636 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Nov. 



the surface. The land is rolling, the soil loamy, 

 and sufficiently dry to need no artificial draining. 

 The crop of wheat averages from thirty-two to 

 thirtj'-six. bushels an acre, though in exceptional 

 seasons it has gone as high as fifty-six and even 

 sixty bushels an acre." 



— At Elmwood, 111., recently, a threshing ma- 

 chine, while in operation, caught fire from the 

 friction of the machinery, and burned up, com- 

 municating with and destroying two stacks of 

 grain. The entire loss was about §1000. 



— A new kind of fodder plant {Gymnothrix lati- 

 folia) has recentlj' been introduced into France 

 from Uruguay. It is not unlike the sugar-cane in 

 appeai-ance, grows eight or nine feet high, and is 

 said to make excellent fodder either when green or 

 cured. 



— We learn from the California Farmer, that the 

 Alvarado Sugar Co. bids fair to be successful in the 

 .manufacture of sugar from the beet root ; having 

 been in operation only a few months, they have 

 consumed about 3000 tons of beets, and made half 

 a million pounds of sugar. 



— Nothing is wanting but good hives, good pas- 

 ture, cleanliness and attention to insure a rich re- 

 ward to those who engage in bee culture; but, 

 says Mrs. Griffith, training is quite as necessary to 

 the full comprehension of the occupation, as it is 

 in the trade of a carpenter or shoemaker. 



— Cover closely all cistfems, rain-water barrels, 

 and other vessels containing water, and fill up all 

 holes where water is inclined to stand. By thus 

 propagating no "wiggle-tails," you w^ill have no 

 mosquitos. These precautions are good as a sani- 

 tarj^ measure, too. 



— A Canton, 111., farmer says : — "I was going 

 out past my corn crib the other morning, when I 

 observed a large rat, with head erect, carrying a 

 full-sized ear of corn in his mouth. At the same 

 time his tail was wrapped around another and an 

 extra large ear, which he was dragging behind 

 him." 



— Plough and Cultivator makers of the West, 

 representing a capital of .'gi'5,000,000, held a conven- 

 tion at Chicago recently. Resolutions were adopted 

 to regulate the number to be made, manner of 

 putting them on the market, scale of prices, &c. 

 It was stated that the yearly profits did not exceed 

 10 per cent on capital employed. 



— As Henry Sargeant of Waterport, N. Y., was 

 driving a load of grain to his bam recently, he 

 struck one of the horses with the butt end of the 

 pitch-fork, when the animal kicked, hitting the 

 handle of tlie fork and sending the tines as straight 

 as an arrow through Sargeant's body, killing him 

 instantly. 



— At South Sunapee, N. H., a few days since, as 

 Mr. Asahel Lear and Mr. C. A. Maxfield were 

 going to their work they observed a cloud of sin- 

 .gulai- looking insects in the air. Theii- wings came 



off, and they fell to the ground in such numbers as 

 to completely cover it. Soon as they fell they be- 

 gan to dig holes in the ground and disappear. 

 Their wings looked like scales, and blew like dust 

 before the wind. The insect resembled the ant in 

 some respects. Its body was divided into three 

 parts, its head, its corslet, which was very small 

 and round, and its abdomen, which was as broad 

 as long, and altogether larger than the ant. They 

 possessed great strength, digging into the hard 

 earth and removing pebbles several times their size 

 with astonishing rapidity. 



— In reply to a correspondent, the St, Louis 

 Joiirnal of Agriculture says, we cannot recom- 

 mend you to make the raising of fast horses a spe^ 

 cialty in your business. True, fabulous prices are 

 often paid for extra fast steeds — more especiallj' at 

 the present period ; however, if you will take the 

 trouble to consult the experience of men who have 

 started out on this plan, you w'ill find they possess 

 light purses as a general thing. Far better would 

 it be, were you to raise fast roadsters and rapid 

 walkers, and leave all the 2 :15's and 2 :20's for 

 others to rear. English history records a fact that 

 j'ou would do well to ponder : Out of every thirty 

 colts from thoroughbred stock on both sides, but 

 otie proves extra fast. 



Treating old Pork. — Old pork in sum- 

 mer is not generally relished ; nuieh of it is 

 tainted, and some of it not fit to use. Now 

 this can all be remedied, and a fesli palatable 

 dish made of it, except where the taint is too 

 evident. 



First, soak in cold water (changing the 

 water) till fully freshened. Then bring to a 

 boil and boil fifteen minutes. Pour off the 

 water, and fry for the same length of time or 

 little less, depending on the heat. Remove the 

 grease and cover with sweet milk. Boil down, 

 salt a little, and finish by frying it a light 

 brown. Be careful and do not burn, as this is 

 easily done in the tender condition the pork is 

 now in. It will be very tender and sweet, and 

 have the taste of fresh pig's meat. 



This, it will be seen, requires some labor. 

 But this can be much lessened by treating a 

 sufficient quantity at one time for several 

 meals, as it will be equally good if "warmed 

 up." — F. G., in Prairie Farjner. 



GROWING POND LILIES. 



On seeing my dish of pond lilies and ad- 

 miring their beauty and fragrance, I asked, 

 why IS the pond lily so little cultivated ? — a 

 flower so much admired and so easily grown, 

 and yet in many places so rare. The answer 

 was : It is not universally known that it can 

 be grown so easily. Many ask the question, 

 where did you get those pond lilies ? We 

 tell them we raise them. "What, raise pond 

 lilies ?" We reply yes — raise them as easy 

 as corn or potatoes. And, as many seem in- 



