Tmc ('anadian Hokiicn/i tkist. 67 



sable servant, and, if one were to keep account (jf wliat it would cost to hire horse 

 help every time one would need it, we would find our faithful friend would 

 almost pay for himself in one year, beyond his keeping. 



As to the cows, our three in the year just closed paid %()C), clear of expenses. 

 That is, $33 per cow, and this was for what butter and buttermilk was sold, 

 not including what was used in a family of five persons, and what skim milk was 

 su])plied to two fiimilies that had no cow. We have regular customers in the 

 city for our butter, at twenty cents per pound in the summer, and twenty-two 

 cents in the winter. We feed the cows bran mash in the summer, besides the 

 pasturing, and with bran and ])rovender in the winter, with their feed of hay and 

 straw. Salt them every morning, and stable them not too warm, and in the 

 spring when turned out to open ground, they bound and play like deer. 'Ihc 

 horse gets his rations of hay and provender according to his work, with a hand- 

 ful each of salt and wood ashes in his feed twice or three times a week. This is 

 all the condition powder he needs, and he thrives and is on hand to his work. 



We keep about forty laying hens that yield their margin of profit as well. 

 We do not believe in stimulating them to lay in the winter, and they begin to lay 

 early in spring, and do duty faithfully all summer to late in the fall, as a rule. 



About three acres in fruit and the same in vegetables, if handled rightly, will 

 yield a fair margin of profit, and will keep two hands busy enough to keep down 

 the weeds, prepare the market loads, and do the marketing. . Of course, in the 

 fruit-picking season extra help must be employed. We make strawberries a 

 specialty, and do something in raspberries, currants, grapes, and have a cherry 

 and apple prospect in the near future. Gooseberries have not paid with us. 



The vegetable market is somewhat overstocked in Ottawa, except extra early 

 productions, which pay well. The fruit market for home produce x^good. 



Taking everything into account, there is a fair margin for encouragement on 

 a ten acre farm, within five miles of the city. But, economy in living must add 

 its measure to the common interest. Extravagance in style, in high-toned table 

 expenses, etc., are the canker-worms which eat out the prosperity of many a well- 

 meaning man, but the hard-})an essentials of existence can be fully enjoyed with 

 health and wholesome contentment, which are, in themselves, real luxuries. 



Nepeau, Out. I.. h'ooTK. 



Poison \'inks. — Some careful experiments have been made by eminent 

 pathologists on poison by the sumach, the result indicating an almost perfect 

 identity in the result with the disease known as erysipelas : and it is suggested, 

 therefore, that the same remedy may be used for Rhus poison as for the trouble 

 in erysipelas. A lather of common potash soap, made strong, and applied with 

 a shaving brush on the affected parts, is a well known and effectual remedy. 

 Those liable to be poisoned by this plant, will do well to remember this. — 

 Meehans" Monthly. 



