The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, August 10, 1877, Image 1
"? ' y1** ^^^ BOILIHO8T0CK. I ?1..~:?.u -'-;-"" ? "* - " "
EorrpR Times :?The subjoined Agricultural
editorial in tbo New York Sun, of
July 25th, on soiliug stock, is such an appropriate
supplement to my article on the
Fenco law, that you will please republish it
for the benefit of your readers One important
feature of the subject whieh escaped
my notice is here alluded to; that is,
rtho amount of forage destroyed or otherwiso
,rendered useless by stock running in pasture.
CLODHOPPER.
"The cultivation of coru for fodder, both
in its green aud dry state, has largely iuoronscd
duriug t.ho past few years, aud is
likely to bo considerably extended as land
becomes dpar in the older aud more thickly
settled States. Iu the dairy rcgiou soiling
o/ stock is ranidlv iucri>n?-.i?..? *'?
k v ? ?" IVI
tho farmers are bcghjniug to learn that to
. pasture their ca.Uie is uot the most economical
system which they can pursue, especially
where tho land may bo readily cultivate^.
As land becomes dearer and labor
cheaper, there must be a corresponding concentration
of capital/and higher culture of
all soil accessible to the plough and harrow.
Nearly a half century ago Josiah Quincy
of Massachusetts urgod the importance of
adopting a system of soiling of slock, in
preference to the almost universal practice
of depending upon pasturage in summer,
which necessitated the use of a large number
of acres to kepp a few bead of cattle, wheu
the latter might be supplied fr<un a small 1
area by a judicious selection and cultivation
of animal plants, prominent among which
was xuuiuu corn. iur. vjuiucy claimed that
the main advantages of soiling were: 1.? j
The saving of land; 2. Tlio saving of fcuoiug;
3. The cnconouiizing of food; 4. 1
The hotter condition and greater comfort of
tho cattle; 5. The greater product of milk; j
6.The acquisition of manure, which is necessary
to keep up the fertile condition of
the soil. - 1
As regards his first poiut, "the saving of
laud," it has loug since bccu proved by experiments
that from four to six times as 1
mauy cattle can bo kept on the same num- 1
bor of acres by soiling, as can be doue by 1
pasturing, even in localities where the nat- '
ural or introduced pasture grasses thrive 1
best. Tho other five propositions must be
self-evident to every good farmer, and we
will pass them without further comment, 1
merely noting the fact that it is not so much 1
what stock cat from the pasture as what
they destroy in obtaiuing their food. They 1
trample down much of the grass, their
droppings injure another portion, aud iu 1
resting they lie down upon another portion,
in each cas* making the grass so offensive that 1
it is seldom touched by them during the '
season.
Looking at the matter iu the above light,
it may readily be seen that animals destroy 1
far mere food than they consume, which to J
.a certain extent is a direct waste, calling '
for a large outlay of capital iu laud without
any adoquate return While it is doubtless
necessary for auimals to take a certain
amount of exercise in order to keep them
in hoalth, it is poor economy to make them
travel miles, or all day loug, in order to obtain
sufficient food for a comfortable subsistence.
In fact, in a poor pasture the
forced labor to obtain food ofteu keeps the
animals poor, while the same amount, if of
easy access, would be sufficient to keep them
fat, or at least in good condition.
It is true that in soiling uioic labor is
required to raise, prepare and deliver the
food to stock than when they are made to
gather it tor themselves in a pasture; and 1
,1. ? ./ .L:. J i- it. - I
upuu iuu cosl 01 una ucpenus uio iiuvisuuu- '
ity of adopting the system iu any particu-^
lar locality. But us labor is steadily becoming
more abundant aud cheaper, with every indication
of a still further decline iu pricos,
the principal objection to tho soiling system
is gradually being removed, aud it would be
well for our farmers to at once ascertain its
merits and see if it would not help many of
them to increase their profits.
CROPS FOR SOILING.
