The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-12-04

II is bad husbandry to attempt to winter
more stock than can be properly sheltered and
we'll fed. A farmer who has plenty of tim
Der on his land, deserves the severest censure
If he does not prepare suitable sheds for his
cattle and sheep, and pens for his hogs be-
fore the rigor of winter commence. Every
body who owns horses tries to provide com
Portable stables for them, yet in the most OF
these edi6ces there is considerable room for
improvement On new farms on the prsiries,
where lumber must be brought from consid>
cradle distance, with small capital
sometimes finds il impossible to erect suitable
buildings to shelter his stock, and the result
is that they fall away sadly in cold weather,
and sometimes perish in some snow. storm.
and there is An end to their suffering.
Horses now require particular attention.
Some of them have been on the pastures dur
ing q considerable part of the fall, and seem
ingly recovered the strength and vigor which
had been impaired by over work. IL they
are left on the pasture too long, the cold
weather will neutralze the good e. feet of the
succulent food which has improved their con-
dition, and they will fall away rapidly. The
transition from soft food to hard, and rice
rersa, has corresponding effect on the bow
els of animals producing looseness or cos
tiveness, according 20 the nature of the food.
matter Of keeping the bowels regular, for if
this is neglected, loss of condition and dis
ease will be the result Young horses are
sometimes left out so long in the fall that
their growth becomes stunted by the cold,
and they never acquire the size or strength
which they would if properly managed at the
most critical period of their lives.
Every farmer who has had experience in
the winterlng OF stock knows that when ami
mails are kept in comfortable houses or sheds
they consume less food and thrive better than
when under the weather" 1t sometimes
may happen that from want of capital the
farmer may not be able to erect suitable shel>'
ter for his stock. In such cases. the best
that can be done is to sell off such animals
in the fall as are best fit for market-hold
over as few as possible, and provide some
cheap kind of shelter for these. II houses
or close sheds cannot be built, the shelter Of
high board fence will be better than moth
ing. Against this racks of fodder should be
placed. These must be rooted to keep off
rain or snow, and it will not take great deal
of lumber to lengthen the roof so as to cover
the cattle which feed out Of them. In this
manner q comfortable open shed will be OBJ.
tanned.
A great deal of money is lost annually by
neglecting to provide sheds for agricultural
machinery, implements aud tools. 1t is dis
graceful for any farmer to leave expensive
machines or implements rotting in the sun.
Sometimes a thrashing machine, n reaper, or
a seed drill may be seen under the wealth
err, and the wagons. plows, golfers and cul>
tivators lying around loose, each monu-
ment of the owners neglect and slovenness.
A celebrated agricultural writer has said that
be judges of farmers intelligence by the
way in which he manages his manure. 1t is
certain that too much attention cannot be
given to the collection of manure, or the
proper admixture of it before it is applied to
the soil.
The Doctor Know'd What He Give Him.
During theaxar one of those lovely ladies
who devoted themselves TO relieving the snf
ferings of the soldiers. was going through n
ward Of crowded hospital. There she
found two convalescent soldiers saving and
hammering, making such noise that she
felt it necessary TO interfere in her gentle
way.
"Why,u said she, "what is this; what are
you doing?'
"What are We dom? Maxim coffin
that s what
"A coffin, Who is it for?'
"Who for? that Teller over there pointing
behind him.
The lady looked. and saw a man on his
white bed, yet alive, who seemed to be watch
ing what was going on.
t.Why," she said, THAT man isn't dead.
He is alive, and perhaps he won't die. You
had better not go on.
go on Yes, we shall. The doctor said
make this coffin, and i guess he know'd
what he give him"