smithclay/nortonstories huggingface dataset:
Year: 1875

You have often invited practical farmers
to write communications for the Farmer, and
have formed great many resolutions to
do so, and as often broken them but as this
question of seeding land to grass is one Of
great importance, and l have practiced
method have not seen described Of late, L
will endeavor not to break my last resolution
to write out my experience.


In seeding ground to grass, have, for the
last ten years, practiced stocking in the corn
My practice is TO turn over piece Of bound
out grass, turning it about seven or eight
inches deep, as fiat as possible; then manure
with about forty loads Of barnyard manure
to the acre mix it thoroughly with the soil
with cultivator and harrow, and when we'll
pulverized, mark the rows three feet and six
inches apart each way, and plantto corn, TAX
ing pains to sink the hills SO that when the
corn is covered the hills will be no higher
than the rest of the ground. The first time
hoeing, run the cultivator between the rows
both ways aud not hill up around the corn
at all. At the second time of hoeing | pre-
fer to cultivate again both ways and hoe
without hilling, or rather, stir the dirt
around the corn without hauling any more
around it than take away. After the corr
is hood, SOW the grass seed, by commencing
on one side and SOW back and forth until the
piece is finished have two hands follow
me with rakes and rake in the seed as fasi
as sown.


This may look, to one that has nevel
tried it, like great undertaking, but two
men with rakes will rake the ground over al
fast as one man can SOW the grass seed. l
is better to SOW the seed as soon as possible
after the corn is hoed, while the ground i
light, if possible before the rain falls OF
the ground to make it hard. If hAv,
large pieces, SOW and rake it about as fas
as It is hOed, not waiting to finish hOein
the whole field before sowing the seed


have sown the seed before commencing
cultivate the corn the second time, but d
not think get the seed into the ground a
evenly as in the way have described.


,nBy managing this way the seed is e
into the ground about the time nature d
signed or little earlier, the last Of june Q
tho first of July. When We take into cousit
Year: 1875

1t is a mistake to experiment with all va
rieties alike, and expect the like results.
For instance take the old Early Blue and
the Black Calico, cut large set from the
seed end of each, plant them, giving each
good and equal chances to grow, and the
results will be : the Early Blue set will send
up but one stock, aud the potato, when
grown, will be surprisingly large the Calico
set will send from every eye a stalk, the pro-
duct of which when grown will be multi
tude ofsmall ones. Here is like treatment
with opposite results. Again, take large sets
having but one eye from the middle parts
Of these plant, giving them good and equal
chances; the potatoes grown will be about
average size. Whole potatoes should never
be planted unless small ones are desired.
The farmer who is determined to succeed
will choose only the kernels from the CEN
trail part of corn, wheat and barley the
largest and best developed kernels of oats,
buckwheat and other grains for seed, reject
ing all inferior qualities. Potatoes should
be treated by the same rule, except those
kinds which, like the Early Blue, though
each set may have a number of eyes, yet
perhaps grow but one stalk, as the strongest
eye will engrOss all the vegetative principle
of the set Those kinds Of potatoes whose
every eye will grow should have the end cut
of and rejected, the remainder cut in sets
having but one or two eyes each.


If farmers will practice on the above
hints, with their favorite potatoes, they will
find how to raise large or small potatoes
almost at will. Not only SO, but a decided
and important improvement will be obtained


an planting only from the largest, soundest


byd best deyeloped-COr. Maine Farmer.
Year: 1875




l remember once hearing farmer say
that when he wished to try boy before hir-
ing him for a summers work, he put him to
turning the grindstOne to grind new scythe
or an old axe to see how we'll he would hang
to it, or how impatiently he would look for
some dodge for release. One other test OF
the same fidelity would propose might be
to put him to churning with the cup and
down" dasher churn, to see whether he
would stick to the churning to completion or
leave it for his considerate mother to finish.


have just finished churning the weeks
cream of my pet Jersey COW. Not pretend
ing to use a great amount of milk and cream
for the family, to make a big story, but have
given the calf full feed Of sweet skim milk,
and have just weighed twelve pounds Of Jer-
sey butter. The calf is nearly three weeks
old-her second calf. The COW is now five
years old. She went dry four months in the
winter had some carrots while dry, and
now has May 81 in the barn, peck of car
rots in the morning, and in the afternoon four
quarts of buckwheat meal, cooked along with
hay.


