{ title: 'The Otsego farmer. (Cooperstown, N.Y.) 1885-1910, December 12, 1885, Page 1, Image 1', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/sn87070110/1885-12-12/ed-1/seq-1/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn87070110/1885-12-12/ed-1/seq-1.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn87070110/1885-12-12/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/sn87070110/1885-12-12/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
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FE u‘ fig A FARM- AND F IRESIDE JOURNAL. » - 1 wa Written may for Tam (memo Fun“. * uge A) BP 'its entitled in most minds, ._ The occupation of the farmer falls to cofixmnnd the respect and position to which Many persons - esteam>the filling of the soil as an 00pr COOPERSTOWN N;.¥., SATURDAY, DECE : Auhcs osras Ferlllhznx. . BY J. J. ALLEN. & ~ 'For some years my faith was so amall ,ln the -use of ashes to Improve the crop _i that theywere thrown out almost anywhere to get them out of the way. Atlength I wes induced to. try an experiment with | some good hard wood ashes. Bo I took a patch 'of potatoes that were just coming Ap, and put a goad handful on one-half of the patch—uhIng two rows and then pass- Poultry in Winter. By 0. w. PLREASANTS, | -- Fowls-to be profitable- must hnve- warm, ing cold weather. and six feet high to the eaves, 'will be sufll- [élent room for thirty fowls, and when more to the number of fowls. . When two or more houses are required ~ Bo easy dunnssfiming are the farmers, ~that. they. quletly,-year after year, by thoir voteg\fill the-important offices of the State ~~and with professional men, instead . of offering to fill the positions with mem: P Mn of their own numerical clasg.' They- \ avagthH-MDLMMWV the :ame and when the time.came to dig, ing two rows without ashing, If was soon seen that the ashes had made at. least an improvement in the growth and color of 'the crop, for the- tops ashed were larger and greener and did not look like the same kind .of potatoes.> They were cultivated! hundred yards apart, and efforts made to. Induce the fowls to scatter about over the farm, as they will be more, healthy and profitable if managed in this way than if Turge numbers are compelled-to roost in in ether State or-nation, Truly the farm- .Aot the whole, 'are ensily satisfied, else they, easily allow ofher.cccupations to supply so Tirge a'proportion of all law making pow- én ,' ed jurists, lawyers, artizans, and financiers, v we find their bikthplace was in a large ma- _ jority, on the farm. . And as. their ranks 'are annually decimated by death, the sons of Tarmers are mostly those that gre taking their places. ' Porhaps this fact alone nc- -counts-for the few farmers in public posi- tlons, - If rapid accumulation of wealth or political distinction, is one's aim ton, the farm is not the place for him to seek his goal. It is not here that he is likely to meet his desired success, Even when farmers of distinguished ability have been nominated to office, they often have . failed of sucgessful election, for the reason that they will.seidom stoop to the measures of demsgogism so often necessary to ac- complish such end. Bilt if one's endand atm if life is an ln- depepdent-competence, n peaceful, happy home, a plige where the annoyances of los¢ and speculative gains are not to disturb him, ther ho should seek the quict of the farno. Itis-here-he-onn see his crops and his stock grow add increago in value, and «s* ~t-= know that hiis gaing are obtained at no one's % aniong those of their\ occupation, but be- thoy seldom have one anxious or de- strous of office. 'That the agriculturists, ._ Horm dut a yery small portion of our law -makers, 1s fully-demonstrated: by looking over the occupations of any legislative body , ing class, who 'comipose one entire half of - our- population; and rafse the food products having as they do the ability, would not so Monumnmnntryjumsenm the ogigin of our-most.able.and distinguish- and measured, and to my surprise those ashed were the best in size and quantity by at least ten per cont. The past season I took a piece of ground four rods squire (one tenth of an sere), af- ter it was plowed, and put wood ashes on it, at the-rate of two hundred bushels per acre, and with a horse cultivator worked them. into the soil as well as I could; then I took another piece by the side of this one, the same size, and put coat ashes on 1t the ] same in amount, and, cultimwekqme way, Then I took anotlior piece, the fume in size, and did not put anytlungron it to Improve the soll in the least. © All-threo of these pleces were planted (after the plow had been used to mark the rows) with the same kind of potatoes the same day. Each plot received the same culture and was dug the same day. The result was, where the wood ashes were put the crop was much better than when not anything had been. uséd'to fertil- ize the land. 