Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 June 1891 — HOME AND THE FARM. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HOME AND THE FARM.

A DEPARTMENT MADE UP FOR OUR RURAL. FRIENDS. Sonw Nnw Appliances for the FarmerWell Selected Suggestions for the Housewife. the Stockman, the Dairyman, the Poulterer, and the Horticulturist—Notes. THE FARM. Diseases ot Domestic Animals.

X 1 \ HE Journal of Comparative Mcdictnc says that Dr. Hibbert, of Bonn, finds that tuberculosis sometimes at--1 \\i| tacks poultry, 1 V* and ie dis- ; ease may become epidemic in > a flock. The doctor is reported as stating that the bacilli are to yr be found chiefly / in the intestinal Figis walls, spleen, and liver, and that the bacilli are

distributed largely through the veins, and are to be seen in large numbers about venous walls. Verily It does seem that the vegetarians have been furnished with new and moving arguments by the researches of scientists within the last few years. Swine are afllicted by trichinas and by the parasites which cause so-cailed hog cholera, cattle suffer from fatal diseases of the lungs, foot-and-mouth disease, splenic fevers, cancer, tuberculosis, and anthrax, while the use of insufficiently cooked beef produces tapeworm in man; chickens suffer from the presence of countless multitudes of parasites which cause cholera by which the flock is decimated, and now it Is asserted that the cheerful hen clucking about the dooryard may be but an emissary of evil, concealing within her flesh the seeds of a dread plague which has destroyed millions of human lives. It will now be in order for some microsco-pically-inclined friend of the butchers to show that fruits and vegetables harbor untold millions of parasites which do but wait for fitting opportunity to prey upon confiding man. Adjustable Snwbuck. For the benefit of the boys who use a cross-cut saw at the wood-pile, Mr. T. M. Elder, of Nebraska, sends a description of an adjustable sawbuck. The ends are made of 2x4 scaßtling, three feet long,

mortised together. They are connected by a piece of wagon-tire eight feet long. The cut makes no further explanation necessary.—Farm and Fireside. Black Currant*. We use them for the table, with sugar, the same as red ones; wo make jam of them, and can them for winter. Jelly and cordial, which are highly esteemed for medicinal purposes, can also be made from them. The jelly is thought to be particularly beneficial in cases of sore throat, and the cordial in summer complaints. It has always seemed strange that more attention has not been paid to them. The bushes are easily propagated from cuttings, which can be planted either in the fall or spring. With proper cultivation they make rapid growth and bear quite abundantly the second season after planting. They are not troubled by the currant worm. So far as I know, they are not troubled by any blight or disease. Currants are so much more easily picked than strawberries or raspberries that they find favor in my sight. The stooping position necessary in picking strawberries is very tiresome, and one comes out of the raspberry season with hands scratched and fuiil of thorns, and garments as badly rent as if they had sojourned forty years in the wilderness.—Fick’s Magazine. Advantage* ol Good School* One of the first questions asked by people who think of coming to a town to live is, What kind of schools do you have? If. the schools are not good people will go to other places. This is one of the causes of abandoned farms. People are leaving the country towns in search of better schools. Parents do not take the interest in schools they should. Very few of the parents ever visit the school. The teacher seeing this lack of interest doer, not do the work she otherwise would. The pupils also think it does not matter whether they learn or not, and so the school does not amount to much. The parents lay the blame on the teacher when they an; mor# to blame themselves. Let the parents awakv to the advantages of frequently visiting the schoolroom and take an interest in the work done and we will have better schools, better towns, fewer deserted farms and less grumbling all around. — Farm, and Home.

Tell It to the Batter Maker*. A gilt-edged article will sell at a good price even in a glutted market. THE HOUSEHOLD. Hint* to Housekeeper*. To make tea do not use water which has stood in the teakettle and been boiled repeatedly. Fili the kettle with fresh water, and use It just as it comes to the boiling point. A number of stout calico bags sewed up with double seams, and tied tightly at the top with tapes, are most useful. Let all be distinctly labelled, and not be so large but that each can bo devoted to oue class of garments. Any one whose nerve force is deficient and blood impoverished may take, with benefit, the yolk of an egg, well beaten up in a glass of milk, each morning. The iron and phosphoric compounds are in such a condition as to be readily assimilated by the system, although small in amotit To separate the yo-ks and white’s of eggs, break the shell on the edge of a dish, then pass the yolk several times from one half-shell to the other, letting the white fall to the dish; In this way the yolk will remain unbroken in the shell. When eggs are to be beaten separately, beat the yolks until creamy and light

