1875.] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



157 



arise to her two resources — keeping borders or slowly 

 stiehiiii; lier life away. The lirKt is a hanl, wftrryiug 

 life; striviniT t" please many ami rarely sueeeciliiif;. 

 The last, to most, is slow ileath. 



A woman is naturally f,'iftecl with a love of the 

 heautifiil. Then why is it they do not turn their at- 

 tention to florieulture ? To me there seems no worii 

 more lieanlil'ul, more reliniiiffor elevatinjr; it brinjrs 

 forth all tliat is irood and pure in one's eharaeter, It 

 tills one's life with lieauly, and prepares one to die, 

 for can one that sows a seeil and walelies its (growth 

 fail to have in view immi>rtal life ! 



Tlie work of J'MorienUiiri' is jiartieularly adapted 

 to woman. There is so muih tlnit her senile, nim- 

 lile lingers can more earefully do tlian a man's 

 strou^'er toueli, such as liuddiuij, takinir eutlinf;s, 

 and iiotlini: of same, tran.splantin;; of seedlinj;, paek- 

 iu-c of small i)lants for sliipmeni, ete. In the ar- 

 raniremeut of flowers, in all their varied desii;ns of 

 floral deeorations, their iilea of harmony of eolor is 

 naturally better than lljat of man; their fint;ers more 

 supple and in every way seem just fitted for sueh 

 work. If this eailins was only more (generally open 

 to women, how many would leave other more toil- 

 Bome pursuits to lead a life of health, beauty, and 

 moral improvement. 



The more intelli^'enee is brought into any work, 

 tlie more advancement is made. One can rise todis- 

 tinction as well in this as any other. Intellect will 

 tell, and if guided with a great love for the under- 

 taking, success will i'ollow. Those who may have 

 read '' .My Ten l{i>d Farm, or IIow I Became a Flo- 

 rist," may see what a woman can do. How she may 

 keep the gaunt wolf poverty from the door and a 

 tired house-bound woman may possess a new lease 

 oflife. Wheat florist will give them an open door J 



^ 



Public Poisoning. 



Every farmer cannot conveniently have a root cel- 

 lar under his barn, or anywhere but under his house, 

 but he can keep his cellar from stinking with decay- 

 ing vegetables if he will take a little pains to clean 

 out every spring, and oiien the winbows, so as to give 

 a eirculiitiou of air through it from spring until fall. 

 Rotten vegetables and stagnant air in the cellar, 

 coming up through the tloorinto the living rooms and 

 Bleeping rooms, has produced many a ease of typhoid 

 fever and other diseases that have baffled all efl'orts 

 of physicians to cure. It is as fatal as was the mi- 

 asma'of the Chickahominy swamp. I have been into 

 bouses where everything was nice, and even splen- 

 did, in furnishing and appearance, and the inmates 

 were continually breathing in an air as foul as a 

 privy vault, from the odors arising from the cellar 

 througli the floors. Yes, and I have seen sueh houses 

 where the odor from the privy itself was as percep- 

 tible in tlie living room as it it had opened out of it, 

 and the family ate and slept as if in the midst of spicy 

 gales. Aiui they thought sick headaches, fevers, 

 summer complaints, and other diseases that afflicted 

 them, were simply "mysterious dispensations," in- 

 stead of licing the penalty of breathing poison. Sink 

 drains and their accompanying cesspools are another 

 prolific cause of disease. The old-fashioned open 

 drain, running alimg near the back door, across the 

 path perhaps, and making an unsightly and oHensive 

 (to eye and nose) track, is perhaps the least deadly 

 of the whole, if neglected, for there is an escape for 

 its odors in the out-of-door air ; but the more genteel 

 covered drain, through which the foul air is continu- 

 . ally being driven back into the house, can only be kept 

 wholesome liy having a very sharp fall, and by fre- 

 quent cleaning and the use of absorbents and disin- 

 fectants ; and it is too often allowed to be in such 

 close proximity to the well as to be allowed to leach 

 through into it and poison the water. Look out for 

 that. With air and water both poisoned, you will 

 Btand a poor chance for a long life or a healthy one. 

 A solution of copperas, unslaked lime, chloride of 

 lime or carbolic acid are either of them good to de- 

 stroy all such odors, and the poisonous germs that 

 arise from such places, and they are any of them 

 cheap enough, so that we can afford to use them 

 freely, but the two last named smell almost as dis- 

 agreeably, if not as unwliolesomely, as any place 

 ■where you would use them. Pure, dry earth is very 

 nearly as good as anything else, and will, by absorb- 

 ing all the valuable parts that would otherwise es- 

 cape in the air, soon become a good fertilizer for your 

 land. There is only one objection to it — it does not 

 cost anything. — Buxton Journal . 



Tree Planting. 



