1880.] 
289 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
Never Keep an Old Sheep. —“It is a piece of 
folly to keep old sheep ; ” says a great sheep grower, 
and that with good reason. The end of every sheep is 
the shambles ; it may give one or more fleeces of wool 
on the way, but not so many that the carcass will cost 
more to fatten than it will bring. A ewe should not 
“bear lambs more than five times; at the end of this pe¬ 
riod the carcass will, with proper care, be round and 
full, and can bo fattened with comparative ease. Should 
the animal be a pure blood and of a family or strain of 
blood that is scarce, the case will be otherwise, for the 
carcass is then considered of very little value as com¬ 
pared with that of the offspring that may be obtained. 
Value of a “Calf Feeder.”— It is settled be¬ 
yond a doubt that allowing a calf to suck is an injury to 
the cow, while at the same time it is the best method of 
feeding the calf. But as the cow is above the calf in 
value and importance, it is economy to remove the off¬ 
spring and that so soon as the milk is fit to use—after 
the third day. The objection to the system of allowing 
calves.to drink from a pail, namely: that no saliva of any 
account is mingled with the fast swallowed milk is over¬ 
come by the “Calf-Feeder,” which is now used to some 
extent and highly prized by those who know its value. 
The “Feeder" is a covered pail arranged with a rubber 
teat on the cover and connected with a tube, the open 
end of which is in the bottom of the pail. The calf is 
soon taught to use the feeder and by the process of suc¬ 
tion—quite natural to the calf—the saliva flows rapidly 
and is mixed with the milk; and the calf is better satis¬ 
fied as is also the owner when the young animal is turned 
over to the butcher or is kept for a longer period. 
Wooden Shoes.— 1 The newly arrived German im¬ 
migrant often appears in the shoes to which he was ac¬ 
customed at home. These are large sabots , or wooden 
dug-outs, and are clumsy in appearance as well as noisy 
upon the floor or pavement. They have one thing to 
commend them, each one can make his own without the 
aid of the shoemaker. However unsightly they may be, 
these shoes are really serviceable; wood being a poor 
conductor, they keep the feet warm, and being imper¬ 
vious to water, keep them dry. Indeed there is so much 
in favor of the use of wood for the soles, at least, of 
shoes, that several American manufacturers have adopted 
it for certain styles. A firm in Pennsylvania several 
years ago made wood-soled shoes, and we for some years 
kept a pair of these to slip on when going into the gar¬ 
den or field in damp, cold weather, and found them very 
useful. There are many whose occupations require 
shoes that shall be both durable and comfortable ; this 
is especially the case with farmers, who are exposed to 
all sorts of weather, and we are glad to learn from our ad¬ 
vertising columns that shoes with wooden soles are still 
made by Chas. W. Copeland, of Boston, and more than 
that, are well made. Were they to come into general 
use among farmers, we do not doubt that many a fit of ill¬ 
ness would be prevented by those who would wear them. 
Sorghum Machinery.—Sometimes a catalogue 
is more than a mere list of articles and their prices, and 
gives besides matters of interest relating to the uses of 
the materials offered. The catalogue of the Blymyer 
Manufacturing Company is of this kind, and besides 
offering Sorghum machinery, it tells a good deal about 
Sorghum. This firm were among the first to meet the 
wants of farmers by providing them with Sorghum ma¬ 
chinery at the time when this crop was first introduced, 
and they have since kept pace with all the improvements 
in this important branch of agriculture. It is a matter 
of regret that in an article on Sorghum in March last, 
all reference to this firm was inadvertently omitted— 
and it is only an act of justice to say, that whatever po¬ 
sition sorghum culture may occupy in the future, will 
be largely due to the labors of this Cgmpany in the past. 
Their catalogue shows that they are prepared to meet 
all the new demands created by the improved variety of 
Sorghum with the machinery for working it up into the 
best products and that in the quickest and best manner. 