Fall sown ryo comes iu for early cutting,
and is far ahead of any crop which cau bo
raised from seed sown in spring. In the
Southern States, winter oats uiay take the
place of rye, although they require a much
rioher soil. Among the perennial plants
whioh come forward early iu spring, the
alfalfa, or lucerne, and orchard grass deservo
especial attention, both for soiling
and dry forage. Later iu the season, Indian
corn must hold a prominent position
in tho list, for it is one of the most easily
raised of all our forage plants, and yields
more tons per acre of succulent and nutritious
fodder than any other species of tho
grass family. Iu all uiild climates, two or
three sowiugs should bo made, iu order to
keep up a succession until the crop is likely
to be cut off by frosts, and then what is left .
uiajr u? uuu uji uiiu vurcu lur miuri: u;?u.? j
Tho grout advantage of corn over the annual ,
grasses is, that it will grow luxuriantly in ]
the hottest weather of .Inly and August,
when the meadows and pastures arc parched
aud dry, and its largo succulent stem and j
leaves, are then relished by cattle even more i
than earlier or later in tho season. Of ]
course, if sown thinly, tho stalks become |
coarse and woody, but this may be easily i
prevented by putting in uioro seed, thereby i
. e
I tsuuuiug tuu size ana increasing tbe number.
Hungarian millet is an excellent plant for
soiling, coming in at tlio same season as corn,
but the stcuis and leaves are not so coarse,
consequently many farmers give it the preference.
There nro uiauy other plants which have
more or less reputation for soiling purposes;
.pmong these wc may mcntiou the Jerusalem
artichoke, prickly comfroy, sorghum in great
variety, and even the common sunflower;
therefore, the farmer cannot fail for want of
a goodly list to select from, or for plauts
adapted to his "oil or climate, if ho be located
auy^iicre outside of the Arctic regions.
Cultivation of.Lucerne.?The selection
of land is very important. I prefer a
deep, rich loam, neither clay nor sand, but
what the plough boys call "poshy land,"
sticks to the plough ; it must he 1'ar enough
irom mo Daru lor chickens and other fowls
not to fiud it; must bo at least thirty yards
lrom a green tree of any kind, will not grow I
near roots. Old clover land will not answer.
The clover lives on the same food that lucerne
wants and it is exhausted ; also the
clover will come up with it and choke it out.
I prefer land that has been worked iu Irish
potatoes for a number of years. If that is
not convenient, go into the wheat field in
June, select the richest lot as well as loose,
soft land, turn the stubble after applying 25
wagon loads of stable manure (2UUlbs. per
load) to the acre. As soou as the grass and
weeds couic up, plough again with Murfco's
subsoil or a TOrrow Thlll-tongue, contrive to
plough alter each rain until all tho seed,
both grass and weeds, have been brought to
the surface, sprouted and killed. The first
good turnip season in August, (prefer the
first week in August) sow ten pounds to the
acre, after the ground has been thoroughly
ploughed and harrowed, until you have a
good seed bed 18 inches deep, cover with a
light brush. Duriug August and September,
tho young plaut must be watched, aud
if attacked by grasshoppers, top-dress whilo
wet with dry ashes, lime, silicate or aunnoniated
Guano?prefer Sea Fowl?no more
troublo to get a stand than of turnips, if
sowu at the same time?only tho laud must
be much richer. The youug plant will grow
ten to twelve inches tho first fall, but must
not be cut nor grazed.
Tho next year cut as often as you can
with a good Dutch scythe. Cutting oilcu,
makes the root strong, aud hcucc more branches
from the cro.vu.
The first year you will get from three to
live cuttiugs, from 18 to 30 iuchcs each time.
After the first year you can got from G to 8
cuttings, 30 inches.
One acre will furnish more horse feed
than ten of the best millet, clovor, corn, or
oats.
1 u the last five years, I have fed my horses,
from the first of April uutil near frost, on
nothing except green Lucerno, (cut twice a
week and hauled to the barn.) During a
long drought it don't grow fast.
1 will compare my stock at any time with
corn-led st jck that have the same hard work
to do. For hay, nothing is bettor?cures
^uick and bright?no lost leaves?all stay
>n. Six hours' suu will cure it. One aero
s enough for teu horses or mules. They
will keep fat all tho summer without any
corn. In fact, stock that have enough lucerne
will not eat corn, fodder or clover, but
must have access to salt daily.
