Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 May 1889 — FARM AND HOME. [ARTICLE]

FARM AND HOME.

FLOWBR GANDRK AND LAWN. When the soil of the lawn becomes dry and firm enough to allow walking upon it without injury, go over it with a stiff stable brotim, which will take up leaves and othet rubbish without pulling upth© grass, as a rake would be tpt to do. If there are any large weeds, such as/ docks, dandelions, etc., poll them up-hivfhe roots, while the ground is .-till soft. A very convenient aid in thii- work is a “spud.” A home made -one. constructed of au old, broad and thin chisel, fitted with a handle three feet long, is better than those sold at the store. Trim all broken branches of ornamental trees, and prune shrubs, teo. Tain them as needed; but avoid formality, divide chumps of. perennial flower roots, and be liberal with the neighbors. If bedding plants will be needed, pish the . propagation of the geranium . and such things.—Fanning World.

POTATOES FOR BEKDw The importance Gs healthy tubers for seed is too well known to require more than a mere mention, i Another important fact is that no crop benefits more from a frequent change of seed than potatoes. On the subject of cutting potatoes for seed the Mark Lane Express says: “Many growers prefer planting the sets whole. Of course it economizes the seed if one potato can be made to do the work of two, but we question whether the cut potato makes the safest seed, especially on farms that are addicted to potato disease^.Jha. great drawback to the whole potato has been that- it sends up too many stems together and the crop is injured by overcrowding. But is it not possible to prevent this by extracting all the eyes excepting, say two? We should think that there would be little difficulty about that and there can be no doubt that the whole set this far depleted of its sprout eyes would have more nourishment to support the young plant than the seeding that Mas- been out. -Its nourishment, moreover, would be concentrated on the two shoots left, which would tend to strengthen and fortify them for the battle of life.”

BULKS FOB CUBING DAIRY SKINS. Slit the skin from the brisket to the jaw, and Bkin down each Bide enough so that the throat can be cut without cutting the skin crosswise, as in this way the cheek of the skin is saved, while, if it is cut in the least across the throat, the head is worthless. Slit the :skin from the brisket to the tail. Cut around the foot close to the hoof, and slit the legs from the hoof to the belly, taking care in slitting the leg to commence between the duelo3 sli directly over the gambrel, so that the’ leg when skinned, will lie flat instead of leaving a pocket which cannot be finished into leather. Skin the head anddegs carefully. Hornmencing at the head, so as tp ayoid cutting or scoring at the butt, near the tail, draw or fist off the skin without any farther use of the knife, thereby avoiding those holes, cuts and scratches which injure the skin. Some farmers ÜBe a windlass Jo draw off their skins, others a horse, bnt two men (one stout man can do it) can pull off a Bkin very quickly. As soon ns taken off lay the skin flat on the floor in a good place where the sun doeß not Bhine upon it, and cover it with a good coating of fine or coarse-fine salt. Coarse will do, but is not as good. Don’t roll up the skm. Don’t dry it, but let it remain green, and when you take off the next place flat upon the fli tt, salting as before. Pile skin on skin in this way, and when ready to sell, you will find them in a nice condition, and worth from five to fifteen cents more 'than the same skins would have been if •poorly taken off and cared for. What the skin does not require will shake off when you sell your lot, and answer jußt as well for the next skins you take off. Skins should not, in warm weather, even when carefully put down as above directed, lie in salt over thirty days without handling, so as to be exposed to the air, but in handling be very careful to repack in same manner as at first, adding a little fresh salt at each rehandling.

FARM AND GARDEN NOTES. Do not forgtt the box of gravel for the hen house. Lilacs are deformed by trimming up like trees. Never Diace manure near the roots of i-laSfo or trees. Set the motherly hens as soon as the inclination is fully settled. Endeavor to keep hens instead of pullets, as the eggs will then be more uniform. In tOD grafting large trees we retain some of the older branches for several years. The accumulations of refuse will give out a disagreeable odor when a warm day comes. The non-sitting breeds will lay as well in winter as the sitters if they are kept warm and comfortable. For large raspberries or blackberries head back severely, cutting out ftuperflnons canes and mu'ch. If the milk foams and froths In the churn the preDability is that the temperature is not correct Small fruits planted in farrows will not endure drought so well as those planted with the flat dibble.