The record-union., 1891-08-18


more valuable than ton of wheat, when
offered for sale, but its cost is much
greater of plant-food.
OF all foods procured off the farm and
feed to stock cottonseeI meal possesses
the highest manurial value, as ton of
cottonseed meal contains one hundred
and thirty-five pounds of nitrogen, thirty
pounds of phosphoric acid, fifty-six
pounds OF potash, bran containing forty
pounds of nitrogen, twenty-eigh pounds
of phosphoric acid and fiftt-four pounds
of potash. These substances are the most
evenly balanced of all foods that enrich
the land, and the farm will suffer but
little loss If they are used as a portion OF
the ration for the stock. The farmer can,
by noting the effects of certain crops on
the soils, and growing such crops as may
be best adapted thereto, with judgment in
the selection of his stock foods, return to
the soil all that the heaviest yield of any
crop may carry away from the farm
Philadelphia Record.
PALESTINE.
James Wood, in a communication to
the Country Gentleman, says: Palestine,
the land called Holy by all the Christian
world, once a most productive land,
flowing with milk and honey and sup
porting dense population, has literally
been washed to death. The soil that once
covered its steep hillsides has been car
ried away, and now but little beside the
bare rock remains. In addition to this,
for many centuries the constantly de-
creasing soil has been exhausted in the
most imprOvident fashion-crOp after
crop Of wheat and barley having been
removed without the slightest attempt AT
fertilization being made. The curse
upon this land has been the wretched hui
manity that has occupied it, and which
still blightS it with its hand of ruin. 1t
is surprising to see how bravely the soil
struggles to be bOuntcOuS without being
given the hundredth part Of a chance.
With the same stones upon it that were
there i'll the time OF our Lord, with its
surface scratched q little by a crooked
with the seed carelessly thrown about and
left to do its work unaided, it yet does
wonders in the harVeS tit yields to the
men who disgrace the name OF husband
men. Abundant crops OF grapes, figs,
apIicOts, olives. almonds and cherries at
test that the land is still good. Upon
the hillsidcs nutritious grasses furnish
excellent food for numerous horses, sheep
and goats, and illustrate what once was
and still might be had man performed his
duty to the soil; while almost everywhere
there is a prodigality OF bloom Of wild
flowers that surp2sses by far anything |
have ever seen elsewhere, even upon the
favored high Alps III Switzerland, and
which can not be believed until it is
seen" This interesting statement was
written by Mr.. Wood right on the spot.
FARM NOTES.
A cow belonging to Charles T. Kirby of
Westport, Mass, gave birth recently to
twin calves, whose united weight was
l224 pounds.
The practice Of whitewashing trees is
u
stroys eggs Of insects and insects them
selves which the bark harbors.
j. O. Stuyyesant, 1T Tranquility, y. T.,
is building a board fence twelve miles
long, ten feet high, from hemlocl boards
an inch and Il half thick. 1t is 10 inclose
his new deer park. 1t is said to be the
longest board fence in the country, and
will cost $4,000
Mares milk contains more sugar than
the cows milk-sO Z. w. Stewart says
hence cows milk for young colt should
be sweetened. Ignorance Of the cOmpara-
tive quality of animal milk is doubtless
the reason why so many young animals
die when fed on cows milk.
The State Chemist of Georgia advises
growing sweet potatoes for fattening pur-
poses. He finds that two bushels OF
them are equal in nutrition to one bushel
of corn. Land in the South that will
produce only forty bushels Of corn Will
easily grow one hundred and fifty BUSH
els of sweet potatoes.
Barnyards are bad leaks in farm man
agement. Thousands OF cords of ma
nure are wasted in them from constant
exposure to sun, wind and rain. And
yet most farmers endure them just as
though there were no remedy. Manure
is needed on most farms more than any
thing else, and yet nothing is wasted
with more readiness.
Flies and other insects contribute
largely to the misery of stock in the sum
mer season. Horses tails should never
be cut, or they will be unable to protect
themselves. II is almost impossible to
make Pm animal fat if insects are very
troublesome. 1t will pay 10 protect the
animals at night by the use of fly screens
on the doors and windows.
Maine is about to establish a dairy
school at the State Agricultural College,
where the most approved methods of
handling milk and making butter and
cheese will be taught both by lectures
and by practical examples. Professor
James Cheesman, Secretary of the New
England Dairymen's Association, has
been engaged as Instructor.
America is now the headquarters for
Jersey cattle, as the breeders of jersey
cattle on the Isle of Jersey have been
crowded away by French truckers" )"
until but few remain. The breed has
been greatly improved in this country,
and are really American" cattle, but
will no doubt always retain their dis
tinctive name of Jerseys"
Most varieties of pears are much finer
in flavor if picked from the tree and
ripened in the house, than if allowed to
become fully matured on the tree. Change
OF color III the fruit, the readiness of the
stock to part from its branch on gently
raising the fruit, the ripening of worm
eaten specimens, are the signs which in
dicate the proper season of gathering
pears.
The seed Of alfalfa should be sown
quite early in the spring, SO that the
young plant may have the benefit of the
early rains. In sections where the land is
irrigated the seed may be sown at any
time, provided, of course, that it is long
enough before frost to allow the plant to
become firmly rooted before cold weather
sets in.
a man who has spent many years in
numbering camps, where many horses
were used, has proved to his own salts
faction that watering the horses immedi-
ately after they have eaten is the most
frequent cause of collie. | have always
thought it better to give the horse what
water it wanted before it ate and to
mOisten its food; then it is not thirsty
after eating.
Few people can form definite idea OF
what is involved in the expression "A n
inch of rain" 1t may aid such to follow
this curious calculation An acre is equal
10 {, ~, $40 square inches; an inch deep OF
water on this area will be as many cubic
inches of water, which, at 2.27 to the
gallon, is 22,O90 gallons. This immense
quantity OF water will weigh 100000
pounds or leo tons. One-hundreth of an
inch (0.0l) alone is equal to one ton OF
water TO the inch.
There is no farm stock that will so
quickly run down if poorly cared for as