The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-12-24
AGRICULTURAL.

steam.
There are nearly 5000 acres of cult
waited forest trees in Franklin county,
Kansas.
A daily dust bath is essential to the
health of fowls in winter. If coal ashes
are placed in a box III one corner of the
house, they will be eagerly used by fowls
to keep themselves free from vermin.
1t is estimated that southern farmers
have this year grown 10000 more bushels
of corn than year ago. This is move
in the right direction. Exclusive devo-
ton to cotton growing has been the bane
of southern farming.
Judging from present appearances,
cheese factories are not likely to prove
success in England. The markets there
are said to be glutted with factory stock,
for which there is but little call, while fine
farmhouse cheese is in good demand.
Chambers is prevailing quite extensively
over wide range of territory in this
country, from Canada to Louisiana and
California. Many cases have recently ap-
peared among the mules in New Orleans
on the street railways. Guilt
vatOr.
When an apple orchard has been left
several years without blowing, the roots
of the trees gradually extend nearer the
surface, SO that blowing is quite apt to be
| injurious. So long as an orchard is plow-
ed every year cultivation will do it good
rather than harm.
The digestive apparatus of chicken is
so strong that grinding its food is waste
of labor. In fact, there is some evidence
that entire feeding with ground grain is
injurious to fowls. They need to give
their digestive apparatus exercise to keep
| it in vigorous condition.
One of the surest causes of disease
among horses is poorly ventilated stables.
Their quarters should be made as warm
and comfortable as possible, but at the
same time the matter of ventilation must
not be overlooked. Better let them feel
the cold little than to suffer from dis
ease.
The Farmers Milk company, which has
a store in New York city, and supplies its
customers with whole pure milk, is, it is
told, meeting with considerable opposi-
] ton from the average milk dealers of that
city, who rely upon the pump, skinner
AMI short measure for their profits.
IA large growth of clover left on the
ground as protection during winter adds
immensely to its fertility. The strength
| OF the clover leaves and stems is leached
| iF>to the soil, while their refuse adds as a
protection to the roots, giving the plant
Rigor for an early start in the spring.
1T is undoubtedly true that pork made
! f,4agsl corn has q fngner text1lre than the.
Produced by feeding sloppy food, apples
and vegetables. 1t is all very well to give
other food while the hog is growing, but
whole corn or dry meal is better while the
finishing of the fattening process is go
ing on.
GAS scarce as hens teeth has become a
1 proverb. And as fowls have no teeth
n they are dependent on sand and gravel
Il swallowed to grind the food in their giz-
yards. A supply of gravel should be pro
Rided for winter use, and small quantity
placed where fowls can have access to il
when the ground is covered with snow.
An observing farmer reports that the
i German potash salts or kainit are excel
lent when applied to manure heaps. The
potash is not caustic and does not cause
loss of ammonia. On the contrary it alb
serbs it and prevents its escape, while still
holding it in condition for ready use a!
plant food when their roots come in con
tact with it.
It must be a most aggravating refec
ton to farmers who find new and noxiou
weeds infesting their field that a larg,
majority of these have been sown by then
with grain and grass seeds. Those furn
ished by the. agricultural seed distribu
ton from Washington have not Away
: been clean, and some of the worst weed
in many places have thus been dissemina
: ted.
The factory system of butter making
insures greater uniformity and a general
ly better product than is produced b;
butter made in private diaries. But wit
cheese this has not always been the fact
: There are greater temptations to lowe
7 the quality of cheese than butter, as in thi
: country there is much too little differenc
between the price of poor cheese and o
good.
AS purifier of the soil nothing
equal to good fresh lime. 1t will destro
the germs of many plant diseases whic
may be lurking in the SOIL and also man
of the grubs and insects which feast O.
the tender plants. It also will freshe
}, old and sour lands and set free the ele
> ments of vegetable growth held insolubl
in these unproductive soils, SO that grow
ilate them.
Many western farmers find the expens
I of kes ping up fences entirely too grea
in these times, and are substituting hedge
: : in their place. But the hedge bushes
L may be easily overdone. 1t requires
. great deal of labor in pruning, and wit
e its roots on either side occupies as niue
Z land as crooked rail fence. 1t is also
K difficult fence to get rid of, and shoul
= only be planted where it is certain that
9 permanent fence will be needed.
To preserve milk, ''pour the milk int
bottle and place the vessel up to il
neck in saucepanful of water, which
r then to be put on the fire and allowed
boil for three quarters of an hour. I'll
bottle is now to be removed from tn
water and carefully closed with a goo
and tigbt-ftting cork, SO as to render
n as alright as possible. Milk which hf
been preserved by this process has bee
lyov1% for mora than q vaer without, t1Ir11Iu