1S76.J 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



109 



lonsuminir meat, tlie produijc of arim.ilR iiflreolod witb 

 the pest chiirhoii. The blood of animals nJllk-tiil wilb 

 this inalaily, only bccomee viruli'nl ilUrinc the hi»t 

 nionieiits of life. It is very rare that, blood, taken 

 from Uie external tumors, ean inoeuhile a healthy 

 boast with the disease. When an animal has U'eji 

 sutl'oeated with carlionie aeid, or slauijlileretl, it is 

 not the blood in the trfiicrnl cireulatioii whleli In 

 venomcHlSy hut' that in the vein and its divisiimB 

 wliieli eonvoy the lilooil from the viaeiTa to the liv<'r. 

 I'roleisor Sauson then reeoniiuends farmers to kill 

 the nninnil at the eonimeiieement of the disi'ase, am! 

 rapidly (irciiare the eareass for the market: by so 

 doinir they will lessen their loss, while not deprivini; 

 eonMunersof a food supply as essential as it iseoslly. 

 The reijional aL,'rienltural shows are pnltin:,' Ibrlli 

 KtrennouB elliirts to iiuinirai^e aiirieulturists to rely 

 <m preserved L'reen food, as a security iiiraiust eold 

 sin'iuprs, like the present, or dry summers, whieli are 

 very tri'iieral, and that eoniproudse foiay:e erops. M. 

 Ootfart invitedya IbrtniLrht auo, the lea.linir affrieul- 

 tnristsof France, to be present at the openini;of his 

 pits, wherein had been plM<'ed,in October last, twenty 

 Ions of iho|iped yreen maiK(^ Thrci' points were 

 eonelusively established : the perfect i>rcservalioM of 

 the i;reen i'ood, after seven months ntsidence In the 

 trenches, without elcvali(m rif t<-mperature anil the 

 absonce of all fermenlation, the rapidity witli which 

 this food accpiired an alcoholic oilor, tin- avidity wil h 

 which the animals consumed it, even whin Ireshly 

 mown fodder was ]iresented to them. 'J. The satis- 

 factory condition of twenty tons of u'reeii chopped 

 rye, after several months enclosure in |iils; aiul :i, 

 tJie exeelleni state of the stock. Kor soilim;: purposes 

 several varieties of maize arc in favor, foUowinu' cli- 

 mate and land ; the latter is prepared as for an ordi- 

 nary i-oot eroii, receiviii,!; from lifteen to thirty tons of 

 farm-yard manure, with a supplemental dose of 

 ^uani'i or cluunical fertilizers. Maize rerpiire.s an en- 

 crifetie manure, the >;iaut species exaetimr almost 

 double the riuantity i;iven to the others. Kx-perience 

 has found that chemical manures are suiK>rior to 

 Sfuano tor maize, but the superphosphate ami sul- 

 phate of ammonia ean be advautaseously replaced 

 by t.hive or ten e\its of di-ssolved i;uano. The plant 

 te IV tCreat eonsuuuT of (ihosphat*'. The seed is ordi- 

 narily steeped for one or two days before sowinar, and 

 the latter never takes place till a period when the 

 spring frosts are not to be fearciLattaeJ^inf; the yonuu- 

 plant". 



Every year the jcovcrnment endows a seiies of re- 

 ponal shows — some ten in number— so that iu the 

 course of eight years all the departments benetit by 

 these iinpc>rtanl agricultural competitions, and the 

 wonders that time works ean be thus aceurately esti- 

 mated, it is, however, strange that, at these shows 

 no prizes are oti'ered for horses, and France is actively 

 occupied to discover the means of improving the 

 breed, as well as their number. The .State alleges its 

 own breeding schools are suilieient for all wants, 

 >vlueh is a view^ not at all ralilied by public opinion. 

 Another desirable end to he obtained i.s, that French- 

 men ought to learu how to ride. History proves that 

 at one period they could bewitch the world with their 

 noble horsemanship. Farmers who formerly ti'aveled 

 on horseback now do so in vehicles or by rail ; hence 

 the decadency of an accomijlishmcnt now more than 

 ever a necessity. At the regional shows carousals 

 take place, wlicrc the trpo|)ers perform several feats 

 of skill ; the public feels interested only in how they 

 sit in the saddle when charging an imaginary enemy. 

 Since all able-bodied men in France must no.w per- 

 form niilitary service, the wish is that farmers' sons 

 become habituated to the most, complicated evolu- 

 tion's of horses. ., i .. 



