1883. J 



THE LANCASTER FARMER- 



J 47 



eluding each otlicr like cliildremi jilayiiig 

 "tag." .Some of these two-winged llie.s whilst 

 so poised will rub their feet together, like 

 women engaged in washing, or like children 

 engaged in the old-fashioned play, and seem- 

 ing to say, "Here 1 sit and wash my clothes, 

 and nobody comes to sec me." More signifi- 

 cant than the question, " Do huniining-bird.s 

 fly backwards V" would be the in(iuiry wlKther 

 insects and other animals indulge in the de- 

 lights of '• fun and frollic?" 



EXCERPTS. 



Fruit men all say the best way to treat 

 trees infested with borers is to remove the 

 earth about the base of the trunk. Fill np 

 the hollow after freezing weather is well 

 under way. 



Mr. T. B. Wales, Jr., of Iowa City, pub- 

 lishes a sworn statement that his Holstein 

 cow Mercedes, 723, made 99 lt>. G| oz. of but- 

 ter during the thirty days from May 13 to 

 June 11, being equal to the enormous average 

 of 3 ft. 5 oz. per day for the entire period. 



The Mark Lane Express, Monday, August 

 20, prints reports from 361 districts in Eng- 

 land and Wales in regard to the harvest of 

 1883. In 249 districts the indications are the 

 wheat crop will be under the average ; in 89 

 there will be an average yield, and in 33 the 

 crop will be about the average. Many of the 

 reports state the wheat is tliiu, blighted and 

 mildewed. The other crops are reported 

 above the average. 



The value of farms, including fences and 

 buildings, in the United States in IS-'O, was 

 S10,197,00O,000. In 1860 it was $6,645,000,- 

 000, an increase not quite equal to the increase 

 in population. According to the census re- 

 port, Illinois pays out more money for fences 

 than any other State in the Union. Pennsyl- 

 vania comes next. There are in the United 

 States 6,000,000 miles of fence, and it has, in 

 all, cost something over .$2,000,000,000. Dur- 

 ing the census year alone $78,029,000 was ex- 

 pended for fencing purpo.ses. 



An exchange claims that a full feed of hay 

 to horses, following the feeding of concen- 

 trated food, is wastful, for the reason that it 

 crowds the first out of the stomach before 

 proper digestion has been accomplished. And 

 so, in order to secure best results, hay should 

 be fed at first and the concentrated foodie 

 afterward, which leaves it to become digested 

 with no danger of being crowiled away or out 

 of the performance of its desired purpose. 



Experiments at the Missouri Agricultural 

 College show that meal-fed steers gained in 

 sixty-one days seventy pounds more on 3S0 

 pounds less of fodder than steers on whole 

 corn. The cost of grinding was $;2.50 ; value 

 of the extra seventy pounds $3. .50— a dollar 

 gained in flesh, and 3S0 pounds of fodder 

 aaved. Wheat straw was fed to the cattle in 

 both cases. 



Now that harvest is over, there is a con- 

 siderable amount of time that can be employed 

 in various ways that will tell to the benefit as 

 well as convenience and comfort of man and 

 beast. 



1. Drop a few loads of gravel about your 

 stables, wells, gateways, etc., or in any low 

 places, where it has been muddy heretofore. 



2. See that all the fence corners are cleaned 

 of briars, elders, weeds, etc., and look over 

 tlu^ pasture fields for any stray thistles or 

 docks that are left to scatter their seeds. 



3. Overhaul all tools and repair them, either 

 with wood or iron work, as needed. Some 

 need a coat of paint. Hub all plows over 

 with a greased cloth and sec that all are 

 pniperly housed. The sun, rain and dew 

 spoil more implements than are worn out by 

 actual use. 



4. Attend to opening or cleaning out open 

 ditches, fix up all watering places, gates, etc., 

 and look to the fences. 



5. Pay special attention to the watering of 

 all stock. Good water and good feed now 

 will tell next spring in the improved salable 

 qualities of anything designed for the 

 shambles. 



6. After cutting the corn see that you have 

 a good supply of good, dry wood, or plenty of 

 coal, for all uses, as a nice pile of wood goes 

 a long way toward making a good-natured 

 cook. 



7. Shape up the work for winter. Some of 

 your sheds or outhouses need repairing. Also 

 any hauling can be done while the roads are 

 good. 



8. Sort up the sheep. Breed only the best 

 and sell or fatten the refuse. Select only first- 

 class rams ; even if they cost more, it will 

 repay you in the end. 



9. Give pedlers and patent right agents a 

 wide berth. 



10. Select good books and plenty of agri- 

 cultural papers for yourself and family. In 

 fine, be one of nature's wide awake and re- 

 liable noblemen. — Practical Farmer in Pitts- 

 hurah Stockman. 



The average weight of an adult is 140 lbs. 

