Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-04-13

NOTES AND SUGGESTIONS FOR TIE MONTH

With the advent of April, all animated
nature merges from the long reign of win
ter and commences life anew. In this lati-
tude the tender grass comes springing up
everywhere in secluded hooks of the fields
and on the sunny hillside flowers are open
ing their petals to catch the sunshine. The
song of the blue bird-"There'll be no more
winter"-admonishe us that it is time to
prepare for field operations, and all the
forces of the farm have already commen-
ced or are just beginning the labOrs of the
season.
Animals.-April is one of the most criti-
cal periods of the year with our domestic
animals, especially with the females. Have
a care beforehand that none suffer from
lack of a sufficiency and variety of feed.
Let roots !be fed tleast in small quantities
wherever practicable. Use the card and
brush freely on horses and neat stock, and
see to it that the active fermentation which
the warm weather will cause in the manure
does not affect the stock unfavOrably.-
Mares, cows, ewes and sows, are all liable
to sink their young at this time of the year,
unless they receive constant care, not once
a week, but several times day. 1t is an
very obscure. 1t is unnatural for animals
to bring forth prematurely, and the reason
for their doing so is often plain Some
times it is caused by lack of sufficient
nourishment water and feed, sometimes
by ergot, and perhaps smut, or poisonous
fungi in the hay sometimes by over-exer-
ton, by slipping down, or by some act of
violence, such as a kick in the flank with a
big boot, severe hooking, or worrying, or
something else Mares and cows frequent
ly stink their young in April for want of
water and sometimes from being compelled
to drink impure water, especially that i'm
pregnated with manufacturer upon the
surface, or from wells in the barn-yard into
which the teachings run. Feed whole grain
to no animals, except sheep having good
teeth. See that enough coarse grain is
ground to last teams and stock ultil pas
ture time, so that it will not be necessary
to go to mill when teams should be plow-
ing. As the warm weather comes on, and
animals begin to shed their hair, they will
consume as much feed as in the winter if it
be good.
Barley-If the soil be in good state,
SOW as soon as the ground will do to plow
II poSSIbICJ Sctu lIOII OdlS,
buckwheat and spring wheat, as all such
grain is nuisance when the barley is NAL
ted. In the best regions for barley, good
farmers are SO careful to keep the crop free
from oats that they will not allow unground
oats to be fed to their teams while they are
preparing the ground or putting in the seed
Always keep the two-rowed, ,four-rowed, and
six-rowed barley separated, because during
the mailing process, different kinds will not
malt in the same time. Old barley should
never be mingled with new when sold, as
the two will not malt alike, and loss must
be sustained by the brewers to the farmers
discredit
Blrds.-Whatever havoc birds may make
among the fruits in summer, during April
and May they live upon insects, and the
number they destroy is immense Happy
is he who has his garden full of them
Wrens and bluehirds especially should be
courted and furnished with houses of ap-
prOprlate sizes for wrens, boxes AKA with
an inch hole for entrance two inches above
the floor for the bluebirds, 6x6 with ! inch
hole. Colonize the different birds in sepa-
rate places or the wrens are quarreIsome.
CatHe.-Cows that have not yet calved
should be allowed to stand several hours
daily in large sunny yards. If the calves
be removed from milch cows as soon as
dropped, the COW is less worried than if
they are taken away after she has become
attached to them. New mich COWS ought
to have roots or some green succulent fed
at this season what is called "slUps" sup
Plies the place of more natural and better
things. This is one of the worst months
for caked bag, garget milk fever, etc;
watch tor the first symptoms and check the
disease if possible Beeres- Increase the
amount of meal fed to fattening bullocks.
DO not require them to eat too much cut
straw with it. Coarse meal will digest
more readily if soaked over night During
April, bullocks three years I'D should re-
celve from ten to fifteen pounds of fine corn
meal mingled with wet straw during the
day. Meal fed at this season of the wear
will prepare them to lay on fat and flesh
when they are turned to grass. This is
equally true of fattening sheep designed
for early mutton. Working oren n-See that
the yokes are right and bows are not so
short as to choke them. Feed working cat
tie well and handle them carefully, and they
will grow fat every day and be worth more
for beef next summer than they NAV be
bought for now. Oxen will endure the
heat nearly as well as horses if fed as well
and not abused and worried by bad driving.
Always allow them at least two hours du-
ring the middle of the. day for rest and
chewing the cud--time for which is quite
as necessary as time to feed.
Cdrrots.-May be sown as early as the
ground can be put in good order. The
Long Orange is the favorite field variety,
though the White Belgian is said to be the
most productive and if so, it is better for
feeding, but not for market. Sow pounds
Of seed to the acre by hand, and to II by
machine.
Celiars.-Do not neglect to clean them
out thoroughly removing all decaying veg
ctables, wood, etc. Where cabbage or po-
tatoes have lain and decayed in part it is
well to sprinkle dry ashes or fresh loan,
removing it after day or two. White
wash every part, except the floor, which
may well be supplied with lie.
Drdinlng,-This is the best season to see
where draining is needed, and to appreci-
ate its advantages as shown in land well
underdrained, though the maximum effect
may not be seen for year or two. If there
is any time to spare from other and more
important work, push forward the drains.
Round tiles with collars are the best, but
not easy to get.