1t is to-day wintry day, too cold, and
the snow too deep, to work out Of doors,
freezing now at noon, and snow four feet
deep on the most of my garden.


have sent four bushels Of Lost Nation
wheat to Randolph, VT, but it is too late fol
any more. One neighbOr last year, hoping
to get 80 bushels from an acre, got 46
another setting it at 90 got 43.


M. II. KEEP.
Year: 1875

Cole rec ommends A parts rosin, 2 parts
beeswax, part tallow. This makes a very
good wax, easily worked in warm weather,
and which in cold day can be sOftened to
the required consistency by working in q
sufficient quantity Oflard.


Wax should never be spread when too
hard, but grating can be done in quite cold
weather if care is taken to soften the wax.
This can be done after fashion by keeping
the wax in warm water, but better way is
to first soften the wax in warm water and
while it is soft to work in the required
amount of lard, after which the warm water
can be dispensed with. TOMLIasoN.
Year: 1875

GRAFTON that the fodder from an acre Of corn
that is well cured is worth more to feed to
cows or young stock than an acre Of grass is
at the first cutting, and that one hundred
bushels Of ears Of corn or fifty bushels Of
shelled corn to the acre is no more than an
average crop, let us ask ourselves had we
better SOW our ground 10 grass alone, or
plant to corn or some other green crop p
Cor. NetO England Farmer.
Year: 1875

SonISa Cows.-It will certainly pay to
judiciously soil COWS on a small farm: There
is no other way by which so much milk can
be produced on a given number Of acres.
When you have put your land in proper con-
ditiOn, COW can be kept upon One.half
acre for summer, and one acre for winter.
Even better than this has been done. Start
ing this late, prepare the ground well, and
SOW one-eigbth OF an acre Of oats thickly for
each COW as early as you can two or three
weeks after, SOW the same amount Of land
to oats for later cutting. Then prepare the
ground and SOW one-fourth acre Of corn for
each COW. This will probably leave a sur.
plus for winter feeding.-HOmestead.
Year: 1875

The generally received opinion about
flies is. that despite lmitlcss ingenuity ex-
pended on patent traps and poisoned pt-
per, they form one of those ills of life
which, it not being possible entirely to
cure, must pcrforcc be endured with rs
good u grace as may be. Consequently,
when they ruin our picture frames and
ceilings. in>inulte themselves into our
milk and molasses pitchers, or lull us to
sleep with their drowsy buzzing, only to
bite us during our slumher. and render the
same uneasy. we thank fate that cold wealth
er will rid us of the pest.


Did yor ever watch n fly which had Just
alighted after soaring about the room for
some little time? He goes through series
Of operations which remind you Of a cat
licking herself after II meal, or Of 4 bird
pluming its feathers. First, the hind feet
are rubbed together. then each hind leg is
passed over Il wing. then the fore legs un-
dergo a like treatment; and lastly, if you
look sharp, You will see the insect carry
his probocis over his legs and about his
body Is far rs he can reach. The minute
trunk is perfectly ret actile. and it termi-
nate, in two large lobcs, which you Can
see spread out when the insect beg ins 4
meal on a lump of sugar. Now the rub
bing together of legs and wings may be 4
smoothing operation: but for what pur.
pose is this carefully going over the body
with the trunk. esp cially when that o:gar
is not fitted for licking. but simply grasp
ing and sucking up food9


This query. which may perhaps have
suggested itself to thousands, has recently
for the first time been answered by MI


