smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

Manure spread on the sod in the fall and
plowed in the following spring, acts upon
the crop more readily and Offectually than
if it lies in heaps through the winter and is
spread just before plowing in spring. The
reason appears TO be that the rains of autumn
and spring and the melting snow dissolve
the fertilzing elements in the manure and
carry them into the sod where they are not
only in the very best form for plant food but
are more readily accessible, 1t is probable
also that their presence in the sod facilitates
its decomposition, and so the sod itself, one Of
the most valuable Of manures, becomes more
speedily available for the same purpose.
The growth Of grass in spring is greatly
stimulated by the manure spread in autumn,
with corresponding increase is grass roots.
If the land be not plowed until planting
time there will be rank growth Of grass
to turn under, which is, when decayed, equal
to a light dressing of manure. The increase
of grass roots enhances the value of the sod,
for all these things act as strong fertilizers.


This seems plain enough when it is remem-
bered that manures must be dissolved be-
fore they can feed the growing plants.
Any farmer who has tried thlsplan instead of
the usual one Of letting manure lie 10 heaps
over winter will not need any further proof



of the correctness ofthe foregoing conclusions,


We have found that dressing of ten loads
to the acre Of compost applied in September
and intended simply as top dressing for
grass, gave an earlier start stronger aud
ranker growth of corn than twenty-five loads
of barn-yard manure carted on and spread
just before blowing the following spring.
There was rank growth of grass to turn
under in May when the fall dressing was
made. The advantages we have named
made the light dressing more valuable for
the crop Of corn than the heavy one and for
the following crops (oats and grass nearly
equal. The loss by evaporation Of manure
when it is spread evenly on the soil, is, we
think, greatly over estimated; and any
delay in spreading heaps in the spring for fear
Of loss by evaporation before the manure is
plowed, is unnecessary. Ifmanure is heating
in the heap and wasting its ammonia, the
the nesting instantly stops when it is spread
evenly on the land.
Year: 1875

1t has been the custom to side up barns
with green boards so that in shrinking they
will leave wide cracks for the access of air
to the hay mows. An important principle
has been here overlooked. Fermentation,
like combustion, requires oxygen to carry it
on. Many farmers have learned that man.
ure will not ferment when we'll trodden so as
to exclude the air, and that it seldom fire.
fangs when thrown where the cattle can
tread upon IT, The class above al others
interested in grass and hay is dairymeu.
They have ascertained by experience di
rected by science that hay will keep better
in clap-boarded or battened barns than in
the open stack. That the heating will be
so moderate as only to dry out the hay with
out moulding. If IT, is a fact that hay may
thus be safely put into a large NOW in a
tight barn less cured than ordinary usage
requires, it is very important fact for
farmers, as it will enable them TO gather
their hay crop quite independent Of the Vi
cissitudes of the weather, for even when hay
is in the cock, the exterior surface is in
jured by rain or dew Rural Home. I-f
Year: 1875

We have a German farmer in this neigh
borhood, who sets US all q good example.
He commenced life as hired man. He
has now one Of the best farms in the town,
and is adding acre to acre. Whatever he
does is done we'll. He never seems to be in
hurry But he commences to plow In the
spring before some of us begin to think
about getting the plows ready, and has ten
or twenty acres Of barley sown before some
of us have ploughed a turrow. He is always
ahead. Everything is in its place every
thing in good repair and ready for uso at a
moments notice. His land is getting clean
er every year-and I was going to say rich
er, but am not SO sure on this latter point.
l have sometimes thought he was running
his land rather hard. But there is certain
ly no diminution in the crops. His farm
would sell for fifty per cent more than he
paid for it, while other farms have not in.
creased in value. The secret Of success, in
his case is first in the man himself--in his
industry, sobriety aud good Judgment And
in the next place, think it is due princi-
paly to the fact that he plows early, and
plows late, aud plows we'll, and plows Of
ten and he uses the harrow and the roller
until his soil is mellow and in good order
for the seed. Then he cultivates his corn
and potatoes and beans the moment he can
see the rows, and he suffers not weed to
grow and go to seed 1 ought to add that
he has fve energetic sons to help him, and
while he hires little or no labor, there is q
large amount Of work done on the farm. In
fact say what you will, there is, never has,
been, aud never will be, good farming with
out the expenditure Of considerable labor.
-[Joseph Harris. arE'0 ..-
Year: 1875

