Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1873 — FARM AND HOUSEHOLD. [ARTICLE]

FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

—A mixture of wood, ashes and salt, three-parts of the former to one ot the latter, constitutes an excellent mixture for all domestic animals. Its alkalescent and saline qualities are both congenial to the animal system, and when used in proper quantities, and at proper times, are highly promotive of health.— Herman town Telegraph r —An Ohio hog-raiser advocates the system of pasturing on clover during the summer. He presents, as the advantage of this plan, the statement that an acre of ground in clover will pasture five hogs four months, and it will take the corn from half an acre to feed them the same time. The cultivation of the corn he counts equall to the rest of the other half acre. He further claims that hogs pas-tured-on clover are-in farbettbr condition than if fed on corn, as they are far better framed, healthier, and eat better, and also states that the land is enriched by the clover pasturing. —lt is quite easy to prevent manure from becoming frozen during the winter. By proper management, it may be worked over so as to be made in the best condition on the opening of spring for use on grass land to be plowed for corn, or fine enough to harrow into plowed land. To effect this, it should be kept piled in a compact heap, in«which shape it will ferment, and maintain sufficient heat to resist she severest frosts and melt all the snow that may fall upon it, and SO keep moist enough To prevent fire-fang-ing. The heap should be turned once or twice, and the outside coarse manure put into the center. By this treatment, early in spring, it may be made fine and perfectly well-rotted. —American Agricuttunst. —Many persons are undcLlhe impression that it is wholly or quite unnecessary to water sheep more than Once a day in winter, and not at ail in summer, when on pasture. It is true Chat sheep and also horses will ipanage to live, and even do tolerably well in dry pastures in summer, by feeding exclusively at night. But careful examination wijl show that, if allowed', water will always be taken in small quantities, and usually at regular intervals, and this with advantage to themselves and profit to their owners. There can be no more vicious practice than that of watering hut once a day, as many otherwise good farmers do. It has been pretty well demonstrated that a large amount of water taken at any one time is detrimental to health, and especially to fattening animals, as producing an unnecessary amount of carbonic acid, Besides, in winter, sheep, as;well as other animals, when they are watered regularly, will take so much that it chills them, or, if very cold, will not drink at all; but if allowed freedom to drink at will, they will consume only just enough, and that at regular intervals. Therefore free access to water, both summer and winter, or watering regularly not less than twice a day, ought to be regarded as indispensable by every flockmaster. If there is a shepherd'who is not aware of the difference there will be in the condition of sheep that have and those that have not been thus watered during a winter, he has but to try it to be convinced. — Exchange. —The old practice of building farm gates with heavy four-by-four scantling for posts and end pieces, and oak boards riveted together, tenanted, etc., causing an expense of from three to five dollars a gate, and an everlasting trouble to keep the gate when hung from sagging, I long since abandoned. As a substitute, and as forming a gate that has never sagged for ten years, I take five pieces of inch boards, each ten feet long, one eight inches wide for the bottom strip, and each of the others four inches wide. I then take one piece four inches wide for one end upright, and one piece eight inches wide for the end pieees, where the hinges ought to be. These strips are four feet long, that being high enough for any gate for ordinary purposes. Now lay down your end pieces, then place the eight-inch-wide and ten-foot-long strip for the bottom, nail it at each end to the upright with wrought nails; now take three of the four-inch wide strips and lay them on parallel with the bottom one, dividing the spaces so as to leave four inches between the lower two boards, and six inches each space between the upper ones; nail as before. Now turn the gate over, and take the remaining strip, lay it an angle from the bottom, at the hinge end, to the top at the latch end; cut it so that it will fit in and lap close to the long strips; nail it. Nowliang the gate with strong hinges, and you have a gate that is light and will not sag, and just aa perfect protection against cattle as one made by the joiner, and costing, as named above, from three to five dollars. Any person can put together and haDg the above-named gate in two hours. — Cor. Cincinnati Times. '