Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 April 1879 — FARM NOTES. [ARTICLE]

FARM NOTES.

About half the weight of bones is mineral matter—lime combined with phosphoric acid, forming phosphate of lime, a substance which abounds in the ash of grain h and of wood, and is no doubt the reason why a portion of wood ashes is beneficial for swine. Des Moines Register. A solution of an ounce of gum aloes, powdered, and a large table-spoonful of common soda, to each half-gallon cf boiling water, is said to be useful in ridding young cabbage and other plants of insects, sprinkled from a can with a very fine roee, or, in the case of but few plants, from a rubber spraying bag. Quit brooding over your troubles, misfortunes and losses. A brave man, with a soul in him worth anything, gets out of such pitiful ruts ana laughs at discouragements—rolls up his sleeves, whistles and sings, and makes the best of life. This earth is not paradise—you are only on the road there, if you take the right direction.— lowa State Register. Poultry will pick up lime, etc., in order to form the shells of their eggs; they will eat feathers to obtain a supply of albumen to furnish plumage, and gravel to assist in grinding their food. When we shut up animals in their pens or stalls, we ought to furnish them with the substances which their instinct points out as necessary to their health and vigor. , The Journal of Forestry gives the Tollowing description of a pear tree still productive near the village of Eardiston, England, with no evidence of decay : Height, 56 feet; girth of stem at ground level, 14 feet; girth at 5 feet up, 12 feet; height of stem to first large branch, 11 feet; diameter of spread of branches, 62 feet, giving a circumference of head of branches of about 182 feet.

A correspondent of an exchange has tried soaking seed corn in a solution of chloride of lime with satisfactory results. He says of it: “By soaking seed corn seven hours in a very strong decoction of chloride of lime, com can be forced ahead to maturity two or three weeks sooner than it will mature otherwise; besides he thinks it renders the seeds almost proof against the depredations of gophers. The lime warms up the germ of the seed and sends it up quickly, giving it two or three weeks the start of corn planted in the ordinary way, thereby insuring against the frost at the close of the season.” A correspondent of Colman’s Rural World, writing from Mountain Home, Ark., gives the following remedy for black-leg in cattle: “I have cured several of my own, Ind also some of my neighbors’. I lost five or six head before I could find a remedy for them. I will not describe the disease, for all stock men know how it affects cattle. By keeping a close watch I can tell very near as soon as they are taken, and then I give them three or four teaspoonfuls of soda, from one-half to one pint of sweet milk and from one-half to one pint of molasses, all put into a bottle and drench them; also, bathe spine and leg with spirits of turpentine. Ido this when they are first taken. This remedy will cure if given in time; but will not if they have been sick for some four or five hours. About three drenchings and one bathing of spine and legs will be enough for one day.” Very many farmers, and many otherwise good dairymen, seem to think that they may save money by turning their cows upon the pastures on the first appearance of grass, and that thereafter all the feed given at home is thrown away. There is nothing more fallacious. If you have plenty of pasture, and it will not poach under foot, give the stock a chance at it by all means, but do not fail to give the usual feed night and morning so long as they will eat. The young grass will tend to clear the system of humor, and act as an alternate to other food given. It will also quickly improve the color and flavor of butter. If pasture is not plenty, it is far better to keep them in the yaras until the grass grows to a fair bite. It is the worst possible policy to try and save hay and grain in the spring between fodder and grass. Such stock will show this false economy all through the season.— Prairie Farmer.