Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-03-11
agricultural.
Hints About Work,


is to, Lay Plans for the coming scason. II
possible think of every important thing, and
Keep a memorandum of whatever is deemed
most essential, and the order in which it
should come. In case of necessary absence
the foreman, or any intelligent hand, can 90
on with the work without any supervision
If a defnate plan Is made and talked over
beforehand The responsibility thus thrown
upon an employee is a stimulus to faithfulness
to which intelligent man almost always
responds. The circumstances of different
farmers are SO various that it is impossible
to even hit at plan of operations applicable
to all With many, Il regular system of TO
tation of crops and manure leaves the princi-
pal work of the farmer all planned beforehand
Others decide in the autumn or summer
previous, and others still delay until spring
even the decision as to what field to put I'M
der plow and where to put their manure.
This aimless course is almost sure to bring
delays and disappointments, which are readi-
ly ascribed to the ICedther.' He who works
with steady aim attains the greater success
with much less labor.
ANMALs.-The maintenance of animals in
the stable or in the yard, at any time of the
year is unnatural, but if they have great
abundance of food and considerable range,
the conditions surrounding them approach
those they are subject to in the wild state
weather will eat is enormous, and even then
they neyor come out in more than fair cOndi-
ton. We think every spring that it is almost
absurd to reIterate our condemnation of farm
ers who expect, as matter of course, to
have their cattle - spring poor. This con-
dition of mans stock tells of exposure, lack
OF good food and of very serious losses the
farmer hImself-losses both of fodder wasted
and of cattle injured in their productiveness
for the rest of the year, the rest of their
lives.
Working stock should be fitted for hard
labor by increasing their grain and accus-
toming them gradually to severer demands
upon their strength and endurance. Horses
shoulders are apt to gall, and oxen's necks
will become sore, if they have done little
work during the winter. Loot, out for such
troubles, and bind on wet cloths at night,
greasing the spots when the yoke or harness
is again put on but above all have well fit
ting yokes and harnesses.
Mich COwS.-Now is the time when ruta-
bagas and mangels viii tell on milk produc-
ton. Cows coming in this In nth should
have succulent food, if possible. Half a
bushsl, or even peck, of roots will make a
marked difference in the yield of milk, and
soon after calving it will pay over and over
again to feed Oil-cake, from one to three
quarts daily. Soak until all the Jumps are
broken up, and pour the cruel on cut corn
stalks or hay.
CALvEs-It is more humane, and better
policy besides, to take away the calf, which
is to be removed in few days at farthest, as
soon as it is dropped. The cow g takes on .
less, and the calf does not mind the separa-
ton at all. 1t will learn to drink from a pail
readily. Its diet at first must be It's dam s
new milk, and then any sweet milk: after
the first week it may be changed gradually
TO SKINNED milk with little Oil-meal Cruel
a thin porridge of wheat middlings min
gled with 1.-THE quantity of meal being in
creased as it grows. and that OF milk lessened
Scours may usually be checked by little
scalded fine flour porridge, and constipation
by oil-meal. Young calves should be fed
four times day, dividing the periods
equally between or q O'Clock in the morn
ing and Q or 10 at night. After a few days
three times day will be enough.
SHEEP.-Examne the fiocks carefully SO a
to be sure that each sheep gets its share of
grain or roots. Give ewes near yeaning pens
where they re not crowded, Uttered with
short straw, trodden firm. Early lambs
arc well worth extra care in raising. IF
found chilled they should be brought to the
house and warmed at the fire, or by a warm
bath and rubbing A mild milk punch some
times has an excellent effect.
SwINE-Breeding sows should be placed
isolated, in warm, well Uttered pens, several
days before narrowing. Feed roots guard
against constipation. Raw potatoes
cellent. Char coal dust with portion of
ashes is uniformly good, and by all means
throw them a few fresh sods to root over and
chew A thorough carding is also beneficial,
and if a man pets his pigs and really desires
to have the young filters in the very best con-
dition, he will do all he can to have the sows
not only well fed but, in the very best health.
The currycomb, card, and brush, are among
the best friends of the farmer AID his stock,
especially when the animals are shedding their
have good grooming daily. neat cattle twice,
and hogs once a week. Carrots appear to
have remarkable effect upon the coats of
cattle and horses. quarts day is enough,
if fed with other roots, grain, bran, or oil