Suppose that it costs 8100 to prepare and
low nilA nnrA vnil rrnf trnnr ?wah?*t Ka/?L
? .. - ? ?w? vj j ?v* j vut uiviicj MtlVA. UY*
;ry year, with interest. Although the crop
aken off is very heavy, I don't consider it a
;reat exhauster, as it roots very deep into
he subsoil as well as feeds from the atmosphere.?
Cor. of Southern Home.
How to Fatten Stock.?A old farmer
thus relates his experience in fattening
poef and feeding cows for milk. My praclico
in fattening beef and swine, as well as
feeding cows for milk, has boon to pour
soiling water on as much utcal as would not
make the animal's bowels move too freely
it night and in the morning when the mash
s cool give it to the cow or pigs. In covering
the meal with boiling water in this
way the starch of the meal is dissolved, and
;ho latent nutritive properties extracted,
ind the animal receives the entire nutriment
pf the grain. I have for two years past fatled
two ordinary sizo cows, feeding only
meal and hay, aud only three hundred
pounds each of the former, aud each yielded
upward of forty pounds of rough tallow.?
Salt was given once a week, aud occasionally
i tablospoonful of wood ashes. In my experience
one hundred pounds scalded aud
tea as above is equal to two hundred pounds
led dry.
. #
Ol'RK for Kiikumatism.?Heat three
fresh eggs thoroughly up together, add half
aunco each of oil origanum and spirits of
hartshorn, and when these arc well mixed,
uld half a pint of strong vinegar. I'ut it
in a bottle and shake it well up every timo
you use it. On going to bed rub the affected
parts.
Rk.mf.oy for Hronciiitis.?Take dried
leaves of couiuum mullein plant, powder
them, and smoke them iu a new clay pipe;
he careful that no tobacco has been in the
pipe. Draw the smoke well into the throat,
occasionally swallowing some. I'se it three
or four times daily.
THE MOLE.
BY GEO. A.^QUIMBY
The mute is the outer animal that Noah
didn't take into the ax with him. I have
looked over the lrcigut list carefully, aud
could not see a mule wfiybilled for any place.
So clear-headed a man us Noah did not dare
to take ouc on board, as he knew he would
kick a hole through her in less than a week.
1 don't kuow a man on whose head you
could pour quicksilver and run less risk of
its spilling oil' than on Noah's, lie was a
dreadful level-headed man, aud before the
freshet was over everybody on the earth realized
ihc fact. . 1
The origin oP tli'e mule ifc 'cnVcfepeJ Tn a'
good deal of mystery. Tradition jhtbrms us
that when the Hood had subsided, and the
ark had lauded on Mount Ararat, Noah was
very much surprised in one of his first observations
to find a good healthy niulc standing
on the top of an adjoining mountain.?
The same tradition informs us that the uiulo
is the ouly animal that lived through the
flood outside of the ark.
Tlin tnnln non
I _ ..V/ Miuiv vuu VU VUUOIUl.I V U 111 a puu
many ways, though the worst place troui
which to consider him is directly from behind,
anywhere within the radius of ten feet.
I never consider a mule from that point, unless
I aui looking out through the flue of a
boiler.
Sea captains and people who have to do
with mules always pay cu extra rate to life
insurance companies. A mule and a belt
of country where yellow foveri*4vdigeuous
geuerally stand the same as regards the
death rate.
The word mule comes from the Greek,
and signifies ,;to stop," and the mule himself
comes to a stop also. Like multiplied by
like produces like. Grasshoppers multiplied
by grasshoppers produce famine, and potato
bugs multiplied by potato bugs produce
a rise in the price of yeast. But when you
try to multiply mules by mules they dou't
multiply, and hence the word mule. You
may study your arithmetic, and read through
all of Train's lectures, but you cannot discover
why this is so, any more than you can
why a woman cannot put ou a rubber without
leaning up against something.
