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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 59, 9 March 1878, Page 8

Writing about the improvement of land by sheep, Professor Johnston says :— -"-On sandy soils, as in. Norfolk, the ; whole or part of the turnip crop is eaten off by sheep for the purpose chiefly of treading down and consolidating the soil, and thus, fitting it for the better growth of the succeeding crop of barley . . . The general benefit to the land of eating off with' sheep arises from the conversion of the vegetable produce into .a manure, richer, weight for weight, in nitrogen and saline matter, and, therefore, having a more immediate and powerful eiFeot upon after crops. In the case of good laud which is otherwise in good heart or condition, perhaps no better ox- more profitable husbandry than this, for rural districts, could readily be recommended." Here is the value of the sheep to work out land — what must bo the same if applied to virgin soil ?

A "Western New York farnior is creditei with the noteworthy remark that he ouce carefully observed the eifect of the application of stable manure which had been saved under shelter till needed for use, and he concluded that one load of it was worth about us much as two loads of that exposed in the usual Avastei'ul way, which is scarcely stating the case too strougly,

A spoonful. of horse-radish in a pan of milk will keep it sweet for several days, either in the open air or in a cellar. — Albury Banner; .

A field in which the grass is gnawed off" close to the roots is in no condition to go into the severe weather of winter. There is no protection, and, in ease of any kind of grass or clover, the effect is a late start the following spring, aud in cases of clover, timothy, and orchard grass, there is danger of their total extinction. — Detroit Tribune.

There are a great many people who seem to have an unlimited degree of faith in tlic ability of an animal to,convert an offensive and deleterious substance into .an article fit for human food. To this faith is due the fact that multitudes of farmers feed all manner of refuse to their hogs, arid many are in the habit of giving swill to their cows. Both practices are decidedly injurious to the animals, and the man who . wants good meat or pure milk had better avoid them. — A 7. B. Homestead.

A short story^good enough to bo true, is pleasantly told by the Sanitarian. ' A little flowering plant was given to a sick girl. In trying to take care' of it the family made changes in their way of living. First, they cleaned the window that more light might come to its lea-yes; then, when not too cold, they would open the windows that fresh air might help the plant to grow. Next, the clean window made the rest of the room look so untidy that they used to wash the doors and walls and arrange, the furniture more neatly. This led the father of the family to mend a broken chair or two, which kept him home several evenings. After the work was dono he stayed at home instead of spending Ills leisure hours at a tavern, and the money thus saved went to buy comforts for them all. And then, as the home grew attractive, the whole family loved it better than before, and grew happier and healthier with the flowers. Tims the little plant became a moral as well as a physical benefit.