smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1876

Joseph Harris says in "Walks aud Talks
in the American Agriculturist:


We must make more manure. Manure is
the farmers capital. Capital is accumu-
lated earnings. If 1 work for $1,000 %
year and spend 81 900, am no better oil
at the end of the year than at the beginning.
But if can, by working a little harder,
earn 81 200 a year, and by practicing
little economy, live on $500, l can lay up
S400. This S400 is capital, and begins to
earn money for itself Capital is accumu-
lated earnings. 1t is what is left Of our
profits or wages after deducting the expen-
ses of living. Manure is accumulated plant
food 1t is what is left after raising and
dsposing of a crop. If your land as now
worked, is capable Of paying you twenty
bushels Of corn and ton of stalks per acre
every year, and you sell the whole, your
land is no richer in available plant food.
You are making no manure. You spend all
your wages. But if by extra cultivation
by setting free more plant food from the soil,
you can make your land pay you forty BUSH
els of corn and two tons Of stalks, instead of
selling it you feed it out to your COWS, or
sheep and pigs, and are careful to save all
the manure, then your forty bushels of corn
and two tons of stalks, less about ten per
cent, removed by the animals, becomes cap
ita and begins at once to earn money for
itself.


1t is worth while making a great effort
to get little capital in the form of manure,
and not always be dependent on the yearly
wages which the soil alone can pay us.
How this can best be done, depends on cir
cumstances. think it will sometimes pay
to gather leaves for bedding. l am sure it
will pay to scrape up the barnyards, and not
let the droppings of our animals lie exposed
over a large surface for the rains to leach
out all the soluble matter. On my farm l.
gather all the potato tops, and use them for
bedding the store hogs. If not required for
this purpose, should put them in heap
and mix them with manure.
Year: 1876

No labor upon the farm is better rewarded
than the time bestowed upon the proper
care of young lambs. At the yeaning sea-
son, the flock should be carefully watched
by trusty and experienced hand. The
owner is the best man to do it. His prac.
ticed eye and ear instantly detect anything
wrong in sheep or lamb, and he at once puts
it right. A number of small pens 3x4
should be ready, and if sheep is not fond
not inclined to suck and care for himself
confine them together in a small pen where
you can give them tho care they need for a
few days and you save your lamb.


One good lamb is of more value than a
pair Of small twins. In case Merino sheep
drops twins, keep them both a fow days
and if another sheep lose her lamb, skin it
aud put the skin upon the poorer twin, put
them in small pen and the sheep will usu-
ally own and care for it in few days. II
you do not have such a chance to dispose OF
it, give it to the hogs or rich neighbor; n
poor man cannot afford to raise cosset
prefer to: have lambs drop in the month ol
April, while the sheep are at the barn, aud
can be seen every hour in the day, and night
too il necessary. DO not grudge the time
you spend with the sheep aud lambs, they
do much better to be looked At, as every sue
cessful breeder will testify. j. Il. w.


[Any one who has had the pleasure Of
looking over the flock Of grade MerinO sheep
owned by our correspondent will not need rc
be informed that the advice he gives embod.
les the experience of a successful practica
shepherd. There is nothing truor than that
it does not pay to feed ten dollars worth o


milk to make cosSet worth about ono.third
of that sum. A Cosset is nuisance, always
in mischief, and in the way.


If lambs remain at tho barn until they


are several weeks old, provision should b,


made for feeding them separately. Let I


a warm, sunny portion Of the shed or bari


90 partitioned off, and arranged with numer
Gus spaces four inches wide to allow tn
lambs to run through at will. 1t should b
supplied with troughs 50 arranged with
board or pole abOvol, that the lambs cannc
get into them, which should be supple
} several times daily with light provender-
! bran, middlings, linseed meal (bean or pc
2 meall aud cracked corn, oats and barley, O
0 as many Of them as can be conveniently pre-
cured. Give them all they will eat, but d
! not put in so much that it will remain se'
. eral days, A bite Offne bright clover rowe
| should be kept accessible to them. Wit
. warm quarters, dry bedding and plenty
Q food they will prove that one good lamb
I worth more than half a dozen poor ones
Year: 1876

