Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 March 1893 — DOMESTIC ECONOMY. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DOMESTIC ECONOMY.

TOPICS OF INTEREST TO THE FARMER AND HOUSEWIFE. Self-Feeding: Rack and Shed— Experiments In Keeping; Manure the Garden Early—Summer Seeding:—Advantages ol Deep Cultivation—Household Hints. Pruning: the Grape Tine. With average people there is realized but little necessity for pruning the grape vine, for the reason that they have been accustomed to observe common wild vines continue their growth year after year with what appears to he an abundance of fruit. But when we consider'that to prune or cut off from a tree or vine a portion of its branches while the roots, which are the reeding source, remain as before, there must of necessity be increased development of such branches as remain, and more nourishment go to make the fruit. Where a vine is left to itself, the branches extend in every direction and the fruio buds very largely increased, and when it comes to the fruit period, there is an insufficient amount of food supply furnished, so although there may be many clusters that commence growth, they are very thinly fruited and are exceedingly undesirable. One has only to make the trial with two vines; prune one closely, keeping it back and making a strong woody growth, and let the other grow at pleasure, forming immature and weak wood. Let both come to bearing and notice the difference. In the case of the pruned vine, though the clusters may be very much fewer in number, they will be large, compact, and the grapes large and well Idled out; while the unpruned vine will produce many clusters, they will be small, the grapes very scattering, of medium or small size and much less desirable in fill valuable qualities than the former. Profitable grape culture demands that the matter of pruning be attended to even though a few vines are grown.

Self-Feeding Rack autl Mied Combined. bet three or more stout posts on each side, and long as you wish to make the shed, firmly in the ground, about six feet from ground, board up and roof the shed like any other building, with a large window in each end. Make a feeding rack of poles through the center like a V, the

upper end of poles resting on the outside plates. You can dll this shed with hay, straw, or fodder as fast as eaten from below. It will settle down and can be redlled whenever necessary. This makes a line rack for sheep, cattle, or any other stock, at the same time sheltering them and makes a covered manure shed, as the waste pulled out will he trampled under foot, and by the tramping converted into manure,a triple combination in one if made wide enough. The refilling can he done from either end very easily and not much he wasted. —Practical Farmer. Keeping Eggs. The New York State Experiment Station at Geneva reports the following results from experiments made to keep eggs: All eggs were wiped, when fresh, with a cloth saturated with some antiseptic and packed tightly, some in salt, others in bran. Eggs packed during April and May in salt, and which had been wiped with cotton-seed oil to which had been added boracic acid, kept from four to five months with a loss of nearly onethird, the quality of those saved not being good. Eggs packed in bran, after the same preliminary handling, were all spoiled after four months. Eggs packed in salt during March and April after wiping with vaseline, to which salicylic acid had been added kept four and five months without loss, the quality after four months being much superior to ordinary limed eggs. These packed eggs were all kept in a barn cellar, the temperature of each box varying little from 66 degrees Farenheit, and each box was turned over once every two days. Little difference was observed in the keeping of the fertile or infertile eggs, and no difference was noticeable in the keeping qualities of eggs from different rations.

More Thorough Tillage. It is not probable that the chief mistake of many American farmers is in spreading his labor and time over too many acres. Broad planting, and large crops do not always go together. Time and labor are consumed in planting extra acres that would pay mvifeh greater net profit if given to thorough t illage of a fairsized crop. Times and conditions have changed gince Horace Greeley could wisely advise farmers to plant a halt-acre more in corn to meet the demands of a civil war. Much new soil was then in cultivation, and some neglect could not ruin a crop. To-day it is only by constant and thorough tillage that we can get an excess in value of crop over our expenses. ' The plowing, tillage, and reaping of shortened crops leave naught of profit, but a slight addition of labor at the right time changes a moderate yield to a large one, and an unprofitable crop to a profitable one. The temptation is to plant more than we have time to properly cultivate. Let us produce large crops, but the only sure and remunerative wav is to add more thorough tillage. Deep Cultivation. Cultivation in spring saves evaporation ol water needed for crops later in the season. At the Wisconsin Station careful experiments show a loss, of one and three-fourths inches of water from the soil by evaporation. Cultivated soil lost little. Soil stirred to a depth of two inches lost more water by eporation than soil loosened to a depth of three inches. Loose earth makes a “dust blanket” or mulch which prevents evaporation. Too many “dead furrows” in plowing land are detrimental. Have the seed bed well prepared before planting a crop. Shallow cultivation of corn gives the best results, was the common experience. Results of tests of