Nearly all the sick animals become so by
improper feeding in the FIRST place. Nine
cases out of ten the digestion is wrong. Char
coal is the most efficient and rapid correct
i've. 1t will cure a majority of cases, if
properly administered. An example of its
uses The hired man came in with the
intelligence that one of the finest COWS was
very sick, and kind neighbor proposed the
usual drugs and poisons. The owner being
i'll and unable to examine the COW, concluded
that the trouble came from overcating, and
ordered a teacupful of puIveriSsd charcoal to
be given in water. 1t was mixed, placed in
junk bottle, the head tnrned upward, and
the water turned downward In five min
utes improvement was visible, and in a few
hours the animal was in the pasture quietly
grazing. Another instance of equal success
occurred with a young heifer which had
become badly bloated by eating green apples
after a hard wind. The bloat was SO severe
that the sides were almost as hard as bar
rel. The old remedy, saleratus, was tried
for correcting the aeidity. But the attempt
to put it down always caused coughing, and
it did little good. Half teaeupful Of fresh
powdered charcoal was given. In six hours
all appearance Of the bloat had gone, and the
heifer was well,--[Live Stock Jourualalli a
Year: 1875

There is no time so good as this for collect
ing sugar wood. Success in sugaring cannot be
had without dry fuel. 1t does not make SO
much difference what kind of wood is used
for boiling sap if it is only well seasoned
and worked up fine. These two things are
indispensable for quick, blazing fire. Put
fine, dry wood under Butler evaporator
and it will reduce sap fast enough to suit
any man; With coarse, green or soggy wood
the best apparatus in the world will come
far short of its full capacity.


Every sug~-.house should have a wood
shed which will keep out both rain and snow.
But lean-to roof of boards over the wood
is better than nothing. The saving of time
and fuel and the improved flavor and quality
Of the sirup and sugar will pay the cost Of a
shed.


Dead, decayed and fallen trees in the
wood lot can be picked up now and hauled
or piled up where they can be got the first
shedding if it is not convenient to move them
on wheels. Broken fence rails, and frag'
ments of wood of all sorts can be seen and
gathered before snow falls. Decayed and
unproductive apple trees may as we'll be re-
moved and worked up for fuel. Unsightly
bushes which are drawing the fertility out
Of the soil to make noIious and useless
growth may as well be rooted up to give
place for crops of value. When seasoned
and cut up they make very choice sugar
wood. ........' ........


Any sugar-maker who has tried gather
ing sugar wood for immediate use las We
have) will not need to have the necessity fol
aarlv atfentinn IN this natter enfnFoAd
Year: 1875

villages in various portions Of Massschu.
setts. Uu Esd


The beauty Of the grounds at the Mas
sachusetts Agricultural College is not mar
red by roadside fences, but the animals are
many of them tethered on the grassy lawns
which surround the public buildings. In
the town Of Franklin, Mass, may be seen
two Of the handsomest lawns in the State,
in front Of the beautiful residences of the
Ray Brothers, with no roadside fence, ex-
cept simple, but neat line of curb stones
to mark the boundary line between private
and public property. In many Of the old
European countries roadside, and even d.
vision fences are very rare, and it seems
strange that people who travelled abroad,
should come back without realizing more
fully the enormous expense we Americans
are taking upon ourselves bv building and
maintaining 10 many thousands OF miles Of
useless fences. HH r


In district so largely devoted to stock
raising as in northern Vermont, il would
be natural to expect that changes or pro-
gress in this direction would be rather slow,
but the laws regarding fences are similar
there TO those Of other States, and nothing
is needed to bring about a change for The
better, but little, or perhaps good deal
of agitation Of the subject by those who
already realize its Importance. so long as
the majority Of land owners consent to main.
tain expensive highway fences BY the side Of
their estates just 50 long will there be
found men willing to let their own cattle
run at large in the highways at the risk Of
annoying or damaging their more prudent
neighbors or their crops. The best remedy
for the annoyance Of the cattle Of careless
ncighbors we have ever tried; is 10 leave our
own gates and driveways wide open with the
understanding that stray cattle will not be
fenced out by US. The law is all on the
side Of the damaged party in such cases
Year: 1875