'The increase in méasure on the one-tenth of an acre was nearly four bushe}s in favor of the ashed land. Where the coal ashes were used, the crop was less than where no' fertilizer was used, by one are had becn covered with coal ashes, the crop would have been fifteen bushels less] than if the coal ashes had not been used. The wood ushes increased the crop at the rate of forty bushels to the acre. 'The ash- es to put on an aefe (200 bushels) would cost here fourteen dollars. 'he increase of the cpbp the first year would be forty bushels of potatoes, worth twenty dollars. The gadd that we derive from the wood ashes is fuot all received the first yebr, but will be seen and felt for some years to come. those -ashed were dug first and carsfully measured, then , those not ashed'were dug bushel and a half, showing that if the whole [~ the day, Besides, when, tLr 115mm“: tight and.comfortable,, as they must be for fowls to be profitable during winter 4... momfim thirty are housed -in ore house | the~Air becomes polsorious -by the | odor thrown off from their bodies, which is very offensive and sickening, as may be determ- ined by any one who will enter a tight house at morning in which a large- number of fowls have roosted during the night. | The houses should be well ventilated at the gable ends near the comb, in order that the fowls be not exposed to a draft while a; roost, <0 \= =~ The roost poles should be all on a level, and, unless the floors are damp (which should by no means be the case,) there is noadvantage in having them more than two or three feet from the ground. ' the doors and windows are clof ‘(except means for ventilation at top,) all poultry houses during cold weather shoutd be per- fectly tight; especially below and at least three feet above the level of the roost poles, No hen will lay well when. there is a con- stant currant of cold air passing up under and around her while at roost. To induce laying, heng must be kept comfortable as well as supplied with prop- er varieties of food. By all means there should be at least a six or twelve-light window in the south side of every poultry house; in fact, it would be much more comfortable during cold, windy, but sunshiny days, if the whole south side of the house was glass. There Is no profit whatever in keeping a surplus Fof males through winter. In fact, all fowls except hens between the ages of six | months and two and a half years, and the purposes, should be sold off in fall or early winter. j dry, roomy and comfortable quarters dur: | A House ten feet square | than that number are.kept the numbe'rvog houses should be increased in proportion\ the same house and flock together during j to three months, according to quality, and , the consumer, it is ready for market. males intended for the next year's breeding,* How Chouhire Cheese is Made. CEM The processes of cheese manufacture are i few and - simple, although there\ are many» BER 12 . lee Home: on the Farm. T. is hard to understand why more Tarmi- ere-hnvo-pot-lou-houses, >It is a aignificant | oleqma‘l'gnnnn Oleomnrgnrha ms; rhnehh-T—opk- of din, Fensstem- nt the session-0£ the - - these curds casein, that children.remember nfl'ectlonntely thro'! life after they first taste it at a farm house. of cheese is to Beparate these two substhn- cheese it causes it to bulge out at the sides, may recognize in dairies of inferfjor value, \As soon as the evening's milking is com- ing's milk is added directly after. cold water is run off the false bottom of 'the vat, and hot water substituted, until. .the-temperature is mined to about ninety degrees; and then rennet and anatto are add- ed,. Rennot,-it-may be- said-for those-to- whom the terms in cheese making are stminge, is the mild acids that sepurate the \curds from the whey. Other acids would do the same, but this is incomparably the best. After it has acted properly, the curds are formed in solid blocks, and the whey [permns who would never excel in it. _ Milk fit a general manner of speaking, 'may be !said