shallow vs. deep cultivation made at four experiment stations, covering two to four years, favor shallow cultivation. Harrowing corn several times immediately after planting gives good results. That potatoes given shallow cultivation and little ridging produce well, was shown by the fine specimen# exhibited.—Orange-Judd Farmer. Manure the Garden Early. Most farmers understand that tho garden ought to be the richest spot on the farm. It is not possible to fill it too fully with nitrogen and aM other plant Jood. But it is impossible also to make it as rich as it ought to be jn a single year, if a large amount of coarse or fresh manure is drawn on late in spring and plowed under it may in a dry season do as much harm as good. But if applied in winter it acts as a .mulch. What part of it is already soluble is washed into the soil and mixed with it. This greatly increases the capacity of the soil tor holding water. For the very earliest garden vegetables, as Deas and lettuce, stable manure is too slow. It has to ferment before it can furnish the nitrogen needed. For these crops, even when stable manure has been applied, a dressing of nitrates in available form will provo a paying investment Work Don© by Roos. The work done by bees is simply wonderful—likeeverythingelse about these interesting insects. In order to collect a single pound of clover honey it has been estimated that they must deprive 62,000 clover blossoms of their nectar. To do this the 62,Odt) flowers must be visited by an aggregate of 3,750,000 bees: or, in other words, to collect this pound of honey one bee must make 3,750,000 trips from and to the hive. As bees are known to fly for miles in quest of suitable fields of operation, it is clear that a single ounce of honey may represent millions of miles to travel. —American Bee Journal.

Spraying Mixture. The Baltimore American gives the following as the best mixture for spraying purposes: “Dse six pounds of sulphate of copper dissolved in hot water, and seven pounds of sal soda, dissolved in hot water. When cool, pour soda with the copper and allow it to settle. This will make enough to fill a barrel, and is the best solution thus far discovered for the purpose. For spraying currant bushes, use paris green, one tablespoonful to each water-can, two gallons. Mix it intimately with the water, and spray the hushes when in blossom. ” Prune Culture. Prune culture is assuming considerable importance as a profitable industry in the Pacific States. In some parts of Oregon it is reported as oue of the most profitable crops in the past year or so, and many farmers have lifted heavy mortgages from their farms by the profits of their prune orchards. The D^iry, In making up the rations even for cattle, it is better to give a good variety. The grades'of cattle take the name of the sire: if the hull is a Shorthorn with a scrub cow it is a grade Shorthorn. WniLE all the elements of growth are in the skim-milk, yet as soon as the calf is old enough it should be taught to eat. Cattle must be kept comfortable. What is lacking in warm and dry shelter we pay for in feed and consumed fat of the animals.

Either full bloods or good grades are necessary in cattle to be able to secure an early maturity; scrubs need a longer time to grow. Minnesota and the Dakotas are yet infants in the dairy industry hut the fact that Canada with a similar climate, exports $10,000,000 of dairy products annually, while the whole United States only exports $13,000,000, is encouraging to those who hold these Statjs to he especially wel) adapted to successful dairying. Household Hints. To clean and brighten oilcloth, wash it with warm milk. Kerosene oil will soften leather straps, belts, or boots that have become hard from being wet. To remove fruit stains from table linen, »ur boiling water on them, let stand until cool, and they will ruh out easily. Dry flannels indoors, and pull and fold into shape. , Allowing them to freeze will shrink them, and ironing also shrinks and hardens them, The quickest way to put out the flames of an overturned kerosene lamp is to throw flour over them. The flour smothers the flames and also absorbs the oil. If ink is spilled on a carpet, wash up quickly with plenty of water, then rub flne salt well into the spot while it is still damp. When swept off there will be scarcely a trace of the spot left To remove rust or mildew from white wool goods, muslin, or linen, saturate well with lemon juice and hang in a strong Sunlight, then wash. If the first application does not re move the spot repeat once or twice.