1864. 



THE ILLINOIS FARMEK 



207 



Vegetables for Cattle. — All kinds of vegeta- 

 bles, such as carrots, turnips, potatoes, &c., when 

 offered as food for cattle, should be sliced or bruis- 

 ed. Many valuable animals of the bovine species 

 die, ascidentallv, in consequence of devouring- 

 greedily, and without mastication, one of the above 

 vegetable productions ; ocoasiouallv, however, an 

 unmasticated apple is the cause of the diflSculty. 



In view therefore of preventing the accident of 

 choking, which results from swallowing a substance 

 too large for the capacity of the esophagus, or 

 gullet, I advise husbandmen to slice, bruise or 

 grind the same ; for when a large foreign body of 

 the above kind becomes firmly lodgad in the gullet 

 it cannot easily be removed without endangering 

 the life of the animal. 



The primary act of mastication in cattle is not 

 of a very thorough character ; the stomach is often 

 called upon to perform labor which properly be- 

 longs to the teeth ; the old story is, that the do- 

 mesticated bovine is an indifferent masticator, and 

 the act is a careless affiiir ; therefore all food of 

 the above character should be artificially prepared. 



How TO MAKE A Stock Pond. — A. Subscriber 

 sends us the following : "Select a site near the 

 head of a ravine (clay soil), so that the natural sur- 

 face of from one to three acres will drain the wa 

 ter to it. Scoop out sufficient soil to form a dam, 

 at least three feet v/ide on the top, with sloping 

 sides inside and out. The depthof the pond if five 

 or six feet, will be sufficient to support any ordin- 

 ary farm stock the year round. An open tube of 

 plank one foot square and eight feet long, placed 

 near the top of the embankment, will carry off the 

 surplus water." 



Hogs Eating Grass. — To see a large hog in a 

 rattling yoke, eating grass, reminds one of old- 

 fashioned times. An improvement has taken 

 place. Now and then we find porkie eating his 

 grass in the pen, where his economical mastur has 

 carried it to him. It will do you good to see him 

 (porkie) moving his tail (thinking he has one,) and 

 satisfiedly take his grass with the rest of the grass- 

 eating world. The grass should be out when short 

 and tender, and when moist. The dew on is a good 

 time. The hog will lose no flesh on grass alone; 

 improve with a little addition of milk, refuse of 

 the kitchen, &c. The grass comes in opportunely 

 when food happens to get short, as is sometimes 

 the case, especially when milk breaks off in August 

 and September. 



Beans. — The cheapest and most nutritious vege- 

 table used for food is beans. Prof Liebig says 

 that pork and beans form a compound or substance 

 peculiarly adapted to furnish all that is necessary 

 to support life. A quart of beans and a half pound 

 of pork will feed a small family for a day with good 

 strengthening food. Four quarts of beans and two 

 pounds of corned beef, boiled to rags in fifty qnarts 

 of water will furnish a good meal for forty men. 

 ■ «•» 



Making Butter in Winter. — A farmer's wife 

 says in the Homestead, a little salt stirred into the 

 milk occasionally, while setting, will prevent the 

 white particles of curd so frequently seen" — an 

 excellent thing, if true. 



Care of Sheep. — The best authorities say to 

 most diseases may be kept off by care and go 

 feeding. We see no reason to dispute this. Pe 

 pie who afford good shelter in winter for the' 

 sheep, even if the winter is 1 ^ ornble, and goo 

 feed the year round, are never iv > .til^d with gru 

 in the head among their sheep ; at j« st we neve 

 found it prevalent. It is wonderful ho.v ;.<<^od feed 

 fortifies; and good shelter and attention are feed 

 virtually. The humane man who has intelligence 

 will see to these things. Keep the grub out of th 

 head by putting grub into the stomach, says Dr 

 Dadd. . . ' ; 



To Stop Blkedikg on Man or Beast. — A 

 Kemper, Ross county, Ohio, w?it;>s that bleeding 

 from a wound on man or bea^t may be stopped by 

 a mixture of wheat flour av.d common salt, in 

 equeal parts, bound on with a i-loth. If the bleed- 

 ing be profuse, use a large qutintity, say from one 

 to three pints. It may be left for hours, or even 

 days, if necessary. In this manner he saved the 

 life of a horse which was bleeding from a wounded 

 artery ; the bleeding ceased in five minutes after 

 the application. It was left on three days, when it 

 worked loose, was easily removed from the wound, 

 which very soon healed. 



To Free Molasses from its Sharp Taste. — Take 

 twenty-four pounds of molasses, twenty-four of wa- 

 ter, and six pounds of charcoal, coarsely pulver- 

 ized ; mix them in a kettle, and boil the whole over 

 a wood fire. When the mixture has boiled half 

 an hour, pour it into a flat vessel, in order that 

 the charcoal may subside to the bottom; then pour 

 off the liquid, and plHce it over the fire once more, 

 that the superfluous water may evaporate, and the 

 molasses brought to their former consistency. 

 Twenty-four pounds of molasses will produce 

 twenty-four pounds of sirup. 

 ^ -«»> _ 



Apple Molasses. — Take new sweet cider, just 

 from the press, made from sweet apples, and boil 

 it down as thick as West India molasses. It 

 should be boiled in brass and not burned, as that 

 would injure the flavor. It will keep in the cellar, 

 and is said to be as good, and for many pvu-poses 

 better than the West India molasses. 



A Good Recipe for Vinkgar. — Take forty gal- 

 lons rain water, one gallon mcdasses, and four 

 pounds acetic acid. It will be fit for use in a few 

 days. Acetic acid costs twenty-five cents per 

 pound. This is the recipe by which most of the 

 cider vinegar is made, which is sold in the country 

 stores. 



GiKGSR Skaps. — Take two cups molasses, one 

 cup lard, one tablespoonful ginger, one teaspoonful 

 salt, two teaspoonfuls soda. Let these ingredients 

 boil up once, and then add flour untill stiff enough 

 to roll out, and bake in a quick oven. 



Weeping Oaks. — The most distinctly pendulous 

 oak is Quercus pednnculaea pendula, a very lively 

 tree, combining grace with majesty. The weeping 

 Turkey oak, Q. cerris pendula is a great beauty. — 

 Gardener's Weekly. 