Mr. Ansel w. Putnam asks, in the New


England Farmer, whether the fall feed shall


be left on the ground, or be used by moving
and feeding. And he suggests that the


grass grown in September and October
amounts to One.tenth tho growth OF the sea-
son, and that it is the cream of the growth
(grAss two and Ono-half inches high contain
ing fifty per cent more of albumeu and ten
per cent more of crude fat than mature
grass, and is more soluble and digestible)
and that this is worth more to be used as
food for stock than to leave as food for the
soil aud that it is better economy il hun,
drOd dollars worth Of grass is on the land TO
Year: 1875

The New England Homestead truly says
There is one thing which the generations of
New England farmers which have passed
away and the one which is now on tho stage
Of active lite have unquestiOnably proved.
That is, that farming cannot, for any length
Of time, be successfully conducted without
the liberal use of manure. Thousands Of
acres Of barren land, made 50 by the efforts
OF its oultivators to avoid this law of the
natural world testify to its comprehensive
power. fn -I'-.H
Year: 1875

Some good chemists assert that although
bones may be effcctually reduced by the use
Of ashes or stable manure, still the phosphoric
acid remains insoluble and unavailable for
plant food. This is an important question,
and farmers would like to know if it is so.
Year: 1875

A correspondent of the Mark Lane Ex-
press states that, soaking turnip seed in the
following one gallon urine, two ounces tine.
ture asafetida, and dry it in the shade, is
a preventive of the injury by the turnip fly.
Year: 1875

PROnTs, CONE DowN.-We believe that
a reduction Of profits and Of wages is among
tho necessities of the recuperative process,
as rise was among the acOOmpaniments Of
the imitation. We do not believe that. when
business again becomes settled, there will
be any absolute decrease as against the high
profits and high wages of initiation. We
preach this doctrine alternately to the labOrer
aud to the capitalist to bring them into a
willing mind to accept the inevitable aud
the sOund.--[Springded Republican.
Year: 1875

HAVING UNDER DIEFIoULTTEs. - "Wild
hay is the name given by the Swiss to hay
made from the grass growing on strips of
soil to be found on the Alps, at hight of
from 5000 to 5000 feet, in places so diff
cult Of access that even the goatherd and
his flock forbear to visit them. This hay is
50 valuable from its excellent quality and
delicious aroma, that regular hay harvest
is yearly undertaken on these almost mae
cessibe places, in spite of the danger to life
aud limb. The haymakers are shOd with
iron, and secure themselves with ropes TO
some sure hold when in especially dangerous
places, but fatal accidents occur every year
Year: 1875

The government Of Ceylon has forbidden
the destruction Of elephants, except those
which are so vicious as to attack travellers,
because elephant teams are getting scarce
for farm and other work.
Year: 1875

THE LOVE OF BE Boz FOR HIS MoTHER.-
of all the love affairs in the world, none can
surpass the true love of big boy for his moth
er. 1t is love pure and noble, honorable in
the highest degree to both. | do not mean
merely a dutiful affection. I mean love
which makes boy gallant to his mother, say
ing plainly to everybody that he is fairly in
love with her. Next to the love Of her hus-
band, nothing so crowns woman's life with
honor as this second love, this devotion Of the
son to her. And never yet knew boy to
"turn out" badly who began by falling in love
with his mother. Any man may fall in love
with fresh-faced girl, and the man who is
gallant to the girl may cruelty neglect the
worn and weary wife. But the big boy who is
a lever of his mother at middle age, is true
knight, who will love his wife as much in the
sere leaf autumn as he did in the daisied
spring. There is nothing SO beautifully chiv-
alrcus as the leve of big boy for his mother.
-Beriah Green.
Year: 1875

A nondon gentleman writes to Nature: In
the recently published edition of the "Desoent
of Man" there is some additional matter con-
cerning the sense of humor in brutes, and as
the following illustrative cases fell under my
own observation, think it is worth while to
publish them as supplementary to those ad-
duced by Mr.. Darwin.


