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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1885-07-24, Page 7FOR THE FARMER, Farming.. If we oomider what farming is, or what it ought to be, we will Dome to the conch'. Bien that farming ought to be the managing of land so as to keep it in condition to pay for occupancy. There may be some land that will pay for occupation that will not pay for cultivation -that is, some tracts of country whioh from the nature of the soil, from the price of labour, and from its adapt- ability to remain in perpetual grass, would pay exceeding well for grazing of any kind of live stook, dairying or fattening, and for wool growing money could be made. This would be farming; and a system of cultiva• tion and course of Dropping on good, free working land, which would keep the soil rich in plant food and allow enough for sell- ing tocovorexpensesand pay interest oncapi- tal, and also a profit to the occupier, would be farming, and good farming, too. There- fore it is easy to say what farming is; but robbing the land is not farming. It is a running down of the land. Many men have purchased a fine tract of land and accumu- lated a competency from the abundant crops the new virgin soil produced, but if they continue to. take crop after Drop without some system of reimbursing it for the drain upon its productive powers, they are not farmers in the strict sense of the word, but real despoilers of the country's wealth, and all such are deserving of severe censure. Farming, to be worthy of the name, should be conducted so that the manure made on the farm be applied to produce a very heal3y' quantity of some nutritious food for catl,'le or sheep ; thus the converting of such a heavy growth of vegetable food into dung, and urine adds to the richness of the soil, so that a rotation can permit the sale of some valuable trop, and the end of the term will find the land better than before and the man- ure made on the farm will have increased, because the produce from which it has been made has been more, and consequently, on an improving system, the manure will aug- ment in proportion to the crops. Market gardening is not farming, fruit -growing is not farming, for horticulture and agricul- ture are not one and the same thing. Near to any great supply of manure from livery stables and other city sources, of course the soil can be compensated, and, indeed, be forced to such a degree of fruitfulness that it is of no consequence how frequently crops of the most exhaustive character succeed each other. Farming requires to be carried on as all other ways of successful business are. A shopkeeper or business man will keep such articles as are in demand and that will sell readily ; and if the farmer finds that fine, powerful draught horses are in demand, or good ranch cows, or hogs, or sheep, and pay those who raise them, he has only to use common sense to make his farm pay. Do not go it blind, but keep posted and direct your efforts toward sure mous. Two Enemies of Sheep. The shepherd should now carefully watch his Hook to preserve it from attacks of the green blow flies. These pests lay their eggs, or in faot deposit the living larvae, upon the foul spots about the sheeps' tails, and when, by the carelessness of the shepherd, who should clip the sheep and lambs in these places at this season and by every means keep them Olean, these grubs get a lodge - meet immediate efforts should be made to get rid of them. The best thing to be done is to mix raw linseed oil and kerosene in equal parts and to add enough carbolic acid to the oil to give it a strong odor -1 per cent. is enough -and smear the iffy -blown. parts with the mixture. If the wool is too thiok this should be clipped off. It is not rare that neglected sheep are literally de - vowed alive by these pests, which soon spread all over the sheep and eat it to the bone,. Soon will be the season when the sheep will a worried with the gadfly -the parent of the grubs which infest the heads of these long-suffering animals. It is easier to pre. vent the attacks of these flies than to get rid of the grubs. This is done by providing a long, narrow V-shaped trough, so deep and narrow that the sheep cannot reach the bottom with their tongues without pressing their noses to the sides of the trough. Some salt is spread in the bottom of the trough &end a mixture of pine tar with a little raw linseed oil to make it softer is brushed on each side of the trough. This adheres to the sheeps' noses and destroys every egg the flies may deposit. It is necessary to renew this tar mixture, so as to keep it soft, and to keep the trough protected from the sun, which would quickly harden the tar. This is better than nutting through the bone of the face into the frontal sinus to take out the grubs. Sundry Suggestions. A mixture of lard and snuff is the Cali- fornia remedy for lice on stook. This oint- ment does not need to be applied to the whole animal, but a ring of It two or three inohee