Tlse Potato Bisease in Europe.—The heavy 
losses which the farmers of Great Britain have experi¬ 
enced during the last five years from the Potato Rot, 
have given rise to serious doubts whether this valuable 
crop can be grown with profit in those countries in the 
future. Like every other agricultural trouble, this one 
stimulates thought, and leads to new methods of culture, 
that are experimental, and it may be beneficial. Of late 
much attention has been directed towards the finding of 
a “ disease-proof ” variety of potato, or at least the pro 
duction of sorts, that though attacked by the Rot, are 
able to withstand it, and not be seriously injured. To 
encourage this work of finding out the best kind of po¬ 
tato, prizes have been offered at different times, and elab¬ 
orate experiments, to test the varieties, have been car¬ 
ried out, without any very satisfactory results. But a 
great deal of good has grown out of this seeking fora dis¬ 
ease-proof potato, especially in the way of improving 
the varieties through carefully selecting the tabers, and 
their proper cultivation. Knowing that the disease is a 
parasitic fungus (Peronospora infestans), the develop¬ 
ment of which is favored by warm, moist weather, and 
hindered by the opposite, there is little hope of finding 
a variety of potato that will differ so materially from all 
others, that it will be proof against the attacks of this 
fungus. There are, nevertheless, certain precautionary- 
measures to be taken. These are embodied in brief, in 
an English review of Mr. Bravender’s treatise, “The 
Potato Disease, and How To Prevent It,” from which 
we take the following: “ Secure good seed if you can, 
entirely free from disease. Plant early—on light land, 5 
inches ; on heavy land, 3 inches deep—and earth up 
well. Have the rows from 2 feet 8 inches to 3 feet apart 
in gardens, and 3 feet or more in the field for late varie¬ 
ties ; may be rather less for others. If there is danger 
of frost, cover along the rows with short litter, about 
enough to hide the plants from view. Plant, if possible, 
in land not occupied by the same crop the previous year ; 
and plant the late kinds, if possible, in a field by them¬ 
selves. Use medium size sets, or cut sets if large, about 
12 to 18 inches apart in the row, according to size. If 
the sets are very small, they need not be so far apart. 
Manure in autumn, and use potash salts or bone phos¬ 
phate in the spring; or else make a compost of manure 
and earth, ashes, etc. Earth up twice. The tops may be 
cut off those required for seed, if the tubers are large 
enough. Harvest late kinds sooner than is usually done. 
If there appears any disease amongst the crop, sorting 
over will be required. If you have the convenience, 
store your crop for a time, and not put in pits until No¬ 
vember. On harvesting, separate the diseased from the 
healthy ones.” We have more or less of the Potato Rot 
in this country, sometimes to the destruction, whole or 
partial, of the crop, and the above rules may properly be 
observed by American farmers. The direction given 
to “ earth up twice,” is not needed with us, while in the 
moist climate of Britain, the crop is benefited by “ hill¬ 
ing,” the conditions are quite different with us, and un¬ 
less in a very wet summer, flat culture gives better re¬ 
turns. While the potato crop is an important one with 
us, its failure does not bring such consequences to our 
farmers, as it does to the Irish peasant, whose life, and 
that of his family, may be said to almost depend upon 
the success of their all important potato crop. 
Breeding Tliorougli-lbred Stock.— As we 
were a short time ago looking over a fine herd of 
thorough bred stock, upon a farm which we visited, 
while we did not covet it, we thought that no one, 
as he looked over these finely proportoned animals, 
could refrain from wishing to have a similar herd 
for himself. There is a charm in the whole matter 
of stock-breeding, and especially so if one has fine ani¬ 
mals at the start, and their best points are made more 
fixed and prominent as the generations pass. But while 
looking at these animals and listening to the explanation 
of this and that point of excellence, the thought nat¬ 
urally suggested itself: is not this breeding of pure- 
bloods with the care and nicety, here manifest, a sort of 
fancy farming that only a few can hope to indulge in ? 