The mule has one more leg thau a milking
stool, and he can staud ou one and wave
the other three rouud iu.as many diflfereut
directions. lie has only three senses, hearing,
seeing and smelling, lie has no more
sense of taste than a stone jug, nud will cat
auything that contains nutriment, and he
don't care two cents whether it be one per
ccut. or ninety-nine. All lie asks is to pass
i.: i i.:.. ~:?t ...1?* ?
iiiui iiiuuj; ma piuit-, wini wuuicvur Happens
to bo handy round the pantfy. and he won't
go away and blow how poor the steak-is.?
He just cats whatever is set before hiii, and
asks uo questions. .
Mules are naturally deaf, but that supreme
wisdom that teaches the little boy to
wipe his nose on his sleeve, has ii'tcd the
mule out with a pair of caro that counteracts
its deafness so he can hear as readily
as a person when you don't want hint to.?
These cars answer a double purpose, as tunnels
to pour souud into his head, and also as
fans to brush away the flies witU-and keep
his head cool. They are hung by hinges to
the sides of his head, and flap backward and
forward like a pair of wet trowsers around n
boy's legs. In cold latitudes quite a tasty
business is done in uiule ears. The ears are
cut off and dried, and sold for snow shoes,
and the stubs arc trimuicd up and the mules
are sent South aud sold for horses. In this
way a great many fine horses arc purchased
for the army by the United States.
If I wero to havo a large picture of innocence
to hang up in my parlor, ayd I did
A !..L _li? I 1 H
iiuw wibii tu sit ior it rnyseii, i snouiu gel a
correct likeness of a niulc. There is innocence
enough depicted in a mule's countenance
to fit out a Sunday school class. It
looks as guileless as an angel worm.
A mule never grows old or dies. Oocc
brought into existence, ho continues on forever.
The original mule is now alive somewhere
in the South.
Mules are chiefly found in tho South and
West. They have been moro abused than
Judas Iscariot. A boy who would hot throw
a stone at a mule if he got a chance would
be thought by his parents too mean to raise.
The uinle is a good worker, but he cannot
be depended on. ile is liable to strike, and
when a mule strikes, human calculation fails
to find out any rule by which to reckon when
lie will go to work again. It is useless to
pound him, lor he will stand ntoro heating
than a sitting-room carpet, ile has been
known to stand eleven days in one spot, apparently
thinking of something, and then
start off again as though nothing had happened.
Down South, when the\ have a surplus
of small darkeys ou the plan\ition, they scud
them out into the barnyard to play, where
thcro is a loose mule. Thsy lltfays hid
them good-bye when they start oit, for they
are sure the parting will be fiurd. This is
the most economical style of funtral now in
the market.
To fully appreciate the mule, one should
listen to his voice. You never can really
know whether you like a mule or not till
you have heard him sing. I attended a
mule concert at Fort Snclling. The programme
opened with a soprano solo, and
| then swuug into a duet, and then pranced
off ilito a trio, followed by a quartette, am
cuding with a full chorus by 150 mules.?
1 didn't hear the whole thing, for when !
came too, the regimental surgeon was stand
iug over me, giving me powerful restora
lives, and 1 heard Mm say that 1 might pes
sibly get out again, though I would novel
be a well uiau again. I have been througl
the New York Stock Exchange, and spen
part of the day in a boiler factory, and hav<
been ou one or two Sunday school oxcur
sious for children, but I never knew whni
noise was till I heard a lot of uruiy mules
bray.
Ouo of the dead certainties about a tuuk
is mat nc is sure touted, especially with hit
bind foot. 4Je never* Uimyhteos rtwin. * -H
ho advertises that his foet ^ill bc' tit a'ccYtain
time, with a sample of mule shoes, t<:
which he would call your attention, you will
always find theui there at the appointed
time. He is as reliable as the day of judgment,
and he uevor cancels an engagement.
Every mau now living who drove a mult
toam during the war now draws a pensiou.
I never owned a mule. 1 cauic near buying
oue once. He was a fiue-looking animal:
his oars stood up like the side spires 011 an
Episcopal church, llis tail was trimmed
down so that it looked like a tar brush leaning
agaiust hiui. Ho was stripped off like
the American flag, aud Raphael's cherubs
never looked more angelic tlinu did that
mule. lie looked all innocence, though ho
was, iu no sense
TRYING TO TRADE.
