Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1898 — FARM AND GARDEN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FARM AND GARDEN

The Old Plow. By the fence in the orchard the old plow stands, Slowly rusting and rotting aWay, While the days go by with their dropping sands, And 'the world grows dull and gray. It did its work in the long ago As it tumbled the stony soil, And the harvest waved with a golden glow, With a crown for the brow of toll. It seemed to shout like a warrior bold As it entered the stubborn field, And the wind-swept clouds above it rolled And the sun smote its shining shield. But now it stands by the fence alone, With its share all bnown with rust, And its oaken frame with weeds o'ergrown And smoldering away to dust. And as at the dear old plow I gaze I think of the loved ones dead, And the fragrant flowers of the vanished days And the joys that so swiftly sped And soon I know with the flowing tide That furrows the silvered brow, I, too, will be tenderly laid aside To molder like an outworn plow. The Leicester Sheep. The first Illustration is a portrait of a pair of yearling ewes, recently exhibited in England. They are not so elegantly formed as the Border Leicester strain, of what may be called the same breed, qnd of which a picture is given of a trio which gained the first

at a recent Highland show; but they are unexcelled as a mutton sheep, and a producer of a heavy and valuable fleece. The pictures speak for themselves. It only need be said that both these strains of this remarkable breed are to be found bred to perfection by several of our Canadian breeders, whose skill has kept up the style and material value of the race. It is one of the curious examples of the differences which w’ill gradually grow out of the personality of breeders, each of whom has a different ideal that these two

strains should have acquired from the starting point, a distinct type, which was certainly as distinct from each of these as each is from the other; and which may still remain in the memory of an expert who may not have only in mind what he saw a good maif years ago. It is thus that races change under the influence of skillful culture, or may deteriorate under continued neglect.— Montreal Herald. Getting Kid of Anta. C. H. Fernold. of the Ma-ssachusetta experiment station, recommondes the following, which is a good and sure method: Make holes with a crowbar or convenient stick from 0 Inches to 1 foot deep and about 15 inches apart, over the hUI or portion of the lawn infested by the ants, .and into each hole pour two or throe teaspoonfnls of bisulphide of carbon, stamping the dirt into the hole as soon as the liquid Is poured into It The bisulphide of carbon at once vaporizes, and, permeating the ground, destroys tie ants, but does not Injure the grass. One should remember while using this substance that Lt is highly Inflammable and should not bring near it a flame or even a lighted cigar. Fcarcity of Cattle. Cattle are becoming scarce In the West, and the Eastern markets will be affected by the conditions existing In the cattle regions. Farmers who raise more calves, nnd of good quality, will get good prices for them by the time they are matured. There Is no better way to dispose of the surplus foods than to have sufficient stock to consume it, and the manure will also be au important item on the farm. Judging n Cow. It may truly be said that to know a cow well she must be examined internally, so as to judge nnd score her heart, lungs, liver and stomach, which Is not possible, but dairymen are content to form a favorable opinion of a cow in that respect If she has a deep

body, Indicating the possession of large digestive organs. Long experience has taught progressive dairymen that a cow having a wedge-shaped form, the rear being wide, the udder large and extending well both front and back, with the teats set regularly and well apart, Is usually one that win not disappoint her owner, but as the Individuality of the animal is also a factor in the breed, the disposition, freedom from disease and quality of the product must be considered, especially as no two cows are alike, and the quantity and quality of the milk and butter may vary with the same Individual dally. The calf should also conform to the shape of the cow, and even the embryo udder will give some indication of Its future. An experienced breeder gives this rule for judging of a cow*or calf by its appearance: With the eye measure the distance from the tall about half-way down the rump, as it drops straight down, to the rear line of the thigh, and the greater the distance between those points, and the more curving the thigh, the better the cow. The hips must ’ curve away from the tall as the Indication of a good milker. Raising a Spring’s Level.

It is often the case that a spring is so situated that the water just falls to run from it into the house or stable. If

the source of the spring is evidently considerably higher than the spring Itself, get a section of iron water pipe, such as ■ are laid in cities, and put it over the mouth .of the spring’s Inlet, as shown in the illustration, filling In all the spring about it with stone and cement, giving the water an outlet only

by raising in the pipe. It can then be carried into the building as desired. The hydraulic ram also furnishes another method of raising water from a spring on a lower level. These rams are now'made to work extremely well, and are, moreover, very reasonable in price. Considering that nature can thus be harnessed and made to work for us without compensation, It Is strange that a greater number of farmers do not take advantage of the hydraulic ram. As it can work night as well as day, one has only to supply a tank of sufficient size to thus utilize a spring from which little water flows per minute.—New' York Tribune. ■ i Advantage of Small Farms. Too much land is expensive if it is not kept in good condition, as the taxes thereon will be an expense which must always be met. But few farms are well supplied with manure, and the resuU is that the land is not adequately furnished with plant food. Nothing is gained by spreading the manure necessary for five acres over ten times that area, for the smaller the yield the greater the expense of growing a crop in proportion to receipts. The largest yields are on small farms, and the profits are greater because less labor ds required in hauling and harvesting the crops. The distance of hauling the manure to a field regulates the number of loads, but the expense for labor is the same for a ftfw loads as for many where tihe handling of the manure is an important matter. It Is in the concentration of effort that the expenses are lessened. If a farmer can secure eighty bushels of corn from one acre he will make a larger profit tihan from forty bushels per acre, as he will have only one acre to plow and cultivate, and his land will become better every year because of being well manured.

Hint* for the Hennery. Active hens are the best layers. Clean houses and runs are tne Best medicine. A nest egg will usually stop her scratching the nest; if not, use shavings. A spoonful of oil or turpentine is a good remedy for tapeworm In poultry. If fowls leave part of their breakfast In the dish, remove It If their appetites fail, a change of food Is needed. Anything that will make milk will make eggs, but don’t feed much cottonseed meal or rye. Drop Door for the Barn. The accompanying Illustration shows a very handy drop door for basement barns. It Is hinged to the barn sill at the top. Another pair of hinges are fitted about the middle. By turning

the button a parallel to the board of the door, the lower half of the door can be raised by means of the cord b, which runs over the pulley c. If it Is desirable to open all the door, turn the button a Into the position shown in the cut. Then by pulling on the cord b, the whole door Is raised.—Orange Judd Farmer. Fire Innnrnnce. Every owner of a home owes it to himself, and his family as well, that he have the property insured, unless he be one of those fortunate Individuals whose mivins are bo ample that be can carry the rlak himself cheeper than he van got an insurance company to do it Vor him.

ENGLISH LEICESTER EWES.

BORDER LEICESTER EWER.

THE DROP DOOR.