Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1870-12-23
FARM AND FiRESIDE.

sense told nae that this must be caused by
some treatment by which man thwartel the
designs of nature, as in the natural state
animals may be left in safety to their in
stincts, of all of which the strongest is love
for the young. This led me to study hogs
closely during the latter Rod of pregnan-
cy; and watch all their ways up to pigging
| also noticed my neighbors' treatment of
breeding sows, and by comparing results, [
learned what caused this danger, and how
to guard against it.
Costiveness and its accompanying evils
are the main cause of sows destroying their
young-and proper food is the preventative
| and cure
l have never known sow to cat her
pigs in autumn, when running at large with
plenty of green food !; but with hardly any
exception, sows littering in the spring are
troubled with costiveness, which is frequent-
ly so severe as to be accompanied by lpham-
ed eyes, great restlessness, and other signs
OF suffering. This lestlessness sometimes
increases till it amounts to frenzy. have
had them become so savage as to attack me
hereby, though at other times perfectly
gentle Il not stopped, this frenzy may in
crease =. he pains of labor, and the SOW
will then destroy her young, or any other
living hing within her reach Cure the
costiveness, and this restlessness and irrita-
ton will be cured; and if she was good
natured sow, she will become quiet and gen.
tie again
Green Food is the Cure. As it is usual
iy scarce at this season. you ought to pro-
vide for the emergency by saving roots to
feel them. Formerly used potatoes for
this purpose, but since tho potato rot COM
meaced | have used sugar beets, and always
have some on hand to feed to my sows for
several weeks before they come in. They
are very fond of them, and eat them greed
lily raw A halt peck or moro day with
but little other food, will keep a SOW in the
finest condition. Potatoes are as good and
carrots, parsnips, mangel- wurzel. or turnips
will do, but it may be necessary to boil them
and mix them with other food. If you have
no roots of any kind, you must resort to
sulphur, and give large tablespoonful two
or three times week for several weeks be-
fore littering. Give also little charcoal
occasionally, and always be kind and gentle
to them, and they will never attempt to kill
their pigs. A common mistake is to move
the sow to another pen shortly before she
liters. This is very irritating to her.
She should be separated from tho others,
and moved TO her new quarters several
weeks before her time is out. She must be
sheltered, and a week before she littors sup
piled with all the straw she will want, which
will be better for being short After this
her nest must be unmolested, aud she ought
not to be disturbed in any way, as it is the
nature of all animals to seek privacy at this
period Hogs are more true to their time
than other animals, and rarely vary more
than day or two
But if YOU want to be sure to lose your
pigs, feed your SOW on corn and cob meal
This will make her very costive, fed without
much other food Then when she is sick
and feverish, and consequently cross, IRA
tate her yet more by driving her from the
nest she has become accustomed to; then
let the boys abuse her every day, and if the
poor maddened animal does not destroy her
young as fast as they are born, it will not
be your fault IT, L. d., IN Rural Amer
acan.
A SUBSTITUTE FOR MANURE-It is assum-
ed by many farmers that if land is plowed as
soon as crop of grain is taken off; again
after lapse of six weeks, and third time
just before the setting in of winter-going a
little deepsr each time-a benefit to succeed
ing crops will be derived equal to coating
Of barnyard manure. There can be no
question that frequent blowing enhances the
fertility of the soil, as this is proved in corn
fields every season. The more frequently
the ground is stirred, if done in way not
to injure the roots, the more rapid will be
the growth and more abundant the yield
This renders what is in the soil more easily
appropriated while drawing from the atmos-
phere supplies of nutriment which in an
inert state it could not extract. 1t is true
that frequent plowings involve expense, SO
does an application of manure-an article
in many places hard to be got and very ex-
pensive when obtained. The more finely
adhesive soils are comminuted the more
readily will they appropriate and impart to
the plants the nutriment supplied to them,
whether it be drawn from the atmosphere or
from the manure heap. This being the case,
the policy of frequent plowings as prepar-
alton for crops would seem to be vindcated
the grain being certain to be largely in
excess of the cost of the operation.
| BEST FEED TO FArTEN Hoes RArlDLY.-
| A correspondent of the CINCINNATI Gazette
vouehes for the following as the best food
to make the biggest hog out of pig in
| twelve months -
Take two quarts of barley, two Of corn
and one of oats. Grind them together !;
then cook and feed cold. This way Of feed
ing is the cheap way to make hogs fat from
the tine thay are pigs. Take any pig of a
| good improved breed, and it can be made in
this manner to gain one pound per day until
a year old. ..r
SoAp-SUDs FOR GRApEs.-A j. Downing
says: al have seen the Isabella grape
produce 5000 fine clusters of wcll-ripened
fruit in season by the liberal uss of man
ure and soap suds from the weekly wash. u
The effect Of soap-suds on other plants is
something surprising. A cypress vine,
which had remained stationery fortnight,
when about two inches high, Immediately
began growing after good watering with
soap suds, and grew six inches the first five
days.
Coon PLAIN STEw.-Take about two
pounds of scrag or neck mutton, divide it
into ten pieces, lay them in the pan sat
eight large potatoes and four onions in sill
ces season with one teaspoonful and half
of pepper and three of salt; cover all with
water put it into slow oven for two hours,