Several years ago used to watch carefully
the young orang-outang at the Geological Gar
dens, and I am quiet sure that she manifested
a sense of the ludicreus. One example will
suffice. Her feeding-tin was of somewhat
peculiar shape, and when it was empty she
used sometimes to invert it upon her head
The tin then presented a comical resemb blanee
to bonnet, and as its wearer would gene rally
favor the spectators with broad grin at the
time of putting it on, she never failed to raise
laugh for them. Her success in this res pect
was evidently attended with no small gratif-
cation on her part.


l once had a skye terrier, which, like all of
his kind, was very intelligent. When in good
humor he had several tricks which know to
have been self-taught, and the sole object of
which was evidently to excite laughter. For in
stance, while lying upon enc side and violently
grinning, he would hold one leg in his mouth.
Under such circumstances nothing pleased him
SO much as having his joke duly appreciated,
while if no notice was taken Of him he would
become sulky. On the other hand, nothing
displeased him so much as being laughed at
when he did not intend to be ridiculous. Mr.
Darwin says: "Several observers have stated
that monkeys certainly disliked being laugh
ed at" There can be little or no doubt that
this is true of monkeys; but never knew of
really good case among dogs save this one, and
here the signs Of dislike were unequivocal. To
give one instance: He used to be very fond of
catching flies upon the window panes, and if
ridiculed when unsuccessful, was much annoy
ed. On one occasion, in order to see what he
would do, purposely laughed lmmoderately
every time he failed. 1t 50 happened that he
did so several times in succession-partly,
believe, in consequence of my laughing-and
eventually he became so distressed that he pos
itively pretended to catch the fly, going through
all the appropriate actions with his lips and
tongue, and afterwards rubbing the ground
with his neck as if to kill the victim he then
looked up at me with triumphant air of sue
cess. So we'll was the whole process simulated,
that I should have been quite deceived, had 1
not seen that the fly was still upon the window.
Accordingly I drew his attention to this fact,
as well as to the absence Of anything upon the
floor; and when he saw that his hypocrisy had
been detected, he skunk away xnder some fur
nitnre, evidently very much ashamed of him
self.
Year: 1875

WOULD TALK.-As man and woman were
riding on Girard Avenue car, he whispered
something to her, and she began to speak out.
He nudged her, and whispered again, when she
shouted:


"I will talk-so there! would as soon the
whole world knew thatyOu struck me with the
stove handle, and then got down on your knees
and asked my forgiveness"


The M an dropped out of the car like shot,
and the woman put her head out OF the win
dow, and continued:


'If you aren't home on the minute, I'll make
you think you've been struck by tornado"
Year: 1875

CULTIVATE singing in the family. Be-
gin when the child is not yet three years
old. The songs and hymns your child
hood sang, bring them all back to your
memory and teach them to your little
ones; mix them altogether, to meet the
similar moods, as in after life they come
over us so mysteriously sometimes. Many
a time and oft, in the very whirl of
business; in the sunshine and gayety of
Fifth Avenue, and amid the splendor of
the drive in Central Park, some little
thing wakes up the memories of early
youth-the old mill; the cool spring (;
the shady tree by the chOol-hOuse-anG
the next instant we almost see again the
ruddy cheeks, the smiling faces, and the
merry eyes cf schoOlmates, some gray
headed now, most " lie moldering in the
grave" And anon, "the song my mother
sang" springs unbidden to the lips and
soothes and sWeetens all these memo
ries.


At other times. amid the crushing mis-
haps of business, a mere ditty of the
olden time pops up its little head, breaks
in upon the ugly train of thought, throws
the mind into another channel; light
breaks in from behind the cloud in the
sky and new courage is given to Us.
The honest man goes singing to his work !;
and when the days labor is done, his
tools laid aside, and he Is on his way
home, where wife and child and tidy ta-
BILE and CHEEKY fireside await him, he can
not help but whistle or sing.