The imiiorfance of planting fruit trees our people 

 thoroughly unilcrstand, but a great necessity is aris- 

 ing for the planting and cultivation of forest trees, 

 which is probably not so well iindcrstood . Fifty 

 years ago, nobody supposed that the supply of tim- 

 ber in this country could ever be exhausted, and the 

 great object was to get rid of it in the easiest and 

 cheapest way, that the land might be brought under 

 cultivation; hut sinee then the consumption of timber 

 has been so great, and its uses so astonishingly mul 

 tiplied, notwithstanding its use as fuel has greatly 

 diminished, that if the stock is not re-supplied by 

 cultiTation, there will be a timber famine before the 



lapse of another flfly years. Our own county afVonls 

 some illustration of this truth. Less than fifty 

 years ago, we were encfrcled with a bell of limber, 

 and It was ilitheult lo travel in any direitlon in Ihi' 

 county a mile without striking a woods; but it is not 

 so now. Our stately forest trees have fallen beneath 

 the sturdy blows of the woodman's axe, and our 

 supply of timber Is now jirineipally olitaini'd from the 

 mountains on either side of us. ,\s this Is true of 

 other localities thronghtiut the country with a few 

 exceptions, the question of planting and cultivating 

 trees for tin\ber Is beginning to cngaire the attention 

 of some of the best minds in the country, and is, as 

 we are told, freely resorted to in the West. 



Useful Information. 



One thousand shingles laiil 4 inches to the weather 

 will cover one hundred sqiuire f'ci't of surface, and .5 

 ptiunds of shingle nails will nail them on. 



One-fifth more siding and flooring is needed than 

 the number of square feel (if surface fi> be covereil, 

 bei'ause of the lap in the siding and matching of the 

 floor. 



One thousand laths will cover 70 yards of surface, 

 and eleven pounds of lath nails will nail them on. 



Eight bushels of good lime, sixteen ttusbelsof sand, 

 and one bushel of hair, will make enough good mor- 

 tar to plaster one hundred square yards. 



\ cord of stone, three bushels of lime, and a cubic 

 yard of sand will lay one hundred cubic feet of wall. 



Five <'Ourses (if brick will lay one foot in height on 

 a chimney; six bricks in a course will make a flue 

 four inches wide and twelve inclics long; and eight 

 bricks in a course will make a flue eight inches wide 

 and sixteen inches long. — Prairie Karmer. 



The Broom Corn Market. 



A prominent firm of dealers in broom corn in New 

 York, in a recent circular, gives some facts concern- 

 ing broom corn which would in<licate good prices for 

 the crop. The demand continues moderate. For 

 the past three months there has been no stock in the 

 hands of manufacturers ; they have pursued the 

 plan of buying small quantities to sujiply imrnediate 

 wants. The steady jobbing demand still continues 

 (although it is difficult to place any large lots), and 

 the stock is being gradually reduced. By ai-fual 

 count we place the entire stock in this market in 

 hands of receivers, dealers, speculators and manufac- 

 turers, at 916 bales. These figures will not vary ten 

 bales either way. One year ago to-day the stock was 

 2, TOO bales, or nearly three times greater, and this 

 proportion we consider a fair estimate of the entire 

 crop of the country. 



Keeping Winter Apples. 



With other modes of saving apjiles all winter and 

 far into the spring, we have more than once suggested 

 that generally adopted in New Eugland, New York 

 and Northwestern States, which is to pick them care- 

 fully from the trees, sort them out ami put them 

 in dry flour flasks, pressing them down closely, anil 

 heading them up. They should be allowed to stand 

 under a shed until cold weather sets in and then be 

 removed to a dry cellar or some place where they will 

 not freeze. Care must be taken that none but per- 

 fect fruit is barreled. We saw one of the best far- 

 mers of Montgomery county putting up his apples in 

 this manner, and he told us that they frequently kept 

 until early hay-making. 



Propagating Evergreens. 



The cones of all evergreens are gathered when ripe, 

 and allowed to dry; after which the seeds should be 

 beaten out and cleaned. Mix the seeds with at least 

 ten times their bulk of sand in boxes, having .so 

 thorough drainage that water will pass freely there- 

 from. Water tboroughly and place them where they 

 may freeze ami thaw slightly. In the sjiring sow 

 thickly in beds lightly shaded from the sun: keep free 

 from weeds, and when one or two years old piik out 

 into rows one foot apart by four inches in the rows. 

 When large enough, transplant into nursery rows, 

 until large enough to Hnally fransplanl lo the places 

 where they are to stand. — Western Hiirid. 



Earthing Potatoes. 



By drawing up the earth over the [Mitafo in sloping 

 ridges, the plant is deprived of ilsduc supply of mois- 

 ture by rains, for when they fall the wafer is east in- 

 to theditches. Further, in regard to the idea that, 

 by thus earthing up, the number of tubers is Increas- 

 ed, the etlect is quite the reverse; for experience 

 proves that a potato, placed an inch only under the 

 surface of the earth, will proilucc more tubers than 

 one planted at the depth of a f(x>t. 



Now IS THF TIME to provldc your winter family 

 reading. Thk I.-vncasteh Faumkk gives more 

 good reading and practical information than you can 

 get elsewhere for the same money. 



POULTRY YARD. 



The Fowls, or a Heifer. 