wide completely around the neck will have the desired effect. An easy way to kill plantain, dandelion, and other weeds in a lawn is to place a lit- tle sulphuric aoid with a stick on the orown of each plant, carrying the acid in an open- mouthed bottle with a long handle, so as not to touch it with fingers or clothes, Both millet and Hungarian grave aro hot- weather plants; the former, requiring a rather longer season, should be sown earlier. In fact, it is better to sow both as early as possible after warm weather begins. Hun- garian will ripen if sown July 1, or even later, but it cannot be cured so easily late in the fall as when it can be out during warm weather. The late sown will be maturing during the droughts which often occur the last of August and the first of September, and whioh are just what are nceded to dry a crop of succulent thick stems of grass into hay. The breast Dollar differs from the usual neck collar worn by working horses in bear- ing less on the shoulder. It hi more suitable for light work, driving on the road in sin- gle harness, than for heavy loads. But it is often handy to have a breast collar with extra wide breast piece to work horses in should their shoulders begin to be gall- ed with their usual harness. If this is done great care must be exercised, as the new collar will bear on a place that has pro- bably not been roughened by use. A horse with a high ridge on the top of his hdhd will be balky unless very carefully •treated. This ridge is located on the phrenological bump of firmness, and in the horse at least, this indication is to be avoid- ed. A horse broad in the forehead will be generally intelligent and kind.' HOUSEHOLD HINTS. Better than an iron spoon for mixing sponge for bread, and for similar uses, is a "mundle," or a piece of oak shaped into a round smooth handle at one end, and the other end flattened like a thick knife blade, then sand -papered smooth. Scaly leg is caused by a minute insect. Kerosene oil applied With an old brush two or three times will cure it, The shanks may be immersed in oil for a minute. The fowl should be kept on a bed of straw or hay until the oil has dried off. Some re• commend an application of lard and flour of sulphur. All loose parts of a stove, such as the legs, poker, etc., should be wrapped in coarse paper and put inside the stove before it is put away. Then you'll know where to find them next fall. Mark the joints with chalk so you'll know how to put them to- gether again. When a knob Comes off a door handle you can fasten it on again by filling the cavity in the knob with sulphur, then heat the iron end of the handle which goes in the knob just hot enough to melt the sulphur, put the knob in, and let it cool. It will be firmly fixed in place. The leaves of geranium are an excellent application for cuts, where the skin is rub- bed off, and other wounds of that kind. One or two leaves must be bruised and ap- plied to the part, and the wound will be cicatrized in a short time; The oftener carpets are shaken the longer they wear. The dirt that collects under them grinds out the threads. Do not sweep carpets oftener than is necessary. A broom wears them very much. When a carpet is faded, strong salt and water will often re- store the brightness of the color. Take a horse hair and double it, leaving a loop. If the mote can be seen lay the loop over it, close the eye and the mote will come oat as the hair is withdrawn. If the irritating object cannot be seen raise the lid of the eyes as high as possible, and place the loop as far as you can, close the eye and roll the ball around a few times, draw out the hair ; the substance which caused so much pain will be aura to come with it. This method is praotioed by axe - makers and other workers in steel. Good cider vinegar is recommended for diarrhoea, two ounces for an adult and one teupoonful, moderate diluted, for a child of 1 year. An excellent remedy for hiccough for young and old is granulated sugar moistened with pure vinegar. For an in- fant give from a few grains to a teaspoonful, Bear in mind that lemons are the most use- ful fruit in domestic economy. The juice of half a lemon in a teacup of strong, blank coffee, without sugar, will often cure a sink, headache. Lemon juice and salt will remove ordinary iron rust. If the hands are stain- ed there is nothing that will remote the stain so well as lemon. Cut a lemon in half, and apply the out surface as if it were soap, Lemon juice is also a remedy for rheumatism and for the so-called billious- nese of spring. In the latter ease take the juice of a lemon before breakfast; the pulp may also be eaten, avoiding every partiole of skin, Lemon juice, with sugar, mixed very thick, and taken at intervals, relieves coughs. It must be very aoid as well as swept, Miss Proudflosh (of New York) -" Oh, dear, yes. I know all about Canada. It's a lovely country," Miss Oldfam-'•You have summered there 1" "Oh we never consider ono Bummer anything. Wo spent several years there. It