187(5.] 



THE LANCASTER FARMER. 



i91 



A cross of llic American merino will make a 

 marked improvement In (leece, aildiiijr to all ilB lie- 

 flrable characteristics, except that of leniftli. The 

 weight, In many instances, will be iloulileil, while in 

 any other than an anomalous condition of the inar- 

 ket, the value per pound will be eoinewhal increased. 

 The size of carcass will not be incicased, though Us 

 compactness and symmetry of outline will be greatly 

 improved. 



With the averase farmer the more satisfactory re- 

 sults will be secured by a crosi with the lon^'-wool 

 breed or the fine wools. The one will show 

 Its chief improvement in the carcass, the other in 

 the fleece, thoutrh the merits of neither will be con- 

 fined to these prominent cliaracteristics. 



As a rule, the least satisfactory results will be de- 

 rived from a cross with the " Downs " — this, not 

 from any defect In the breed, per se, but rather I'rom 

 less diversity in size in the one and character of 

 fleece in the other. Sheep from this cross may 

 reasonably be expected to withstand the har<lships, 

 sometimes privations, incident to the lot of the 

 flock when compelled to work its livinir off the aver- 

 aRe farm, with better results than would be realized 

 from a lonsr-wool cross simply treated — and, for 

 "roui;hincr it," would prove nearly equal to the 

 results of the Merino cross. 



In view of these considerations, added to some 

 minor ones, that may be classed as results of taste 

 rather than experienced as a ijeneral conclusion, we 

 would advise a cross of the Merino in preference to 

 the others referred to — always with the reconimen- 

 dation that the best rams within reach of the means 

 of the flock-owner be used — and .that none of the 

 male animals of the cross be used as sires, no matter 

 how near the desired standard they may approach. — 

 National Liire-Stoc/c Journal. 



Sheep as Fertilizers. 



In 1S65 I had a field of ten acres that had been 

 mowed ten years in succession without a particle of 

 dressing put upon it; the grass had nearly died out, 

 and nothinp was to be seen but a white weed and 

 yellow weed, or buttercup and ox-eyed daisy. The 

 soil was a clayey loam, cantinpf a little to the south 

 and west, was in the smoothest possible condition, 

 without stump or stone, and borderinfr upon a stream 

 of water. In the sprint; of the same year I put upon 

 this ten acres forty one year old sheep without lambs. 

 These sheep kept everythin<r down as smooth as a 

 barn floor. The next year I put on the same number 

 and kept them on until time to come to the barn. 

 They were not taken from the field at any time 

 durins the season, neither did they have any erain of 

 any kind, but were in splendid condition. They were 

 grade Merinoes. 



In the sprine of 18fi7, 1 noticed that the field looked 

 preen the last of April and the first of May, so much 

 so that, in consultins with my neighbors, I was in- 

 duced to keep the sheep off from it and let It come up 

 to grass for the scythe. The field in the meantime 

 had been sowed over with alifiht dressinp of plaster, 

 about one bushel to the acre, and a small quantity of 

 crass seed, timothy and redtop. Nothina: else has 

 been done to the field in any shape up to the present 

 time. 



Now for the result. The first year after takini the 

 sheep off I had the ffreatest yield of grass that I ever 

 had from any of my fields under other treatment, and 

 of the best quality, a mixture oftiniothy, redtop, white 

 clover, and some prruss that I cannot name. Hardly 

 a head of whiteweed or yellowweed was seen on the 

 field. 



But what was most remarkable to me and my neigh- 

 bors is, that the field has continued to produce bounti- 

 fully up to the present time, which is eiijht years since 

 the sheep were taken off: and to-day (Ausust 2) the 

 field is tented thick with bunches of the very best hav 

 averaging over one ton to the acre. I have since sold 

 the field to one of my friends, and I asked him yes- 

 terday if he expected to get another crop from the 

 field without dressing it asain. His reply was, "Yes, 

 I expect to get several more yet." 



Now, Mr. Editor, what I wish to Impress upon the 

 minds of the farmers is this, that instead of running 

 wild about raising fast horses and getting up cheese 

 factories, It Is better for them to give more attention 

 to sheep husbandry ; for if we put them upon our 

 Impoverished lands, it in fact costs nothing to keep 

 them during the summer season, as they more than 

 pay for their cost in reclaiming these lands. 



Let each farmer decide for himself w hat breeds are 

 best for him to keep. It depends upon imr nearest 

 market. The grade Merino will do tjetter on short 

 pastures than any breed that I am acquainted with. 

 — A. O. A., in Germantown Telegraph. 



To Learn a Horse's Age. 



TKt Journal of the Farm tells how to know the 

 age of ahorse as follows: The colt is born with 

 twelve grinders ; when four front teeth have made 

 their appearance the colt is twelve days old, and 

 when the next four come forth, it is four weeks old. 

 When the corner teeth appear the colt is eight months 

 old ; when the latter have attained to the height of 

 the front teeth it Is one year old. The two-year-old 

 colt has the keruel (the subatacce in th« middle of 



the tooth's crown) ground out In all the front teeth. 

