The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-08-01
OUR RURAL TOPICS.
Some Practical Suggestions fOr Our
Agricultural Readers


the manner and time OF milking. The IN
PRODUCTION Of separators practically revealed
/ the necessity for cleanliness in a cow stable.
At the termination of the process of sepa-
rating, peculiar slime is to be found adj
herring TO the sides of the separator. It's
color varies from gray to green, brown, and
I even black. When examined under the
microscope, germs, portions of plants, hair,
soft linen, have been discovered, and when
exposed to the air for a short time it puire-
fes rapidly. 1t consists in reality Of dirt,
and as such must iBjuTe the quality Of milk
and butter.
In order to keep the milk as free from
the dirt as possible, the cows ought to be
rubbed down with a straw wisD on their
right headquarters and udders before they
are MIXED in the morning During the
day it is necessary to currycOmb and brush
each animal. The best kind of brush 10 be
/ used IS one made rather more open than an
ordinary hOrse-brush, but Of the best hog
bristle. The animals are first scraped over
with the eurryeOmb and then brushed
In addition, the udders of all cows ought to
be washed and dried before milking, and
the mixers ought to dip their hands in cold
water after milking each animal. Care must
be taken to completely empty the udder
when the COW is MIXED.
III largo tStdDilSUHcutSt WHERE several
mixers are employed, it is advisable to
select one or two Of the more careful per-
SOUS tn strip the cows after they have been
MIXED. BY this means the earelessness of
some Of the mixers may be corrected. Each
mixer should have his own stool and pail
marked or numbered, and should be held
responsible for the cleanliness Of the same.
The milk ought to be poured from the pail
into the milk-can through double hair
strainer, and the milk-cans ought, if posi-
bic, to be placed outside the cow-house.
Raising Guineas for Profit.
flock of guineas are about the most
profitable poultry that can be kept if they
are where they have unlimited range. The
common or pearl guineas are just as good
as the albinO or white variety. In the
morning when they are let out of the poul-
try-house they often do not stop longer than
to pick up a little of the grain given to the
flock, and then they wander off to the fields
IN search Of weed seeds and bugs, which
they like better than anything that can DO
given them. They never grow tame, like
hens, but the white ones are much more
domestic in their habits than the colored
ones.
The white guinea hens lay in the nests
with the hens during the whole forepart of
the season, but when they get ready to sit,
they steal off and hide their nests, and hatch
their eggs, if they are not watched. Do not
let them hatch their eggs, as they are most
careless mothers, and guinea hen that will
raise two chicks out of 20 Matched will be-
doing pretty we'll Hatch them under hens,
and let the hens raise them, and they de-
velopa great affection for their foster mother,
refusing to be weaned during the whole
season, but following her faithfully when
ever she is out of the poultry house. When
first Matched guiueas are exceedingly wild,
aud unless confined in place where they
cannot get away, they will wander off and
perish, leaving the nest very frequently, and
within two or three hours after they are
batched.
Guinea eggs do not take we'll in market,
because CT their small size, but for home use
they are as good as any, and they are pro-
duced in such abundance and at such little
cost that anyone could afford to keep flock
Of these fowls for the eggs for their use. Be-
sides being cheerful bird, they good
as a watch dog to tell when there are
strangers around. They detect stranger
as soon as he comes near, and set up their
shrill cries. They also serve to frighten off
hawks, as they are sure to raise a clamor if
one comes in sight.
The Most Popular Strawberry.
The Cornell Experiment Station has been
eanvassing the northern and western fruit
districts of New York State with The object
Of finding out the most popular varieties Of
strawberry in that section.
The Wilson was pronounced to be the best
shipper by % growers, while 10 recon,
mended the Parker Earle and eight the
Warfeld. The most productive varieties
were named as follows: The Crescent re-
ceived "a votes; Wilson, 15 Warfield, IA;
Haverland, II; Parker Earle, IL ; Bubach,
Z; Sharpless, 4 Burt, 2, and others, L.
The Michel was found the earliest of the
early varieties by 80 persons, the Crescent
by Is, the Wilson by II and the Bubach By
six. The Parker Earle was found the
earliest of the late varieties by ? persons,
and the Candy by Is.
Some 30 growers pronounced in favor of
the Wilson "a the best all-around straw
berry, 16 were in favor of the Crescent, 10
in favor of the BubaCh, 10 for the Hayerland
10 for the Warfield, seven for the Parker
Earle, three for the Atlantic and two for the
Sharpless. Taking this testimony all to-
gether, the Wilson is the most popular berry
in the above section.
The Kola Nut.
The War Depar ment is about to make
some experiments with the kola nut. This
is the product of an African tree, which the
natives of that country use for sustaining
their strength while undergoing heavy work
or taking long marches. The fruit is an OBJ
long shell, in which are three to five nuts
much resembling horse chestnut, and hav-
ing q slightly-bitter taste. Two of these
nuts chewed by a man while marching en-
ables him to GO 50 to 40 miles per day with
out fatigue. The tree has been planted IN
this country at Washington and inCalifOrnia.
The nut contains Il per cent of caffeine, the
active principle of coffee, but it owes its
strengthening properties TO new sub
stance called kOlanin, which chemists have
discovered in it. One advantage of the kola
nut is that there is no reaction after taking
it, as there is after most stimulants- The
dried koIa nuts have been sold in Europe
and in this country, but they produce no
effect. The nut has to be fresh to retain It's
virtues. The negroes of Africa discovered
the prOnertIes of this nut, and they use the