to consist of casein (or curds) 'snd whey. Casein is the solid white part of the milk, and, though it contains other sub stances, if is quite accurute enough to call ~ The witéy is such active principle as is they-should be \Tocated some fifly to onerlrleILoLtho—milk—and is-tho-sweet-drink-|- The great dedidorstum in the manufacture ces thoroughly, for if whey is left in the Land -leaves-a-decomposed-fnvor which we- [pleted and stored in a vat, it is cooled down as soon. as possible, and in some of the more, complete dairy farms thereis a | zinc cistern with' a false bottom, which is Aled with-water-to reduce the temperature; In marly farms about half the cream is: taken away for churning, and the morn- The used or to fall into decav. Bel! to warmrdrinks again, wholesomences, and ' so with meats and some. 'The farmer caonot 'go the market every morning and purchase fresh 'and he cannot keep- meat in approrer with- | out ice; therefore.the farmer without an lee house must eat salt pork duringhot -weather, and that io Jnat wliat a large.ma- jority of us do. Ice will often save nents, resembles, and fruits from spoiling out right. Amjice house robs the swill barrel, but how much it saves for the table ls hard to be realized without the aid of pmcllcnl experience. I am decidedly of the Apintom that the nppnnnklndlflereneevfll farmers: mfie claitns of ice houses is due to a wistaken motion of their cost. - I have, frequently beard my neighbors say that they would bave an ice houseif it did not cost so much. Now an lee house is one of the most eco- nomigal and cheap things in existence: The materials need cost but a trifle, and the is run off. This Is all done within an how: , an then \the \curds are carefully cut up to let the whey still drain off. Here again del- fcacy is needed, so as not to let the rich part of the curds mix. with the whey, and impoverish the cheese. Indeed, if the whey is properly run off, it should be as clear as Rhenish wine, and very like it in appearance, though this would involve a very high standard of excellence indeed in the skill of dairymaids. The curds .are now salted, and the cheese formed into its shape and pressed, and in seven days it Is removed to the store- room. After being there from seven-weeks more particularly according to the taste of 'These, of course, are only short outlines of the methods used in making Cheshire cheesé, and even they differ to soma extent farmer can construct the house himself. | If It is desired that the house add-to the at- tractiveness of the propérty, andis placed Whire it will be in plain view, then it must be more expeosive. But it can be pul in some ingouspicuona piace, or hidden behind trees or vines, in which case the necessary cost will be very small. , , All that is required is something that will ward off rain and keep a stratum of saw- dust about the ice. 'The house need not be sunk Into the ground There is no need of double walls, All parts may be of the cheapest materials.> Refuge boards, slabs,. even poles, will do for the sides; _ and a roof of hoards or unpponrds.wlll auswer as well as nny, Let me-describe as satisfactory an jee house as I have yet seen: It was if a locality where timber was plenty, aod the sides were mude of poles. They were built up ss you would build up a rail fence, being. fact that wherever a. farmer. hus iii-mun Joe house, he tins not\ allowed It to Ge un- After a manins once had his harvest drink-water, tea, and milk-onoled, Fe is hot apt to subject him Tos water's to |-be- coptemerl; cooled . by ice is. as muich more wholesome than warm water “MOMpMatablafiPha—molummr parted by ice adds as much to the palata- |ableness and' wholesomeness of food as 4t 'does to drink. Ico not orly preserves and iGcreages tho- pulntnylenm of butter, but loss of. aweetrwess certainty Indicates loss of ¢ rd keeps incat from-taluting;-there=| outpuwf—Ghlmgflfibnnemmo—pow by \keeping it wholesome as well as tooth- ter, Chaese and Egge c muvuafinnfin Chicago [recently abd it seema likely to romalo & tame in thedniry trade for a - gond v wlnlleto come. . The proportions which this furluatry 'has reached aro. startling. AFlle.. Qummll. xtouer of Agrlcnlmre has heew trying to gm. lect statistics tpon the subject, and\ d the general dislnolmmlun of manufacturers Mak¢4he~pubhr§nwmlbeonflde some replies to hi inquires have: bee n York dity has made during the past yeat 2,- 000, 0001Jnunda of, the. staff, a Providence All the lrnlmuon butter is put upon the market as the genuine article, and the ef« fect is already, efident fn a reduction: of the wmmr‘demd‘xcr dairy products under-normal conditions | shows a utemly increass . with the growily of-popnlntlob but Ell—ml! of stock pro- ductsin the city thin far during 188& show a shrinkage of $2,789, 21 as compared witty the saine period of 1884, while the exports of nutter anil cheese have fallen of to the 'value of $1,981,018.