colored, and the whites until dry, or so that they will not fall from the bowl if it is turned upside down. Common salt is said to be one of the best agents for cleaning marble, such as wash basins, sink fixtures, and the like. It requires no preparation, and may be rubbed directly upon the tarnished surface, removing any incrustations or deposits at once, leaving the marble shining and clean. The inside of a range, including the oven flues, ought to be cleaned by the kitchen maid regularly once a month. Do not employ a man to do the work as it is something that should not be neglected for five or six months, as it generally Is. If done once a month, the soot in the oven flues being raked out into a newspaper, held so us to prevent the cloud of dust flying out into the room, there is no hardship in this work. If the stove is kept clean, the ashes regularly taken out with care into a covered ash pail, there will be no trouble in the kitchen with the dust of the stove, which is the source of the dingy look of so many kitchens. Buying cheap boots is about the most extravagant act a woman can be guilty of. Only poor leather enters into their composition, therefore they keep in good condition but a few weeks; they are usually uncomfortable, unshapely, and a bad fit. A neat, well-made boot goes far toward promoting the elegance of a toilet, and, unless utterly impossible, a fair price- should always be paid for this commodity. House shoes and slippers are of less importance, but even here the cheap article is the dearest in the end.

THE POULTRY PRODUCT. Some Idea of Where the Eggx Come trom, New York city consumes between 2,000,000 and 3,000,000 eggs daily. A produce dealer who handles more eggs than any other concern in the country, savs that if the whole surface of the State of Now York wore covered with hens they could not lay enough eggs to supply New York city. Of course New York State yields many eggs, but the larger cities of the interior, like Albany, Troy, and Syracuse, use most of the eggs the New York farmers produce. The same is the case with Long Island. The local residents consume the homo supply. New Jersey does nc-t produce as many eggs as its citizens consume at home. Half a dozen Western States supply the bulk of all the eggs which are consumed In New York city. Indiana sends the largest number. Next in the list are Ohio, Michigan, and lowa. It is estimated that Indiana Is the largest eggproducing State in the country. Illinois hens produce many eggs, but they nearly all go to the Chicago market. Heretofore Canada has shipped into the United States hundreds of carloads of eggs. For the last three or four years Canada has annually shipped about $2,000,000 worth of eggs to this market. The present duty on foreign eggs promises a practical prohibition against imports. Previous to the change In the tariff considerable Importations of eggs were made from Europe, commencing three or four years ago. These European eggs were gathered principally in Southern Germany and in Italy, and preserved. The dealers say that pickled eggs, while not good for poaching or boiling, because the shells are brittle, yet are useful for many other purposes. Commission men say that eggs are handled at a smaller profit than other food products. The shipper buys directly from the farmer as a rule. Ho has his wagons, which drive from farmhouse to farmhouse at stated intervals, collecting the eggs. At this season of the year the loss from bad eggs is very small, and when the shipper lias a carload he packs the eggs in cases or barrels, and starts them to New York. They are consigned to a commission dealer, who charges 5 per cent, on the sales. The cost of bringing eggs from great distances is less than one would think. The large shipments reduce the cost of freight. It costs about three-quarters of a cent a dozen more to bring eggs from Ohio than from the vicinity ot New York, and only 1% cents a dozen more to bring them from lowa. It is generally the supply of eggs from the Western States which fixes the price in the East. Eggs are highest and scarcest from the first of December to the middle of February. Of late years, however, there have been liberal shipments during these months to New York City from Missouri and Kansas. Eggs from the latter State have a fair reputation among dealers. There are many car-loads shipped in from Tennessee, Maryland and Virginia. During March and April eggs pour into New York City from all directions. The Indiana and Ohio shippers are particularly active. Generally about the first of April eggs are shipped in to New York at the rate of 4,000,000 or 5,000,000 a day, and prices usuallly drop very fast Commission men have to bo pretty busy in handling eggs in warm weather. Heat is the egg’s great enemy, and farmers are not always as careful as they might be In handling their eggs. Twenty-four hours at a certain temperature will start the process of incubation and spoil the egg. An egg which has been kept for three weeks in an even temperature (if about 30 degrees4s much better, and apparently much fresher, than one which has passed twenty hours In a temperature of 80 degrees.— American Cultivator.

THE APIARY. How to Hive a Swarm of Been. To hive a swarm of bees successfully, and in a systematic manner, requires presence of mind, coolness of nerves and fearlessness. To note the vast difference of the ways in which bees are hived throughout tho country would be very amusing. I think It is sufficient to point out the correct way. It is the usual custom on discovering a swarm leaving the hive to begin throwing water on them; tills Ido not do. When I see a swarm in the air, I at once set about to prepare the hive for them. If I know which hive they have come out of I remove It to a new location and set the new one in its place, and spread on the ground just in front of it a sheet doubled twice. The new hive should contain a full set of frames with a narrow strip of foundation as a starter, and if it is during a good honey flow and after tho surplus arrangements have been put on, I would remove the latter from off the old hive and place It on the new one; by this time the swarm has settled. If low enough, I sprinkle them a little to prevent them from flying when jarred. Now get your swarming basket (I find that one holding a bushel is the most convenient); to the handle of this tie to a pole; a piece of pine one and one-half or two inches sqare is just right Now reach up with the apparatus just described and place

the basket under the cluster; the end of handle should extend beyond the basket a foot or so; strike the limb on which tho bees have settled a sharp blow, at the same time keeping the mouth of the basket where the bees will fall into it. If the first jar is hard enough the queen will fall into the basket together with the larger portion of the bees. Hold the basket in the same position until the beeshave settled, and If any settle on the limb cont inue to jar it until they have all settled in or on the basket. You now have them captured and can do anything you want with them. I have carried a swarm a mile in this shape without any trouble. If your hive is in. readiness carry the bees and pour them down in front of it and assist them to enter bj taking hold of the corners of the sheet and raising it; after they arc all in see that the hive is shaded from the sun’s rays, and you can then leave them to take care of themselves.— Farm, Field and Stockman.

