor four days without injury, but it
is well to put it into sacks within twenty
four hours after soaking. When it is to be
sown with seed drill it will be ready the
following day, but If to be sown by hand
the wheat need not remain in the pile more
than three hours. This method of prepar-
ing seed wheat is used by John G. Pickering,
of the Missouri valley, who is the largest
and one of the most successful wheat grow
ers in Central Montana. The centriyance
for wetting the wheat is his own invention,
and it has been adopted by a number of
persons who speak approvingly of it. Mr..
2. keeps his fields clear of smut, raises good
crops of wheat, and puts from year to year.
good brands of flour upon the market. He
also produces good oats and barley, and
one of the great secrets about it is that he
cleans his seed thoroughly. He uses his
best grain tor seed, and vtriolizes both
wheat and barley before sowing. The pro-
ceeding is precisely the same as with wheat.
His fields become very foul several years
ago and he adopted this plan OF cleaning
and is entirely rid of smut.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10
VITRIOLING WHEAT.

For good yields, and to make the best
healthy and free from smut To arrive at
the best plan for cleansing the wheat has
cost much experimenting, and it has been
the hardest task that our Montana farmers
have had to contend with, but those best
informed agree that it is an easy matter to
do this; that wheat may be kept clear of
smut and made hardy by a little painstak-
ing with the seed before sowing. Some
farmers destroy smut by the use OF lime,
but blue vitriol is the most common in use
wheat growing, as we'll as to cleanse it.
The practice of spreading pile of wheat on
the floor and spnnkling it with vitriol water
which is adopted by some, is wholly disaP-
proved by our best farmers. The reason
assigned is that it is irregular. There will
be spots in the wheat that the vitrioi will
not reach, and therefore the smut germs
cannot be destroyed. The best method in
use for completely destroying the smut is
to thoroughly soak the wheat in vitriol
water. To do this, take whiskey barrel
and saw about one-third of the top of. Set
it in a room at a convenient place for shovel
ing in the wheat. Fill the tub two-thirds
full of water and stir in enough blue yitriol
to give sufficient strength that it will slight
ly color the wheat, using one pound of Wit
riol to about eight or ten bushels of wheat.
Take scoop shovel and throw in about
one and half bushels of wheat; stir, and
let it remain two or three minutes. Then
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

If Montana farmers will plant good
early and water and cultivate them iudc-
iously, we believe the experiment OF ship
ping potatoes east may be made in a small
way this fall. There is question as to the
superiority of the quality OF the tubers
grown in Montana, and we believe they will
command a price in advance OF the States
grown product sufficient for them to bear
shipment east. There will of course be
large demand at home for this product, but
if we can develop a market for it in the
doubled at very small outlay of labor, and
potatee growing may be made very remun-
erative.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

FARMERS as rule are too liable to neg
lect their poultry. and let them shift for
themselves, and as a result their poultry
yard is generally composed of old hens Or
late Matched pullets, or both and even if
one of the old hens should bring off an ear
ly brood, little neglect during the cold,
wet weather of early spring will generally
prove fatal to the tender chicks. A little
experience will soon show that one cannot
afford to neglect his poultry, for there is no
animal on the farm that feels the effect of
careless management so quick as a laying
hen; and take lot of hens in good laying
condition, even of some of the best improved
breeds, and a little neglect on the part of
the keeper will soon shut off the supply of
eggs
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10
EGGS WITH A DIFFERENCE.

