Democratic Sentinel, Volume 1, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1877 — AGRICULTURAL AND DOMESTIC. [ARTICLE]

AGRICULTURAL AND DOMESTIC.

Around tho Farm. Effect of Wind on Evergreens.— There was never a better illustration of a point we are continually urging—that it is wind much more than frost that is so destructive to evergreens, and gives a tender character to many beautiful varieties—than the equinoctial storm of last spring afforded. The thermometer was only ten degrees below the freezing point, but the injury to evergreens was greater than at any time through the winter, when the thermometer was at zero. — Gardener's Monthly. Watering in Cold Weather. —Cows giving milk need an abundance of water. The dry hay usually given affords little material for milk, and even with abundance of roots, unless water is placed within easy reach, cows will tend to fatten rather than to milk production, i great difficulty in cold weather is in having water so far from the yard that cows will suffer long before going from comfortable quarters to reach it. Whenever it is possible, a cistern should be constructed under the bam or under ground to hold water for stock.— Exchange. Repairing the Mischief of Mice.— The writer had some seventeen apple trees badly damaged by being girdled by mice, many of them clear around the tree and for a space of six or eight inches from the base up, the past winter. Those trees are now in full leaf, and are apparently doing as well as any among about 100 of the same age. We encircled the damaged places with common grafting wax, over which we wound cloth and then bound with twine. This was done as soon as we discovered the mischief and before the wood had seasoned.—Germantown Telegraph.

Feeding New-Born Calves. —When calves are taken from their dams immediately after being dropped, care should be taken to feed them at first with their mothers’ milk, which at the time of calving is peculiarly adapted to act as a gentle purgative, ridding the bowels of the calf of the meconium with which they are charged at birth. To induce the new-born calf to drink readily from a pail, a couple of fingers should be put into his mouth, and the muzzle then brought gently into the milk, which it will draw into the mouth while sucking the fingers.— Rural New Yorker.

To Break Up a Sitting Hen.— Our lady friends who generally have charge of the poultry department are sometimes worried and tortured by the obstinacy of hens that persist in sitting when they are not wanted to perform that duty. Many plans have been tried to prevent hens from sitting, such as tossing them in the air, or driving them from place to place; but the best way is to fasten a string to the hen’s leg, four or five feet in length, and tie the other end to a stake driven in the ground, close to the path where you are in the habit of pasting frequently. Then scare her as often as you go that way. One day effects a cure.— American Stock Journal.

Raising Corn for Fodder.— One dairy farmer, who has 100 dairy cows, says* that he wants his corn grown so as to produce the greatest quantity of ears possible for the purpose of feeding his cows, and to increase their daily flow of milk ; and, from letters received from different sections of the country last fall, there is no doubt that very many farmers will make the experiment this season with sweet corn, growing it in such a manner as to produce ears as well as fodder, all to be used in the feeding of farm stock this summer and fall, and from such experiments much knowledge may be gained. The large, free-growing varieties of sweet com are best for this purpose.— Cor. Exchange.

Protecting Trees from Babbits. — Trees from three to ten years old, which farmers value at several dollars during the fall, are often found to be ruined in the spring. Blood or manure applied to the bark in the early winter will generally protect until the smell is gone; but even then the rabbits take hold some. An all-winter protection is better. Some use poplar bark; others cedar bark. Would not building-paper be a good protection ? I have seen apple trees protected by cheap barrels. When the tree is small both heads are taken out and the barrel pressed over the tree. When the tree is larger, a hoop is taken from each end, and every hoop is nailed to every stave; then every hoop is sawed off between two staves; you can thus spring your barrel around the tree. Then the upper and lower hoops are replaced and nailed. A barrel thus prepared will protect from hogs, sheep, rabbits and the sun. — Correspondence II estern Rural.

About the House. Never start your Are with oil. It is fashionable to economize. Try lemon juice on cucumbers. Fruits are delicious for breakfast. Use a cloth for washing potatoes. Quiet workers accomplish the most. Air pillows in the wind, not in the sun. Variety is the very best culinary pice. Use blue tissue-paper for wrapping up silverware. Make your home bright and cheerful as possible on rainy days. Rub your kitchen table with a ripe tomato to remove the greaso. Do not use silver spoons to scrape kettles, or silver forks to toast bread. Never starch napkins; they are intended to wipe the mouth, not to scratch it. To sweeten a sour sponge; rub thoroughly in lemon juice, then rinse several times in warm water. Wash matting with warm salt water—one pint of salt to two-thirds of a pail of water, and dry with a soft cloth. First boil ashes in a new kettle, then scrub with soap aud sand; fill with clean water and boil two or there hours. Wiien servants do not wait upon table, let the lady members of the family take turns in serving. It is much pleasanter than for this one, that one, or all to jump up every time an article is needed. Corn Fritters. —Cut the com from twelve cars into a deep dish: mix in three eggs and one teacupful flour ; fry in a skillet or spider, as they require considerable fat. If the com is grated it will be as good. Relief for Catarrh.— A snuff made of powdered borax, and used frequently during the day; also borax dissolved in tepid water and snuffed up the nostrils. Spirits of camphor on a handkerchief, and kept near the nostrils at night after retiring, will also be of great benefit. Indelible Ink Spots. —Cyanide of potassium will remove indelible ink, but being a deadly poison it must be carefully handled. A druggist will give the necessary information. Try a mixture of lemon juice and salt; keep the spots wet with it, and bleach iu the sun. A Breakfast Luxury. —Take eight ears of corn and grate them, carefully scraping off the cobs with a knife, so as to get'all the milk. Peel one quart of good, ripe tomatoes, and cut them into the com. Season with salt and pepper. Put in butter, and roll in three soda crackers. Let them stew steadily for one hour. To Remove Grease Spots from Black Velveteen.— Have a bowl of hot water, a tooth-brush, and some pulverized borax. Dip the brash into the water, then into the borax, and scour the spots; when the grease has disappeared rinse the places with fresh hot water, using the bmgh to do go; mb

dry -with a black cloth; shake well; when quite dry brash the places with a dry brush. Tomato Soup, —Boil one quart sweet milk; take one quart hot water, one quart stewed tomatoes, measured after they are cooked, then strain seeds out; put tomatoes and water together, wet one and a half table-spoonfuls corn starch with a little cold milk, put in the boiled milk and beat until it thickens a little; then put the milk in the tureen with a little butter, pepper and salt, pour the tomatoes in, stir quickly, and serve. Corn Bread.— Put in a quart measure two table-spoonfuls wheat flour, fill it up with Indian meal, put this into a sieve with two teaspoonfuls sugar, half teaspoonful salt, two teaspoonfuls cream tartar, one teaspoonful soda; sift all into a bowl, mix it with one quart milk, one egg, and two teaspoonfuls melted butter; beat well, pour into a mediumsized dripping-pan, well greased; when baked cut in squares, and serve hot for breakfast.

Tomato Catchup. —One peck ripe tomatoes, one teacupful salt, half teacupful black pepper, two table-spoonfuls ground cloves, two table-spoonfuls ground allspice, six small red peppers, and four onions, chopped together fine; half teacupful celery seed; wash and wipe the tomatoes, cut them up, and put in preserving kettle; add all the above ingredients excepting the celery seed; boil two hours, stirring frequently; then remove it from the fire and strain through a sieve; add celery seed and boil half an hour longer; before taking it from the fire, add one quart good vinegar; bottle and seal.