\ There is no-reagon tg\ doubt\ that this decrease to ~due-to-the-im- - creased consnfiption of oleomargarife, less than the price of genuine butter. At is: 'platn\ enough, therefore, that -thig-is gety tog to be a serious matter for everybody interested.in. (he. male of dairy* products; laws desigued to break up the fraudulant buisness, but . scammlmmnghnsme of all this legislation, and the Chicago con- vention was disposed to demand the passage the use of other menus to give the substl- tuted article the semblance of the: genuiae, and punish the sale of imitation dairy goods as genuine. . 'Fhe capital invested in the o':comargatine business, however, is now so great that the dairymen must expect a deg. perate fight at every_polnt: --- as The Farmers' may”. At the rectiog of the Gentral New York -Farators' Club, helds to- -Uvica, recently, Becratary Gilbert asked for the experience of those present relative to potatoes rotting. From replies it was found that dificalty fromrofting was general. - Those who had planted earliest suffered fess thao those / who planted later, Mr. Edie Tonad that his- Early-Ohio-and-En Toss. He has the pleasure of knowing, 'when prices of his products are low and hiis profits small, that even such loss to him: self is gain to the poor, and that many are the more eaglly and cheaply fed thereby. He has the satisfaction of feeling an inde: His banks are of a kind that fall not. There h.no blind road from them to Canada, Ie has no-cashior ready to flee with his sourc- es of gain. ~\Hippiness being the end and aim of most people, is only to be found in its most per- . fect stato. amid the quictude of rural life, With what apparent satisfaction do all oth- rest and peace, with farm homes. Eve community has its samples of such men. All ages of the world bear testimony to ' . its sitainable comfort and happiness, not only among the ancients, but even in these :. modern times. All our most distinguished pendence which the speculator never feels. | er occupations furnish those who seek quiet, | want-cont ashes to improve my land, and only use them as mulch for gooscberrics, currants, etc. RC --- Improving Corn. Prof. Beal says: To improve gorn, one should study the plants on which he in- tends to experiment. Let him take pattern after the successful breeder of animals. The latter studies the animals which are mated. Leta breeder of corn select some of the best stalks in his field, cover the young ears before the \silk\ comes in sight. Then take pollen from a stalk very much like the one which is to bear the seed corn. Save the bestear, plant in a good place by itself, and cultivate well. Continue this work, and in few years he can make almost anything he chooses of his corn. One should let no peculiarity of corn escape his attention. See which endures dry weather the best; notlcs the height of the upper ear, the stalk, the earliness, the number of Pho surplus being disposed of early; the : hens kept for Jaying will haye more room, he better contented; and, if well fed, ly much better than when large numbers are crowded together, as is frequently the case, During winter the natura! and best food | for laying hens (insects) are frozen up in | the ground and cannot be obtained as in warm weather. But we can supply this deficiency with meat fcmips, cracklings,] etc., which should be added to their morn- : ing feed of equal quantities by measure of corn meal and wheat bran, well mixed, and thoroughly scalded by adding bofling water, They should be fed agnin late in the eve- ning with whole grain—corn one evening, oats the next, wheat or whent screenings the next, etc. They should have free ac- cess to fresh, puro water and gravel at all times. Managed in this way, I think almost any one will find poultry the most profitable stock kept'on the farm. -[Americgo Farm: ! bull for her first-calf, and then-repentedly ; on different soils and in different dairies.