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THE SOUTHERN WORLD, AUGUST 1*5, 1882. 5 J'tack §ge$*rtmmt. Live Stock Notes. The Orange Bulletin says: stock sales in Kentucky, for the past six months, of fine stock at auction, are 208 race horses, at $125,- 055 ; 694 trotters at $170,000 ; 480 short horns at $141,674. Total, $438,044. The private private sales added, will make the total ex ceed $500,000. Four years ago J. P. Couch, of Brown wood, Texas, bought 477 sheep. He has now 920 head. His two clips of wool netted him $877; expenses of caring for the sheep $400. He paid $1,000 for 470 stock sheep, and $70 for 7 graded bucks. The flock can now be sold for $2,700—profit $2,107. Four years ago a Texas farmer declared his intention of making an opossum hunt net him $19,000 in less than ten years. The meats and pelts of that hunt were sold for $95. This was invested in twelve calves, which, at the end of two years were sold. The proceeds were invested in one hundred calves, which now, at the end of four years from the first investment, are valued at $40 each. The Begieter says Col. Baldwin, of Mays- ville, bought 15 head of two year old mules in Madison, Ky., at $100per head. Absolom March has sold to O. J. White, five suckling mule colts, four of them horse colts, for $300.— Richmond(Ky.) Begieter. A Clark county, Kentucky jack, was re cently sold to Capt. Farish, of Charlottsville, Va. Price, $1,000. Montgomery possesses one for which $1,500 is asked. From April 22d to July 22d, 1882, 15,228 head of cattle, have been shipped from Key West, Fla., to Cuba. The fees to the Span ish Consul foots up the handsome sum of $6,101.20. ChMflB( the Diet of Cows. Those who have dairy cows need to be careful in changing their diet. There is a great deal to be thought of in this connec tion. It is a fact, well established by the ex perience of dairymen, that cows which are regularly fed with grain while they are at pasture, even if the pasture is fresh and plenty, will give more milk and make more butter and cheese than cows equally good, but living on grass only; yet if a liberal ra tion of meal is given to the cows living on the fresh grass, the first effect is to cause shrink in their miik; and if the cows which have become accustomed to have meal with their grass, have their meal suddenly taken away, they will alio shrink, the pasture in both cases being equally fresh and plenty. The loss of milk in neither cose can be charged to inferiority of the food, since the chunges in feed are the reverse of the other; while tiie effects are alike. The effect is due to a change in the action of the stomach to adapt its character to the digestion of an es tablished food. Ureakliiff Heifer* to JHIk. Brother farmers, if your young cows show a disposition to kick when breaking them to milk, take a stout strap, buckle around the body just forward of the hips, also just for ward of the forward teats. Draw up snug or tight, theu they cannot raise the hind feet to do any damage. Exercise a little patience; they will soon get accustomed to the strap and quiet down. Loosen the strap by de grees, then lay it across the back until Bhe stands quiet. X have broken a number this way; I find it the best plan I have tried, and 1 have tried a good many ways. Patience and perseverance without harsh means, is the best remedy in the management of dairy stock. It will also apply to all our domestic animals.—C. W. Kellooq, tn Practical Par mer. Early Lambs. There seems a growing demand in cities lor early farm products, probably arising in part from the growing up therein of a class of men of means who are able to buy what ever is offered in that way. The constantly growing demand for "spring lamb" in all cities and large villages, price paid for it has led many farmers to provide extra conven iences, warm yards, etc., and have lambs dropped as early as March, and even In Feb ruary. The extra care required is usually fully repa.d by the higher prices obtained. If the ewes dropping the early lambs are to be sold for mutton, it is best to push them forward by good feeding to be ready for the butcher in June; and the same for wethers designed for market. The “Common Vow.” Let us say a good word for the much- abused “common cow.” The family is a very large one, and as is the case in most large families, there is much difference in character among the members. It is also hard to draw the family line. There are many common, or so-called native cows, which have but few Rood qualities, but there are also many that are of very good quality —especially for the dairy. There are large numbers of cattle with some slight crosses of some one or more of the improved breeds, but which are not recognized as belonging to any breed and must be classed as “common stock." Among these there are some of more than ordinary good quality. We have seen in some of the dairies of the country, cows which could not be recognized as belonging to any distinct breed, but which would compare favorably with good cows of any breed of actual merit. As foundation stock on which to make crosses of the im proved breeds, the cattle of the farmers of many sections of our country are well adapt ed, whether meat or milk be the point de sired. There are good and poor common cattle, os there are good and poor specimens of any of the improved breeds. Where they have been long bred, with care and some wisdom in the selection, the common cattle often have acquired an adaptation to their surroundings which no one of the improved breeds have on their first introduction.