Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 July 1892 — HOME AND THE FARM. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HOME AND THE FARM.

A DEPARTMENT MADE UP FOR OUR RURAL FRIENDS. People Should Be Cautions About Engaging In the Poultry Business—Device for Balling a Wagon Box—On Curing HayHousehold and Kitchen. A Spring Double-tree. Bolt a piece of broken buggy or spring seat "Bprtos"to each end of a double-tme, as shown in c.ut: clevis pin to go through hole In spj-1 ng, used In hinging the two springs together.

The double-tree should be taoered at each end from ftanti side. Very handy in plowing In stampy ground; or where horses are liable to receive sudden and severe jerks. To Raise a Wagon Box. With my device, says a Farm and Home correspondent, I can stand at one spot arid raise the box up evenly to any desired height. I made two rollers out of 6 inch saplings, one 6£ feet long and the other 5 feet long; put f bolts in ends, then bored holes In cross pieces lor roller end bolts, and then spiked them against joists of wagon house at distance apart to correspond with length ot box. Also bored holes 3£ feet apart into rollers in which are placed ropes, and with cross slat-s at ends of ropes to slip over ends of box. Bored holes mid-

way from outer holes for centre rope. Bored hole into end of long roller and passed rope down to 1£ feet windlass roller 8 Inches thick at side of wagon house, into which I bored 4 2-inch holes for 2 hickory sticks 3 feet long. Now I wound centre ropes several times around short roller, also wound windlass ropes several times around end of long roller, then turned the windlass, and up goes the heavy box with perfect ease. When box was up as high as I wished it, left one stick In roller resting against upper cross piece of windlass frame. It is the most useful device I have about the farm, A Movable Fence. Bore a 2-inch hole in the centre of each of two pieces of wood, 5 feet long and 4 inches in diameter (more or less). Slip them on the ends of a

►good rail trimmed to a snug fit. One foot from each end of the rail bore a 2-inch hole to he

at right angles to end pieces. Into each drive a piece of wood so that the projection shall be one-half the length of the uprights; stretch across the number of barbed wires required and your fence is complete so far. The height of fence and the timber used is a matter of choice. It is cheap, hardy and serviceable. —A. M. Smith in Practical Farmer. The Poultry Business. A writer in the American Agriculturist says; “People should be just as careful about going into the poultry business as they would be at engaging in any other business. Do not think it is easy enough to raise chickens, and that anybody can do it. There, are, perhaps, more failures among those trying to raise poultry on a large scale than in any other branch of farming. Before attempting it we would advise all to try and gain their experience at the expense of somebody else. Take a position as laborer, or in any capacity, on a poultry farm, or if possible, rent one before embarking all your own capital. Experiment for a season. You will never regret the experience. If successful you will have learned much and be able to save money in arranging the place you buy. If unsuccessful you want no more of it Poultry papers-publish the successes but seldom the failures. In this they are misleading. Where most people do and can succeed is in keeping a few hens about the farm for the eggs alone. They are fed and cared for better, comparatively, than a large flock and give better returns. Ido not say that it is impossible to succeed on a large scale, but Ido say that more fail than succeed. Therefore, I urge all to be careful when engaging in raising chickens on a large scale, and try to get experience before investing heavily. To raise poultry needs considerable capital. You must not expect that the fowls are at once going to return money enough to keep themselves and you, too. If you rent a farm you will always be spending ycur money on the property of another, and will begrudge the erection of houses and yards that will be, essential to your success. That will be an outlay for which you will get no.direct return. Makeshifts in the poultry business are as bad as in any other business. If you buy your farm pay for It outright, and then you will know exactly how you stand. You want everything arranged for economy both of time aud labor, for the labor on a chicken farm never ceases from before daylight until after dark. Chickens need constant and zealous care, quite as much as the counting house of a successful business man needs his ever watchful and attentive eye, even in the most minute details. Go slowly and steadily, and always keep enough money on hand to pay every item of expenditure that you may Incur on buildings or your own living for at least a year. Other things that you do not think of will absorb your first small receipts, and you may see some new breeds that you will want.” Commercial Quantities. Farmers, as well as dealers, should understand the • significance of commercial terms. In the absence of any qualification as relates to quality, in speaking of a bushel of potatoes, apples, corn, onions, or any other product measured by that standard, means a measure of a No. 1 article. There is no farmer but that knowg •that there are different grades of