Here is a brief narrative of fact which comes to nic 

 from undoubted aulhority, hut which is so mitural 

 (in these days of young chicken-lovers) that I |iub- 

 tish it with the greal4*r salisfaetion, ami simply omit 

 the real names of the parties eonecrncd out of cour- 

 lesy to those interested in the ph-asanl alfair. 



k cily merchant went Into the suliurhs to reside, a 

 dozen miles from .\lliany, last year. When he got 

 settled Ihere, he hail not a very large place, and so 

 could keep but little live-stock. 



The ehlldreii — two lads of fourteen and sixteen — 

 had their dog and lo|i-eared rabbits; the daughter, 

 her 'finch and canary; the lady, her a(|Uarium ; and 

 the father had his horse. There was a snuill out- 

 building upon the premises, and It was suggested 

 that this should be occupied with a Hock of fancy 

 chickens or an .MdiTiiey heifer; and it was put to a 

 family vote, which should lie purchased. 



Tlie gentleman argued that the cow wouli! Im* the 

 most protllalile. She would cost $l"iO. lie knew 

 where he lould get one, then just after calving, that 

 would give them eight i|Uarfs of milk a ilay. "This 

 would be so nice," agreed the eeonouilcally dlsjiosed 

 wife. 



But the children wanteil the fancy chickens. Car- 

 rie could tend them; the boys would \\\ the house up 

 nicely for their a<-commodation ; they would lay lots 

 of eggs (which were as desirable as milk), and would 

 not cost half so much to feed ; they could raise chick- 

 ens by the score — and all lo better proflt in dollars 

 and cents than with the cow. They voted, and a 

 majority of one, in favor of the chickens, decided the 

 matter. 



The il20 were invested in thirteen prime Light 

 Brahma fowls, a year old — a cock and twelve hens. 

 They were put into their clean, bright quarters In 

 -March, and the oldest lad kept an account of the re- 

 sults from breeding them ten months, up to January, 

 1H7.5. This was what eventuated— ilebit and credit. 

 Dii. 

 To Food purchased, eight months, . . . $20^0 



Hone-meal and scraps, 3 I'i 



Sulphur, kerosene, and turnips, ... 1 IMI 

 Laths, nails, and slats — for coops, . . '2 4.5 

 Original cost of thirteen fowls, . . . I'JO 01) 



*1-Hl!t7 



Cn. 

 By 13fi dozen eggs used, (ailiO cents, . . . $40 NO 

 40 chickens eaten, (a} fiO cents, ... 24 00 

 12 chicks— 4 cocks, 8 pullets— sold for 



breeders, f"i $4, 4S GO 



21 best fowls kept over, worth »3 eaeli, . «:t 00 



»17."> 80 



The cow would have cost ?2 a week lo keep ; her 

 first cost would have been *1'2(). Her milk would 

 not have been worth over thirty dollars more than 

 her cost to keep; and so it was esteemed a better 

 way to buy their milk, and have the Brahmas instead 

 of the cow. 



Pecuniarily, this turned out much the more profit- 

 able; and Ih'iK year, from the "twenty-one best fowls 

 kept over," the boys have as handsome a floik of 

 sixty-flve chicks as can be found in Ihe State of New 

 York, in addition lo all their older laying fowls — 

 some of which, no doubt, will Iw seen and nole<l at 

 the next season's shows. 



Thus the question at the head of this article Is 

 answered. The boys did not receive "fancy prices" 

 for their choice chickens ; nor iliii they reckon those 

 on hand, at *:> eacli, almve their value. But they 

 thus paid all costs and expenses, and had a value of 

 al«nit *»l left after all, the first year. Not bad for 

 young beginners! — Fancicm' Journal. 



Bronze Turkeys. 



Last spring I proeuri'd fhiriecn egL'S, jiut them un- 

 der two hens (not hen-turkeys,) and only six eggs 

 hatched. Seven eggs had never iK'en impregnated. 

 Those turkeys are now about half grown. They are 

 all gobblers "but one. The prosjiect now is that they 

 will nuike large and heavy roasters by t'hristinas. I 

 will never attempt to rear any turkeys Ix-sides Ihe 

 bronze breed. The real lironze turkeys arc almost 

 Identical with the American wild turkey in plumage 

 — a dark gray bronze. When full grown they are 

 twice the weight of a common, or the largest of com- 

 mon turkeys. The lmpn)ved New England bronze 

 turkey iu>ver weighs less than forty-five jionnds the 

 pair— that is, the lowest weight allowable when bred 

 in-and-in. Some havi' been known to weigh eighty 

 ixiunds the pair, extra fat. They are like the 

 " Kouen '' cluck— size is the main crileriim they are 

 judgiHl by. Of course, they must lie next thing to 

 black, every feather showing a bright, shiny bronze. 

 They are the least diflieuit to raise, as they are hardy, 

 prolUie, large, fine, and the meat is sweet. A be- 

 glimcr can raise a d<i7A'n where one is raised of the 

 while sorts. Some have an idea that they are some 

 strange-Ioukiiig turkey. There is no dlfTcrence be- 