The owner sat iu the wagon, with iacbin
resting 011 bis band and his elbow ou his
knee, lti the other hand he held a stick
with a brad iu the end of it. 1 examined
the mule aud asked the man a few questions,
aud out of mere form inquired if the mule
was kiud,or if lie kicked'? "Kiud ? Kind?"
said the mail, aud those were the last words
he ever uttered. Ho reached his stick over
the frout of the wagon, and struck the brad
into that mule. It was awful to see a man
suulfed out as quickly us lie was. It almost
took away my breath he went so suddenly.
1 never saw the thread of life snap so abruptly
as it did ou that occasion, lie didn't
have time to leave a message for his family.
That niule simply ducked his head, and then
a pair of heels flew out bchiud j there was
a crash, a Hying of splinters, and that was
all, and the ucxt moment that mule uud 1
stood alone, my face covered with astonishment
two feet deep, uud his covered with a
part of an old bridle. The nest day 1 rend
uu account in the telegraphic news of a
shower of flesh in Keutucky. I was the
only mau that could explain that phenomenon,
aud I did not dare to, lest 1 should be
implicated in the nll'air with the other mule.
1 have seen death in many forms but I
don't recollect of ever sceiug a funeral gotten
up with less pomp aud display than ou
that occasion. If 1 had my choice, to either
work in a nitroglycerine factory, or take
care of a mule, 1 should go for the factory,
as in case of an explosion, there would be
more possibility of my friends iiuding some
little mementoes of me, with which tu
assuage their grief. A very small piece of uie
would lighten a very big sorrow.
1 will hunt arouud, and if I find any
other facts that belong to the mule, 1 will
writo them down, aud send them to you by
express, C. O. 1>.
>#.
A Rloody Honeymoon.?The following
from the Rapiiles (La.) Gazette, gives au
account of a shocking tragedy, in which a
young wife lost her husband, father and
brother in a day, when all ought to have
been joy and happiness :
Calviu Rasa, of Iliucrton, Rapides Parish,
was enamored of the daughter of Jacob
(junter, and persuaded her to elope with him.
The couple went straightway to the residence
of Parson Duff, a Raptist minister residing
in Calcasieu Parish, who united them
in the holy bond of wedlock. With a sense
of having done what was honorable aud
right, Rass returned with his wife to the
neighborhood of her home, and put up at
the house of Role Woathcrford. Having
learned the whereabouts of the bride, Jacob
(Junter, her father, and David Hunter, her
brother, armed themselves, aud started forth
on Saturday last. On arriving at the spot
where the honeymoon was to havo been passed,
David (Junter, without a word, shot his
new made brother-in-law. Rass staggered,
but before falling, drew a pistol and shot
his father-in-law. Thereupon the brotheriu
law, who was standing, set upon the brother-iu-law
who was wounded, and ended his
life at once aud for all with a knife. David
(Junter managed to get his wounded father
home. Constable Thomas Ncal made the
next move by organizing a posse and starting
out to arrest David. When he saw
them coming David started to run, ami the
posse to stop him fired upon him and brought
him down. l)r. W. llobby, who was called
in, thinks the chances for the father arc slim.
This is a very sad and singular catastrophe,
and the predicament of the young lady is
calculated to excite the keenest sympathy.
'1 ho Czar ought to eulist in his ariny
souio railroad firemen. The Russians were
iu Asia .Minor six months trying to capture
Kara, and couldn't do it, and here the railroad
firemen in Maryland and Virginia
were only at it three or four days, and they
captured all the cars they could lay their
hands on.
j recipk8
Corn Cakes.?Grate half a dozen ears
[ of green corn, stir in a '.cup. of milk, add
. flour with which yeast powder, iu the pro.
portion of two tcaepoonful to the quart has
. been Billed, until .thj* whole is a thick batr
ter. Add two, or threo eggs, well beaten,
, and n pinch of saty. Fry as batter cakes,
t or bake iu gem paus in a quick oven. A
2 pleasant breakfast dish.
Poached Egos with Fried Ham.?
t Fry the ham, take a clean frying or omclet5
pan, nearly fill it with boiling water, set it
on a dish, sprinkle a little popper and salt
' over, add a bit of butter, and servo in a
I dish or over the ham.