Emerson, an English chemist; and Ger
Year: 1875

THE CHARM OF FCLEANLINEsS.-A white
once the character of his wife; and he Won
assured that She will not take with Your
dress pains which she has never taken with
her own. Then the manner of putting on
the dress is no bad foundation for Judging
if it he careles>ly, slovcnly-if it do not
properly tit No matter for its mean
quality; mean rs it may be, it may be
neatly and trinity pat on; and if it be not,
take care of yourself, for, rs you will soon
find TO your cost. 4 sloven in one thing Is
a sloven in all things. The country people
iu,l4e from the state of the covering of the
ankles; and if it be not clean and tight,
they conclude that all out of 81 ght is not rs
it ought to be. Look ut the shoes; if they
be trodden on one side, loose on the foot,
or run down ut the heel, it is Il very bad
sign; and. as to slip-shod, though at COM
ing down in the morning, and even before
daylight. make up YOUR mind to u rope,
rather than live with 4 slip-slol wife. On,
how much do women lose by inattention
TO these matters Men, in general, say
nothing about it to their wives. but they
think about it; they envy their luckler
neiyhbors; and, in numerous cases. con-
sequences the most serious arise from this
apparently tritling cause. Beauty is val
uable-it is one of the ties, and strong
tie, too; that, however, cannot last TO an
old age; but the charm of cleanliness never
ends but with life itself
Year: 1875

N1NDIAM COUNTY, ERMONT.


r. tie Editors Of the Boston Journal:


Having seen piece in your paper head
I'd Olden Times in Northern New England,
after looking it over, it brought to my
mind 80 wildly scenes that had seen and
passed through in the early days of my
life, in the southern part of Vermont, that
could hardly feel ut rest without dropping
YOU line. | was born and brought up in
a log house with a stone chimney, and well
remember the mode of keeping the fire
over night, OF going half a mile to Il neigh.
hor's for Il coal in the morning. Many is
The meal that have eaten (from a wooden
bowl) of bean porridge or milk and roast
potatoes. we'll remember the mode of
dress in oldcn times. when men wore home
made cloth both summer and winter. In
summer they wore what was called tow
cloth, made from flax raised on the farm.
and in winter it was what vas called fro k
ing. made of wool. blue and white striped


The women. too, wore cloth of their own
making. They c.trled and spun the wool
and flax have now in my possession Il
pair of old hand cards, such rs they used
in those DAYS. | have by me two old
wooden calico stamps that were my great
grandmother that She used to stamp cal
leo with in old times. | can we'll remem-
bcr my Old cowhide shoes and the knit leg
gins. with strings to tie them down. Ire
member thc times when they rode on horse
back: my grandmother had one of the
o'd-fl>hioncd pillions to ride behind on;
the >tlrrup was piece OF wood with Il
.e,thcr strap attached to it. | remember
the first wagon that came in town.
| have Il pair of the old snow shoes and
have walked many miles on them, and
think | could walk on them now, although
| have not walked on them for several
wears.


| we'll remember when n man by the
name of Levi Crosby used to ride once 4
week from SOMERSET to Brittleboro', horse
la X, for the newspapers, and scatter them
:.t every man door on the way, and over
th.. back towns. But these times are all
in the p.l>t, and those that took IN active
part in them are mostly in their graves.
where | must soon be myself; vet when
| think over those times it seems to bring
new life into my thoughts for the time be-
iug.


don't know how large waste basket
Won have. but if there is not room for this
lay il on the floor beside the basket


have made an effort to take IN impress
son on paper from my calico stamps. but
ut very imperfect one. | send one of
them to You to give you the idea Of the
iigurr made on the cloth.


hlrdly know how to apologize for wri-
tng To You but will say rs the sailor dill
wien he WIS praying in 4 storm ut sea:
= Hear me now. for Thu knowest | but
seldom trouble Thee"


ISAAC n. PIKE.
Year: 1875

Many of the more energetic descriptions


in Marmion,' and particularly that of
the battle Of Flodden, were struck off
while Scott was out with his cavalry, in
the autumn of 1907. In the intervals of
drilling, we are told, Scott used to delight


in walking his powerful black steed up
and down by himself upon the Portobello
sands, within the beating of the surge
and now and then you would see him


plunge in his spurs, and 60 off as if at the
charge, with the spray dashing about him.
"As we rode back to Musselburgh, he often
come and placed himself beside me. to re-
peat the verses that he had been composing
during these pauses Of our exercise" In
Year: 1875

width, soil and other characteristics of u
given street, it would be desirable in most
cases to have variety in the same street,
rather than to devote it to one species
alone.-BoSton Journal.
Year: 1875

THE BUFFALO REcEpTroN.-The an.
nouncement is made in another col.
umn today of the reception of the
Du1alo Library Association which
takes place at Institute Hall, on Tues.
DAY evening, March Both. 1875. All
those who wish to spend a pleasant
evening should attend, as they expect
their reception this year will eclipse
any OF their previous ones, and they
nope to see all the smiling faces that
H Mele present at their last reception.