was just after pa retired," " Retired 1" "l. os. I don't re member what bank he was connected with.' A Tiger Story. Here is a perfectly true tiger story, it lustrating the effect of the human eye on the lower animals and more especially of the inscrutable goodness of Providence in dangers from which weak mortals, who do not put their faith or trust in Him to whom all things are possible, would think there was no esoape. A man, who shall be nameless, was on a journey in connection with his business whioh had to be accomplished in a given time. To save time he planned going through a small island, the centre he knew to be a dense jungle, the abode of tigers. He, however, changed his mind and thought he would take the longer route round the island, But again at the last moment he found it necessary to adhere to his original arrangement, and accordingly started alone and unarmed to go through the jungle. It was day when he started, and he hurried on anxious to complete the journey before night set in with its dangers. But night at last began to fall and he had still a geed way to go before he reached his home. He heard the roaring of the tigers coming nearer, yet nearer, and still he pressed forward. He heard them circling round, ever com- ing near. Tigers never go straight to their prey, but circle round and round, always making the rounds smaller until they spring, and then there is no escape from their terri- ble grip. Still they came ana ne could see their eyeballs glaring in the dim light. He knew that one false step would have been his death. He kept on and on, never flinching, though with yells they fawned round his feet, looking up in his face. On he pressed with a strength given to his trembling limbs fcr the time, and still the awful brutes glared in his face with their blood- shot eyeballs looking as though they thirst- ed for blood. Steadily, with his eyes looking straight before him (he had peculiarly glistening black eyes), he pressed on, when through the gloom he saw a bright light whioh he knew was hie home, and the tigers only left him when almost at his door. His wife opened the door, and he walked past her and sat down without a word, and so changed was his face with the dreadful hour's terror that his wife did not know him. It was two hours before he was able to utter a word. Terror had paralyzed his speech, and he had kept on walking me- chanically. He was never the same man in health after that. The Meal Times of the Ancients. The Greeks and Romans partook of lun- cheon, but both it and their breakfast were very slight meals. Even if the latter con- sisted of hot dishes, as it generally did, they were not of a very substantial character, and seeing that the breakfast was eaten immedi- ately on rising, very early, the luncheon could not be regarded in the light of an in- sult to the breakfast and an injury to the dinner -in which way it is not unfrequently spoken of by English epicures. When one has broken one's fast between six and seven a. m. by swallowing a few mouthfuls of bread dipped in a light wine, after the manner of the Greeks, or bread with salt, dried grapes olives or cheese, after the Roman fashion, one may legitimately be entitled to a hot dish of fish or eggs at noon, A luncheon under these oircumstanoes cannot come under the category of either insult or injury to any other meal, The coves or dinner -supper of classical times, consisting of three courses, hors auvrea, piquant dishes, then fish, and meat in several removes, was held in far too high esteem by epicurean appetites to allow of its being injured by any previous repast. "Not till the supper or dinner, call it what we will, was served did the noble Roman take his daily food with luxurious elegenoe and ease. The evening meal was for the few, and not for the many. Those who partook of it redlined at length on Douches, in the spirit of festal enjoyment and social pleasure, donned like a marriage robe. Dinner or supper, this was the meal of the day. Busi- ness was left behind, caro and toil were for- gotten, the day's work was done." This graceful peep at an ancient Roman's dinner, from the pen of one versed in the domeatio life of those times, is sufficient broadly to show that, after all, our own habits ere not very dissimilar ; but it should be remember- ed that, like our more immediate predeces- sor's the Romans were not as addicted to turning night into day as we are, and that although the late dinner was the meal of the day the hour at which it was partaken of was far earlier than ours ; and that conse- quently it may be assumed the lateness was divested of many of its pernicious results. Indeed, the Romans had a great regard for the value of daylight, artificial light was little resorted to, and he went to bed, generally speaking, at the close of day. -London Soci• ety. Fond mother : "You aro very sink, my child ; I will send for Dr, Jones." Daughter (quickly) : "Not Dr, Jones, mother, dear ; ho is engaged already," A life spent worthily