This variety is doubtless the largest known.
Men in general have an aversion to geese,
and we don't blame them either, for what
could the little, noisy, voracious, unruly
common geese be on a farm but n nuisance,
unless securely penned in some swampy
field? This natural aversion we were not
exempt from till we tried the magnificent
Toulouse, and then it was changed to a
liking for these geese. In appearance, they
are noble and dignifed, and will thrive with
cut water to swim iD, if plenty be provided
for drink. They arc never uuruly, and can
be fenced as easily as sheep are very quiet,
not noisy, and extremely hardy. Tney are
good layers, averaging about forty eggs each,
In a season, and are seldom broody. If the
old stock is not kept fat and after spring
opens only on pasture and vegetables, with
out grain, nearly every egg will hatch.


The goslings are much stronger when
young than the common, and are more easily
raised than a pig We use hens for hatch
ing, aud in summer have placed them on a
fresh grass-plat and reared them without
any mother, Their growth Is so rapid that
at four weeks old they will weigh from SIX
to eight pounds each, and at three months,
from fifteen to eighteen pounds. At four
weeks old, they need no further housing
and can be taken from the nursery and
placed in the open pasture to Craze and
shift for themselves, provided they have
their regular meals of soft feed, which should
be continued till they are three or four
months old. In France aud England, Toul-
ouse geese are priced for their great size,
excellent flesh, and abundant yield of soft,
fine feathers, Of which they will average
half pound to the picking" and would
be profitable for this purpose. la the sever
est weather they require no shelter, and we
never feed mature birds any grain when the
ground is bare, where they have access to
pasture fields


In color, geese and ganders are exactly
alike, viz, uniform. handsome grey, with
breast and under parts Of body shade
lighter. They are so mild and tractable in
disposition, and possess so many good traits
that they are profitable where they can be
kept and especially where grain and grass
are cheap. There are hundreds Of waste
places upon which, with trifiing expense
large numbers Of the geese could be raised
To show how prolific they are, We have
known, for two seasons past, one hundred
goslngs to be raised each year from the eggs
Of eight females, besides a large number
being sold for Matching purposes. For al
purposes, the Toulouse should be voted the
goose Of the period. THE Poultry Nation
Year: 1876

If a man takes farm at the halves and
in the spring there are four pigs among the
stock belonging to the owner and in the
fall when these pigs are fattened they are
killed, two of the hogs are put into the
pork barrel Of the owner Of the farm, and
two into the barrel of the tenant, how
many pigs must the tenant pay for to deal
justly2


In this town 10 case Of this kind the
owner demanded pay for four pigs because
there were four at the commencement Of the
year. They left it out to arbitration
and two farmers who were arbitrators de.
cided "that the tenant must pay for four pigs
or leave four pigs in the place of those there
when he took the place."


The tenant claims, There were four pigs
on your farm. l take two and leave two
in your pork barrel, so l must leave two
more to replace those l take. Two in the
barrel, two in your pen make your four.
If l leave four in the pen and two in the
barrel l leave six pigs instead of four.
The growth on two belonged to me, but the
original two that l have belonged to you,
so leave two pigs to replace them or pay
for two" Should the tenant leave two or
four live pigs this spring? j.


THE obligation OF the tenant under tn,
circumstances mentioned would depend upor
the contract between the parties and the
custom of the community, if any exists, IN
the absence of specific contract. 10 many
sections it is usual to stipulate in the lease
that the tenant shall have half the incom
and increase of stock and shall leave a,
much and as good stock at the eud of the
year as he dnds at the beginning. The land
lord finds it necessary to claim that this shal
be done in order to maintain the number
and quality of his stock. When it is remem
bered that the tenant is supposed to hav'
the facilities for raising stock to take tn,
place Of those slaughtered or sold, and tha
he has only to give them necessary care anC
attention in order to have such animals with
which to fulfill his contract, there appears t,
be no hardship in the rule. 1t may be
stated as a rule of economy that the farm
must keep its stock good without purchase
Suppose the tenant should fatten and slaugh
ter or sell the stock of the farm without raising
or in some way replacing only oue.half of it
The stock would decrease one.half every
year, unless the landlord goes into the mar
ket and buys, which the profits Of farming
would not warrant.