inc music for the quacrilles and walt
zes VIII DC new and furnished by Rit-
chle's celebrated orchestra. The floral
decorations will be very fine and will


exceed anything of the kind ever seen


in this city. ''eA
Year: 1875

VIs1T TO THE ALMHoUsE.-To-day
the Levy Court paid the annual visit
of inspection to the Almshouse, and
were the guests of the Trustees of the
Poor. They made the usual inspec-
tion of the premises and partook of the
customary big dinner,
Year: 1875

MovING DAY.-To-morrow the 25th
inst. is moving day, and from present
appearances the weather will be any
thing but favorable for the occasion. A
large number of people will change their
residences, and good many have moved
within the past few daYs.
Year: 1875

TIE RA1N.-Early this morning n
heavy rain commenced to fall and bids
fair to continue throughout the day.
Owing. to the long continued drought
this rain is IA great blessing and will
greatly revive suffering vegetation in
the surrounding country.
Year: 1875

CHICKEN BRoTH.-Cut young chickens
(old ones are too rich and strong) into
small pieces, bruise or crack the bones, and
put the whole, with little rice, into stone
jar with Il cover Set the jar into large
kettle of water and let the water boil and
keep boiling for hours; then strain off the
liquid and season with salt, little black
pepper, and add two spoonfuls OF fresh
milk. This is Il most excellent hourishing
diet for those too i'll to take solid food ];
when not so sick, the chicken and rice can
be dishcd up with the broth, and is very
palatablc.


ARROW Roof BROTH.--Takc n pint "a
fresh milk and let it come to boil stir in
milk, boiling tablespoonful of arrow root'
which has been dissolved in Il little cold
milk or water continue to stir that it may
not lump. and let boil till thick as custard,
Season with white sugar and a little nut
meg or cinnamon. If the patient does not
| relish sweets, season with salt.


RICE CusrARD.-Boil half cup of rice
till soft, then stir it iuto a piut of fresh
milk, and put to boil again. Beat the
yolks of two eggs with half cup of white
sugar till light, and stir into the boiling
milk and rice. AS soon as well mixed take
from the fire, or the eggs will turn. Sea-
son with cinnamon and allspicc~


CoUGm SYRUp-Boil an ounce of flax
for half an hour; strain and add to the IL
quid half pound of white sugar. or Il pint
of honey, an ounce of powdered gum arabic,
and the juice of lemon ; let the mixture
simmer together for some time, stirring oc-
casionally. Bottle it up, and take Il table
spoonful for dose, frequently repeated
If the cough is troublesome at night, add
to the bed time dose 4 little paragoric.


GLOVE CAKE.-Thrcc eggs and half
pound of sugar beaten light, cup of butter
crcamcd svtt, Il half tea cup of cream or
sour milk in which has been dissolved half
teaspoonfu of soda, tablespoonful OF
powdered cloves, and -four enough to form
soft dough. Roll thin and bake light
/ brown-


PoTAr'2. .PuFFs. Mash the potatoes soft
and mix smooth with an egg; mincc fine
cold beef or mutton, Cham can be used but
is not so good) season with SALT pepper, a
little onion and celery; mix all together
make into balls, dredgc with flour, and fry
tbrpwn.- iSouthern, Cuhjuotor.
Year: 1875




RABpITs-To RID THE GARDEN Or
Editors ,Southcn Cahirutor Among
your readers there arc Doubtless many who
arc annoyed by rabbits. They abound here
enormously, and down to three years ago,
gave mo great annoyance. I watched for
them with my gun, stuck up efigies, and
exhausted my ingenuity upon them without
the slightest effect. But three years ago an
old negro woman brought two OK skulls to
my garden, for some purpose which she did
not explain to me, aud these | stuck up at
each end of my pea rows, and the rabbits
left that night They not only left the gar
den, but they left the neighborhood of it.
Not vegetable has been touched by them
since. This is my fourth year Of cxemp-
tion from their dcprcdations. \ daughter
living within mile of me has been ac-
quaintcd with these facts during three years
or more, but was incrcdulous as to the cause
OF my exemption, Ias was unwilling myself
even to recommend the experiment to her
adoption. But she procured two and stuck
them up in her garden, fixing one of them
on her sweet potato plant bed, which was
being torn to pieces every night, and the
potatoes devourcd. The rabbits grabbIed
the potatoes from between the very noses of
the skulls the first night. 1t was a cloudy,
dark night. But the moon shone brightly
on the subsequent night, and there has not
been the sign ofsa rabbit in her garden
since. AS | do not expect you, and but
very few of your readers to believe word
OF this, will not rut my name to il, but
only my initials, which will be recognized
by my friends of whom many subscribe to
your journal They will try it at once, and
all theoretical cxpcrimcnters will also, and
by this means, a very useful fact will become
known after awhile. II. S. ID.
Year: 1875