What capital is invested! A thousand or fifteen hundred 
dollars, which in the breeder's view is not much, for a 
cow, is far beyond the ability of the average farmer. In 
order to succeed as a good breeder of thorough-bred 
stock, the first requisite seems to be a good bank account, 
and the second a clear idea of what one is breeding for— 
an end towards which all his skill—for he must be skill¬ 
ful—must tend. The proportion of men having the re¬ 
quisites for breeders of thoroughbred stock is small; and 
any one who contemplates the task should at the outset 
be sure that he possesses them. We would not discour¬ 
age any one from undertaking the rearing of a herd of 
pure-blooded animals; but simply caution against going 
into it without a thorough preparation for the task. It 
is only when entered into intelligently and with the 
requisite capital that it is made to pay—and even then it 
can be remunerative only after some years of constant 
outgo with no corresponding income. The breeding of 
pure-bred animals is one of the most important depart¬ 
ments of agriculture, for upon the existence and growth 
of such herds does the improvement of farm stock in 
general largely depend. If all our pure blood animals 
were taken from us, or rather, if they were scattered 
broadcast over the country, the work of centuries would 
be undone, but. so long as these animals are kept in 
herds, with a judicious outflow of the pure blood to be 
mingled with the common stock of the country, they con¬ 
tribute largely to the general good by gradually advanc¬ 
ing the average grade of our farm animals. It is well 
that there are men of sufficient means, combined with a 
love for improved live stock, who will keep herds of 
thoroughbreds, for they can be kept, pure only with great 
care and often at. great expense. Whatever may be their 
motives in building up fine herds, such persons can not 
well avoid being public benefactors, and we are glad to 
believe that there are some sufficiently public-spirited who 
do it mainly because it will conduce to the general good. 
Nuts and Nubbins. 
There are no sweets in family jars. 
The mother of vinegar is very sharp. 
Widows and widowers to be repaired. 
Tlie road to matrimony is a Bridal path. 
Gin Sling, a Chinese, is preparing for the bar. 
Organ-grinderB have a strong “ turn ” for music. 
Could not the doctor’s fee be justly called ill-gotten gains? 
The way to get over a culinary difficulty is to go to Bridget. 
It is the man with the rheumatism who is every inch a 
king. 
Among birds the rooster is an early riser, and then comes 
the crow. 
A woodcutter never fells a tree against its will. He always 
axes it first. 
Too much of a good thing, as the kitten said when it fell 
into the milk pail. 
A Utah wedding paragraph says “the bride was togged 
out in white gauze.” 
A hypocrite is a man who trios to be pious but can’t, with 
a preponderance of cant. 
Temperance reformers should turn their attention to 
money—it is always tight. 
It’s a very curious thing that the Nihilists haven’t tried a 
kerosene lamp on the Czar. 
Why is the vowel “o” the only one sounded? Because 
all the others are inaudible. 
When Paul Boynton is married and settled, things will 
not go on so swimmingly with him. 
Mrs. Partington savs Ike has bought a horse so spiritous 
that it always goes off on a decanter. 
If we could see others as we see ourselves,'there would be 
more good-looking people in the world. 
Lampion thinks “ the man who whitewashes ceilings is In 
a sublime business.” This is a kiln-joke. 
“After all,” said the baker, as he left an astronomical lec 
ture, “ after all, the world is only a big turn-over.” 
Many a young man who sows his wild oats, trusts to the 
grasshopper of forgetfulness to destroy the crop. 
The discovery of diamond-making seems something like 
Edison’s light; now you see it, and now you don t. 
“If a man calls you a fool, pass him by,” says the Persian 
philosopher; that is, leave him lying oh the ground. 
“Young man, invest your capital in integrity.” It is 
quite impossible. There Is really none in the market. 