Muffins.?Three pounds of flour, ono
quarter pound yeast powder, three eggs,
half a pound of sugar, three ounces of-but1
tor. Mix the powder dry in with the flour
in auother pan, rub the butter and sugar
well together, then add the eggs and beat
to a thin batter, then add the flour and wet
with milk j beat thoroughly; till the rings
1 and bake iu^t quick ovon; these muffins
arc good cold as well as hot.
Sweet Apple Preserves.?Tnko part
quinces and part apples, say about one-third
quinces and two-thirds applos, and white
sugar the same as for otber preserves, pound
for pound. Cut the apples in halves and
the quiuccs the same, take tho cure out, boil
* ''them tender, first in water enough to cover
them, and dissolve the sugar in it before
they are mixed; then add them together
and boil thoroughly. They will keep well.
i To Pickle Onions.?Choose small button
onions as nearly the same size as possii
bio ; peel them and pour over them strong s
boiling hot brine ; cover them closely, and
the next day drain them from the brine,
wipe them dry, and put them into cold viu
. cgar, with whole pepper, bruised garlic,
blade of mace, and sliced horseradish.?
Keep them covered with viucgar; close tho
jar tightly, and set iu a cool dry placo.
Ckab Apple Jelly.?Boil until they
are very tcuder in a porcelain kettle, then
peel, and push the cores out with a goose
quill. Make a syrup of ono pound of sugar
to one of apnles. . Cut a legion in -small .i.,-*...* - - ?
pioees, dud bpu With thoni'.' If loo sweet with
sugar it hardens them and makes !thcm indigestible.
They make a very good pickle,
if any ono has a taste for such things, and
is fond of variety.
, To Make Cidku Vineuau.?Almost
every family in the country has the materials
for manufacturing pure cider vinegar if
they only use them. Common dried apples
! are all you need to make the best cider vin
cgar. Soak your apples a few hours?
i washing and rubbing them occasionallyj
then squeeze them out and strain the wat:
cr through a tightwovcu cloth; put it into
i a jug ; add half-a-piut of molasses to a gali
Ion of liquor, and a piece of brown paper,
and set iu tho sun or by the fire, and in a
few days your vinegar will be fit for use.?
Have two jugs, and use out of ono while
tho other is working. No family need be
destitute of good viucgar ut all'times who
will carefully follow the abovo directions.
To Can Sweet Corn.?The corn should
be picked when just milk ripe. After
husking, the kernels are cut from the cob
with a guaged knife, aud the cob scraped
to get all the juice. Next it is placed in
tiu cans without admixture (though sometimes
a little sugar is added to poor corn)
and seal up air-tight. Then comes the
"proscssing" or boiling, viz : subjecting the
can and contents to the heat of boiling water,
from one or two hours, according to tho
size of the can. This caii only be determined
by experiment. Next they are taken
from the boiling water and a small hole
punched iu the top of the can to allow the
escape of the gasscs, and instantly rcsealed,
alter which the can is replaced in the hot
bath and allowed to remain as long or longer
than at first.
Always contradict ill report with personal
merit.
Death comes equal to us all, and makes
us all equal when it comes.
Concession is no humiliation, nor admission
of error any disgrace.
The Lord will not aboudon iu adversity
the man who trusts him in prosperity,
i Folly soon wears her shoes out. She
dances ho fast \vc arc all of us tired, (tolden
wires may annoy us as much as steel
i bars, if they keep us behind prison windows.
Kind words are among the brightest
i flowers of eath; they inako the humblest
home a paradise.
??
The largest plow, probably, over used is
one in California, made for Mr. Southncr,
in Kern county, for ditching his land. It
has a beam 14 feet long, 18 inches deep,
and f> inches thick in the widest part; the
mouldboard is 10 feet long and 3 feet wide,
i and makes a furrow 5 feet wide, and 3 l'eet
i deep. It weighs a ton, and tho chain by
which it is hauled also weighs a ton : 80
, oxen and 10 drivers aro employed to work
it. This immense plow moves about six
miles a day, leaving behind it a ditch of
the size mentioned.
k i <
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