Some agricultural schotds, , Uav« recently »ddcd 

 equitatiou to, their subjects taught. At Careassoue 

 regional show a novelty was introduced — that of giv- 

 ing prizes to the best pupils of the farm schools ; the 

 teachers selected their most advanced hoys, and the 

 examination, public, oral and written, was conducted 

 by the managing committee of the show. The sub- 

 jects chosen were a description of the show itself, the 

 advantages of a machine, of a special brcexl of stock, 

 or a iiccidiar system of culture, ;lL1 having a local aiJ- 

 plieatiou and interest. There is n marked tendency 

 to impart l-o farming studies a decidedly practical 

 character, and the growing fashion Of selecting the 

 blue ribbons of the agricultural colleges, and send- 

 ing them to travel and take uotesiu foreign countries 

 of agricultural practices— expeusfs being defrayed by 

 the St;ite — is excellcut. 



The Saxon Uovermnent has purchased M.Stecher s 

 well-known experimental farm, near Dresden, which, 

 readers and visitors may remember, has received no 

 other manures since thirty years hut feeble doses of 

 guano and bone-dust, while being submitted to an 

 eight-course rotation of cropping, wherein not only 

 wheat figures, but where Hax and clover are culti- 

 vated for their seeds. The soil is derived from gneiss 

 rocks, and is consequently tenjicious. At present all 

 the crops are luxurious, and surpass in a marked 

 manner those in the vicinity that receive the ordinary 

 snpplv of animal manures. 



Prof. Hololl' has been Investigating the cause of 

 rachitis, or rickets, in animals, owing to which 

 the tones become swollen, soft and deformed. 

 The disease ai>pear6 always when the animal is 



young, and is due to a kind of Btoppa.'c in the devel- 

 opment of the skdieton ; t\ic organism ban want of 

 chalk. In the case ol ugoil aniuuils this chalk ^s fur- 

 nished by the greater supply of food they take, lind- 

 ing all liie liiDc, and more evni than they rei|uire. 

 If the disease has acquired an intensily, it is rarely 

 lliat the skeli'lon — the bones — restunes dovelupment, 

 and conse(|ueiitly the animal remains im|U>tenl and 

 sorry-looking. For pigs, tilt Hixnionthsoiii, and cut- 

 tle and horses dnrlntr their lirst year, il is essential to 

 supply them with fiulder rich in lime or employiUL' 

 plios|)liate of lime. Hone-dust is e*>ininonly mixed 

 uj) with the young aninnil's food, and Is bcsliUis very 

 easily digested— a quarter of au ounce daily for pit's 

 and ihedoulile lor stock. The chief point is to apply 

 the remedy in tinu!. .\eid fooil is said to promote 

 the disease; it does so in the case of pigs nourisheil 

 on sour milk; the hietie aeid, uniting with the lime 

 in the rations, is expelled from the system in the 

 Ibrni of a chemical salt. 



I'alicnce and evpeetation describe the present enn- 

 ilition of the phyUoxera question ; one has to wall for 

 the results of new cxpi'.rimonts. .VI. iioiteau has de- 

 lected the insects marching out of the vi'ry hmN of the 

 vine, 'i'he opinions are i|uite contradictory as to the 

 ellicacy of tlie sulpliuret of carbon remidy. The 

 I-'reuch Consul, at Canton, has expedited .soi!ie siH'ci- 

 niens of the eUrvmcm , a shrub that the Chinese ]ibiTil 

 lo keep away a destruclive white ant. It will he 

 tried — as is every remedy suggested. 



.\t l.andshul, in Bavaria, and in other parts of 

 that kingdom, also a great mortality, a veritable epi- 

 denuc, carried olf Iiundreils of young horses ; the 

 foals were allowecl their ordinary lite in paddocks ; 

 from several pnxl iimrtnn exandnalions il was dis- 

 covered that the animals pi-esenteil the same syinp- 

 loms as when persons suecundi fjom ty|ihu« fever; 

 and it was found that the horses had been virtually 

 poisoned I'rom the emanations from neighboring lields, 

 that had been toi)-dresseil with night soil from the 

 cities. 



A new churn has ap|)eari>d ; its principle isto main- 

 tain the i-ream at a uniform temiH'rature ; this the. 

 invenlxir alleges lo secure, liy inserting a layer of felt 

 between the cavity formed liy two walls of plated 

 iron, the material of wiiie.b the churn is composed. 