DEAD IN A CRYSTAL COFPIN-An in
teresting but melancholy discovery was
made the other day at the foot Of Mont
Blame. a. block Of ice, separated from the
mass of the mountain by the thaw, rolled
down into the valley Upon closer inspec-
ton it was found to contain enclosed tho
remains of the American, John Blackford,
who about three years since attempted an
ascent, and has never since been heard Of


He evidently met with his death on that
occasion, and has since laid in his cold crys.
taline coffin, which has preserved his body
and clothing admirably. When found Lis
features were unchanged, as if he had only
breathed his last half an hour before,
Year: 1875

WASHING WooLENs.-Prof Artus who
has devoted himself to the discovery of the
reason why woolcn clothing when washed
with soap and water, will insist upon shrink
ing and becoming thick, and acquiring that
peculiar odor and feeling which so annoy<
housckeepcrs, says these evil effects arc due
to the decomposition of soap by the acids
present in the pcrspiration and other waste
OF the skin which the clothing absorbs.-
The fat Of the soap is then preciptatcd
upon the wool. These effects may be pre-
vented by stepping the articles in warm
solution of washing soda for several hours
then adding some warm water and a few
drops of ammonia. The wooiGns are then
to be washed out, and rinscd in lukcwarm
watcr-Erchunge. s
Year: 1875

It was IN 1896, when the Directory
had named him COmmander-in-chief of
the army Of Italy, and at the same
time had refused or were unable to
supply him with the means for repair
ing to headquarters with the state and
dignity betitting his new rank. In
this difficulty the young general raised
as large sum as he could
BY means of his own credit and the
kindness OF his friends, and as this was
miserably small, he intrusted it to
Junot, a young officer who frequented
gaming tables, and bade him lose 1t all
or increase It in enormous proportions.
"On your success" be said, depends
the possibility Of my accepting
this command, and taking you
as my aide e-de-camp." According 70
one account, JunOt first augmented
the amount of his capital by selling q
gold-hilted sword which belonged to
him, for B3naparte never failed to win
the love of those who came IN close con-
tact with him. After several hours
play, in which JunOt had been success
full beyond his hopes, he repaired to
his chief and handed him his win
nings, which he thought would be more
than sufficient to meet all immediate
claims. The General sent him back
once more to tempt fortune, with an
order not TO return till he had doubled
the sum or lost every cent. When Ju-
not appeared again it was with enough
money to enable Napoleon 10 make a
splendid appearance at headquarters.
The last sum won by Jun1t that night
has been put at $4,000, while ;the an
ecdote itself rests on excellent au-
thOrity.
Year: 1875

FRANKLIN county, Missouri, has IS
sued a large amount of indebtedness
evidenced i by coupon bonds for the
purpose of paying contractors for
work done on the county roads. The
issue Of the bonds Was a matter Of al
most as much notoriety as the con-
struction Of the roads, at least it would
seem probable that the people Of the
county who saw the work progressing
must have known that the work was to
be paid for. The bonds, as a
matter Of course, found their
way into the hands Of innocent
holders. When it became necessary
to lew a special tax, for the purpose Of
meeting the interest on the bonds, an
Injunction was sued to prevent such
levy and collection. In the State courts
the decision was IN favor Of the validi-
tv of the bonds, and the United States
Supreme Court has just rendered a
similar opinion, IN which the validity
of the honds is IN substance main
tained. The Court use the following
expression: "You must pay for an ex-
penditure which you saw incurred and
could have prevented, but did not. .