In the absence OF contract on the sub
ject, and especially if custom exists to kee
up the stock of swine by the annual pur
chase of pigs of breeders a different vic,
might be taken.
Year: 1876

enclose a circular from A. l.. Bowen,
which judge has been sent to the oranges
in the state. 1t is attractive to farmers be-
cause it advertises compound fer killing
apple tree worms. What insect bears the
name Of apple tree worm? Is it the borer
that attacks the body of the tree near its
base and which shows its presence by its
chips, aud must be dug out by the use OF a
knife or punched to death in its hole by a
wire thrust into his retreat2 Or is it the can
ker worm that proves scourgo in some parts
of Now England; the male a winged insect,
the female wingloss The remedy for them
has been to prevent the ascension Of the ie-
males by obstacles around the body Of the
tree. Or does he mean the worm found in
the fruit, the codling moth ia its larya state
A disgusting worm, oitenest found in the
best and earliest applesi an insect for which
no remedy has yet been found. Or is it a
variety of caterpillar whose nest shows plain.
ly, and can be easily and rapidly destroyed
on trees Of moderate size. II is well TO make
war on insects, bugs and humbugs, but the
! habits Of each variety must be known and
Year: 1876

The following sensible remarks on clean
illness of domestic animals are from the New
York World:


1t is fact that no domestic animal is un-
clean from choice Naturally they have an
aversion to uncleanlincss, aud if their move-
ments are noted it will be found that they
invaribly choose clean dry places to lie upon.
If stock arc uncean it is owing to no fault
Of theirs, but entirely to the neglect and
carelessness Of their owners, or the persons
having charge OF them. In this country too
little attention is paid by farmers in general
to the cleanliness Of their stock the general
excuse being that to attempt to keep animals
clean is Of very little use, besides taking up
too much time. In England the case is diff
ferent there particular attention is paid to
the cleanliness Of stock aud their surround
ings; and it is really pleasure to visit the
stables and barnyards in that country and
note the careful attention paid to their clean.
illness aud heathtulness' How often it is the
case in this country that on visiting farm.
er's barn-yard his cows will be seen standing
about with their tanks, bags and tails all
covered with fresh dung. Is it any wonder
then, that the boys on farm, who generally
have most Of the barn work to do, or large
share Of it, get sick and tired ofbeng obliged
to rouse up at an early hour in the morning
to milk a lot of cows in such condition
The day has gone by for farmer to follow
in the footsteps Of his forerathers, in many
respects. II they saw fit, or did not know
| l. IL 4


healthy stables, there is no necessity of hi
following their example, This is an age o
Improvement, aud improved aud well con
structed stables are as much of a necessity a
our improved dwellings are, over the old
fashioned farm houses erected over 6it,
years ago.
Year: 1876

The following sensible advice on the hir.
ing of farm help, is from recent number
of the Rural New Yorker.


Private letters from Western New York
say that the wages of farm hands open much
lower this spring than for several seasons
past. From SIG to $40 per month and
board seems to bo the usual price this year.
This reduction Is n natural result Of the very
uuiavorable outcome Of the last years opera
tions, and is what we may have expected
Fewer potatoes and other hoed crops will be
grown, and in every possible way farmers
will try to reduce expenses Of hired labor
The effort to do this has already resulted in
reduction of wages which on many farms
would constitute q considerable item of profit
if the same amount of help was hired as last
year. Yet in the great majority Of cases
less will be hired and the saving to farmers
will be both ways.


Is this the wisest policy2 We know very
we'll that the farmers are less disposed to
hire help under tho gloomy outlook based on
last years failures than when everybody is
hopeful, wages are high, and all are hiring
largely. Yet it is altogether probable that
now is a more favorable time to hire than
for several seasons past-better possibly thar
we may have in years to come. Odd jobs
of undertaking and the like can be better
undertaken the coming summer with low
rate Of wages than in ordinary times. Fol
those who have not money to spare for such
work, it is equally probably that extensive
farming operations, cropping and manurinl
will pay fully as we'll the coming year as
usual. Low wages indicate that farm work
next summer is to be generally conducted OF
reduced scale. Fewer crops will be pu
in, or they will bo less carefully and thor
oughly cultivated. The chances are that al
farm crops, being grown in smaller quaint
ties than usual, will command higher thar
average prices. With lower wages Of hell
and fair season, those who crop largely the
coming year will be apt to make hit. L
is rule with some shrewd farmers to plan
or SOW largely of "cheap seed" 1t woulC
seem to be an equally wise dictate of pru
dence to hire good deal of help and get
large amount Of work done when wages ar,
low With good crops and prices next sea
son, wages will probably be considerably
higher next spring, aud then rather than nov
will be a good time to hesitate about employ
ing much labor.
Year: 1876

The Germantown Telegraph gives the fol.
lowing seasouable hints on subject to which
farmers are quite too Indifferent.


