Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1878 — AGRICULTURAL AND DOMESTIC. [ARTICLE]

AGRICULTURAL AND DOMESTIC.

Around the Farm. - In breaking a colt, never lie to him. That is, make no false motions or wrong words, or yon will confuse him. The man who pays no interest is always in clover. It is interest which tats he profits np, and few farms are profitable enough to stand heavy mortgages.

When muslin is only 8 cents per yard no one is-excusable in letting his patient and faithful horses be annoyed and eaten by flies. Covers give comfort to the horse and patience to the driver. Mb. Shelby Reed thinks there is something in a name. He remarks that “it would add to our enjoyment, when riding about the country, if farmers would practice painting their names on their front gate, or in some conspicuous place.” Hellebore is a well-known specific for the currant worm, and one good time and way to apply it is when the leaves are dry. sifting it on through the fine nose of a watering-pot, into which a broom handle is thrust, making such thorough work that the bush is enveloped m a cloud of dust.

It is not worth while to set hens after the first week in June, ordinarily. With the Asiatics it is not profitable, since they feather slowly at any season, and chickens hatched out later than the last of June are caught without their new plumage in September and October. This retards their growth and development; the pullets are useless as winter layers, and they will rarely mature to so good advantage as the chicks got out of the shells prior to Jane, either in size, hardihood, or physical condition generally. — Poultry World. My method of milking a young heifer which is rather restive is this: I have a man card her on the off-side when I begin milking; ninety-nine times in 100 she will stand quiet, and give down milk freely. I never raised a kicking heifer. I bought one once that kicked; L used to make her stand with the off-hind-foot in advance of the other—with this she could not kick in this position—then I put my knees forward of the other, and my left arm also forward and close to the leg, which she cannot raise very well against these barriers. Patience* perseverance and kind treatment will generally succeed in producing a quiet cow. — Than. Whitaker, Hillsdale Farm , Mans.

A neighbor bad a fine flock of young ducks, some thirty in number. For some cause unknown to him, they died off rapidly until but twelve remained. In distress he asked my opinion of the cause of his loss. My first question was in regard to their food, and when I learned that meal—corn meal—had been fed, I assured him he could attribute his loss to that. Young ducks should have curd; not a particle of meal until six or eight weeks old. Mr. Berry has since substituted curd, and the ducklings are healthy and growing finely. Chickens, too, are very fond of sour milk. I always keep a supply where they can have free access to it at all times.— Cor. Moore's Rural.

Nothing adds so much to the beauty of a farm as neat, tidy surroundings. Farmers are too much occupied about the plowing, planting, etc., to give much time to light work in spring, yet it would require but very little extra effort to spare a few hours about the house and bam; but it would add so very much more to its attractions, and make it far more valuable in the eyes of others, particularly those who are in search of a farm to purchase as a home. Add to this the repairing of broken hinges and gates and all kinds of machinery, and one has relieved himself of great discomfort and has been rearing a refined influence, both in his own family and that of his neighbors, and also prolonged the life of his family by the removal of that which creates disease and death. “An ounce of preventive is worth a pound of cure.”

A correspondent ob j ects to Hungarian grass as feed for horses, on the ground “ that the seeds are small and hard, very diffiault of digestion, and liable to cause inflammation, producing all the symptoms of founder; the grass also is a diuretic, acting strongly on the kidneys and causing weakness of the loins.” This is the first time we ever heard charges so serious made against Hungarian grass, and we have known of its being used for a feed for years. The best time to secure the crop is when it is in blossom, and before the seeds have formed. The beards at this time have not reached that degree of stiffness which the writer thinks causes injury to the stomach of the horse, while the embryotic seeds are perfectly harmless. One large farmer in the State has, to our personal knowledge, been using it for feed for his horses, at one time keeping eight on it without injury; but then he always aims to cut at the right time.— St. Paul Pioneer Press.

About the House. To Prevent Metals from Rusting.— Melt together three pints Of lard and one pint of resin, and apply a very thin coating with a brush It will preserve stoves and grates from rusting through the summer.— New England Farmer. Paste for Cleaning Metals. —To make a paste for cleansing metals take one part of oxalic acid and six of rottenstone and mix with equal parts of train oil and spirits of turpentine to a paste. The oxalic acid is poisonous.— Exchange. lo Preserve the Aroma of Coffee. —By mixing 25 per cent, of well-dried bread crumbs with coffee, when grinding, a German chemist claims that the delicate aroma of the fresh ground coffee will be retained for an indefinite period, which otherwise soon escapes. Improved Stove-Polish.— The housewife who finds it necessary to keep a stove up in the sitting-room during the summer—and, if there is no grate or fire-place, there should be a stove kept up for cool nights and mornings and damp days—will find that a table-spoon-ful of molasses added to the blacking will cause it to adhere better and retain the polish longer.— Economist. Washing Glassware. —lt is a mistake to wash glass tumblers, goblets, and the like in hot water; if cold be used a brighter and clearer appearance is left when the glass is wiped dry. If the glass is p. rticularly soiled, a pinch of soda in the water will cleanse it easily. —Chicago Inter Ocean. Removing a Glass Stopper. —Let alone all violent measures, as hot water, fire or steam, and put a drop or two of glycerine in the crevice around the stopper. Set it aside, and forget all about for an hour or two. When you do give it a little twist; you will be surprised to see how kindly it yields to mild pqpsuasion, like a balky horse.— Chicago Tribune. Papering a Whitewashed Wall.— Frst scrape off any of the lime which may be loose or inclined to fall; then sweep or rub off the dust; then with a whitewash brush give the wall a coat of glue-water—about one-half pound of glue to three gallons of water —this the paper-hangers call sizing. After this dries put on the paper ; the glue sticks to the lime, and the paper sticks to the glue.— Western Rural. How to Cut a Glass Bottle.—Saturate a piece of common twine in spirits of turpentine, and pass it once or twice around the bottle where you wish to cut it ; then light the twine," and hold the part of the bottle which you wish to keep in your hand. Turn the bottle so

the fire will burn on all parts of the twine at once, and when it cools, if it does not drop off, give it a gentle tap.— Science at Home.