Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-07-14
agricultural.
FARM. GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD

complaint which was made against the
American hay that was sent to England
last year was that it was too coarseLan OBJ
Ject1on that we think not few have no
tlced on this side of the Atlantic Such
hay may give large yield to the acre, but
much of it will never be eaten by stock.
and much of what is eaten, will never be
dlgested There is another difficulty con-
nected with our present method of cutting
grass after the stalk has attained its full
size and has put forth blossoms or has ma
tured its seeds. Unless such stalks can re-
main until deslccation commences it is in
Junous to the roots to cut them That it
is not injurious to the roots to clip the
follage OF grass before the stalks shoot up
any considerable distance appears to be
proven by pastures Here the grass is
clpped many times during the season, and
still the vitality of the roots does not ap-
| pear to be injured in the least
Most farmers have noticed that grass
lands will run out quicker when they are
moved, than when pastured. and that it
requires more power to break pasture turf
than that III 81 field that has been cut with
scythe, an equal number of years. The
oftener lawns are cut, the finer the grass
becomes, and the firmer the turf Grass
IN a lawn that is mown every week or two,
is not half SO likely to winter kill, as that
in a field that is only cut once in a season.
A team that will draw a pillow through a
field that has been in timothy hay five or
six years, with as much ease as through a
field of wheat stubble, would be 'sstalled"
If taken into lawn or pasture of the same
age.
Nature IN providing grass as the food
| for domestic animals, seemed to have de-
signed it for frequent clipping. Can we
not, therefore, make our hay ofbetter quail
lty, and at the same time give greater per-
manence to the crop, by cutting the grass
oftener than we do? We know there would
be more work attending such practice,
than in having hay cutting come but once
a year; but we do not think the increase of
labor would be as great as it would at first
| thought appear to be- We eshould be in no
danger of lodged grass, and the trouble of
curing the hay would be greatly lessened,
as little spreading would be required. Tt
might be necessary, also, to exercise more
care III the application of manure in the
solid or liquid form, to fields that are to be
mown more than once; but in this case, as
in all others where manure is applied, the
additional yield will more than compensate
for the outlay.
STABIds IN SU8IMER.-A correspondent
of the Journal of Agriculture says: With
most farmers considerable pains is taken to
make stables warm and comfortable for
stock in winter, and this is as it should be-
But there is another matter connected with
stable management, fully equal in import
ance, which is very sadly neglected, and
that is free ventilation in summer. Very
many stables upon farms and in villages,
are built of brick, or clapboarded if made
/ tnf VvsfI o17A Ior L,
the sultry nights of summer, horses, and
often COWS, are kept confined here, breath
ing the air contaminated by the ammonia
which ARISES from their own filth, and the
effect of this is loss of appetite, disease of
the lungs and decline of strength
One half the injury will not arise from
keeping horse in q cold stable during
winter that will come from close con6ne-
meht in summer, for animals were given
robe to shield them from cold, but no
chi eIa Is given overt tho oo1iuro of
inhalIng for house at time a poisoned at
mosphere
Some means ahould be devised to give
| free circulation of air through the stable if
| it has to be done by leaving the barn doors
open; and the stalls should be kept clean
| and sweet by the use of saw-dust straw, or
dry earth. We do not approve of using
| lime, ashes, or anything of the kind as
purifier, for it is injurious to the hair and
! skin of the animal
| When horses are made to stand upon a
plank floor the stable is likely to become very
much more impure than under other circum-
stances, for the liquids will run through
and form pool beneath, which will contin-
nally send upa noxious odor as strong as
hartshorn To avert this, fill the cavity
below the floor with sods or loan, and clean
| +lo1 t,uo 4fo
season. Thus large amount of the very
best of manure may be gained, and the
comfort of the animals kept In the barn pro-
NOTED.
The importance of cleansing the stable
| floor often cannot be too earnestly urged,
for in hot weather the collections here are
alive with ma9gots in a few days if left I'M
disturbed, and this is positive proof of it's
unhealtniness and impurity. When the
horse is not in use, the stall should be rem
ovated morning and evening.
SHEEP AFTER SHEARING a sheep
has lost its fleece, the skin of the animal
becomes very sensitive to the heat of the
sun, or the chill of a cold storm. To be
convinced of this, and the importance of
making some extra exertion for the comfort
of the animals, it is only necessary to visit
the field where the flock is kept, when the
day is hot or immoderately cold, and wit
ness the discomfort manifested. In either
case the sheep will be found seeking shell
ter, painting or shivering and of course
suffering severely.
Probably the most economical mode of
/ protecting the flock is to turn them into the
woods, or into q field, part of which is
covered with forest trees. Here, in a hot
day they are shielded from the sun, and in
a cold storm get some protection 1t is
better, however, when cold storm ap-
proaches, to drive the flock up, and keep
them in the barn until the weather is suit
able for them to go out again.
| 1t will be remembered that but q few
years ago, thousands of sheep were killed
in Northern Ohio, by a cold storm some
time in June. Farmers at that time who
were thoughtful enough to care for their
flocks, saved them, and the lesson learned
then should be remembered. 1t is not fire.
quent that we have summer storms severe
enough to kill sheep outright, unless, per-
haps, it be q few old ''pelters," yet that is
no argument against giving them protec-
ton, for when an animal suffers from any
cause, it declines in flesh and strength
At this season 1T Is particularly impor-
tant that ewes with lambs be given all the
advantage possible, for they have two lives
to support, and the draft upon their sys-
TENS is heavy enough, without being sub
jected to endurances which might, with
care, be averted. Ohio Farmer
Hoes WANT SULPHUR. Whether hogs re-
quire sulphur as an essential to their
health, or whether it is sought by them as
a condiment, may not be known for GER
tainty. But one thing is sure, they de-
, your it with greed whenever it is to be
found. 1t is for this purpose, probably,
: that they eat large quantities of soft coal,
which contains large amount of sulphur.
Perhaps this is the most economical meth
cd of supplying hogs with sulphur during
the winter, when they require good deal
of carbon. But in the summer, it is better
} to feed it to them in substances which con.
tain less carbon, on account of their pro.
ducing less heat. Mustard is one of the
/ best things for this purpose, and on that