The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-05-05
ALI Around the Farm.

When, by the expenditure of few
extra dollars, pure-bred rams OF the
very best breeds can be obtained there
is no excuse for the farmer who will in
the present day place a mongrelbred
ram at the head Of his flock. He de
serves no sympathy in his fai ures-
The roller is indispensable for prepar-
ing onion ground either for seed or
sets. That with shallow cultivation
to the depth of two inches will make a
better seed bed than will deeper till
age. If the soil is made friabie deep
down the onion may grow large, but il
will likely be thick necbed and grow a
crop of sculllons.
The Shropshire has a round, solid
body and a good fleece of six or eight
pounds, and is an excellent sheep for a
small flock upon the farm and for do
mestic use. Its size and the nature oi
its mutton and wool suit the demand,
and it is most often seen at the fairs
and in the market.
To be effective mineral manures for
spring aud summer crops must be APP
piled early. They need some Of the
spring rains to dissolve the fertilizer so
that the plant roots can make use Of it,.
Besides, as weather and soil become
warm and dry there j. less need of the
fertilizer, as the soil itself releases more
of its own fertility under such eondi-
tons.
There is no better way to fertilize
poor land than To SOW it with peas, US
ing phosphate of lime to furnish the
mineral fertility that this crop requires
TO perfect the seed. It is not nitrogen
which the pea crop most needs other
than what the pea roots supply by dis
integrating air in the soil and liberat-
ing its nitrogen. Bat to form grain
both lime and phosphate are required.
With these supplied the soil will grow
richer every year.
The Missouri Station recommends
the following remedy for the San Jose
scale: Genuine whale-oil soap dissolv-
ed in water in the proportion Of two
pounds of soap to one gallon of water.
Apply thoroughly by means Of a force
pump and spray-nozzle. Give the
trees a good drenching on all sides and
repeat if it rains within week there
after. Apply in fall just after the
leaves fall and before the scales become
hard, and again in spring just before
the trees begin to leaf out.
1t is only when used in large
amounts as pickle that salt retards de-
cay. Used in small amounts on either
animal or vegetable matter, with
enough water 10 dissolve il, salt Will
always hasten decomposition. FOr
this reason it is an excellent plan to
use it wherever it is desired To have
manures act more quickly. \ little
sprinkled over manure heap with
hdlci W nsi-tA II hoN II VIII cti IL 10
fermenting. II will do the same when
tough sod has been plowed under
which it is necessary TO rot quickly.
Swine increase so rapidly and reach
maturity so quickly that the intelli-
gent breeder can rectify mistakes and
breed out faults in several generations
of hogs, while the horse or cattle breed
er is waiting through years of patience
to see the result of a single cross. The
best show pig may come from the smal
lest sow in the herd; but it is not safe,
as rule, 10 select breeders from thai
class. We want the most size in the
shortest time, and We can safely fOrego
little of the fattening tendency, pro-
vided we secure in the prospective
breeder ranginess and a tendency to
growth.
Ii is surprising how soon young pigs
will begin to eat with the sow or drink
milk if placed where the pigs but no.
the sow, can have access to ii. As soon
as pigs show disposition 20 eat there
should be a separate place provided
where they can be fed by themselves
and run back and forth to the dam.
This plan tides over the check most
liters will receive when the litter need :
more nOurishment than the dam can
supply, and as consequence some are
| half starved.
The value of wool depends very
much on its quality, its fineness, even
ness, strength and length of staple,
says American Sheep Breeder, and
those characteristics are very carefully
looked in by the buyer. 1t goes with
ont saying that as the fleece is part OF
the animal it is quite rs dependent up
on the feeding as any other part of i;
Is. That is to say, the wool being de-
rived from the food aud the general
nutrition of the sheep, any failure in
these is Immediately marked by an
equivalent loss Of quality of it.
The kind of feed that fattens, which
in this country is chiefly corn, ought
never to be given to sows bearing pigs.
Oats or fine wheat, mill feed, will fur.
nish the same nutrition, bat these
must be given only moderately. The
larger bulk of food should be given in
the form that will best promote diges
ton, which in our experience is either
beets or turnips. The former sows ar,
very fond of, but as all beets contain
some sugar it is better to feed the tur
nips early, reserving the beets anC
mangel wurtzels until the pigs are far
rowed and it is desired to force an ex.
ira large flow of milk. There is moth
ing better for this than beets. with
some more nutritious diet added. i
Philadelphia Record.
Bueklen's Arniea Salye.