Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 September 1894 — OUR RURAL READERS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OUR RURAL READERS.

SOMETHING HERE THAT WILL INTEREST THEM. Convenient Contrlmnee for Topping Hay•tark«—A New Fodder Plant—Slovenly Farming la Uisgimtlng—To Cure a Horse ot Balking—Farm Notes. Topping Haystacks Tfiose who are obliged to store a portion of their hay in stacks from lack of storage room in the barns, know how difficult it is to build a stack that will remain good until it is drawn to the barn In the winter, writes C. E. Benton in the American Agriculturist This is liecause it

continues to settle while the hay is going through the process of fertne h ta t i o n, known as ••sweating.-’ Hence it

is better to top the stacks after haying, using for the purpose swale grass when that can be obtained, not only because it is of small value for fodder, but also because the broad, ■’tough leaves mat together and shed the ra.ns better than upland grass. When the stacks are of considerable size, I have found great convenience in using what is called a “ladder bracket” In the illustration, Fig. 1 shows the manner in which it is constructed. The upper pieces are of spruce or other stiong wood, two inches square. Across their top is bolted a light plank six feet long, which makes a convenient platform. At A are iron pins put through each piece, which serve for hooks. By this means the bracket is

hooked on the ladder round at any height desi.ed, making an adjustable platform on which an assistant can -stand to receive the hay from the man on the load, and pitch it up to the man on the stack. Fig. 2 shows it placed on the ladder leady for use. By using this simple contrivance, whicif a farmer can make in an hour or two, it is easy to top a large stack, building it up to a good form. In order that it may be perfectly strong and secure, it is best not to use nails in its construction, but fasten it entirely with small carriage bolts.

Slovenly Farming;. if there is any one thing more disgusting than another in agriculture it is slovenliness—go-as-you-please farming. And it does mote to degrade the occupation In the minds of on-lookers than all the distateful duties together, prominent among which aie the cleaning and purifying of the cow stables and hog pens and tne carting and distributing of the tilth about the farm, it costs no more to do a piece of work neatly than it does to (to it in a slip-shod fashion. T’he thoughts are bright to the Gleaner’s mind bv noting the work of gathering a field of hay which he passed in going to and from his place of labor. The men employed seemed to have had experience, but the work was wretchedly done, and more than half the value of what was in the beginnings tine five-acre mowing lot must have teen lost by the slip-shod manner of handling the grass. In the first place, it was left standing till well past the fully ripe stage. The preparatory clipping with the scythe began on the Fourth of July, the main work not being started until ten days later, the few hundred pounds of clippings lying by the roadside in the meantime, getting pretty thoroughly “seasoned.” One bright morning the machine was set a-going, and it laid down about one quarter of the field of handsome grass. This was not even shaken up, but just at nightfall was raked, thrown upon the wagons and taken to the barns, the machine next mowing at another quarter. This on Saturday. A brisk shower found the grass where the machine had left it, and it lay under a bleaching sun during next day, not being touched till Monday afternoon, when it was raked and taken 'to the barn—a black, unpalatable mass; mixed with it was another quarter of the field, cut on Monday ana loaded without other handling than that afforded by the rake. The product of the first quarter of the lot was added to the other after the same heedless treatment, and it is safe to saj' that the last end of lhat hay in w will be worse than the first —and goodness knows that the first is bad enough. 'Whereas, but for the heedless, slipshod way of doing the work, the result would have been a mow of upwards of fifteen tons of the. choicest hay—a credit to the maker and a continual feast to the horses to which it was to be served.—Hartford Courant.

To Cure a Horse of Balking.

An officer of the police detail said recently: "When I was a mounted policeman I learned of a most humane and kind method of curing a balky horse It not only never fails, but it does not give the slightest pain to the aninnl. When the horse refuses to go take the front foot by the fetlock and bend the leg at the knee joint Hold it thus for three minutes and let it down and the horse will go promptly. The only way in which I can account for this effective mastery of the horse is that he can think of but one thing at atime, and having made up his mind not to go, my theory is that the bending of the leg takes fiis mind from the original thought. There have been some barbarously cruel methods i esorted to to make a balky horse go its way, such as filling its mouth with sand, severely beating the horse, or, as in one recent case, cutting out his tongue. The humane societies would have their hands full to care for all these cuelties to animals. If they only the owners of horses '• T ,

would adopt njy treatment, aud there would be no trouble with the erstwhile troublesome balky, horse.”— Our Animal Friends.

