The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-26
HINTS ON AGRICULTURE.
aREAsINa WAGONS.


Few people are aware that they do wagons
and carriages more injury by greasing too
plentifully than in any other way. A well-made
wheel will endure common wear from ten to
right kind and proper amount of grease; but If
this matter is not attended to they will be used
up in five or six years. Lard should never be
used on a wagon, for it will penetrate the
ons Of the spokes, and spoil the Wheel Tai
low is the best lubrlcator for wood axIetrees.
and castor oil for iron. just grease enough
should be applied to the spindle Of wagon
more. for the surplus put on will work out at
the ends. and be forced by the shoulder-bands
and nut-washer into the hub around the out
side OF the boxes. 70 oil an IRON axetree,
first wipe the spindle clean with cloth wet
with spirits Of tHfpentlne, and then apply a
few drops OF castor oil near the shoulder and
end. One teaspoonful is sufficient for the
whole. For journals on which there is a
heavy pressure it's good plan to mis with
the oil some lamp-black or common SCOT.
Powd red plumbago or black lead is also en-
plOyed for the same purpose.
ECONOMY IN FsEDINa oHIcKENs.
Those who keep chickens know very well
that if all the teed that is given to them has 10
be purchased. the profit arising from keeping
them Is very small. 1t s true That at certaiS
seasons of the year the necessities of the farm
and garden require that they should be shut
up, aud Of course fed almost wholly out of
hand; and during winter. although they may
be allowed to range, Vet the amount Of feed
which they can pick up is but small. And vet
our experience leads us to believe that the
chief advantage arising from keeping chickens
lies in their. acting as save-alls. We have,
therefore, adopted certain rules which are in q
measure based up-n this idea, and we find
that just so far as we depart from them Just so
much do we lose.
Our first rule is to keep as few chickens as
possible during winter and the time when they
must be shut up: or, il we have o number on
hand, they are mostly small, requiring little
feed and not being very destructive. With the
exception of few old favOrite hens kept for
breeding, we keep but few hens over winter
Durlng early summer, all the old hens in the
country lay freely, and eggs ace cheap. Early
spring pullots commence laying ear v in the
fall, and furnish good supply OF eggs when
prices are high.
BY the middle Of October we proceed to fat
ten our chickens, and this we accomplish with
out cooplng them up; but we do not commit
the common error Of giving our hens ..warm
breakfast" Many of our chicken-keeping
friends do this, and the consequence is that
the chickens satiate thems ives, and go off to
sun themselves in the shelter of some quiet
bank. Our system is to give them Q good,
hearty meal OF somo easly-dlgested and easily
henight. This enables them to resist the cold
better; the food is digested while the birds
are at rest, and they wake up in the morning
strong and hungry, AMI eager for forage.
depend upon their own exertions for living.
In this way they pick up enough to live or.
while oil the food thatwe give them ia 40 much
extra and goes to make fat.
Some wseacres q, ;., Hay object to giving animals
It would be easy to- fill column with argu-
ments in favor Of the PRACTICE. but it is iIc4
necessary Look at that plump little quail
that has gone to roost In the shelter OF heap
OF brush He is fat and sleek, and his health
n m 90 ~