- [English Illustrated Magazine. Practical Stock Breeding. A scrub heifer, bred to a thordughbred bred to the sume bull, will improve in her breeding so that each succeding calf will be better than the preceding one, and this to a. greater extent than if she had been bred to different bulls, though all equally good and of the same blood. This rule holds good with horses and sheep ns well as cattle. Stick a pin right here. If you are breeding cattle, get a good bull and keep him; -if you conclude to breed Dur- hams, do so; if Holsteins or any other breed, do so; but don't breed to Dur ham one year and a Holstein the next. You must stick to ofie thing if you Saxpect to breed good grides of either. And more than this. a cow that has once been bred to a scrub bull, if bred promiscuously to dif- rather deeply notched to prevept rolling, and to make the sides rather closc. As they projected out over the a driving rain did not beat in. This peu was covered over with boards, lapped to form a tight roof, and weighted dowo with heavy poles. When the ice was put in, an opening be- tween it and the poles a foot W108 was left; and, as the pile of lee was Built up, the anwdust was packed Into this opening. Thus there was no need of dyuble walls. [The entire cost of the house-a good sized one-was out twenty dollars, There must be a good drainage, and (ha best way to recure this is to make a foun- dation of broken-stones; but-these are not pecessary, In localitics-quite-oumerops in the West-where stones are not quite readily obtainatile, sticks of wood or rail pleces may be used. Tramp them down solid till\ you bave a layer a foot thick, Then put a layer of sawdust six or sight in- cbes thick upon this, apd it is ready for ice. 8 iso rotted.at all. Mr. Leis sill. bis Karly Bunfise were not affected. Mr. Savage said his Triumphafits-aod Phish did not rot badly, Mr. Smith found the belt and May-flowers rotted n'le thad the others. Mr: Grldley thoughfltm w fulstike to say that certain potatoes 'did not-rot. They may do wellin some- lucalittes- and -rot in others. Bome of the potatoes spoken of that did not rot on other farms did rot on his, He thought perhaps a potato with. a thick skio, like the Victor, was leas liable to rot, Mr. Smith said he had a good fair crop this season, but ho- did not think this year was a criterion for future seasons. He '> didn't know but that tis- rot was &. good -\ thing for the country xt large. Whay would _ postes havs been worth if the crop had been what it promised to be before the rot set. Io? Mr. Haltfcld mud ho planted\ seyeral acres with Ha set m get potatoes euough to pay fur the work. which-can-slways be solid -at a ~profir for -~ Hulf the States in the. Uuion have. passed.. - W by Congress'Of a law prohibiting coloring or - mao digging them, and- foun ho did oof \~~ nae Clay, Jefferson, Jackson and Washington, have cath, with numerous others, left their ife's imprints upon the rural home and practices of agricultural employment. If honor, by honorable and distinguished patrons, gives superior position and distinc- tlon to any class of men, then truly the fermer must beat the climax, the-very head of all pursults; for his among all the occu- pations of life can present the largest, long» éstand the most distinguished array of no- \blo men and honoted nares, of any race, MW in all our land. ca . statesmen havo given ample proof 'of the I s su Mn: cham. a! tam u lg w chain! < » © n Spa—Olly Colic. We givflbe following: préscription for the prevention and cire of spasmodic tolic: Aconite, which is in the form of a a' sedative and antispasmodic. When administered in Withnotmfilhflyflm ger; on it is a valuable there- peutic (carstive agent) which cannot very 6rd] Yedkpmsedwflh in the pricfieeof + ; |give it occasionally in 4 They will help.themselves.. to wehat_they |__ 18 Fnéed if alowed to do ao at pleasure; other- - from: “111530111133”:ng 8 ore., mmdfldfik— CoBe in Motses Is mallylncefl to .etfors in dieting, hence poe the betp derived from Isbor ® Ae es, whether the stalks are slender or st t; whether the ears have long or short husks, long or short, large or small shanks, ete. This is a foscipating study, and he who will begin an intelligent'serles of ex- periments looking to the improvement of corn, will be quite sure to succeed. He will interest and profit himself, and also become a benefactor to his race, . Why do Animals Need Sait ? Prof. James E. Johnston of Scotland, says: \Upwards of half the saline matter of blood (57 per cent.) consists of cotamon salt, and thirfs partly discharged