Farm And Garden

Each season brings improvements to the corn hnskers and fodder cutters which aro oL valuó where the season is short and farmers can afford the maohinery. ín some septions sbredding lias been done with the common (malí grain thrasher. A Kansas contri butor to the Ohio Farmer tells that, as a shredder, the thrasher used with all of the cylinder spikes and two half rows of concave spikes is a decided success, doing the vvork rapidly and well - iu fact, much more of a success thau as a Bheller and cleaner of the grain, which nsually is left somewhat broken and not clean cnough for niarket, though in good condition for feeding purposes. If, however, the ground has been wet and is frozen when the thrashicg isdone, causing the earth to adhere to the stalks, a considerable qnantity of lumps of frozen earth about the size of corn kerneis wiü be found in the grain. If the cora is dry when thrashed, thero will be no difficulty in keepiug the grain in biu anrl the stover in large quantities in mow or stack. Dry autumns ure favorable tothis vvork; therefore the huskers and shredders would be be-tter adapted to that and other sections whero the season is comparatively short and the autumn moist. The authority just quoted alsp writes: Ear corn can be safely stored in large quantities when so damp that if shelled and piJed up it would certainly be lost. As before stated, the fodder must be dry when it is thrashed, for damp stover is a great material to develop heat when sbredded and stored in large quantities. A little of the natural juica remaining within the stalk ia not. nearly so bad as outside uioisture froru raia or dcw. The western plan is to run the shredded stover direotly into large racks in the feed yards, where two or three meu mow it away, just as they would mow or stack straw from the ruachine, being careful to keep the center full and well traruped so it will turn water perfectly. A raok 16 by 32 feet should hold a good day's thrashing,or about 12 aeres of ordinary fodder, without making the raok very high. Racks are made by setting posts in the ground and nailing ou fencing, beginning four or five feet from the ground and running them as high as necessary. To keep the thing from spreading, the sides are tied together by putting wires across and twisting them together with a stick to tighten them. Around the rack a manger is constructed with fencing boards and postg for the cattle to eat out of. The sketch herewith will serve to show the principie of constructing. It shows a small rack whicb is very convenient for feeding straw or hay in the yard, as well as for fodder, when it is made on a larger scale. The lower part of the manger, below the opening for heads of cattle to pass through, should be boarded up tight for feeding fodder. The railing above the opening should be a strong pole or a hard wood 2 by 4. Chemical Study of the Potato. T. L. Watson, assistant chemist at the Virginia station at Blacksburg, in a bulletin on the Irish potato, considers the potato from a chemical poiut of view and compares tubera grown in different states. A brief resume of the most important facts are: Pirst. - The , ratio existing bet ween the specific gravity and starch is not a flxed one, which is clearly shown, especially in the comparison of the average of the Connecticut grown varieties with that of the other states. Connecticut shows a lower speciiic gravity and a higher percentage of starch by about 2 per cent thau the Virginia grown varictics. Second. - The value of the potato, bciug reckoned from its table use, based upon tho amount of starch contained, is very nearly the same - i. e., approximately the same for the three districts - northern, western and southeru. The difference is slightly in favor of the northern grown varieties. Third. - That the starch content varies for vnriety and locality. Pourth. - That some varieties reqnire more plant food than others, other couditions being the same. A Hoisting Crane. Ohio Parmer not long ago illustrated a crane used in some sections for hanling in corn shocks, it being much easier than to handle with a fork. Tweuty to 80 shocks are hauled at a load and husked in tha barn. It also saves fodder. For the post of the oraue take a 4 by i inch piece, 12 feet long. The arm s 3 by 3 incnes, 3 fcet Ion and bracee! as yon sec. The post is fasteuad by boiting two plan ka to it, one above and one below, j ïnaking a 4 inch hole in the upper plank and a 3 inch hole below, to prevent it i f rom dropping down. For the hoiter i take two pulleys, a doublé oue above ; aud single one below, with a 75 foot rope.