The difference between an egg laid by a
plump, healthy hen, fed with good, fresh
food daily, and an egg laid by thin, poor
ly fed hen is as great as the difference be-
tween good beef and poor. A fowl fed on
garbage and weak slops, with very little
grain of any kind, may lay eggs to be sure,
but when those eggs are broken to be used
for cake. pies, etc., they will spread in a
weak, watery way over your dish, or look a
milky white, instead of having a rich, slight
ly yellow tinge. A ''rich egg" retains its
shape as far as possible and yields to the
beating of the knife or spoon with more re-
sistance, and gives you the conviction that
you are really beating something thicker
than water or diluted milk.
But the proof of the egg is in eating it
boiled. We fear few of our city friends
know the luxury of perfectly fresh, well
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

there eXhudes from it sweet yellowlsh
mucous, which after time disappears, the
ear loses its starch and ceases to grow, and
thus by chemical change the rye is trans
formed into ergot which, according to the
same authorities. has power of reproduction,
especially when it tails upon wet earth.
Hence it may be scattered and spread in
various ways-n the shipment of hay or
grain in which it is found, or the moving Of
cattle which have fed on it. The ergot
grains have usually marked features which
distinguish it from rye, principally in this
the entire absence of all starch, it is hard
and brittle, it has two lateral burrows, while
rye has only one. a disagreeable rancid
taste, and it has iaint fshy odor. Many
of the most serious epidemics in both man
and beast have been traced to ergot poison
ing, the latest of which among the human
family, of which medical authority gives
any account, was in Lorraine and Burgundy
in 1916, which swept off thousands of their
inhabitants. This epidemic was directly
traced to ergotized rye flour. The rye be-
ing raised in damp, cold soil, which condi-
tion of the soil is found to be particularly
favorable to the reproduction of ergot.
Whether gangrenous ergotism" is contag-
ious or not, that is, whether it can be trans
mitted by contact, carried in the clothes, or
by contact between animals, is, according
to latest authorities. left in doubt. All agree
it is epidemic, however, attacking large
mum berS at a time and COVERING large areas
OF territory.-Breeder and Sportsman.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

A WRITER in the Ohio Farmer says that
he is not an old wheat raiser, but has not
lived these last few years to no purpose,
and thinks he has struck the keynote of
success in raising wheat in a thorough fit
ting OF the soil before sowing the seed :; and
he is convinced that poor piece of land.
dragged, rolled and then refitted until the
ground is as mellow as an lash heap" will
produce better yield of wheat than rich
piece of land poorly plowed, half dragged
and the seed scattered among the Jumps
and clods, and portion OF it without cover
ing or any chance TO germinate and obtain
a hold.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

crops, one to which enough Importance is
not generally given, is the planting OF i'm
properly cleaned seeds. An old farmer of
fifty years experience says that he is posi-
tive that correct statement OF the yearly
loss from the planting of foul seed would
be a surprise to many. and knowing the loss
resulting from the production of large
proportion OF weeds, he is surprised that
more care is NOT taken to plant clean gram,
when this can be accomplished with little
extra labor at the tanning mill.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10
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Transient advertisements PAYABLE in advance.
Regular advertisements payable quarterly.
Twenty five per cent added for SPECIAL advertise
Iaents.
Remittances by registered letter, post-office
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Any one failing to receive his paper regularly
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been sent, otherwise we may be unable to comply
with his request.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

AN acquaintance OF ours who is well pest
ed in tarm matters, has examined the We'll
come oats, about which so much noise is
being made, and asserts that he would not
give twenty cents a bushel for it tor feeding
purposes He says the hull is entirely too
thick and llard He has thoroughly satis-
fled himself in regard to the quality OF the
oats.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

Poultry demands good care and good
feed to be profitable; and to succeed in rails
ing poultry iudic!ous system of feeding
must be followed. for fowls will not pay if
halt starved. and their condition is not much
improved when over-fed. for they will soon
become fat, lazy, and useless both breeding
and laying.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

EVERY valley presents a scene of lite and
activity. Farmers in all quarters are busy
poWing and sowing. Four-horse gang
plows, three-horse sulky plows, broadcast
seeders, drills. and harrows may be seen
moving over the fields in any direction one
may look, and a bountitul harvest and a
we'll TILED purse is expected.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS MONTANA TERRITORY APRIL 10 1884

ONE reason why better crops are not OBJ
tained is the failure to pulverize the soil sut-
hclently tine in preparing it for seed. Just
in proportion to the tineness OF this pulveri-
zation is the soil in condition TO give to the
growing plant the food and noulishment
which it requires
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