 In the third year the middle front teeth are b"lng 

 shifted, and when three years old these are substi- 

 tuted by the horse teeth. The next four teeth are 

 shifted In the fourth year, and the corner teeth lu the 

 fifth. 



At six rears the kernel is worn out of the lower 

 middle front teeth, and the bridle teeth have now 

 attained to their full growth. At seven years a hook 

 has l)( en roriiied in the corner teeth of the upper jaw, 

 the kernel of the teeth next at the middle Is worm 

 out, and bridle teeth begin to wear off. At eii.'ht 

 years, the kernel is worn out of the lower front 

 teeth, and bei;lns to decrease in the middle upper 

 front. In the ninth year, the kernel wholly disap- 

 peared from the upper middle front teetli ; the honk 

 on the corner has increased in size, and the bridle 

 teeth lose their points. In the tenth year, the kernel 

 is worn out of the teeth next to the middle front of 

 the upper jaw, and in the eleventh year the kernel 

 has entirely vanished from the corner teeth of the 

 same jaw. At twelve years old, the crown of all the 

 front teeth in the lower jaw have become triangular, 

 and the bridle are much worn down. As the horse 

 advances in age, the gums shrink away from the 

 teeth, which consequently, receive a Ioul' narrow ap- 

 pearance, and their kernels have become metamor- 

 phosed in a darkish point, gray hairs increase in the 

 forehead and over the eyes, and the chin assumes the 

 form of an angle. 



The Hog Bouncer. 

 The above is the name of a simple device Invented 

 by the cattle yard men at West Albany, New York, 

 to induce hogs to move from the cars in which they 

 are transported in the yard. Pigs, as a rule, are not 

 of accommodating dispositions, and when It comes to 

 prevailing upon a car-load of them to move along 

 u|)on a narrow gangway, the first ones that start 

 upon the plank are apt to decline to proceed further, 

 and so block the egress of the rest. This necessitates 

 an astonishing amount of patience and beating, be- 

 sides unlimited stronir languaiie, and,t)f course, 

 often delavs a cattle train for some time. The new 

 invention for persuading the animal to pass on is a 

 hog bouncer, made by l)ringingone end of thegang- 

 way plank to a firm support ; then under the other 

 end two double car springs are placed. A powerful 

 lever and spring catch complete the device. Before 

 the car door is opened, the platform is carried down 

 so as to compress the springs by the lever and the 

 catch is hooked. The hogs are then allowed to pass 

 along the platform, and, so Ions as they move along 

 properly, the plank is undisturbed, but as soon as a 

 crowd congregates and vociferously objects to goins 

 further, the catch Is sprung. One end of the plat- 

 form flies about three feet upward, and the result 

 is a shower of living porkers, shot over the heads and 

 upon the soft bodies of the drove. They are seldom 

 injured, but vastly astonished, and it is needless to 

 add that the blockade is at once dispelled. The 

 drover finds this device, ridiculous as it Is, very use- 

 ful in saving time and trouble, especially when, as 

 often is the case, large numbers of cattle trains are 

 arriving and leaving. — !^cienlijic American. 



A Collection of Beautiful Pigeons. 



We had the pleasure of examining a flock of beau- 

 tiful pigeons, owned by Mr. Charles E. Long, and 

 kept by him in a larsie and well arranged loft over 

 his place of business in North Queen street, Lancas- 

 ter, Pa. Mr. Long has been raisin; these birds for a 

 number of j-ears, and his loft now contains over one 

 hundred fancy piireons, embracing many valuable 

 varieties, amonir which are English Pouters, Crested 

 Calcutta Fantalls, red, blue," black and yellow 

 Maff-pics, red and yellow fringed Turbits, English 

 Carriers, African Owls, Swallows, Trumpeters, 

 Archangels, Jacobins and other highly prized speci- 

 mens. Mr. Long exhibited many of these birds at 

 several of the Poultry Exhibitions last season, and 

 carried off a large number of prizes. Twelve or 

 fifteen pairs of them were entered for competition at 

 the irreat "Centennial Poultry Exhibition" which was 

 held in Pomoloeical Hall, on the Centennial grounds, 

 on the 27th of October. This was no doubt the largest 

 display of the kind ever held, and the competition 

 very great. Mr. Long is, however, willing to trust his 

 birds upon their own merits, and we have no doubt he 

 will be successful with them. 



Arab Horse Maxims. 



Let your colt be domesticated and live with you 

 from his tcnderest aire, and when a horse he will be 

 simple, docile, faithful, and inured to hardship and 

 fatiirue. 



If you would have your horse to serve you on the 

 day of trial, If you desire him to be a horse of truth, 

 make him sober, accustomed to hard work, and In- 

 accessible to fear. 



Do notljeat your horses, nor speak to them in a 

 loud tone of voice ; do not get angry with them, but 

 kindly reprove their faults ; they will do better 

 thereafter, for they understand the language of man 

 aud Its meaolnj. 