“ I say, my little son, where does the right hand road go ? ” 
“ Don’t know sir; ’taint been nowhere since we lived here.” 
A poet says: “Oh, she was fair, but sorrow left traces 
there.” What became of the rest of the harness he don’t 
state. 
Scene : Recitation in Mental Science. Professor—" How 
do you know that you know anything ? ” Senior—” I don’t 
know. ’ 
Tell me what is an average ? Child—A thing to lay eggs 
on. Mother says our old hen lays six eggs a week on an 
average. 
“ Sekretz, is a bad investment^if you pass it you Ioze the 
principal, and if you keep it you loze tiie interest.’’—Josh 
How is it that trees can put on a new dre^s without open¬ 
ing their trunks ? Because they leave out their summer 
clothing. 
The post mortem examination of a man’s life always re¬ 
veals finer traits of character than he was ever before known 
to possess. 
When you can hardly say enough for a man, say he is one 
of a thousand. It will be true as long as there are 9.'9 other 
men in the world. 
The seal probably puts up with more insults and abuse 
than any other animal. He is known the world over as a 
furbearing animal. 
A child being asked what were the three great feasts of 
the Jews, promptly and not unnaturally replied: “Break¬ 
fast, dinner, ana supper." 
A mule’s head does not contain a brain capable of culture 
and refined rearing, but it is wonderful to what an extent 
the other end can be reared. 
An Indianian said to a young man who chaffed him upon 
his bald head: “ Young man, when my head gets as s -ft as 
yours I can raise hair to sell.” 
It is a great piece of folly for a man to be always ready to 
meet trouble half way. If he would put all the journey on 
trouble, he might never meet it at all. 
Patrick having been told that Dr. Peters had found an 
asteroid, remarked: “ Bedad, he may have his asteroid, but 
as for meself oi prefer a horse ter ride.” 
“ Will you name the bones of the head?” said a teacher 
to one of his class.—” I've got ’em all in my head, teacher," 
replied the pupil, “ but I can’t give ’em.” 
A Minnesota farmer who has five grown up daughters, has 
sued the county on a claim that his residence has been used 
as a “ Court-house ” for the past two years. 
“If Jones undertakes to pull my ears,” said a loud¬ 
mouthed fellow on a street corner, “he will just have his 
hands full.” The crowd looked at the man’s ears and laughed. 
This is the way the married editor sums up Lent: “ The 
hen which lays the Easter egg is a great bird, but it takes 
the goose which lays the golden egg to bring Easter 
bonnets.” 
If Noah had foreseen the future, and killed the two mos- 
uitoes which took refuge in the ark, he would have ren- 
ered some of the strongest words in the English language 
unnecessary. 
A little girl read a composition before the minister. The 
subject was, “A Cow.” She weaved in this complimentary 
sentence: “ The cow is the most useful animal in the world 
except religion.” 
“ That is what I call a finished sermon,” said a lady to her 
husband, as they wended their way from church.—“ Yes,” 
was the reply with a yawn, “ but, do you know, I thought it 
never would be.” 
Newly married husband: “This is a friend of mine, my 
dear—a friend of twenty years' standing.” His bride : 
“ Good gracious. Then pray give him a seat, for I am sure 
he must De tired.” 
Dr. Charles Smart of the army is looking scientifically in¬ 
to the well and cistern water of New Orleans, to ascertain 
what the people of that city drink. We fear the doctor is 
on the wrong scent. 
The Cleveland “Herald” advises Christians to hire a 
steamboat, give a Sunday excursion, and then suddenly open 
religious services on tne crowd of loafers. They must 
either listen or jump overboard. 
“Do you use many flowers on your table?” asked Mrs. 
Murray Hill of a southern visitor.—" Well, yes,” was the re¬ 
ply ; “we have wheat and rye bread for breakfast, but the 
old man will stick to corn dodgers. 
A school boy being asked by his teacher bow he should 