products; but commercially speaking,'only the No. 1 is referred to unless it is mentioned as seconds or of third quality; but because so little regard is paid to putting up farm products, the price is established upon a low grade, and thus farmers are made to suffer. It would be much better if there was a closer observance of the principle of honest packing on the part of those who are the producers, and then in return there might be a mote positive demand for similar treatment in return. But if the farmer takes to the grocer a lot of produce below the No. 1 standard, he has less cause for com-' plaint if in return he receives groceries of a low grade in quality. He is, however, entitled to a pure quality, no matter how low the grade. He cannot adulterate his potatoes, apples, or grain, if he does put them up of poor quality, so neither should he be compelled to be Imposed upon by receiving coffee, tea, spices, etc., in return.—Germantown Telegraph. On Caring Iltty. T)r. Yoelker, the celebrated chemist of the Royal Agricultural Society, in treating of the chemistry of haymaking, says that where all thqjfconditions are favorable for prompApuring there is practically no loss of nutritive elements in the change from grass to hay. When freshly cut, the relation of the sugar and fermentable matter to the water is such that at first no fermentation is induced. As water is lost by evaporation, the percentage of sugar and fermentable matter gradually Increases, and if the process of curing is delayed or arrested, there is likely to be more or less fermentation, followed by a loss of nutritive matter. If hay is exposed to rains when only partly cured, there will be some loss in nutritive elements by the washing out of some of the soluble matter. It is always best to continue and complete If possible the process of curing without interruption, as the quality of the resultant hay will be of superior character. Peach Growing:. a m of questions addressed to peach-growers in the State of New Jersey by the State Experiment Station elicited answers showing a variety of opinion and practice,* but In the following cases there was a much nearer approximation to unanimity: First, In nearly all Instances the peach orchard was naturally well drained; second, the average tillage of the peach orchard is about three years ot hoed crop or buckwheat one season arid afterward of clean culture; third, the majority of the orchards were without forest or other protection; fourth, fully seventy-five varieties are named, of which Smock, Crawford, Late Reeves, Pride of Franklin, Selway, Morris, Rare Ripe, Old Mixon. President and Mountain Rose are among those most generally known; fifth, “as a rule the injury did not extend beyond the buds, but in some cases the upper ends of the branches suffered; sixth, age did not make constant difference as regards amount of injury. It is said that a large crop of apples may be grown when a hive of bees is station In the orchard. The pollen is rubbed from their bodies against the pistils of thousands of flowers, which thus become fertilized. Many of the strange freaks of hybridizing varieties are due to the agency of bees.—Baltimore Sun. A Just BIU. Farmers living apart In a county have each bought an implement In good faith, unsuspicious of, there being the slightest unsatisfied claim upon it But somebody claims that it is an infringement upon his patent Whether the claim Is just or not, or whether it is established after two, five or ten years of litigation, “agents” of the claimant go through the country and demand damages from the individual purchasers, and do it in such a way that the purchaser pays five, ten, twenty or more dollars to “settle” the matter. House Bill No. 601, Section 13, Is designed to, and will, if enacted, stop this swindling and annoyance. It majxes the very just provision that wheye a patent is infringed, or alleged tq be infringed, the patentee or hjs representative shall seek his remedy by bringing suit not against the innocent and unsuspecting purchaser, if he have purchased an article in good faith of a regular dealer in the open market for his own use; but the claimant for damages for infringement shall bring his claim or sulk for damages first against the manufacturer or seller. Can anything be more just? It is the manufacturer and seller who make the infringement, il there is one, and it is his business to,know what he is about, and if he has made a mistake, to protect those who have trustingly purchased his manufactures. Orange-Judd Farmer,

When to Cut Clover, Clover should be cut before it is too mature—say when about half the heads are turned to brown. Do not set the machine to work until the dew is off; then in an hour or two start the tedder, and if the sun is bright and warm, in two hours more, the rake. Some put up in small cocks: others haul in at once from the windrow, the grass not having had more than four hours’ sun. Clover loses very much by getting too ripe, and it is a mistake to let it lie too long after cutting.—Baltimore American. Care of Lambs. In the early spring there is nothing better for sheep and young lambs than to get them out to pasturage as soon as there is a fair start of the grass. But it must be remembered that they must not be exposed to storms of rain or snow, for which reason it is best to limit the pasturage to a location near the barn, or some ‘necessary shelter where they may be confined during nights and storms. It is also well to hold farm pasturage until there is a fair stool of grass, as sheep are seldom satisfied with dry fodder after once going to grass in the spring. A grass diet promotes the growth of lambs. Horse Thoughts. Don’t leave me hitched in my stall at night with a big cob light where I must lie down. T am tired and can’t select a smooth place. Don’t forget to file my teeth when thev set jagged and I cannot chew