The burglar never sings. Moody 81
lence, not the merry song, weighs down
the dishonest tradesman, the perfidious
clerk, the unfaithful servant, the perjured
partner-HGlPs Journal.
Year: 1875

proach me again. I am young, / can
work, can be resolute. / have bought
my experience of life and find the taste
too bitter in my mouth, A man may be
a man and yet not be ashamed to think
of his wife as well as of bis pleasures,
and / will think of you now"


she sighed and then she smiled.


you come back to what you left"
she said in a tender, caressing kind of
way THAI seemed as if it buried now for
ever all that had gone wrong between
us.


Of course the struggle was tremen-
dous one. / lost my clerkship and every
sixpence [ possessed both in goods and
money. My wife had to give lessons and
| had to accept anything that would keep
US from starvation; but we pulled
through in time, and the suffering we
had encountered was perhaps a good
thing in the end. 1t taught us to value
each other in deeper and truer manner
than ever before and it gave us friend
For dear old Jacks luck turned with his
uncie's death, ana he used his influence
to get me situation that began at 500
a year, and has steps upward in the
future. Things have gone we'll with me
since then. Edith'a health has come
back, and my boy is at the head of his
class. / have travelled good deal, and
lately | have taken up chemistry as
study. Edith declares will blow the
house up some day, but have not done
so yet, and think / am ON the track of
a discovery that will do great deal of
good--make me name, and bring in
lot of money. / find that as one grows
older work is a more satisfying thing
than pleasure, and knowledge goes
further than excitement; and Edith finds
that wife's influence is greatest when
least visibly exerted, and that when
woman abandons the persuasion of love
for authoritative command, and tender
ness for i'll temper, she loses her power
and only deepens the unhappiness she
aims at preventing.
Year: 1875

poItation than may be necessary to provide for the due celerity, certainty and security thereof; but the Postmaster General shal not be bound to consider the bid of any person who has willfully or negligently failed to perform former contract.
Year: 1875

Sec. 250. That no contract for carrying the mail shall be made with any person who has entered, or proposed to enter into any combination to prevent the mak- ing of any bid for carrying the mail, or who has made any agreement, or given or performed, or promised to give or per form, any consideration whatever to in- duce any other person not to bid for any such contract; ard if any person so of. lending is a contractor for carrying the mail, his contract may be annulled; and for the first Offense the person so offend ling shall be disqualified to contract for carrying the mail for five years, and for the second offense shall be forever dis. qualified.
Year: 1875

than five per centum of the am ount of the

 bond of the bidder required to accompany his bid, if the amount of the ssid bond OK ceeds five thousand dollars. In case and bidder, on being awarded any such con- tract, shall fail to execute the same, with good and sufficient sureties, according to the terms on which such bid was made any accepted, and enter upon the performance of the service to the satisfaction of the Post master General, such bidder shall n addi tion to his liability on his bond accompany ing his bid, forfeit the amount so deposited to the United States, and the same shall forthwith be paid into the Treasury for the use of the Post Office Department; but if such contract shall be duly executed and the service entered upon ss aforesaid. such draft or check so deposited, and the cheeks or drafts deposited by all other bidders On the same route, shall be returned to the re- spective bidders making such deposits, No proposals for the transportation of the mails where the amount of the bond required to accompany the same shall exceed five thousand dollars shall be considered, unless accompanied with the check CT draft herein required, together with the bond required by a preceding section: Provided, That nothing in this act shall be construed or intended to affect any penalties or forfeit tres which have heret fore accrued under the provisions of the sections hereby amended.
Year: 1875

Sec. 260. That compensation for addi tionsl service in carrying the mail shall not be in excess of the exact proportion which the original compensation bears to the original service; and when any such addi- tional service is ordered, the sum to bs allowed therefor shall be expressed in the order, and entered upon the books of the Department, and nc compensation shall be paid for any additional regular service rendered before thu issuing of such order. E Sec. 26l. That no extra allowance shall be made for any increase of expedition in carrying the mail unless thereby the em- pigment of additional stock and carriers is made necessary, aud in such case the sd- di ional compensation shall bear no greater proportion to the additional stock and car risrs necessarily employed than the com pensation in the original contract bears to the stock and carriers necessarily employed in its execution.
Year: 1875

cuted. Sec. 259. That no person whose bid for carrying the mail is accepted shall receive any pay until he has executed his contract according to law and the regulations of the Department.