should bo measured by a nobler lino---by,deede, not years. PEARLS OF TRUTH. Courage ie fire, and bullying is smoke. There is no magic like :meet, cheery words. Nature, like man, sometimes weeps for gladness. The worst men are those who stir up others to do evil, Justice is the bread of nations; they are always famishing for it. The truly wise man should have no keeper of his secrets but himself, It is easier to suppress the first desire than to satisfy all that follow it. He Is the happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home, When you bury an old animosity never mind putting up a tombstone. Conversation enriches the understanding, but solitude is the sobool of genius. Trees in the forest may be Barron, but trees in the garden should be fruitful. Divine confidence can swim upon those seas which feeble reason cannot fathom, Those days are lost in which we do no good ; those worse than lost in which we do evil. A wise man reflects before he speaks; a fool speaks, and reflects on what he has ut- tered. He that does a base thing in zeal to serve his friend burns the golden thread that ties their hearts together. Our grand business in life is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand. There is nothing so true that the damps of error have not warped ; nothing so faire that a sparkle of truth is not in it. Good temper is the philosophy of the heart, a gem in the treasury within, whose rays are reflected on all outward objects. We meet in society many beautiful and attractive women whom we think would make excellent wives -for our friends. There is no mortification, however keen, no misery, however desperate, which the spirit of woman cannot in some degree lighten or alleviate. Most men call fretting a minor fault, a foible, and not a vice. There is no vice, save drunkenness, which can so utterly de- stroy the peace, the happiness of a home. The crowning fortune of a man is to be born to some pursuit which finds him in employment and happiness, whether it be to make baskets or broadswords, or canals, or statues, or songs. Write injuries in dust and benefits on marble. For nothing is lost on him who sees with an eye that feeling gave. For him there's a story in every breeze and a picture in every wave. Persons who are always innocently cheer- ful and good-humored are very useful in the world ; they maintain peace and happiness and spread a thankful temper among all who live around them. We often think we are of great importance to other people ; that they must be thinking of us and our affairs ; that they watch our actions and shape their course accordingly. In general we are quite mistaken. The people of a republic like ours are pe- culiarly like a single great individual man, full of passions, prejudices often, but witha great heart, despising anything like show or pretense, and always striving forward in a general right direction. The truest lives are those that are cut rose - diamond fashion, with many facets answering to the many -planed aspects of the world about them. • * * Society is always trying in some way or other to grind us down to a single flat surface. An excellent and useful maxim is this hopeful ejaculation -never despair 1 The lot of man is disappointment, but his worst enemy is despair. Resolute confidence, when all other means fail, may often avert danger and overcome difficulty; nay, more, it may convert the bane into a blessing. Right -doing is first hard, then euy, then delightful. Such is the history of each virtue in the race and in the individual. Its beauty may bo hidden in the root of self denial and effort, but it comes into full bloom when at length the effort has grown into a pleasure that we would not willingly forego. Like flakes of snow that fall unperceived en the earth, the seemingly unimportant events of life succeed one another. As the snow gathers together so are our habits form- ed, No single flake that is added to the pile produces a sensible change; no single action creates, however it may exhibit, a man's character. %It is a fatal mistake to think that indus- try united with talent or ability is the right direction is sufficient to insure success in any given pursuit. They aro needful, but also muoh more. A whole man, with deep feelings, strong prinolples, firm will, gener- ous impulses, fully alive to every obligation, and faithful to every trust, will unconscious- ly infuse into his work a value to mankind that can never follow the most urgent ef- forts of a different character. Take care to be an economist in prospe- rity; there is no fear of your not being ono in adversity. Reason and faith resemble the two eons of the patriarch ; reason is the first born, but faith inherits the blessing. One Dog Saved by Another. We have received the following inter- esting narrative from a correspondent Iris Greenopk,who thus writes : "A remark- able case of life-saving by a dog cccarredl last summer in Greenock, in a timber pond attached to a sawmill, The strip of land upon which