my food. When I get lean, It is a sign my teeth want filing. Don’t make me drink ice cold water, nor put a frosty bit in my mouth. Warm the bit by holding a half minute against my body. Don’t compel me to eat more salt than I want by mixing with my oats. I know better than any other animal how much I need. Don’t say whoa unless you mean it. Teach me to stop at the word. It may check me If the lines break, and save a runaway and smash-up. Don’t trot me up hill, for I have to carry you and the buggy and myself too. Try it yourself sometime. • Run up hill with a big load.—Farm and Fireside. Waste in Apple Trees. Only about 10 per cent of the apple trees planted ever come into bearing. This big waste is ascribed to a combination of causes, the chief one, lack of care the first year. Bints to Housekeepers. To FOLisn kitchen stoves nicely, mix a little bicarbonate of soda with the brick dust and rub them together. A tablespoonfiJl of powdered alum sprinkled in a barrel of water will precipitate all Impure matter to the bottom. If feather pillows have an unpleasant smell, place them before a good lire and let them have a good, thorough drying. To sweeten rancid lard, heat the lard, and when melted slice in three or four pared potatoes; continue heating until the slices, which should be quite thin, are well browned. Renew stale crackers by placing them In the oven for a long enough time to dry them, but not to burn them. They are more delicious and crisp than when first baked. A comfortable way to take castor oil is to squeeze lemon juice into a wine glass, then pour the oil carefully on top, then more lemon juice on top of that, and swallow without stirring. The true physiological method of treating a burn or a scald Is to at once exclude the air with cotton batting, flour, scraped potato, varnish, white of an egg, paste, or anything that can be quickly obtained. Old feather beds may be freshened and the feathers made lighter and more lively by laying them on a clean grass plat during a heavy shower. Lei them be thoroughly wet through, then dried and beaten with rods. A bouquet of pennroyal is often effective in driving away mosquitoes. The odor is disagreeable to the annoying pest. If the taCTb is not at hand use the oil, which may be obtained at any drug store. Should the troublesome things succeed in ihelr attempt to feast upon vour life blood, apply diluted ammonia water. Miscellaneous Recipes. Bread Omelet. —One cupfnl of bread crumbs, one cupful sweet milk boiled and poured over the crumbs; let them soak half and hour, then add five well-beaten eggs and a little salt; pour into the frying pan, cook slowly, cut in squares, and turn over. A Cream of Tartar Drink. —Put into a large pitcher one ounce of cream of tartar, the rind and juice of two large, fresh lemons, and four ounces of loaf sugar. Pour over these ingredients two quarts of boiling water, stir until the sugar dissolves, leave until quite cold, then stir again; strain and serve. Rice Pudding with Canned Fruit —Another dainty preparation of rice, easily made, Is to have the rice cooked as usual. Then alternate in a pudding dish layers of rice with canned peaches or cherries. Bake for twenty minutes and serve with cream. Fresh cherries make a nice pudding after this method, but need a longer baking. Quick Waffles. —Two pints of sweet milk, one cupful of melted butter, and sifted flour to make a soft batter; add the well-beaten yelks of six eggs, then the beaten whites, and lastly, just before baking, four teaspoonfuls of baking powder, beating very hard and fast for a few minutes. These are very good with four or five eggs. Surprise Pudding. —ls you are taken unawares and have stale cake in the house, or can get it from the .bakers, this simple arrangement has the advantage of being both elegant in appearance and highly agreeable to the palate. Put a layer of any light, dry cake in a deep dish, and baste it with sherry wine until well moistened. Spread over it a layer of strawberry or raspberry jam, or you nuy use fresh fruit, with plenty of sugar, in the season. Cover the whole with whipped cream. Bacon Bits in Batter. —This palatable dish is made of a bit of good bacon and two fresh eggs. Homecured salt pork will answer, or a little cold foiled ham. Cut the meat In shavings nfftb a sharp knife, and cut these crosswise Into mere bits. Make a batter with two eggs, a cupful of milk, and half a cup of flour. Freshen tht, bacon or pork sufficiently if very salt, then dip a spoonful at a time In the better and drop into deep fat. Drain on voarse paper for a minute and serve vary hot. ♦ Lemon Pie.— Grate one large or two small lemons, take care no seeds go in, as they are very bitter. Rinse the greater with yoe and one-half tins cold water, add two cups granulated sugar, stir wej. Break four eggs into, a howl (savuig two of the whites), beat well. Tftke two tablespoonfuls of flour, beat smooth' with three tablespoonfuls of stir this into the lemonade and mkc as custard. Divide into four small pies (tost after baking, set back into the oven and let them ju%i begin to brown. If to stand over nlgVt, make a good light brown or the frosting will run to water. The Philadelphia Ledger, afte. much thought, has come to the contusion that sins of omission are the founq>tion of the sins of commission; “for.” it says, “if all the world only did vhat duty demanded there would be neither time or inclination for ill-doing.” T=aat is, if we all did what we should ve wouldn’t do what we shouldn't! A solid chunk of wisdom. The editor had evidently been putting on a new pair of stockings when h$ wrote: “We have just seen a new thing in shoes.”