If you have a lone day's journey before you, spare 

 your horse at the start ; let bim frequently walk to 

 recover his wind. Contlime this until he has sweated 

 and dried three times, and you may ask him whatever 

 you please, he will not leave you in dllllculty. 



Use your horse as you do your leathern bottle; If 

 you open It L'ently and L'radually you can easily con- 

 trol the water within, but If you open it suddenly 

 the water esca))e« at once, aud nothing remains to 

 quench your thirst. 



Observe your horse when he Is drinking at a brook. 

 If in bringinir down his head he remains square, 

 withovit bending his limbs, he possesses sterling (piall- 

 tles, ami all i)artsof his bo<ly are built symmetrically. 



Four thinirs he must have broad— front, chest, 

 loins and limbs ; four thint'S long — neck, breast, 

 forearm and croup ; four things short — pasterns, 

 back, cars and tail. 



Best Food for Svirine. 



What would he the best food for swine In summer 

 would not answer the s.ime pur|iose In winter. In 

 suintner, such food should be given as would keep 

 the animal In an Improving condition, and would 

 cause it to lay on a little fat, but not so much as to 

 cause it to sufi'er from heat, as a fat porker undoubt- 

 edly does. Cooling foods, such as plenty of young 

 clover and bran and middling slop. Is whatne use 

 much of, not forgetting to give regular and abundant 

 supplies of fresh, cool water. In putting up swine 

 for exhibition pur[)Oses, we have tried many diflTerent 

 kinds of food for the fall exhibitions, but we have 

 found none so desirable as a slop made of corn and 

 oats ground together, one-third of the former, by 

 measure, to two-thirds of the latter. One of the best 

 ways to prepare it Is to scald It at niL'ht and feed It 

 next morning; put on the mass only enough of hot 

 water to thoroughly moisten it, and then cover up the 

 barrel tight, so it can steam well, and make the mass 

 mellow and nice by morning. If it is found unde- 

 sirable to scald it, moisten the mass with water, and 

 then put in one or more pans of sour milk — thick 

 milk or clabber— to cause it to sour by the time It Is 

 used. We use both or cither plan, and find them 

 both good. As an ordinary summer feeil, we have 

 found them both good, and to answer almost all pur- 

 poses^as experience has abundantly proved that 

 breedinir stock should not be very fat, only in healthy, 

 vigorous condition. The refuse from the truck patches, 

 such at tomatoes, cabbages, etc., come nicely Into 

 play for summer (bod in connection with the above 

 slop, as also do apples — windfall— pears, etc. — Haint 

 and I'ottltry Journal. 



Lice on Colts. 



Lice may accumulate in great numbers before they 

 arc discovered. Sometimes they are diflTused aU 

 over the skin ; at other times they arc confined to 

 the mane, the tail and parts adjacent. The horse is 

 frequently rulibing himself, and often the hair falls 

 out in large patches. There are many lotions, pow- 

 ders and ointments for destroying lice. Mi'rcurial 

 ointments, lotions, or corrosive sublimate, and de- 

 coctions of tobacco, are so dangerous that they 

 never shoBld be used. Refuse oil or lard, rubbed on 

 a lousy beast of any kind, immediately destroys the 

 vermin, and there is no danger to be apprehended 

 from this application. It merely occasions the hair 

 being earlier in the spring, and requires a little extra 

 atti'iition in housing such animals as have been 

 affected. Vinesrar mixed with three times its bulk 

 of water, is also a good application and not danger- 

 ous. It is most irritatinir, but the irritation soon 

 subsides and does not sicken the horse ; tobacco 

 often will. Next day the skin should be examined, 

 and wherever there is any sign of living vermin, an- 

 other application should be made. Two days after- 

 wards tlie horse should be washed with soapy water, 

 warm, and applied with a brush that will reach the 

 skin without irritating it. — Golden Rule. 



Saddle Galls. 



A correspondent of the Country Gentleman gives 

 the following remedy for saddle galls : "I have been 

 riding almost constantly since 18G9, and sometimes 

 had very bad galls on my 'horse from the saddle, 

 caused almo.st invariably by riding either during a 

 rain or in damp and foi;gy weather. Prevention Is 

 important. 1 find the best thing to be a coarse saddle 

 blanket , made by putting one or two burlap sacks 

 under the saddle ; they being cool, and admitting a 

 partial circulation of the air through the spaces of 

 coarse fabric. The saddle should be removed always 

 at noon, and back washed with cool water. To cure 

 an ordinary gall, first wash thoroughly with castile 

 soap and water, and then apply the bruised leaves of 

 Datura stratnouium (Jamestown weed); this usually 

 reduces the inflammation rapidly. An ointment can 

 be made by mixinir the juice with common lard. An 

 old gall, leaving a lump, I would treat with vaseline 

 and iodine ; l^oz.of the crystals of iodine to2oz.of 

 vaseline : mix ; apply once a day for '.i or 4 days, 

 theu apply vaseline alone. Continue this until cured. 

 The above applies as well to collar galls." 