The First of .Inly has been delinilidy lixed upon 

 by French farmers foT taking au inventory of their 

 stock — dead and alive. 



.|l 1 (•.-.'il 

 GENERAL MISCELLANY. 



Castile Soap and its Counterfeits. 



In our correspondence columns we publish a eom- 

 munication from a reader of the Amtrrican fJruerr, 

 who evidently feels that in ]mrchasing an article he 

 has not received what he wanted and what he asked 

 for. Ti) give a rule by whiei; domestic cast.ile soap 

 ean be distinguished from imported is, probably im- 

 possible, while all authorities here, even the import- 

 ers themselves,' admit that the hulk of the domestic 

 mottled eastile soap is fully as good au article if not 

 a better lh!m-t/he imported. 



There are lour descriptions of impoi-ted known in 

 this market. Fii;st and at the head of the list In' re- 

 putation is th6 Italian, white oaslile, known as the 

 " Conti " soap. The jobbing price of this at present 

 ranges from irif.i KJi^.c currency. It Is elainied that 

 oil only is used instead of fats jn its manufaelure, 

 either olive oil thatisleft after tile Iie^t Igfiottled, or 

 sometimes cocoanut) oil. Tlie litjxt br.liid in reputa- 

 tion and cUiiined to he etpial in qualify and healing 

 proi)erlies is the " White Horse," aI.«o a white soa)), 

 imported frowi Jt'ai'seilles. This at present is .selling 

 .at 13(u,13V;C. gold. These two brands, it is said, are 

 never countei^Vited here, and' are claimed to be free 

 from all aduHeration. Tests nuule by us have faffed 

 to show any adulteration or additionof substances to 

 add to the weight, as is the ease in mottled soaps. 

 These white soaps come in hatan of li.'iCnjST lbs., gross 

 weight, and a tare fit' 4 lbs. Is allowed. 



Kevt in order come the Marseilles and tlie Leghorn 

 mottled, the former claimed to be the better of the 

 two. The importation of these soaps is rapidly fall- 

 ing off, owing to the competition of the domestic 

 article, which, as a rtile, is claimed to he the best 

 and jnircst. Some of the largest imi)0rters Inform 

 us that they are gr.adually droi'ping this article oil' 

 their list of Importations. 



' Iu making eastile soap,'oliv6 or coeoanut bil Is sup- 

 posed to he the maleriiil used and this gives It Its 

 heating prts^eitleS. Of late years, however;' other 

 and clieapiir oils arc said to' have beeit sulwtitnted, 

 such as linseed anij' cotton seed, hut the fact of the 

 latter being used ciiii be delected, It is claimed by 

 exjierts, from the darker color of the soap. Within 

 tlie past live years, in order to meet the competition 

 of buyers and Uy furnish an article within the views 

 of buyers, it has become the custom to adulterate 

 both .Marseilles and l.eghorn mottled soap with terra 

 alba or chalk. .Some samples wliieli we have seen 

 tested showed' thirty-live per cent, of this, added lo 

 increase the weijiht and cheapen the article. There 

 is, of eotn-se, some of the genuine article imported, 

 but a buyer had better depend on the re.jmtation of 

 his wholesaler aiulevcu then the wholesaler himself 



may jioBsibly lie imposed upon. These 8oa)is eomo 

 In tioxes of 4.')('ai47 lbs. and a tare of N lbs. Is allowc<l. 

 The loss in weight on caslilc soap Is very large ae- 

 ciinling to till' length of time it is carried, the loss In 

 four or five months being as much, hi some cases, as 

 'M per ex'Ut. When sold It is rewelirhed, and by soino 

 dealers the actual tare at time of sale is allowed, and 

 by some the original tare, but the price is advanced 

 accordingly, the price having to be made so much 

 higher as to meet the loss in weight. This mottled 

 soap is also lar;.'ely maile here. Boxes arc shipfieil 

 hire from .Marseilles in the form of shiMiks and put 

 together here. These boxes when jiut on the market 

 often bear all the ntarks of imiHirted soap. The soft 

 and wet appearance of the soap nienllone*] by our 

 i^>rres[»ondent is no guide as to w hetlier It is foreign 

 or doiuestie, as the former often reaches here In thai 

 stale, the soap containing a lart'c proimrtionol water 

 to Increase the weit'lit, but il should be made in bars 

 and not look as If cut with a wire. 



