Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 January 1894 — FARMS AND FARMERS. [ARTICLE]

FARMS AND FARMERS.

. - V ' ■ ' ■ - ' • ' _• • -tttni Taxation. During the recent debate in the House of Representatives upon the Niles tax bill, it was clearly demonstrated that a wide difference of opinion existed among the members as to the proportion of local taxes paid by the farmers of the State. Mr. Niles, the author of the bill, took the position that agricultural capital invested in farms was taxed to a point far beyond that of other interests, and especially beyond that of personal and corporate property and real estate. A large proportion of this difference in opinions in estimates is no doubt due to the difference in the manner in which the matter of taxation is investigated, and largely due to the uneven application of the same revenue law. Thus, for instance, it was shown that while cows were valued for taxable purposes in the eastern counties of our State from S2O to 125 each, in Cameron county they are valued at but $4 each. As a natural sequence to this irregular mode of assessing, we find that some counties have an aggregate tax rate of 60 mills on the dollar, while others run as low as 6.5 mills, the difference being largely due to the fact that in the former real estate in the form of farms is valued or assessed' at about onefourth of its real value, while in the latter class it is assessed at about its real or actual selling value. From this and other facts which might be named, ft is evident that assessed values are not safe as a basis upon which to calculate the rates of taxation, and that nothing but the real or actual value can be safely taken for this purpose. In some counties in the State it will be found that the assessments upon the same class of property are very uneven and irregular. Thus in some counties it has been found that while the nominal assessment was upoa the basis of one-half of the actual value, yet the farms of non-residents were, in many cases, assessed at more thanthev were worth in the market, presumably upon the principle that the non-resident would not appear before the appeal board and demand a reduction to the average basis. Preserving Milk. There are many ways of preserving milk so as to keep it sweet, but one of the most satisfactory is that which is at present practiced at an establishment in Texas. The milk, fresh from the cow, is subjected to a boiling heat, and after all the air has been expelled from it the cans are hermetically sealed. When the process was first invented, about fifteen years ago, several dozen bottles were sealed up. Every year some of these were opened, and after fifteen years' keeping the milk has, in every case, been found perfectly fresh. t Eradicating Wild Mustard. E. C. H. S., of Schoharie, N, Y.. sends to the Country Gentleman the following plan for killing out that fearful nuisance, wild mustard: The only successful way is to summerfallow the land by plowing eprly in the spring, and cultivate and plow thoroughly several times during the spring, summer, and fall. Then sow to wheat or rye and seed the land. Always remember to sow clean grain, and be careful in thrashing not to let mustard seed get in the manure pile, to be hauled but to the land again. Some practice this mode of sowing spring grain on land foul with mustard. Plow the land quite early, harrow it down and let it lay until the mustard has sprouted and grown half an inch; then harrow and sow the land with clean spring grain, and in that way you will kill all the mustard on on the surface and it will come but a little; but that does not clean the land; it should .be donauasL first stated-summer-fallowed. Another plan where spring grain is sown is to go over the field with a scythe hung well out for a wide swath so as to cut all the mustard plants while they are in bloom and before the grain heads. Feeding Pig". A correspondent makes some practical suggestions in the Prairie Farmer in regard to feeding pigs. One of the most important items in the management of young pigs, is to feed so that a regular growth from birth to maturity can be secured. It will not answer in trying

to secure the best results to start during the earlier stages of growth with the expectations of making up later by cramming. Letting a pig look out for itselj until reasonably well matured, and then forcing tho f<wp n g when fattening may show rather an increased gain while in full feed, but the animal when ready for market will have cost more than if better feeding and a thrifty growth had been maintained from the start. It is rarely best, and especially so when the pigs are in good pasturage, to feed all' that they will eat—at least, while they are gt jwing; but their conditions should always determine the amount of their ration, and this should always be such that a short time on full feed will proper iy finish for market. Quick maturity is essential in profitable pig raising for market, and this imolies good feed and care from the start. Feed liberally, regularly, and with a sufficient variety to keep with a good appetite. A pig needs to be kept on full feeding more nearly than any other raised for meat, as not only is a better profit realized, but the quality of the meat is better than when it is allowed to make a slow growth. At this season especially, it ds quite an item to push the growth as rapidly as possible early in the fall. With hogs especially it is the best time to secure a good growth at a low cost, and it is also one of the very best seasons to fatten rapidly, and this can only be done to the best advantage by good feed and good care. Of course, it is quite an item to secure the best gain at the lowest cost and every advantage in feeding should be taken, but this should never be done at the expense of the growth or thrift of the stock. Keeping Butter. An Australian recipe for keeping butter is as follows: “Take finely crushed sugar and salt in the proportion of two unces of sugar to four ounces of salt, and work this well into the butter. When this is done pack the butter into jars, pressing it well to prevent air spaces being left; sprinkle some of the sugar and salt on the top and then tie tightly down. Sugar with salt will go farther than salt alone and does not make the butter so salty. Two ounces “of sugar and four ounces of salt are enough for twelve pounds of butter. When the butter is required for use it must be taken from the jar and washed; it will be found that less washing is required than when salt is used by itself. Another plan is to wrap the butter (in pounds or half pounds) in fine muslin and place these packages in a vessl containing a strong brine, securing them by a board weighted with a few stones. This is a very quick and useful way, as smffll quantities of butter can be potted at a time, and small quantities removed from the vessel as required.