The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-09-25

AlIanlnuS leaves are sald 10 De poison
Gus to ducks.
A good time to apply top dressings to
meadows is directly after the hay crop
has been harvested.
An experiment has been made in
France with the result that ducks lay
more than double the number of eggs
than hens do in the same period of time.
A farmer who has tried it in times
past suggests putting some watermelons
in the haymow, away from frost, and see
if they will not keep until the holidays,
Keep the tips Of bedding plants
pinchcd back to form a symetrical ap-
pearance, and an occasional sprinkling Of
fine manure among the plants is beneti-
cial.
Grapes hung up in dark place so that
the punches do not come in contact will
keep for weeks, when if they are piled
on dish or in a basket they would soon
decay.
At meeting Of the Illinois Horticul-
tural society, DR.. Sanborn stated that he
completely protected 600 pear trees from
rabbits and mice with a wash OF lime
and water, with enough copperas added
Some cheap glue was added to make it
adhere to the trees.
A great deal of sickness may be pre-
vented by the free use of disinfcctants in
and about dwelling houses and outhouses
of the farm. Copperas is both cheap and
effective. So is chloride of lime. Either
of these disinfectants dissolved in water
makes an excellent mixture to pour into
sink drains and closet basins.
A damp seed bed is important for all
grain, but on heavy land it is better
made damp before than after putting in
the seed. A heavy rain falling Just after
sowing has often formed crust which
has imprisoned the germ until its vital
ity is greatly decreased. Narrowing the
surface slightly just as the grain is com
ing up, is, in such cases, beneficial.
Potatoes left in small heaps on the
ground in cellars will sprout and new
tubers will be formed. Occasionally
these will grow inside the old potatoes
ald partly protruding therefrom. Such
new potatoes grown in the dark are
watery and unfit to eat, and of course
the old potatoes, having their starch ex-
tracted by growing the new ones, are
equally vaiueless.
Oatmeal is deservedy growing in pop
ularity as human food. The cropin this
country is unusually large and in most
places the grain is very plump. 1t is not
necessary to hull the oats before grind
ing, as is usually done, which makes oat-
meal cost more than the best wheat flour.
Grind first and sift the meal through a
fine sieve, and the oatmeal will be Just
as good and cost considerable less.
Let any farmer compute the sum which
full annual crop of apples would pro-
duce, even at low rate per bushel, and
he will be surprised TO find how much
more valuable his apple orchard is than
any part of the farm devoted to grain
growing. With good management and
manuring a full crop of apples may be
grown every year, with as much certainty
as any grain crop, and with less expense.
Many farmers practice sowing English
or fiat turnips in their corntields and
upon rich soils good crop is generally
obtained. The seed may be scattered
thinly between the rows and scratched
in with garden rake. If sown just be-
fore n heavy rain no raking will be neces-
sary. Such turnips are a great benefit
to cattle and sheep when fed in the fall
of the year. just as stock comes to The
barn after the grass fails.
No stock is more fond of apples than
horses. a few given every day at this
season with or after their grain will i'm
prave their appearance. Sour apples
should not be given horses when fed
whole oats, as the two may cause sore
mouth, especially if the oats have tough
skin. Sore mouth from eating whole
oats is the reason why many well-fed