The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-12-30

fodder or grain that can be turned into
meat, wool or butter on the farm, at
such rate as to pay its market price,
leaves at least three-fourths of its ma
nurial value in shape that may be re-
turned to the land to assist in producing
other crops.
In the book " How the Farm PAYS"
by Messrs. Crozier e Henderson, Mr..
Crozier remarks that he has known
many who have made large investments
in farming and stock-raising, but has
never known one instance where the
owner who failed to take an active part
in the work ever made it success.
If the hen-house is properly cleaned
in the spring, and kept free from ver-
min, the hens will roost in it and make
considerable quantity of valuable
manure, worth quite as much as the
grain fed to them. In summer fowls
with good range eat a good many in
sects, and this makes richer manure
than the exclusive grain diet given in
winter.
THE editor of the Orange County
Farmer saw in farmhouse, in a closet
adjoining the kitchen, about seventy
five empty bottles which had at one
time contained patent medicines of va
rious sorts. The medicines had all
been swallowed by the farmers wife,
who told him that she was constantly
ailing. 1t was a surprise to the editor
that the lady still lived.
Z" ANY COW that gives milk so poor in
quality as to expose her owner to arrest
for selling impure milk should have no
standing room in a milk or butter
dairy This statement in a paper,
read at the meeting of the state board
of agriculture elected loud applause,
indicating a strong sentiment in favor
of the present Massachusetts milk
Standard" says the Homestead.
HOLD your land and your purse in
your own hands while you live. You
can divide with John and Mary, if you
wish, but keep plenty for yourself It's
yours, you earned it; and we are all
familiar with the sad spectacle of the
old man or woman who has "made
over the property to the children"
sitting in an unwelcome chimney-cor-
ner, and looked on as a burden.
The man who slaps his sides and
boaslfully exclaims, g l never had a
sick day in my life!" knows as little of
the true value of health as does Hot
tentot the value of gold mine upon
which he might carelessly stumble
Sickness brings out the true friends,
makes us grateful for kindness received,
and sends us forth into the world puri-
fled by the experiences of the sick
room.
THE Massachusetts state chemist, DR..
Goessmann, says that leguminous plants,
like clover, enrich the surface soil in
nitrogen by drawing that element both
from the air and the subsoil. No crop
leaves the soil richer in potash and
phosphoric than it was before, but by
the decay of crop or vegetable matter,
the phosphoric acid and potash it con-
tains is left in form available as plant
food. Such decay also assists in render
ing available similar elements locked
up in the soil.
GENERAL OWEN states. in the Hus-
bdndmdn, that he went to a good deal
of expense to provide appliances for
steaming food for cattle and swine.
His cattle were fed cooked feed through
two winters, and he continued longer
to cook for swine. While he made no
scientific test, his conclusion, reached
through general observation, was that
the whole labor of cutting fodder and
cooking was lost, so far as the cattle
were concerned. He is yet in doubt
about the advantage of cooking food for
swine.
ONE who has had several years ex-
perience in keeping grapes through the
winter says they should be allowed to
stand three or four days after picking,
then sorted and put into small-sized or
eight-quart baskets, and hung up in a
cool, dry cellar Thin-skinned varieties,
such as Brighton, Concord and Rogers
al, or Herbert, should be eaten before
Christmas. Rogers 4, and 10, Wilder,
Lindley, Agawam and Salem are all
good keepers, and some of them have
been kept in good condition until the
last of May.
"THE Langshans,' says Farm and
Garden, " are superior, for table pur-
poses, to any of the acknowledged vari,
cites This fowl, with its thin, white
skin, juicy flesh, full thighs and plump
breasts, is one of the best table fowls
we have, but its legs (Which are use.
less, of course, for table purposes) are
dark, which is enough to condemn it in
the eyes of those who Judge by exter-
nal appearances only. In fact it is al
most an intermediate bird between a
chicken and turkey, so clearly does il
resemble the latter in some respects"
A TRAVELLING correspondent of the
Rural Ne,o Yorker, returned from
Alaska, says: " The best board in Sitka
costs 81 per day. Washing is dear.
Coal costs S15 per ton, imported, of
course, as the coal mines in Alaska
bituminous coal has been found-are
undeveloped. Hay costs $50 per ton
which fact may modify any lingering
ardor the reader may have to start 9
stock farm here! The coolest day OF
1884 was February 16, when the mer
curry fell to Ito above zero. The highest
temperature (on June 22) was 74.6o
The average temperature of June of the
present year was $3.50. The highest
was 700, on June %; no foggy days
IA clear days. Rain fell on eight days
% days without rain. June is the bes
month-October the most disagreeable
The number of snowy days varies from
10 to 6S in different years, according tC
old records. All in all, the climate i;
much better than that in San Francisco. >
AT Fairview farm, near Brewster
n. Y, exist two of the largest silos il
this country They are twenty fee