Year: 1874

The Rev. c. E. Babb, in one of his letters from California, tells of what an old shepherd told him how they train the famous shepherd dogs in southern California. He says you may % over the plains and hills there for miles, and sec thousands of sheep, but not man to watch them. Around each flock or band of say thousand sheep are half dozen dogs of a peculiar breed-dogs whose progenitors were imported from the sheep pastures of the old world. These dogs take the entire care of the sheep, drive them out to pasture in the morning, keep them from straying dur ing the day, and bring them home at night. These dogs have inherited a talent for keeping sheep, but the shep- herds do not depend wholly on that They cultivate it in this way-so at least the old shepherd says:

 When lamb is born it is taken away from the mother sheep before she has seen 1t, and 8 puppy put in its place. The sheep srlckles the puppy and learns to love it. When puppy grows old enough to eat meat it is fed ill the morning and sent out with the sheep. It stays with them because it is accustomed to be with it's mother, but 1t cannot feed with them. As they get full the dog gets hungry. At length impatient to return where it can get another piece of meat, it begins to tease and worry it's mother, and finally starts her home the other sheep follow, and thus the whole flock is brought in. If the dog brings the sheep in too soon, or comes without them, he gets no sup per, or is punished in some way. Hence hn yub Ao 1 to it that none of his charge are left be- hind. These animals are trained by taking advantage of their instinct and capacities"

 Farm Items.

 Alderman Mechi estimates that ]. 800 sheep folded on an acre of land for A hours, or 100 for 15 days, would manure the soil sufficiently to carry it through 8 four years rotation.

 A man died recently in England from the bite of a rat, which he encountered while removing some hay from mow.

 Jonathan Talcott, the well-known potato grower of Rome, N. r., tells the Boston Cttltivator that repeated experi- ments have taught him "that early sorts require richer land to give their best yield, as they grow in less time, and consequently must be better fed, or they are of course small, and the crop will not be remunerating.

 Apply lard, or any soft grease, to the parts where the hair is thin on cattle, or on any part where the lice are found, One thorough application cures with out fail. Never apply mercurial oint- ments to any animal or person without keeping them from the wet.

 Orchard Grass.

 Of late years the many articles in the agricultural papers on the merits of orchard grass have brought it into such general notice that enormous quantities of seed have been sold, and the busi- ness ln 1t has assumed large proportions, For our part we have never regarded it as grass of frst-rate quality. In orchards it is good in the first place. because 1t does better in partial shade than any other grass; and in the next place, because the plant growing in tufts, and not creeping, does not form such hard, tough sod as green grass or others of that character.

 It also pushes up very early into growth, and thus affords a pasture be- fore other kinds get green, all of which are advantages. Cattle, of course, go for anything green in early spring, and hence, when this is the only green thing, they seem to be heartily fond of 1t :; but so far as our experience of it goes, they care very little for it when they can get anything else.

 Profits Of Sheep IIusbandry.

 It certainly is profitable to keep sheep on farm if rightly managed-even though the price of wool is low. They are scavengers on a farm-death to all weeds and shrubs that are an annoyance to the tidy farmer. Besides, the spring lambs, if careful selection of breeds is made, will be found profitable to sell, especially the males, in the market. Americans are eating more and more mutton yearly. The object of the shep- herd should be to adapt his sheep hus- bandry to the wants of the market near est him-grow the kind of wool that sells the best or if the carcass is more in demand, grow the sheep which make the most and best meat in the shortest time, always taking into account hardi- ness and easiness of keep.

 Flaky Milk.

 Flewwellin, Hallock's Mills, N. r., says: {" I would like to learn the cause that produces white flakes or scales q do not know what else to term them) in | some churnings of butter, and how to | prevent the formation of the same. | Tkese flakes appear in both warm and cool weather"

 REPLY.-The white flakes are frag- ments of curd, and are probably the re- suit of the milk standing too long, or of it's becoming curdled by some means. | Perhaps there are some reninants of sour milk left upon the milk pails or pans by reason of their being washed in | scalding water. This " sets" any sour milk that may be in crevices or angles | of the pans or pails, and cold water will | not remove it afterward.

 Potatoes for Seed.

 A writer in the ". y. Tribune, in reference to selecting potatoes for seed, recommends that the seed be selected | ln the fall, while selection is possible, and that the tubers coming the nearest | to the type desired in a potato be chosen. That is he would select a long, | rather slender, medium sized potato smooth, with eyes not deeply sunken, and then if preserved in the cellar, he would cover with sods to prevent sprout- | ing.

 To Bleach Cotton. A very good way to bleach cotton cloth is to soak it in buttermilk for few days. Another way is to make a good suds, put from one to two table spoonfuls of turpentine into it before putting the clothes in. Wash as usual, wringing the clothes from the boil, and drying without rinsing. By using one tablespoonful of turpentine in the first suds on washing days it will save half the labor of rubbing, and the clothes will never become yellow, but will re- main pure white.

 A Hard Case.