Few things add more to the pleasure of
thoroughly good cook than to have good
supply of kitchen herbs ready to hand. A
little Of one thing or another in this line
often makes all the difference botwe en- a sue
cessfu dish and one of mediocre quality.
Every garden should have few, and where
they are wanting should be looked after at
this season.


Perhaps the most useful is parsley. That
has to be raised from seed, although if the
Hower-stalks are cut off as they come up in
the summer, the same plants may be pro.
longed several seasons. 1t does not 90 to
seed, however, the first season of sowing so
that if sown early and got strong before
summer comes we can get a pretty good
supply Of leaves the first season. The seeds,
however, take several weeks to germinate,
aud should be put in as early as possible.
Another herb Of great service to the best
cooks is the leek kind Of onion which is
no onion, as it makes all tops and little roots



aud gives a delicate flavor to certain soups
and sauces that nothing Of the tribe will do.
This also has to be sown early and on very
rich ground. But if possible the richness
should be given to the ground the previ Gus
year. Fresh and rank manure is unfavor.
able to good leek.culture.


Many make good use in winter Of mar
joram and summer savory. These are
raised from seeds sown at this season Of the
year.


Sage and thyme are perennials; but they
require an occasional pruning or replanting
to get them in the best condition. If left to
themselves they become woody, scrawly
and somewhat barren Of leaves, if they are
not entirely killed by the severity of tho
winter. Thyme can be kept in good condi-
tion by being simply sheared down to the
ground or cut back with knife every spring.
This induces good, healthy growth which
Is in excellent condition fof use at any time
Sage is often kept many years in good con-
dition by simply cutting back but often it
needs starting quite anew. This may be
done by taking cuttings Of the old plant and
burying them down deep iu the ground SO
that the tops of the shoots are barely above
the surface. These root very well and soon
make good plants.


There are other herbs useful on some occa-
sions but these are essential to every good
garden
Year: 1876

Cattle should be prevented from lying
down in their ordure that is the main Sec
ret in keeping them clean In order to do
this, they should have platform just long
enough for them to stand upon behind this
there should be trench about 6 inches deep
aud 2 feet wide behind this trench there
should be walk wide enough for two cows
to pass and a few inches higher than the
platform upon which the cows stand. With
stable so arranged, moderate supply Of
bedding and cleaning it twice day, you
will find that there is not much trouble in
keeping cattle clean and that you will not
need pair Of thick boots to get between
the COWS.


The pig pen should also receive a share
Of ones attention. The pen should be built
good and strong with the sleeping apartment
dry, warm and sheltered the trough vel
secured and placed where it will be conven'
lent for feeding care should be taken to
have it above the surface of the yard, for il
it is placed on the ground it will generally
be filled with dirt.
Year: 1876

the warfare varied. Watchfulness and care
with the ordinary means will fight the borer,
Canker worm and caterpillar. The codling
moth is sometimes kept under by swine past
ured in the orch ard to devour the small,
bitter fruit that prematurely fall. What is
the apple tree worm ? j.


Our correspondent encloses the circular
mentioned, at the head of which is a smiling
figure marked "likeness of the inventor" If
the remedies are as effective as the portrait
the "apple tree worms" will be apt to run.
Year: 1876

CONCERNING PLAsTER-The most puzz-
ling thing about the use of plaster for agri-
cultural purposes that has come under my
observation is one that neither learned nor
unloarned experimenters have adequately
explained. Ii is this Some years the same
plaster will give most wonderful results in
increased crops on the same land that i'll
other years will show no effect whatever,
Now suppose my advice is taken as to max
ing experiments and no good effect can bc
seen, it will not follow that another year
will tell the same story On our own lands,
| only know that generally plaster does us
great good, but sometimes it fails to show
us any beneficial results, thought that
perhaps in wet seasons our crops have not
required the aid Of this mysterious substance
while in dry seasons we consider it indspen'
sable on barley, oats, potatoes aud grass.


