Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 August 1888 — THE FARM AND HOME. [ARTICLE]

THE FARM AND HOME.

CrKASS. There is no doubt (observes the Maryland Farmer), but that of all food for the dairy, grass is the and best, taking she cost of production into Recount; but this does hot prove but that even in the times of “flush” feed, a ration of grain, especially to the buttermaking dairyman, is not decidedly unprofitable. There is no question but that growing grass supplies the finest of flavors to’ butter, and gives it good color., lut at the same time there is an element lacking that contributed towards making quality in batter which is supplied by meal. Grain is a part ration, has great value in both promoting and maintaining the milk flow, and giving not only firmness to the butter, but also extra weight. It is not wise to take the grass-fed cow and begin at once to feed her a daily ration of six or eight quarts of hearty grain food, but in thirty days the feeding of grain could safely be increased to a point that the owner might mark as the limit of profitable feeding. Rarely does it fail to be profitable to feed a grain ration to the butter cow, and even when butter is low, for 8 pounds of butter per week on grass alone or 12 with grain, soon tells just how much grain can be profitably fed to cows on grass.

MODERN IMPROVEMENT IN FARMING. Among the many helps to make farming easier in-the last few years, says a farmer in the New' York World, the windmill should not be forgotten. It is one of the greatest boons to the stock raiser that has ever been in use. Where fifty or seventy-five head of cattle are kept—and this is not an unusual number —to water them for one day sufficiently, would require the time and strength of one man at the pump for two hours, and nothing is more fatiguing, whereas with wind power it is easily done. Ten years ago a windmill was quite an unusual sight, now the Western prairies are dotted over with them. Wherever practice has shown their imperfections they have been improved. Some are made so that when the wind is too strong the fans that compose the wheel, close together, so that it must needs go slowly. Some wheels are made so that they turn edgewise to the wind when not pumping, thus being safer from damage. A lever keeps them in gear when the wind would otherwise throw them. out.

The tower, in whose top the large wheel is fixed, must needs be 1 higher than any adjacent tree tops or they will intercept the wind When it is desirable to turn the mill, unless the tower exceeds the gable in height, the wind when in some quarters, will come w'hirling around the building to the risk of damage to the wheel. Many dig the large stock well over which the mill is reared, in front of the barn, and with iron pipes conduct the water underground, after it has been pumped, to the vats in the different yards where the cattle are kept. Tins plan gives the cattle purer water to drink than if the well was sank in the yards. One of the greatest inconveniences attending the use of w'indmills are the ice storms which occasionally occur. The ice adheres to the fans .in the wheel, obstructing the working of it, and nothing can be done to remove it, but wait until it thaws, which is usually hut a few hours. 1 The wheel at intervals needs oiling, and it needs a cool head to mount the ladder, which is always a part of the frame, and oil the works.

' Sometimes a gale will strike the wheel, which is .usually about ten, feet across, with such force that it falls to the ground and is demolished, when it must be replaced by a new one. It is found that the higher 1 the tower on which the wheel rests, the less it is likely to be injured by high winds, as a gale expends its force for mischief nearer the earth thanjg supposed. Windmills wear much faster on account of the wind power which runs them.

NOTES. Plant flowers—plant something for beauty. Plows in the fence corners are a sign of “farm for sale” within ten years. A vegetable crop that is gathered green draws but little fertility from the soil. The fruit-eating population of the whole United States is increasfng more rapidly than the fruit-raising population. ■ Lime, in a fine condition, sprinkled on tbfj vines around them, will greatly “assist in protecting cucumber and squash from bugs. Saltpetre (a teaspoonful dissolved in a quart of water, is also a protection. The warmer the weather the more rapidly lice and all other kind of vermin multiply. At this season it often happens that an animal or bird is apparently sick when it is really suffering from the attacks of vermin. The practical corn raiser says: “My opinion is that the main root or stalk of corn never reaches below where the grain or seed is placed; also that all stocks have three whorls of roots, on the main root, which"are the feelers; again that no roots should be broken by cultivators. Plants renew their ' roots when the tops are cut back to a certain extent. A fruit-grower claims that- even old strawberry plants, if the old leaves are

cut off close to the crown when transplanted, .will renew themselves and rfval the younger plants next season. It takes nerve, says The Farmer, to pull out the stocks from a crowded hill of corn, but' doing it secures a better growth, larger ears, and more bushels of good shelled corn. It takes nerve to pluck one-half of the young fruit from a bearing tree, but in the end it often secures more perfect fruit and more of it.

It requires a large bee pasturage where many bees are kept. It is estimated that in order to produce one pound of honey nearly 4,000,000 visits to flowers must be madefy the bees. Yet, in a favorable season, some colonies will increase the honey in the hive at the rate of from one to two pounds per day. The old farms in Canada that command highest prices are said to he those on which sheep have been kept from the time they were first occupied. The pastures on them are comparatively free from bushes and YVeds, while the soil is firm and produßive of the best sort of grasses. X farm on whieh v a large number of she'Cp have been kept for many years is vepr desirable for dairy purposes. A,-writer in the Mirror and Farmer declares that the farmers are governed to much by acres and, not enough by bushels. They decide to plant so many acres and then make the manure go over it. and it is apt to be pretty thin. The rule shoulcThe to put on all the manure the crop can use, and stop when the manure is gone. There should never be any necessity for killing weeds as they should never be allowed to grow. The frequent use of the harrow and cultivator will destroy them in their early stages, as they are then very tender and cannot stand disturbances of the soil. If allowed to become well rooted, however, a large amount of labor will be required to do what can be done with ease just after the weed seeds germinate. Beside the large daily consumption of fresh milk, a large amount is used by the condensing and canning establishments for use in places and at times where the liquid article cannot he had. This business has assumed large proportion, and the American condensing establishments turn out large quantities of milk condensed to a nearly solid form and canned for exportation as well as home consumption. This form of milk is used by travelers, explorers and armies all over the world, affording thus at once both a necessary article and a luxury. —

wTien to cut timber. 'The best time to cut timber is when the foliage is mature, or in September, before it is injured by frost; the tree is left intact with branches and leaves undisturbed, so that the sap is evaporated completely through the leaves. When the leaves are dried and withered the tree is cut up. The timber is then free from sap. The bark should then be removed and the tree oubup as intended. If logs are made these should be put into water, as a pond, but better in a running stream, until winter, when they are sawed up or split into posts. The lumDer or posts thus made should be piled up loosely to dry, and will season very quickly. Timber so prepared has been found as durable as that which has been treated wdth antiseptic preparations. Fence posts are made very durable by saturing the ground part in slacking Time, by standing them on end in a pit wdth fresh quicklime about them, and then pouring water to slack the lime, The heat drives out air -from the pours of the wood and coagulates the albumen; and cooling the lime solution is forced into the wood and causes it to resist decay. When setting posts the holes should be made large and filled with stones rammed hard, among which air may circulate and assist ip keeping the wood from saturation wdth water and in drying quickly after rain.—New York Times.