1862. 



THE ILLINOIS FARMER. 



169 



wish for the end posts. Then take five strips of 

 inch board for the slats, the lower one being the 

 widest, the next a littie narrower, and so on, the 

 top one being the narrowest. Then mortice holes 

 in the end posts, and insert the slata and pin 

 them. Take two strips for braces, one on each 

 side. Fasten one end of the brace near the heel 

 of the end post on which the gate is going to 

 swing, and the other end near the top of the op- 

 posite post, and nail them to the slats. 



<■> 



Raspberries. — The cultiTation of this whole- 

 some, juicy, and delicious summer fruit, is not 

 receiving from our rural population that atten- 

 tion which its good qualities, varied uses, and 

 ready sale demands. 



Had the public taste set itself to the improve- 

 ment of our native sorts, instead of foreign va-* 

 riet es, we should now be ab'e to name a list of 

 hardy American varieties, which would stand 

 unprotected, our climate of cold winters; but, 

 unfortunately for us, until within the past few 

 years, American Horticulturists have contented 

 themselves with culture of foreign varieties, al- 

 though we have members of the same genus in 

 no email variety, standing in our fence corners 

 and waste places ; as if to challenge our skill in 

 the production of other varieties from seed of 

 their hardy stock; known, as they are, to pos- 

 sess a sportive disposition. 



The Ohio Everbearing, and Catawissa, are be- 

 lieved to be seedlings from the American Black, 

 or Black Cap. 



The raspberry relishes a deep, warm, sandy 

 loam, but will not refuse to grow in any permea- 

 ble, deep worked soil, if dry. 



The roots of the raspberry ramble in search 

 of their food near the surface, and are conse- 

 quently quickly affected by drying sadshine on a 

 naked surface , it is for the mulching and not 

 the shade which which places them on such good 

 terms with surrounding trees and shrubs. Give 

 them three inches of leaf or straw mulching in 

 the open garden, and they will demonstrate their 

 preference for the latter position, by an Increased 

 quality and quantity of their refreshing berries. 

 — Iowa Homestead. 



•«>- 



Kindness to Milch Cows. — One of the great- 

 est errors in overcoming cows that are unquiet 

 while being milked, is to whip, beat, iiick, and 

 bawl at them. This generally done, and the cow 

 becomes afraid and angry, and instead of becom- 

 ing better, grows worse. Milch cows cannot be 

 whipped or terrified into standing quietly, gently 

 and patiently daring milking. They dislike to be 

 milked, for they know that words and hard blows 

 always attend the operation. They dread to see 

 the milker, as the little urchin dreads to see the 

 birchen rod in the band of &n angry pedagogue, 

 when he expects to have it applied to his back. 

 A cow, kindly and properly treated, is pleased to 

 see the milker, gladly awaits his or her approach, 

 and submits with pleasure to the operation of 

 being milked. Every one havinc experience 

 with cows knows this to be true. But the cow is 

 opposed to a change of milkers ; she soon b«- 



comes attached to one person who performs the 

 operation, and does not willingly and freely give 

 down her milk to another person ; therefore, 

 have one milker to certain cows, and beir in 

 mind, if you change milkers, it is at the expense 

 of a loss of milk, and of injury to the cow. All 

 animals appreciate kind treatment, and resent 

 abuse. See that those who milk them can con-^ 

 trol themselves, govern their passions, speak low 

 and kindly under almost any provocation, ar d 

 soon the cows will learn that they are not gong 

 to be fabused, and will submit to the operatioi^. 

 Milking should be performed at regular hours, 

 not varying fifteen minutes one day from the 

 other. No talking nor laughing should be per- 

 mitted. — Ohio Farmer. 



Post and Bail Fence. — We are interested in 

 feneing, and read with interest many good plans 

 and suggestions in the Farmer. I will give you 

 my plan for making a cheap fence, and which an- 

 swers a very good purpose for new beginners. 

 After splitting the posts seven feet long and point- 

 ing one pnd, I lay them along the line where they 

 are to be driven ; I then take my oxen and w igon 

 and straddle the line of the fence. I have a boy 

 or man to raise the post and bold it, while I stand 

 on the wagon and drive it down two and a half 

 feet — leaving four and a half feet above ground. 

 The team is then started on to where the next 

 post is to be driven, and so on. In this manner 

 an able bodied man can drive two hundred posts 

 in a day. I then take poplar poles (of course 

 any other kind of poles may be used) four, five, 

 or six inches in diameter and sixteen feet long, 

 split them in two and nail on. Three of these 

 rails well nailed on, make a very good fence. — 

 The posts should stand eight feet apart. — Ex. 



Usefulness of Toads in Gardens. — At a re- 

 cent meeting of the Brooklyn Horticultural So 

 clety, the subject of toads in gardens was under 

 discussion, when Mr. Burgess, an " old country 

 gardener of long experience," stated •' that thirty 

 years observation had convinced bim that it was 

 the snail and not the toad which devoured straw- 

 berries and their vines. Most people attributed 

 the destruction to toads, bat he was certain that 

 thev were harmless. In gardens he considered 

 them of great use, and all gardeners should look 

 upon them as their best friends. Mr. Fuller en- 

 dorsed all that had been said upon the subject, 

 and he W4.b glad to hear it. He believed the 

 toad a most valuable auxiliary to the gardener. 

 They were worth $500 a piece, as they keep the 

 ground clear of insects entirely. Besides they 

 can be domesticated! This was not generally 

 known; nevertheless it was true. Those in his 

 gsrden knew him, and would follow in order to 

 f-et the insects, caterpillars, etc. Their preserv- 

 ation ought to be attended ty. Mr Burgess was 

 of the opinion that there should be a fine fine for 

 killing them." 



