Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-11-15
Soasonahls Hints.

Soasonahls Hints.
After the harvest is secured and
the farmers have enjoyed few
weeks OF comparative leisure, the
busy corn husking time begins. II
the season has been favorable tor
early maturity, the corn may be
cribbed after October Goth, with
little danger of heating. Owing to
the shortnesS of time suited to the
work of husking, and when SO much
of it is to be done as we have in the
West, it is important that farmers
make an extra effort to get it secure
~ in the crib before the deep SHOWS
and short days OF Winter come on.
The skillful workman understands
the advantages ola system applied
in aid of his physical powers.
Whatever means will accomplish
most with the least effort, the pro-
gressive farmer brings to bear upon
all his operations. If fifty bushels
of corn is an average days work
for a husker, little different, or
quicker motion may add an addi-
tional car to every five husked, max
ing sixty bushels per day instead of
fifty; adding to the amount of each
weeks work, one and one-tilth days.
A very small wagon box requires
unnecessary waste of time on gong
to and from the field. The most
economical way is to have wagon
for each man, and the box may be
greatly enlarged by having high
board on the opposite side Of the
wagon to prevent the corn from be-
ing thrown over; and the ease and
rapidity of unloading is greatly
facilitated, by making an end board
one third higher, and leaned back
until the upper edge is level with
the top Of the wagon box. Cut
boards to the proper angle for the
sides, with two heavy pieces of
strap iron fastened with two bolts
through the holes in the box made
for the rod, and it is done. This
adds considerably to capacity of the
box, and the scoop-shovel may be
used at once in unloading.
The risk attending the prescrva
ton of seed corn is much less, if
gathered early, and hung in dry
place, but if this work has not al
ready been attended to, the largest
and best matured ears should be
properly hung up, rather than risk
its being damaged in the crib dur
ing Winter.
Sagacious feeders should now
have their iattening hogs in good
condition, early feeding giving the
most satisfactory results, for with
dry sleeping apartments the cold
nights of the early Winter affect
them but little. Vigilance is the
price Of good stock, and the hog is
more susceptible to the influences OF
good or bad management than any
other stock. If TO avoid Wintering
the pigs are intended for market at
nine or ten months old, they should
have the bcst. of food from weaving
time; and, during the fattening pro-
cess, have an abundance Of nitro
genous, or flesh forming food, and
be allowed but little exercise. If
intended to be kept through all the
period of rapid growth, which ends
with proper care at eighteen or
twenty months old, the management
required is little different from e
above. A hog with medium bone,
which can be made to average four
hundred pounds at eighteen months
old, is most profitable.
Glover is the cheapest auxiliary
food for the hog, with the added adj
vantage of keeping up the fertility
of the soil, and if the pigs have
abundant access to it, with other
rich food and proper exercise, the
bone and muscle are developed to
keep up a normal and healthy con
dition. Threshed oats and coarse
mill stuffs contain the phosphates
and heterogeneous principles, which
are necessary to the healthy growth
Of swine. For late feeding, the hogs
should not be confined to close quar-.
tiers early in the Fall, but should
have due exercise and access to
grass as long as convenient. Then
when the porkers are finally shut up
to be finished on corn or meal, you
have foundation for the develop
mcnt Of fat. And such hogs will be
duly appreciated by the butcher,
| who will pay an enhanced price
therefor. But for cutting for the
| city markets, swine weighing over
two hundred and fifty pounds dress
ed, are not sought for; and two
hundred pound pork, if young and
muscular, will bring the highest
price. For the rendering vats,
'Iard hogs nre not out of place,
| and then the fattcr the better. Pack
crs again like hog weighing not
over two hundred and fifty pounds,
and those breeds that the most
easily attain this weight at the earl
lest age, are in the best rcpute. If
natural selection according to the
Darwinian theory, has eliminated
| in the present animal and man, the
progressive farmer may make use
Of the idea, by artificial selection
and feeding, thereby developing his
purse Western Rurul.
Measurement of Hay.