—The Breeders’ Gazette. Oar Natural Resource* for Stork Rais ing. The future prosperity of our prairie coun try, and in fact all Mississippi, is more de pendent upon its liay crop than its cotton crop, and those who are skeptics upon the subject now, will indorse us thoroughly be fore they are five years older. But few of our people have the means, patience or in clination to engage in the tedious and ex pensive propagation of the "improved grass es," but almost all of them command the means necessary for enclosing, “flushing” and harrowing from ten to fifty acres for na tive grass meadows; and those who will ex pend the little labor and money required for this progressive venture, are certain of from one to three tons of hay to the acre; those who have the hay or the pasturage will be certain to have the sheep and cattle to con sume it, and we will become a great stock raising community before we ourselves are aware of the change. Experiment has demonstrated the fact that our Japanese clover will feed everything from a hog to a race-horse, and that it is almost as nutritious as corn; while our crab-grass hay when well cured, is equal to the best tim othy. For a rich yield of Japanese clover we have but to fence in the land where it grows and it will become as rank os red clover the first season, while land Hushed by a single plowing guarantees the richest crab- grass meadow, and if harrowed, is as easy cutting for a mowing machine as blue-grass. In many portions of the country, and par ticularly in the fifth supervisor’s district, the whole outlying country is carpeted with Ber muda grass—if this is enclosed it will grow several feet high and yield to the mower a crop of hay that will command the higtiest price in any market in the Union, and those whose plantations border it can make money by “turning out” their cotton and putting the rails that now enclose it around the Ber muda gross that is affording free pasturuge to thousands of bucolic tramps.—Aberdeen Examiner. ’ ^ Watering Animal*. Those who ask that in the matter of water ing animals they should be treated very much as we treat ourselves, are no doubt correct. One thing in the treatment of work horses in hot weather we are disposed to de preciate, viz: the custom of watering them three times a day and uo more. It is simply cruelty on the part of man toward his beast, to compel the team to plow or mow from early morning until noon or from noon until night, without allowing it the privi lege of a refreshing draught. It is inconven ient, many limes, to water the team during the forenoon or afternoon and we are apt to think the time lost, but when the farmers’ millennium comes, there will probably be drinking troughs in every field, supplied from some elevated spring, or from a run ning stream. In the meanwhile time "lost” in doing good, even though it may be in be half of the dumb animals, is well "lost”— it may be regained. A Falmouth Kentucky lady sells $8.00 worth of milk and butter every week from two cows. , Inferior Dairy Block. Practical Farmer. Writing to tho Western Agriculturist, Mr. Willard says: One notable source of poor success in dairying is inferior cows. It is said that even in the oldest and best districts of New York, one third of the dairy stock will not more than pay the cost of its keep ing. This is not to the credit of good dairy men, and shows they do not give proper at tention to their account of profit and loss. Poor milk-yielding cows are a “crying evil,” and the annual loss from this cause keeps many dairymen in straightened circumstan ces; and so long as they persist in retaining this kind of stock, there is for them but lit- the hope of bettering their fortunes in the dairy. Inferior milkers are not wholly con fined to the scrubs and common cows of the country, for they are found among all breeds of thoroughbred stock. Prof. Roberts, in a recent address at a dairy convention, affirm ed that much of the thoroughbred stock of the country is a positive damage in the dairy. Weak in constitution, with tho milking habit bred out, they transmit these characteristics to their progeny, and thus become the infinite source of mischief and loss to the dairyman who is trying to im prove hisherd by introducing pedigree blood. Every poor milker, when found out, he said should have its head cut off and not be turned away indiscriminately to cheat and cause loss to other dairymen. No matter how renowned its pedigree, let it go to the shambles or to the beef-producer, but not to dairymen. Mr. Harris Lewis facetiously urged at the same convention that any dairyman having a poor milker would make money by giving her away, and if he had scruples in this regard, “he might make a present of the beast to his mother-in-law.” Some years ago one of the best dairymen in Herkimer county, New York, desiring to ascertain the profit he was realizing from the different cows in his herd, instituted a series of tests. He had found from actual experiment that the average cost of keeping his dairy stock through the year was at the rate of $35 per head, and this sum was em braced under the following items: Two and one half tons of hay at $8 per ton $20 00 Pasturage during the season 7 50 Two hundred pounds of ground feed in spring 8 00 Interest on cost of cow at$45, and de preciation at 10 per cent 4 50 Making per cow a total of $35 00 Now selecting five of his best cows and five of his poorest cows, and measuring the quantity of milk on certain days of the month during the season, ho found that the five best cows yielded 554 gallons of milk each, which realized in butter and ciiecso, sold ut market rates, an average for the sea son o'f IVA cents per gallon, or a total of $03.11 per cow. This gave him after deduct ing cost of keeping, $28.72 per cow clear profit. On the other