THE DAIRY. Cleanliness Is by Far the Greatest Need In the Dairy. Cleanliness is the greatest need in tho dairy and next to that come better cows and better care and feed for them. That is the expression of the greatest number of voices in answer to the question. What is the greatest need in the dairy? in Fann and Home's great voting contest that has recently been decided. Tho answers were not as varied as they wereto some of the other questions, and the voters struck the nail right on the head when they said that more cleanliness was needed. This means that you must give the cows bettor stables so that they can bo kept clean. They must haver plenty of clean bedding and their tails kept out of the dirt and filth. The stables must bo cleaned oftener and some disinfectant used to take away the bad odors. The cows’ udders must be cleaned before milking and the milker must wash his hands, too. The milk should not be put in anything but tho cleanest of clean vessels and in a room, or creamer that is free from bad smells and odors. The milk palls and all vessels that hold and come in contact with tho milk must be thoroughly cleansed after using. Boiling hot water is the thing to do it with and good air and sunlight out of doors are great purifiers. Better feed also is an important item and this not only meansfeed of a bettor quality, but a greater variety of it, and fed in such quantities that will give the most of tho desired article, whether milk or butter. In other words, feed a properly balanced ration. Pastures are included, too, and many of them need re-seeding with a variety of grasses, cleaning of bushes and foui weeds or enriching to got more and better grass. Everybody knows that better cattleare needed, for tho average milk production of the cows in tills country is about 3000 lbs and of butter 125 tbs. At least one-third of the cows are kept at a dead loss every year, one-third of them just pay for their keep and the other third give a profit. This profit has to balance the loss of keeping tho one-third that do not give enough milK or butter to pay for what they eat. besides giving tho profit for tho whole number. It is estimated that it takes 150 It is of butter a year to keep a cow, so wo must raise, tho average above that to get a. profit. If it is possible for a cow to give nearly 30,000 lbs of milk In a year’ and another to make over 1,100 tbs of marketable butter in the same time, it shows that with proper development, combined with proper food in sufficient quaqtltjes, a much higher average can bo reached. Moro knowledge is what many think is the great solution of this problem and; there are several grains of truth in this. It is no use of talking about improvement to an ignorant man, for he never sees the need of improvement. If lr>. some wav you can make him desireknowledge, he will acquire it and tho the other things will come as a natural sequence. Some of the other answers tliat are included in better care, feed, etc., are better quarters, good water, better milk and Improved methods. Cooperation, no Imitations, no middlemen, dehorning and the creamery system were thought by some to be tho needed thing, but ttese will all come with knowledge. Silage and the silo had many supporters and this means better feed. The talk about a general purpose cow* that has been a favorite topic of discussion in agricultural papers for several i years, seems to have done much good, for hardly a dozen answers were received I in favor of this nondescript. If dairymen have already made such an advanceas to think that they do not want a cow for everything, but that they want » special cow for a special purpose, they have taken along step in advance and they must desire knowledge. If this is so, we may expect better times in dairying in the years to come. Holsteins were favored by some, but twice as many voted for Jerseys and nearly as many for Guernseys. Probably one reason why there was not such a variety of answers given as in reply to the horse question, is that the cow is not put to somany different uses as the horse.—Practical Farmer. Dairy No Um. Make arrangements now by which the cows next summer can have plenty of pure water. There is money In kindness to cows; and the wonder Is that so few recognize the fact. Let the ground settle and the grass get a good start before you turn the cowsto pasture. It is better for the cow and better for the pasture to make haste slowly about turning the cow out to grass early. Linseed meal is not only nutritious, but also serves to regulate the bowels, and at this season loosen up the hair so that the cows soon get on their sleek summer coats If the man who is cross with his cows could only see the little globules of butter fat leaving the milk, or refusing to go into it, when he is abusing them, then, his conscience that he carried in his pocket-book would be aroused, and for the sake of filthy lucre lie would do what he ought to have done for the sake of humanity. The more thoroughly domesticated a. cow Is. the less objection she makes to surrendering hK- calf to the care of her owner, and the less she worries about separation from it The calf must b® kept dry and free from filth. If confined in a pen give fresh straw often. Land plaster sprinkled among it will; make a good absorbent. A wet, filthy condition will neutralize the effects of. much good feed. It is as easy for some men to be witty as.it is difficult lor some to bo otherwise that* dulL

ADJUSTABLE SAW BUCK.