Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-04
FARM AND STOCK NOTES.

Fowls scratch from instinct and they
cannot be truly happy and healthy il pre-
vented from scratching. it IL true, they
VIII stun themselves with foodlf an abun-
dance is placed before them, but they love
far better to forage for themselves.
One great drswbacksto successful farm
ing In America is too much land. The
mistake commonly made by young man
IN beginning the business is in thinking
the more land he has the more money he
VIII make from it, assuming that land is
the stepping stone to wealth. To be sure
1t depends somewhat ON the character of
farming, as to the amount of land neces-
sary, grazing and dairying of course re-
curing considerable, but for ordinary
mixed farming it is a safe rule to buy the
least amount absolutely necessary.
A farmer writes to the Country Gentle
man that last year he raised 800, 900 cab
bages and Kept the flea beetles away at
the cost of single dollar. His method
is to pour gallon of spirits of turpentine
into a barrel of land plaster. and when
the plaster is dampened all through, as it
will be in a few days, spread it broadcast
over the field. 1t is better than lime or
ashes and may be applied when the plants
are not wet with rain or dew. 1t is also
said that the mixture will keep for seve-
raj years without losing its strength.
A farmer can surprise himself if he will
set about it to see what he can collect on
the farm 10 make IL richer, and at the
same time make it cleaner and nicer.
These last items add to its value, or in
other words increase his capital stock.
There is world of growth in fence cor
ners ii dug out and composted. More
grass and more meat are the factors the
farmer must look To as the cheapest and
net Ia u
And everything must be turned to the
best account to bring about this result.
The value of mari depends almost en-.
tirely upon the amount of lime and mag
nesia it contains, and its value is dimin-
ished in proportion to the amount OF clay
and sand present. The lime and mag
nesia are found in mari mainly in the
form of carbOnates. A ready test for a
carbonate in such cases is to pour on the
material some strong acid, and IL a car
Donate is present it will foam up or effer-
vesce in the same way that saleratus
will foam up when vinegar is poured over
it, only the effervescence with mari Is
slower, because the mari 10 less soluble
than soda. If the material does not foam
when an acid is added il is not mari,
probably clay.
The fermenting of syrup, says Mr.. W.
l.. Jones, of Georgia, comes from some
heterogeneous substance in it. Such sub
stances are always present in the cane
juice, and where the defeating or clari-
lying process is not very complete, more
or less of it will remain in the syrup and
act as ferment. Syrups made in sugar
retnerles do not contain them, and there
fore keep better. New Orleans syrup
Genuine often terments If not kept in a
very cool cellar. The process does not
begin till the summer, because heat Is
necessary to start the ferment. The free
but judicious use of lime in clarifying is
the best means for getting rid of these
heterogeneous compounds.
The greater portion of the section Of
Florida around Green Cove Springs has a
sandy top soil, underlaid, at various
depths. with clay. On such soils, we
contend that, with judicious use OF the
fertilizer provided by nature, crops OF
fruit may be grown at as little expense
as in the stronger soils OF more Northern
States. The length of our warm season
enables US to secure from two TO three
months longer period OF growth, for plants
which can be used as fertilizers for fruit
trees that can be obtained in the Northern
States, and, when used with judgment
and skill, this advantage places our soils
fully on an equality with the best soils
for orchards which can be found in the
North