PRACTICAL FARMER. 



27 



Latnbs should always be left at liome when 

 heep are to be washed, as they are saved much 

 atigue where the distance is considerable, and 

 many accidents incident to the pen, crowded as 

 they are at such times; besides the advantage of 

 having the sheep go directly home without any 

 trouble, after washing. Ticks are very injurious 

 to sheep of all ages, but more so to lambs, as they 

 have the trouble ot them in summer; the ticks 

 leaving the old worms for a more secure retreat 

 on the lambs. To destroy ticks, I take 10 or 12 

 lbs. of tobacco stalks for one hundred lambs, 



(which I buy of the tobacconist for 03 many pence,) 



and at the time 1 shear sheep, put it into a tub 

 sufficiently large to dip them in, and fill it with 

 water, and let it soak six or eight days, when I 

 get up my lambs, murk, dock, and alter them, then 

 dip them into the tobacco juice ; this not only kills 

 the ticks, but is serviceable to the wounds made 

 by docking and altering, and is all the remedy I 

 ever apply to such wounds. Dipping the lambs 

 in that way two successive years, will destroy all 

 the ticks in the flock. 



The method of docking lambs by taking hold 

 ofthe tail and cutting it off while the animal is 

 struggling to escape is very cruel, as it leaves the 

 bone longer than the skin, which not only makes 

 it very sore, but induces the flies to work at it, 

 which endangers the life ofthe lamb. My meth- 

 od is, to have a man take u]) the lamb, and place 

 the tail bottom upwards on the square edge of a 

 block ; then with a large knife, I crowd the skin 

 which is loose up to the body, and strike the knife 

 with a hamnier, which leaves nothing to impede 

 the shears, more than cording, and is attended 

 with less trouble. Lambs that have much wool 

 on them, should be sheared about the pouch to pre- 

 vent the blood and wool from becoming so hard 

 as to obstruct the discharge of matter from the 

 wound. Lambs should be weaned the last of Au- 

 gust, and have a good chance for feed till Novem- 

 ber ; then oats in the bundle two or three months 

 as their condition may require. — Vermont Chron 

 icle. 



The following extract is from the 126th cha[)t(;r 

 ofthe revised Statutes: 



" Every person vvho shall wilfully cut down or 

 destroy, or shall otherwise injure any fruit-tree or 

 other tree not his own, standing or growing lor 

 shade, ornament or other useful purpose, shall be 

 punished by imprisonment in the county jail not 

 exceeding one year, or by fine not exceeding one 

 hundred dollars." 



EXTRACT 



From a report of the Trustees of the Kennebec co- 

 Maine, Agricultural Society. 



Wheat raising is an important business ot the 

 farmer. Much has been said and written on the 

 subject, and without fear of saying or doing too 

 much, we venture to say more ; nothing at this 

 time, more than to lay down some rules which 

 one of your Trustees who has much practicable 

 knowledge on this subject thinks important in the 

 wheat raising business. 



1st. Select good sound fully ripened seed. 



2d. Mix as many kinds as will rii»en together 



if yovi cnn j^ct thcni. 



3d. Exchange seed when you can get better 

 than your own. 



4th. Take seed from poorer rather than richer 

 soil than it is to be sown upon. 



5th. Wash the seed clean in cold water and 

 scald it in hot ley, or lime it fiftyfour hours before 

 sowing, mixing in plaster enough to render it ea- 

 sily sown. 



6th. Sow at the rate of two bushels to the acre, 

 two and a half is better. 



7th. Sow at a proper season, that is, when your 

 land is in proper order. 



8th. At a proper time top-dress with ashes, 

 mild lime or plaster, and if the growth be too 

 rapid sow on salt. 



We infer from the sacred writings that salt was 

 anciently used in husbandry, and if it was good 

 1800 years ago, why is not now? The use of it 

 seems to be nearly lost, but by attention to its pe- 

 culiar properties it will appear that it may be ap- 

 plied in some cases with profit. Salt prevents 

 putrifaction. On sandy land that has been highly 

 manured for corn or potatoes, and is intended for 

 SDiall grain the following year, salt may be used 

 with good effect. It will retard putrifaction or 

 thu rotting and evaporating process which is too 

 rapid in such case, prevents the 'oss of manure 

 and be beneficial to crops by preventing a too 

 rapid growth, — Maine Far. 



The stnall Birds are dying by hundreds for 

 want of food. The insects upon which they feed, 

 this cold weather, wont come out to be eaten. — 

 ^.Northampton Cour. 



Corn does not come up well this year in our 

 vicinity. Many farmers have been obliged to 

 plant their fields a second time. The crop did 

 not ripen well last fall, and the vegetating princi- 

 ple was injured in the crib by hearing after it was 

 gathered. Probably tnuch of the seed was se- 

 lected from the corn that had been thus hurt. 

 The true way is to gather the choicest eais for 

 seed in the field before the croj) is harvested, and 

 hang them up by themselves. We know some 

 fields planted thisr Spring from seed thus selected 

 that do not need a second planting. — Grass hav- 

 ing lately enjoyed several days of rainy and cloudy 

 weather has set quite thick. — Hampshire Ga- 

 zette. 



