The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1886-04-07
farm gotes.
STREAMING WHILE MILKING.

MIXED In Tall buckets, Will d oCIallI-
er of fine cloth over the top, which
prevents impurities from going
through. 1t is by attention to such
methods of cleanliness, as we'll as by
the excellence Of their cows, that
Jersey dairymen have achieved their
reputation as good butter makers.
MAKING BACON.
Most farmers smoke the shoulders
and hams Of hogs, but few know
that an equal Improvement can be
made in side meat by turning it into
bacon. The smoke adds not only
to the flavor of the meat, but to it's
digestibility. 1t does m by doing
the other, as anything eaten with a
relish ecure a large portion of gas
trio juice and thus promotes diges-
ton.
FOR FRUIT.
A damp atmosphere is no disad-
vantage in keeping fruit, provided
i, is near the freezing temperature
and the fruit is not bruised nor
handled frequently. Apples have
been kept in perfect condition under
water when ice froze on the surface.
But any break in the skin oon
causes decay, and the fruit when
taken from the water must be used
at once, as otherwise it will rot
rapidly.
JRNING DRY LEAVES.
Large quantities of leaves drift in
secluded places and are often burned
to get them out of the way. A bet
,er use for them is to apply them as
a mulch to trees in orchards where
they will protect the ground from
deep freezing and thus benefit the
trees more than their manurial val
lie. Leaves are richer in potash
than is the wood of the trees on
which they grow, and apple-tree
leaves especially should be left where
they fall.
BEDDING FOR PIGS.
Fa%ttening hogs should have
enough finely-cut straw to make a
comfortable bed, but not so much as
to entirely bury themselves as they
are inclined to do when they get a
chance. In cold weather the sudden
change in temperature, when the
hogs come from their warm nests tO
feed, often gives them serious colds.
With shelter from storms and a dry
floor, a little straw for bedding is
better than a large quantity.
JRNING BONES.
Unless farmers have conveniences
for grinding bones their reduction
by burning is probably the best
available plan. Something is lost
in this way by escape Of ammonia,
but the proportion of this in old
bones is very small and not worth
saving by the expensive process of
pounding the bones into small
pieces by hand, and hen reducing
them imp~erfectly by acids and aka
lies. The trouble with this hand
process is that it costs more than the
whole thing is worth to get the
bones in condition to apply as a
fertilizer.
SHEPHERD DOGS.
One breed of dogs should be ex-
cepted from the condemnation
which justly attaches to the canine
This is the collie or shepherd
dog, a breed which, by long train
ing has developed an aptitude for
good service that has become heredi-
tary. 1t requires little labor to
teach a well-bred collie to do
anything that is wanted with sheep
or cattle, and to those handling
such stock n Of these dogs is worth
more than two extra men or bows,
THE DIFFERENCE IN PIGS.
In every litter Of pigs there will
be one or two decidedly inferior
specimens, and perhaps as many
more better than the average, though
not in SO marked a degree. These
" titmen," as farmers call them,
should be got rid of as early
as possible. The feed they eat does
not make frame or fat as in their
more thrifty fellows, and at killing
time there will often be a difference
OF fifty to seventy-fve pounds in
hogs having the same advantages.
1t is usual with some farmers to kill
or sell these largest hogs first, and
then keep the less thrifty a few
weeks longer until they come up to
the standard weight. But the better