LAST fall there was a great outcry among
the farmers that the railroad had killed
their market. This seems now to have been
mistake as the valleys traversed by rail-
roads have a better market than those that
nave not this advantage.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

The consumption of all kinds of farm
produce-grain, vegetables, butter and eggs,
will be much greater this year than last.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

j. G. PICKERING is sowing the White Rus
sian oats this year. He has tried many
varieties and finally settled upon the White
Russian as the best. His reasons are that
It is very prolific and the grain SOFT
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

OUR correspondent writing from the Bit
tef Root valley, says that the farmers OF
saat section prefer to raise spring wheat.
some winter wheat has been sown by a
humo moer, and is being grown as an expert
~ent' but there are no large fields of it.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

The dullest day for the Montana farmer
has gone by. Prosperity is rapidly return
ing, and though we may never realize = old
time" prices, we believe it is still as good a
business as any IN the Territory.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

No MORE profitable employment can be
found in the Northwest than the establish.
ment of good poultry yards.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

THE exports of breadstuffs in January
amounted to $12,2s4, 78i, against pl5,s35,
577 in January. 1883.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

A BosToN gentleman who has travelled
extensively throughout the United States
was heard to remark few days since that
the potatoes he had eaten since he had ar
rived at White Sulphur Springs surpassed
anything he had ever before tasted.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

A LINING of tarred paper in poultry
houses is recommended as a preventative
for lice.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

LIMA beans are grown more successfully
if planted in rows, seed six inches apart
than it planted in hills. The rows should
be about three feet apart.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

A KETTLE of boiled potatoes, with a
sprinkle of meal. will be found a very good
kind of feed for all kinds of poultry.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

In the spring tiae is the time tor
the farmer to rustic. Let him get his
seed in the ground and take his leisure
while it is terminating and growing.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

Now is the time to bend every energy
towards putting in the crop, tor to have a
good yield grain must be sown early.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

THE prospect is that we will have all early
growing season this spring notwith+ Standing
the warm weather did not set in quite so
early
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

The farmer who grows good crop this
season at a reasonable expense will make
money.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

MANGEL-wURzELs are economical foot
tor poultry, boiled and mixed with mid
dlings.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10
TQEhe Aantrg nard.
EGGS always command a good figure.

LIME sprinkled about chicken roosts, 1t is
said, is good preventative against lice.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

IT is mistaken notion that the time has
gone by for the Montana farmer to make
money. There is still show for him to
grow wealthy at his occupation.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

The outlook for tarmers improves every
day as the season advances.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

Thin shells are caused by lack OF gravel,
bones, ETC., among the hens laying the eggs.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

THE indications now are that 1884 will be
fully as prosperous as 1883.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10

If the farmer does not sow he cannot ex-
pect to reap.
Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1884-04-10
Vol. g..

The Rocky MOUNTAIN HUsBANDMAN designed
to be, as the name indicates, l1nsbandman in every
sense of the term, embracing in it's columns every
department. of Agriculture, Stock-raish.g, Horti-
culture Social and Domestic Economy.
ADVERTISING RATES.
The Indianapolis journal., 1884-05-16
TELEGRAPHIC BREVITIES.