To test eastile soap, weiijii out a certain |W)rtion, 

 ■Mil ill small pieces, add alcoliiil until dissolvivl ; the 

 chalk, if there Ix; cimlk in it, will suUIe ut the lM>t- 

 toin anil the weight will determine the quantity uf 

 adulteration. — Amcricati firocer. 



The Language of Fowls. 



Is there any one who kce|)s fowls who has not no- 

 ticed the great variety of sounds they make, exprcs- 

 sive of their feelings? Il amounts almost, if not 

 quite, to a language; probably more so than any 

 other creature except man. Kven the modulation of 

 noises made Is very significant of meaning. First, 

 there is the piping of tlie little chick, calling for the 

 care of its slalely mother who continually keeps an- 

 swering with the assuring " cluck, cluck." As the 

 eliiek grows a little older, the piping is sueeeeded by 

 a chirrup; then there is the thrilling song of pleasure 

 they make under their mother's wing when sifting 

 down to rest ; but just put your hand under the 

 mother and pull out one of the little chicks, and hear 

 ils cry of tirror, niiie^'leil with tlii'dellanci- and abuse 

 of its parent . 'I'brow a large beetle into their ciKip, 

 and hear the consternation utteri'd by all tlie little 

 family, mingled witli the warning voice of their ma- 

 Iron. .Now, throw them some dainty till , and hear 

 how soon her voice ebanges ; her children under- 

 stand there is something extra nice for them by her 

 peculiar deelaniation, which brings in all slrau'irlers 

 In a great hnny. How well the little things compre- 

 hend the peculiar cry of their mother in case of dan- 

 ger, such as the approach of cats or hawks ; or let a 

 little .stragu'ling waif peep intothe coop, and hear her 

 timelv warning lo keep out. In the course of time 

 the mother tires of herehar^'e, and gives her children 

 the slip, who express their forlorn fcelimr by a whin- 

 ing cry, while luniling around for her. In due time 

 I he young gentleman chick tries bis voice at a crow. 

 Could any one ever believe that such stammering, 

 such .straining and croaking would ever reach the 

 clear, rich song, that has been celehrated in the his- 

 tory and the poetry of all the' great nations of the 

 earth, anil caused so many great " awakeninirs" in 

 all classes of Society? Soon h« begins lo feel gal- 

 lant, and if, by chance, he liuds soine rare bit, ho 

 calls some of the nearcsl belles to partake of it, but 

 they frequently arrive just iu time, to see him Imlt it 

 himself. One ol the next musical sixains is the prat- 

 ing of pullets when they feel liatujy and well ; then 

 there is the alarm w hen startled by anything strange; 

 also the shrill cry raiswl by all, should a hawk ap- 

 pear. Another pienliar noise is niaile, when you ap- 

 proach their roosts »l night, utteriHl and answered all 

 i-,„ii)a_a slisrht, thrillii\g noise, as uiueh as to say, 

 hark 1 w hat's that strange uoiite !:— which is dee|K'ncd 

 into a sharp tut-tut, if dauger is susiieclex], and 

 into a shrill, piercing cry, if taken from their 

 perches, evidently susiK'Cting that you may be 

 thinking of chicken pot-pie ? I think there is uo 

 domestic animal that has a less ollcnsive voice 

 than the domestic fowl. It will compare favorably 

 with the voice of the duck, turkey, guinea fowl, 

 goose, or pea fowl. Their louilest uoise has a charm 

 tor many a fancier, when they set up the cry, "(Jonie I 

 Come! Come 1 Take the cgg."—Jknry JMcs, i/i 

 Poultry H-uUeiin. 



How to Keep Your 'Wife's Love. 



G.M.K FonuEST gives the following ailviec. She 

 praeliecs, morally, on the allopathic principleof "op- 

 posit c»:" 



Kosolvc lirmly, from the start, that you'll never 

 coax your wife lil love you— as yuu would a child — 

 with .sugar-plums. 



In society, treat her— do I don't treat her at all ; 

 pay no attention to her, but dutote yomself, wllhex- 

 clusive zeal, to the cntertaiumenl of the young lailles 

 present, and leave her to lake care of hersell. This 

 course will win you not only their respect and hers, 

 but undoubtedly that of the entire comimny, for only 

 fools in these days expect a man to play lover lo his 

 wife. 



Should your wife receive a show of attention from 

 some other masculine, bocoine a fiend of jealousy at 

 once, and make her life miserable at home by un- 

 just acciuallouB aud violeuli oxpostulatious agaiuat 