Decoration for Woodwork. The accompanying illustration of a plant box, shown in Fig. 1, and an umbrella holder, in Fig. 2,show ameth-

od of decoration that is quite readily applied by those who have some artist ic ability. These articles are constructed of some handsomely - grained

bard wood such as oak or ash: upon the sides is then drawn some design that can be treated broadly. The I in oo nnrl ♦ U « .

lines and the shading are then made permanent by golngoverthem with the red-hot point of iron, burning the wood more deeply where heavier lines or deeper shades are desired. There is an exquisite softness aoout the result that is espec-

ially effective and handsome. Cornstalks and theirleaves make a particularly suitable and effective design where a tall pannel is to be decorated. Hard wood picture frames, and almost any kind of hardwood amateur work, can be decorated in this way. Cow or Care. Quite a good many people have the belief that lood, cleanliness, intelligence in compounding rations and in feeding them, pure water, and skill exercised in the manufacture of butter have more to do with it all than has the cow, since there are comparatively worthless cows in all breeds, says a correspondent of ‘■Hoard’s Dairyman.” it is said that Jersey butter will “stand up” tetter than will any other. That all depends. There are Jerseys and Jerseys, and some of their butter will “stand up” and some will **Bll down” or run away, if you give it a chance.

Ninety-nine out of every 100 pounds of milk drawn from healthy, properly fed and cared for cows, will make butter that will “stand up and possess good body flavor and texture,” if ; the conductor of the train is an artist. If he is a • daub” as many of 1 them are, he’ll spoil it. That’s about : all there is of it, and the attempts to make the dairymen of this country, or the world, believe that all this depends on the cow and that no other cow than the Jersey can do it, wiil fail. I The Ear y Harvest AppleTho early harvest apple is very ! likely to overbear, but it is quite good ! for pies when not fully grown, pro I vided enough sweetening is added tc ake off the surplus acidity. It is best to shake off some from all the trees, even though there is no market for them, for those left,to ripen will be greatly improved in size and flavor, besides making sure that the tree will perfect fruit buds for bearing the next season. Usually the early harvest tree allowed to ripen all its fruit in years of abundance bears nothing the following year. Wagner's Flat Pea. Great interest is manifested in the new fodder plant Latbyrus Silvestris Wagneril, otherwise known as Wagner’s flat pea. Some thirty years ago the celebrated agronomist, Hen Wagner, of Munich, Germany, began crossing and improving varieties of' Ldthyrus, until from a bitter, worthless weed he has succeeded in devel-

oping a succulent forage plant unusu. ally rich in sugar, and much relished by all kinds ot stock. The plant is a close relative ot the sweet pea which it much resembles in appearance. It grows two. three, or more feet in height, with roots that run till they find water, even to twelve feet, and some say twice that It seems to flourish on any soil, growing well upon rocky, sandy, or gravelly soil, [ changing hard and barren ground to fertil soil. Dry seasons do not seem to hinder luxuriant growth, and it needs no manure. It has a fleshy stalk, with leaves three or four inches long, shaped like willow leaves, and giving three cuttings in a season, yielding in all some four lons of dry hay per acre. It is claimed that when once established, It will last fifty years. Odds and Ends. Salt dissolved in alcohol will take out grease spots. Banana peelswill clean tan shoes ■ as well as regular dressing. Court plaster should never be ; applied to a bruised wound. Wood ashes very finely sifted are good for scouring knives and tinware. Cold sliced potatoes fry better when a little flour is sprinkled over them. A strong solution of salt and water will remove the poison of bees or mosquito stings. A teaspoonful of powdered borax added to cold starch will tend to give the linen extra stiffness. Coarse-ground coffee sprinkled on a shovelful of bdrning coals will remove offensive odors from a sick room, i If you desire to paper a wall that has been whitewashed, rub the wall down with a cloth wet in strong vinegar or saleratus. When using a spoon or whisk for beating, take long upward strpkes, the more rapid the better. The spoon should touch the bottom of the bowel esch time, and the motion must be reg ular.

FIG. 1. LADDER BRACKET.

FIG. 2. LADDER AND BRACKET IN POSITION.

ORNAMENTAL PLANT STAND.

UMBRELLA STAND.

LATHYRUS SILVESTRIS.