Every locality, every man, must try ex
pcriments until the point is settled whether
on the whole, plaster can be bought aud useC
with profit thOre and by him. A very sma
sum of money will be required, but som,
time, care aud observation will certainly b.
found important.
Year: 1876

PoRK.-The New England Farmer say,
of this delicious article of food. We are
never more inclined to doubt the boosted
superiority ofhuman over animal nature oil
of the civilized over the barbarous races


than when We see five hundred pounds Of
good corn meal fed to hsg for the sake o.


getting one hundred pounds Of grease, AT
present market prices we admit that the meal
is increased in money value by being turned
into pork, but for sustaining life, or for re-
pairing the wastes of the human brain OF
muscle, the five hundred pounds of meal are
worth considerably more before thaH after
being converted into pork, aud as the world
becomes more and more densely populated


it will be found that animal food cannot be
used as freely, certainly not as wAstelully,
as it is at the present time in this country
Year: 1876

Of them. Give them reasonable recreation.
Show them that farming is honorable by hon.
oring it yourself, not by proaChing-O them
doctrines that they can see are not practiced
on your farm. Then there will be no trouble
in keeping reasonable share of the boys on
the farm.
Year: 1876

The editor Of the Germantown Telegraph
says that last fall he laid in a winters
supply Of Peerless potatoes, but by the first
of February the quality was very Indifferent.
BY the first of April it was not equal to the
White Peachblow on the first Of July. lie
will not invest in that variety again.
Year: 1876

Sheep should be tagged before turning to
pasture. If the tags are well washed in soft
water, after soaking a few days, Jumps of
manure being thrown out, they may at shear
ing time be put in the Aceces. Many farm
ers dispose of them in this way informing
buyers of the fact They bring more money
than if sold by themselves as tags.
Year: 1876

Perhaps some day, when agricultural
science has been advanced far enough, the
world may know just how and why plaster
does good at some times aud in some places,
aud just why it sometimes fails to be Of any
value whatever. In the meantime we feel
our way as best we can.
Year: 1876

A bill is pending before the New York as
sembly appropriating eight thousand dollars
to pay necessary expenses incident to a rep
rosentation of the dairy system and products
Of the state at the centennial.
Year: 1876

DON'T Go WEsT.-For fifteen years up
to the beginning sf the year 1875, almost
every young man raised in the older set
tied sections of the country has been crazy
to "go West,' or 60 into store, or on
railroad ; any way, 60 away from the old
New England farm, With the bottom fall
ing out of almost everything except these
granite hills, the perplexel absentee be.
gins to be sorry that he ever left the "Oll
Homestead" lie begins to think that land
is property; and to know that sometimes
stocks and bonds are not; aud so as nat
ural consequence he writes occasional letters
to his old neighbors to ascertain whether or
not there are any farms for sale in the town
where he was born. All this is healthy and
hopeful. 1t means the coming Of the Mil
lennium, when men will be better satisfied
with slow sure dollar than with one gotten
| quickly, to be lost as soon as gotten. We
do not pretend to the spirit Of prophecy, but
we venture one prediction that the farms IN
New England will be worth considerably
more three years from this writing than they
are now, putting their value at what they
will bring. Peace is what men will be will
ing to pay for in the good time coming aud
there is no other place where it is so sure
and permanent as where the profit of a busi-
ness if il be small is eertain.-IHe GOLDEN
| Rule.
Year: 1876

THE PREMIER TO ASK VOTE OF CONFIDENCE


FROM PARLIAMENT.


LONDON March 16, 1876
A despatch from Rome to the Standard says II is
thought that after the financial settlement which is
be presented to-day Prime Minister Mnghetti Will
demand voto of confidence and the Cabinet will
sign If the vote is refused


Public opinion is against the present government
Year: 1876

The following record will show tho changes in tho
temperature for the past twenty our hours, in com
parson with the corresponding date Of year. as
Indicated by the thermometer at Hudnut's pharmacy


urna In Rni