Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-08
FARM NOTES,

l
Der of sheep being 20 per cent. greater
| than two years ago, and the breeds much
improved. 1t is expected that it will ex-
port as much wool this year as Australia.
In 1886 there were 729,766 horned cattle
in Paraguay. The greater part of these
were imported from the Argentine Prov
inees and Brazil. Formerly this was the
leading industry and Paraguay has I'M
| doubleday great natural advantages as a
cattle-breeding country. 1t is conceded
that the climate is too hot for sheep, of
which it is estimated there are only 80, $50
IN the country. The recuperation IN the
cattle industry has been quite remarkable,
considering that out of the large number
of stock in the country before the war, not
more than $4,000 were left in 1870.
Canada unleached ashes of average qua
lily, as shown by thirteen analyses made
by Professor Storer, contain 5.77 per cent.
| OF potash, 80 per cent. of lime, and
III per cent. of phosphoric acid. Esti-
mating the potash at six cents per
pound, the ashes are worth, say, So cents
1852 per 100 pounds, and the phosphoric
acid ESTIMATED at cents per pound)
| about 9 cents. Throwing in the lime as
worthless, these ashes are worth A cents
| per 100 pounds. Unleached ashes, how
ever, are very variable quantity, de-
pending upon moisture, sand and the like
If all fruit sent to market was assorted
and graded there would be fewer COM
plants of low prices. A few inferior
specimens thrown in with choice fruit will
tend to lower the price of the whole. Uni
formity in appearance and quality is the
best inducement to the purchaser, and if
he find that the fruit at the bottom of the
basket is equal to that at the top he viii
ask for more of the same kind The
market will never be found overstocked
with choice, uniform fruit. Appearance
is great factor in securing quick sales.
It has been found by experience that
the best COWS are the most affected in their
milk and butter yield when taken from
home, put on to the cars and landed in
a strange place with unusual sur
roundings. 1t causes serious shrink
age of the mess of milk and a no less
serious depreciation in its quality
Hence, public milk and butter tests have
no real value. The best COW suffers most
and the poorest least, but both are dis
turbed, and have the lacteal system more
or less deranged
No COW can give large yields of milk
unless she is a heavy feeder and is sup
piled with all she can eat. 1t is no ad-
vantage to have an animal that is known
as a light feeder" The light feeder is
usually light producer; but there are
cows, however, which do not eat large
quantities OF food, but produce well in pro
portion to the amount consumed. The
best animal is the one that converts the
largest quantity of food into the largest
amount of butter or milk in the shortest
period OF time.
Among many dairymen the main effort
appears to be TO get rid of work and re-
sponsibility. They want to have as little
care as possible, and we believe they would
like to get rid of the trouble of thinking.
They sell their milk by the wholesale to
some milk route or factory, and appear to
do all in their power to get time TO sit and
stand around and complain of hard times.
If they had the energy to work up their
own milk at home into frst-class butter or
cheese they would have less time and less
cause for grumbling.
At this season of the year milking has
to be done after dark, and therefore by ar
tifcial light. Only well-guarded lanterns
should be used in the stable, and these
should be securely hung on hooks in safe
places, so that they can by no means get
broken or knocked down. With the great
est of care there is an element of extra
danger in using artificial lights about
stable or barn. The burning of Chicago
one of the greatest confagrations on record,
was started by the kicking over of lamp
by a COW.
Farming is a business that requires
judgment in every department. The
farmer should not place his dependence
upon single crop, for such crop may
be lessened in yield by an unfavorable
season, or in value by prices in fuctu-
ating market. Diversified farming re-
duces the liability OF failure, and per-
mits of better cultivation and longer sea-
sons for work. Prices may be low on some
crops and high on others, the result de-
pending on the seasons and area cultivated.
Just at this time, when the turkey has
monopoly of the market, it is well to say
that the goose is fully its equal in every
respect. The only objection to the goose
is its dark flesh, but that does not affect its
| quality As compared with the turkey,
| the goose is iaicy, the turkey dry. There
| is fully as much breast meat on the goose,
and its flesh is tender. We do not advise
old geese for the table, as they are better
for breeding purposes than younger ones /;
but a goose not over year old is luxury.
Mirror.
Several devices are mentioned from time
to time in the papers to prevent COWS from
kicking. 1t Will not work in every case,
but this would frequently be a good
remedy: Take the man who handles a
heifer and tie both feet together so that he
cannot kick; put gag in his mouth so that
| he cannot swear, and tie both hands behind
his back so that he cannot pinch the
heifer's teats. That would keep a good
many COWS from kicking Western Rural.
The saving of the various substances
that are supposed to possess no value, by
adding them to the manure heap, amounts
| to a large item in the course of a year.
There is nothing grown on the farm, either
| BY seeding for the crop or voluntary
growth of weeds, that will not contribute
something to the fertility of the soil if the
materials are appropriated to the purposes
for which they are adapted. Even weeds
can be made useful in enriching the soil.
Get a hogshead and use it for storing
the poultry droppings. By next spring it
will be found that several hogsheads have
been saved if the flock is large. The
quantity of manure made by poultry can
not be estimated until the experiment of
attempting to save it is made, when those
who have not done so before will be sur
prised at the large quantity derived,
which will not include that which is lost
on the range.
Many animals refuse food and lose appe-
tite simply for the lack of little salt to
give the food pleasant taste. Animals
will reject tasteless food as well as humans,