every day through the skin and kidneys. The neces sity of continued supplies of it to the treal- thy body becomes sufficiently obvious. The bile also contains sods (one of the in- gredients of salt) as a fpecial and indipens Tole constituent, and so do all the cartilages of the body. Stint the supply of. salt, therefor, and neither will the bile be able properly to amist digestion, nor the cartil- [age to be built up again as fast as it natur | aBly wastes. -It is better to place alt where stock can: have- free to it, than to quantities. wise, when they become \salt fungry,' they [C msyfahfioi'e thm Wmflredh firmlngkbeeom ing less trksome each Magyar on faving maflhery, ind the farmer who .La. half pounds has been known to be at mmmwdfikaflhw or Best Early Chickens. The quickest growing chicks, says Farm and Garden, ate the Plymouth Rocks and Langsbans, 'The best cross known for producing quick and large chick#~is mate a Houdan cock with a Brahma hen. 'The pullets of this cross should be kept till the next season gud bred. tos Plymouth Rock cock. 'The extensive weight of four and tained from chicks three months old by this cross; although such weight cannot al- ways be relied upon, the experiment dem- onstrated that notonly was the cross a good ous for introducing farly maturity and in- crease of carcass, But-a fing chick for the table is also the rcault. 'Among other good crosses maybe mentioned the mating of Houden angshan hens or the Langshan docks win: any kind of good, square bodiéd hens. The Plymouth Rock cocks make good crosses with all the breeds, especially for market chicks. 'The best cocks such purposes, therefore, are those of the' Hogdan, Tangshan, and the can easily themselves, Plymouth Rock breede: > - --tplenty-of-good reliable men in the town of p < Van Eiten who are ready and willing to gwfmmewindhugxrd- mdfmmmmmm; ___ en, besure’toobtamxfiamorm of thei nyfojhsSveetflysn-m, but pas- double flowers, and thus remain{ag in bloe | som for a muchlmgecpexiod; Ara plant] M [dollars in the neur future, \Gee nothing ferent bulls, even of the same breed, will never produce good Calves as she would if bred several times in succession to the same individual bull. The man who has good heifers, high grades or Thoroughbred, and does not want to raise their Hirst calves, and who uses scrub bulls because is cheaper is saving pennies to-day at the expense of but thoroughbred male stock, and all things being equal, the longer you can use the same animal the better. I do not mean by this that it iqadvisable to use them on thetrown progeny, but ou the-original an- imals it may be continued lndefinltely - [Pennsylvania Farmer. RrxarzamLs YikCD or Warar.--Mr. David Lindsley of Swartweed, Chemung. county, succeeded in harvesting the largest crop of whest ever heard of in thatsection, from as small a piece of land. By sctual messurement there was just one and three- eighths acres, theyleld was ninety-ona H everyfnmmronfimnkehamlete {blocks so that they will fit closely together; bushels. Should any one doubt \this they | wmmeywmhfingnreefipfi R mfisdaiuhléqnflityothwwg_ I The more ioo the betier it will keep, and thero must ba a certain bulk for it to kepp u all. The miotmom bulk that will ke p He planted ooviher kiod. ' The over‘stlmulnllon of dairy cows has twenty-five tons, As a ton about forty cubit\feet you the | will Gold twenty-five toos-the minlmnm amount. It in important to pack the ice closely: There 'rnust be no crevice. Buape the cover with a «layer of sawdust eighteen in- ches thick, | Then it will.require watching to the spring. Even March witide are souic- it down sold, closing all- holes and crevices,. When sir holes are allowed to form, the ice f will waste rapidly. - Ventilation must bef the gables, or- make tprnjeofing roof and leave the Wampum Get shalice from the purest squrce you can. _ After you have enjoyed the fuxory of fea provided fol. Windows cin be made in| already bad itp eff showing the inju- ry to cows by ltnfl‘lnb ipéoial foods to dimensios of the bouse accordingly, A produce wonderfal better production for a house ten feet each way Inside the Sawdust 'short season, at the 2 usefulness of the cow, ' Another point, al- so practically determined, is that these won- derful amounts of batier produced have beennmupenagrumthan the value of the 171-0an? Minn. When 11mg“: his land up to the point of fenility tbat product grass; ii As soon as this bappeos get on tand stamp {un of the- fothre ~-