 6oz. 



The average weight of a skeleton is about 

 14 lbs. Number of bones, 240. 



The skeleton measures one inch less than 

 the height of the living man. 



The average weight of the brain of a man 

 is 3 1-2 pounds ; of a woman, 2 lbs. 11 oz. 



The brain of a man exceeds twice that of 

 any other animal. 



The average height of an Englishman is 5 

 ft. 9 in. ; Frenchman, 5 ft. 4 in., and of a 

 Belgian, 5 ft. 6 3-4 in. 



The average number of teeth is 32. 



A man breathes about twenty times in a 

 minute, or 1,200 times in an hour. 



A man breathes about 18 pints of air in a 

 minute or upwards of 7 hogsheads a day. 



A man gives off 4.08 per cent, carbonic gas 

 of the air he respires ; respires 10,660 cubic 

 feet of carbonic acid gas in 24 hours ; con- 

 sumes 20,000 cubic feet of oxygen in 24 hours, 

 equal to 125 cubic inches of common au". 



A man annually contributes to vegetation 

 124 lbs. of carbon. 



The average of the pulse in infancy is 120 

 per minute ; in manhood 80 ; at 60 j'ears, 60. 

 Tlie pulse of females is more frequent than 

 that of males. 



The weight of the circulating blood is about 

 28 lbs. 



The heart beats 75 times a minute, sends 

 nearly ten pounds of blood through the veins 

 and arteries each beat ; makes four beats 

 while we breathe once. 



hogshead one and one-fourth pints of blood 

 pass through the heart in one hour. 



Twelve thousand pounds, or 24 hogsheads 

 4 gallons, or 10,782 1-2 pints pass through the 

 heart in two hours. 



One thou.sand ounces of blood pass through 

 the kidneys in one hour. 



One hundred and seventy-live million holes 

 or cells are in the lungs ; which would cover a 

 surface thirty times greater than the human 

 body. 



About Water.— A curious fact about 

 water is that it is the rust of the metal known 

 as hydrogenium. When oxygen combines with 

 iron it forms a reddish rust, and the metal be- 

 comes in time disintegrated. In this condi- 

 tion it is said to oxidize. Now, water is 

 simply oxidized hydrogenium. This metal is 

 present in the sun and all the iilaiiets in 

 enormous (piantities. Indeed it is said that the 

 human body is composed of 5 J pails of water, 

 mingled with some lime, iron and certain 

 salts. Chemistry has revealed to us many 

 marvels, but none greater than the composi- 

 tion of common water. 



THE AGRICULTURAL FAIR. 



(The followins: is from the pen of Ben. Perley 

 Poore, in "American Cultivator.") 



There one sees 



The noble horse, " his neak with thunder clotli'd," 



.Man's faithful friend, from early morn till eve ; 



Without his aid, man's greatest effort to 



Support himself were frail indeed. 



The stately bull, with hroad, expansive chest, 



That would have stood conspicuous 'monsr the folks 



Of Otr, that graced the landscapes on the slopes 



Of Bashan. The tim'd cow, housewife's 



Trusty friend, wondering look, seems half 



Alarm'd so many stand to praise. The works 



Of art, here too, conspicuous shine. 



The massive wagon, for the farm with strength 



And elegance combin'd. The carriages, 



Of varlel form, like chariots of the sun, 



Which might have graced a Roman conqiierer's 



Triumph. The plows well fitted for the soil, 



With mouldboard, share and bar of polished steel, 



Show vast improvement on the days gone by, 



And 'neath that canopy the household arts, 



In order grand, are seen. There woman rules 



Supreme. The most fastidious taste may 



Find enjoyment there. From Winter's cozy 



Garb to Summer's light attire of many 



A form, and man"V a varied hue, 



The " odds and ends" of life attract the gaze. 



Come hither, yc who boasts of single bliss, 



And learn to prize God's noblest, temporal gift 



To helpless man. The roots and fruits of earth, 



In order rang'd, man's " daily bread," of size 



Enormous, fitted for display, of boasted 



Flavor and of beauteous hue. The dairy's 



Yellow store, in golden wreaths, to catch the eye, 



But more the palate please, awaits the judges' 



Scrutinizing skill. Who would not linger here 



.\nd taste the sweets of nature, and her handmaid 



Art i While woman's smile plays like a sunbeam, 



And enlivens all. 



CONTRIBUTIONS. 



For The I. vmoaster Farmeb 

 SOCIETIES AND FAIRS. 



Has the Lancaster County Agricultural and 

 Horticultural Society been an injury or a 

 benefit to the community ? This question 

 has been asked and referred to some one, but 

 has not been answered yet so far as my 

 knowledge extends. Are agricultural fairs 



an injury or a benefit to the community ? 

 Five hundred and forty pounds, or one I might also be as properly asked. I will only 