the sawmill it built pre., sante a froubsge cf about fifty yards to the public street, and extpnda fully two hunw dred yards towards " he Clyde. Twee - thirds cf the ground is web ground -that, is, ground entirely covered by water when bhe tide .is in. Three eiders of thiss, portion are Inclosed by.a stoub paling, through which ino'osure the tide ebbs, and flows. The fourth slde is formed leer' a perpendiculareembankment of four feet deep, which also farms the termination of the dry , ground. The inelosure, or - 'pond' as it is called, in used 'for storing ,timber afloat. At high water, the float- ing timberend dry ground are nearly level.. And as at the time of the following inci- dent the pond was closely packed with timber, there seemed at high water to be. little apparent difference between drye ground and wet ground. "For several days two dogs of the bull. - terrier kind, whose owners were at work in one or other of the adjoining shipyards„ were enjoying themselves in their masters' absence by chasing each other in play,„ rushing impetuously hither and thither, sometimes along the street, cccasionallg making a dart into the yard round about. the sawmill, and as suddenly disappear- ing again -out to the street, and up one, of the many closes at hand. One of thesme charges led to a rather sudden and some., what disastrous termination. 11 was high water. In at the gate of the sawmill prem- isea rushed the two dogs, the one close at, the heels of the other, across the yard' and on to the floating timber. One of" them was soon made aware of the insta-- billby of its footing, by its slipping into. the water between two logs which were floating a few inches apart. The two logs, between which the dog fall were floating on their corners, and therefore formed se, elope on each side like the letter V, which. caused the dog to,slip back into the water at every effort to scramble on to the top, side of its temporary prison wall. Its more fortunate companion retreated to: dry ground ; but on seeing the struggle's of its friend, it at once returned, and, bye intelligent gesture, invitedie `:o terra;irma;.. The efforts of the untortunaee dog were- of no avail ; still it persevered, during.. which time the other had twice returned. from and to dry land. On making the= third visit, it seemed to grasp the sit- uation, for with its teeth it at once caught its suibmerged companion by the back of the neck, and assisted so effectually as to enable it to scramble out of the water and join in another romp, but not within sawmill premises. They were never afterwards seen within the gate, confining their fun to the streets on all subsequent c cC ssiona. " It may be of interest to note that it was a male dog wh'ch fell into the water;; the other, Its rescuer, was of the gentler- sex." "Our Father." A good woman, searching out the chil- dren hildren of want, one cold day, tried to open a. door in the third story of a wretched house,, when she heard a little voice say : "Pull the string up high 1 Pull the string up high 1" She looked up and saw a string, which, on being pulled, lifted a latch; ands she opened the door upon two little, half - naked children, all alone. Very cold ane. pitiful they looked. "Do you take care of youreelvea, ?Ittlte ones 1" asked the good woman. "God does," said the oldest. "And are you not very cold 1 No fire one a day like this 1" "Oh 1 when we are very cold, we creep• under the quilt, and I put my arms round:. Tommy, and Tommy pats his arms round me, and we say, 'Now I lay me,' then we, get warm," said the little girl. "And what have you to eat, pray t" "When granny comes home she fetches, something. Granny says God hes got enough. Graany calls us God's sparrows ; and we say 'Our Father' and 'daily bread every day, God is our Father." Tears came in the good woman's eyes. She had a mistrusting spirit herself ; but these two little "sparrows," perched in that cold, upper chamber, taught her a sweet lesson of faith and trust she will never for- get. General Logan. who visited General Grant recently, believes that the invalid's malady is scrofulous sore throat, and hopes that the physicians are mistaken in their diagnosis. Tho Grant family are incline& to favor this hope. It is now learned that. the Grants have died for generations of con- sumption, and that the General was regard- ed as a viotim to this disease when he lefe West Point. It was 1 redictcd then that he, would certainly die within a year. Har; went to Missouri, ;,bought a saddle• horse and took to the woods. He rode horseback, for six months or a year. Ho strengthened. his lungs andhis general health in this time. But there was a stubborn sore throat from, which he did not recover. It is Bald that a Connecticut clock com- pany has been engaged for some time in, the manufacture of watch movements, and, having made up $30,000 worth ,of, the stock, recently began putting their movements together. It was discovered that all the watches turned their pointers, around backward.