The bone factory of St Louis burned yester-
day morning. Loss, 500, 600; insurance, $4,000
John Taylor's pork-packing establishment at
Trenton, N. j., burned yesterday; loss $25, 900.
The sugar house, machinery sheds, etc, on
Fathers, Orleans plantation burned yesterday
Loss, $2000e; partially insured
On Wednesday night A. A. Shaw, treasurer
of Glare county, Michigan, was bucked and
gagged at Harrison, the county seat and robbed
Of So 600 No clew.
Michael O Hearn, exconvict, and Jas. Grady
charge of robbing and choking to death Joseph
Barling, book keeper
A fire, yesterday in Thomas Kane & Sons
warehouse, No. 20 Washington street. New York,
damaged cotton and -four, storage, to the
amount of $50, 000s mostly insured
Six men were scalded at Harrisburg, Pa, yes
terday, by the bursting of steam pipe which
fed three large boilers at the Pennsylvania Steel
Works. Charles Pierce and George Murray are
dead; the others may recover.
At the Second district Democratic convention,
at Brocton, Mass, yesterday A. C. Drnkwater
and VIM. d. Douglass were chosen delegates to
the Chicago convention, and instructed to work
for the nomination of General Butler.
John Ketchum, of Rockcastle county, Ken
tncky, was murdered on Wednesday by man
named Bowles- Ketchum stopped at Bowles 8
house on his way home from court, and the men
quarreled, when Bowles shot and instantly
killed Ketchum. The latter is bad character
and was one of the principal actors in the
Breathitt county troubles.
The Indianapolis journal., 1884-05-16

New IhgIdllu faTineF
Several thousand chums have been patented,
and doubtless the inventor of each honestly be-
leyed that his own was the best, The very best
of butter can be made in several styles of churns,
and the same may be said of butter workers;
there is no one inventors make that is so tar
ahead of all its competitors as to convince the
public of its superiority.
In a general way we should advise the use of a
churn that has very little gearing, and few. if
any, floats to strike or grind the cream while
churning. A square box or barrel will show
as good butter be made, and float, or
dash ehurn if properly handled, will make
butter as good as the best. a good butter
maker eau make good butter i" almost any
kind of churn, while ul.acquainted
with his business may spoil cream III the best Of
churns. An objection to the dash ehurn is the
severe labor required in using it. and in the
difficulty Of keeping the cream all under the
dash. The revolving boxes and barrels keep all
the cream in motion, and bring the butter even
ly and without waste of cream provided the
cream is properly tempered 1t must not be too
thick nor too liquid If cream comes to butter
inside of q half hour, and without waste of
cream, it is presumable that the churn is good
one.
Nothing in tho form of a butter worker is
more simple than the plain slab of clean, hard
maple, upon which the butter is pressed out into
thin sheets and then sllted and folded over upon
itself and again pressed and folded until the salt
is evenly distributed Butter is often worked
far too mu
The Indianapolis journal., 1884-05-16

bOrers not less than of those who are dissipatcd
and reckless, because some men viii drink liquor
would be putting the rebel prison philosophy of
starvation into practice on a terrible scale. Sup
pose you were to say to body of 0G0 hands in
a factory, one hundred of whom are drinkers:
The whole factory shall stop until.the one hun
dred shall quit drink Such proceeding would
be the height of absurdity and the most outrag
eous cruelty. But such absurdity, cruelty and
folly combined attaches as it seems to me. to the
scheme of a distinct prohibition party in the ma
tlonal contest of the present year. 1t
endangePs the entire prosperity of the
country, and that for years to come.
and for what shall a Republican prohibitionist
join such movement and he instrumental in
producing such a catastrophe! Simply to prove
that he can do itF As though man were to up
set the dinnertable and destroy everything that
IS on it because he cannot get all that he would
like, or because his wife. has not cooked his din
ner to suit him. and Just to show her what mis-
chief he can do if she crosses him.
But you ask, what shall we dos reply, do
just as we do i'll common life. Don't say you
won't have any clothes till you get ali YOU wish
to eat, nor that you won't have any furniture
until have all the clothes You would like, but
get some of each one and all you reasonably can
OF all three. carrying each department of the
needed supply forward with equal step, according
to the condition you may happen 20 be in at the
time. OF course | have by no means exhausted
any branch of the subject but have tried to
ing to the Republican party and doing my utmost
for its success and prosperity
might say, if there were time, that to destroy
the Republican party because it can not give us
all we wish would be like boy who should burn
the house because his father would not buy him
a new coat
Others may burn the dwelling if they choose,
but intend to stick to pap and the old house
a while longer, even if have to put up with
the Old coat e. Tucker
Union ('TTV Ind