hand, the five poorest cows yielded only 243 gallons of milk each, which at ll'A cents per gallon amounted to $27.95 each, or $7.00 less than the cost of keeping. As a result of this test, it is need less to say the poor cows were not kept over the second season. If this result was ob tained by one of the best dairymen, what could be expected from the herd of the average dairyman. • Endorse* the Plan. Mississippi Coplabam. Feeling a deep interest in the agriculture of this country, and especially with my “Qrunger” friends, I can’t help but give them an idea I met with in the Southern World, on the subjeot of raising the second or fall crop of Irish potatoes, whereby they can always secure an abundant supply for winter use and seed for planting. ’Tis a mistaken idea that we cannot raise our own seed. My neighbor, Barney Moor man, has secured a new and'distinct variety from the seed ball, that is ten days earlier than any grown, and is decidedly the best flavored and prolific of any I have ever Been—having now planted them for three years—saving my own seed. This demon strates the fact that we can successfully raise and keep for seed all we desire, and thus save the $2 or $3 per bushel we pay for seed every spring. The greatest difficulty I have found is they fail to germinate or come up in conse quence of the dry weather, which usually prevails in July and .August; when they should be planted there is not sufficient moisture to cause them to germinate. Now the remedy is simply this: Bed your potatoes as you would your sweet potatoes —any time in July—and water the bed reg ularly, keeping it moist, but not wet enough to cause them to rot; os soon as they come up, take the potato with sprouts attached and plant in a suitable place, thereby secur ing a perfect stand and a fine full crop. Dig after first frost and keep from freezing and you will not only have a supply for seed, but a sufficiency for table uso all win ter. Just try it one year and you will buy no more seed. While on the subject allow me to givo you my long experience in cut ting for spring, do not cut your potatoes crosswise, always lengthwise, being careful to save an eye on the stem end, (or the end where the eyes cluster together) in halves or quarters according to size, or rather, cut off the but end and feed to the pig or milch cow. Now brother farmer try it, and get out of the old rut and diversify your crops and make every thing at home and quit run ning to town for every thing you want. A. P. Barry. Raise your own Neat. Amerlcus, O*., Recorder. It isoften asserted that raeatcan’tbc raised at the south. True, a legend exists among us that before and during the war provis ions of all kinds were made in abundance, but even the legend is now discredited in this enlightened day, by most of king cot ton subjects. Wo give the following little figures for what it ,is worth , "ho that runs may read.” In the springof 1881 a common sow with five pigs was bought for five dol lars ($5). The sow has since given birth to two or three litters, also one of the former pigs has brought forth a litter. Here are the figures: 5 pigs killed for bacon 125 lbs. each at 8c $50.00 2 sows at $3.50 7.00 33 pigs (large and small) at $1.50 49.50 $100.60 Original cost 5.00 Profit $101.50 The cost of feeding and care of these hogs of course was something, but in this coso was almost nominal. Raise youi own meat. Worthy of Imitation. Amerlcus Republican. Mr. V. A. Clegg who is identified with our city, owning property here, is doing much for the planting and industrial interests of Lee county. He has 350 acres of corn in one field, and out of that he expects to make be tween four and five thousand bushels. Ho gave his hands rations out of Golden Dent corn, on the 15th day of July, ground nt his mill—this year’s crop. His cotton is boom ing and by the 15th of next month will have it on the market for sale. His crop of that staple reaches between four and five hundred bales a season. In that large field of corn he has planted a crop of peas which up to this time promises an abundant yield. In connection wih all this he has in operation a turpentine distillery which is all the time running and making shipments. His saw mill is actively at work, doinga most health ful business. Now, it is well to notice these things for the very life-blood of our section flows in the channel of our planting os well as our industrial interests. The Pea ns a Renovator. Every one who thinks at all must admit that much of the once fertile soil even here is becoming exhausted. Commercial fertili zers are expensive, and so much so that few, if any, make an effort to use them. Stable manure cannot be supplied unless produced by stock kept on the farm, and yet but few farms have systematized theircallingso that they keep just enough to furnish their lands with a continuous supply of plant food. Under tho above heading we find a very practical article in the Southern World, which it occurs to us could for reasons set forth be carried out by many in the North west. The article is full of information, and should be well studied.—North Pacifio Bural Spirit. Mr. John T. Howell, of Sumter county, made this season quite a success in the pro duction of Irish potatoes. He had an acre planted in these potatoes, and realized about one hundred bushels. A family of twelve persons subsisted from them; besides he has sold fifty bushels, realizing one dollar and twenty-five cents per bushel. The same acre is now planted in cotton, which is up to this time knee high, and, if the season proves propitious, may make three-fourths of a bale of cotton. Mr. Howell has planted for another crop of Irish potatoes.—Repub lican.