Year: 1879

L have had trouble with sweet corn seed
the last two or three years. Why is IT.
Please give the best way to take care of
itl And oblige subscriber. d. nc.


Reply: Our plan is to select the earli-
est ripening perfect ears, and when the
husk has turned white, but not dry, strip
1t down exposing the ears to the air for
day or two. Then snap and tie two ears
together, until you have sufficient seed,
and hang across poles about 3 inches
through, in draft of air in the barn or
chamber until the ear is thoroughly dry.
If there is danger of freezing before the
ears become well dried, to smoke them
slightly will hasten the curing. 1t will
change the color of the corn but will not
injure the terminating power. During
the winter keep the corn where it NAV
remain dry, since sweet corn absorbs
moisture easily.


Eastern railway managers will, il is
understood, raise the rates in grain and
provisions, Oh and after September IS,
from 30 cents for grain and 80 cents for
provisions, to 35 and 40 cents. and on
Oct. they will be increased to 40 and
45 cents, with the understanding that for
late fall and winter rates the figures will
be 40 cents for grain and 80 cents for pro-
were 10 and Is cents. 1t is a conundrum
for farmers, why if they could carry at
one time of the year at 10 and Is cents,
it should cost at another time 40 and so
cents? In other words why the farmer
should have the price of his grain reduc-
ed by 80 cents per bushel to satisfy the
rapacity of railway managers, whenever
they may secure a monopoly. The Farm
ers Alliance Of New York will do well to
look into this matter.


Castrating Lambs.-R. n. c.. Otter
vile. Jersey Co., l.-Statement:-I
have lately gone into sheep raising, and
am green at the business. L let my buck
lambs run last spring thinking to market
them; but the drought burnt our grass
SO that my ewes did not give milk enough
to make them fat. Now I would like if
your veterinarian would tell me through
your paper the best time and manner to
castrate thom.


Reply: The proper age for castrating
lambs is, when they are from eight TO
twelve days old. 1t should not be done
earlier, as the parts are too tender and
liable to rupture; and if more than a
fortnight old, the suherings are greater.
The deaths caused by this operation are
astonishingly few, when the operation is
properly performed. 1t is best done by
two people; the one taking one fore and
one hind leg in each hand, and holding
the lamb against his right shoulder. The
other with pair of large scissors, cuts
off about one-fourth of the end Of the
scrotum; then pressing one testicle for
ward, grasps it and, after twisting it
round half dozen times, sunders the
cord by slowly scraping it with dull
knife. 1t should never be cut off by
straight cut, IS fatal hemorrhage is then
likely to ensue. After the testicles have
been thus removed, one by one, q coat
Of lard should be applied to the wound
1t will be well TO examine each lamb
| three days thereafter, to ascertain if no
pouches OF matter is forming, or if flies
are about, that the part has not been fly
blown, in which case it should be care
! fully cleaned, and a coat of tar applied.
| Sometimes, one or few lambs may walk
stiff with the hind legs the following
morning, which may be occasiored by a
small portion of blood coagulating in the
scrotum, in which case the lamb should
| be caught, the orifce opened, and the


blood pressed out. The operation should


be performed in the fore part of a favor
able day, and never when the ground is
cold and wet, or when stormy or chang
ing weather is prevailing, and during the


night after the operation, the lambs
| should be confined under shelter, as cold


is particularly injurious to all yonng
] l.