Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-03-08
m Garden and Household.
Methods with Manure.


For five years past have practieed
hauling manure as fast as made in the !
winter, and spreading it ON grain and
grass fields. / find this winter that my
80 head of cows and calves and two
horses, well Uttered, make good boat
load of manure for every ii hours con-
fined in the stables. My boat is 7 feet
long, 80 feet wide, and can be piled 81
feet high. 1 made it by grabbing out
a small oak tree and splitting it in two
for runners, 3 inches wide at little and
inches at bigend, the bilge on each
side of half-inch making crook enough
to answer well. Place them three feet
apart, bark side up, and pin two-inch
plank across them with II inch anger then
bore four stake-holes and put in stakes
to hold side-boards, they to have elects
on inside at their ends to hold end
boards from falling outward, and to fit
in tight enough not to fall inward and
then, as the manure rises in loading, all
is secure, till, arriving at field, pull out
the stakes, put the boards behind the
boat, and then pitch in and spread the
high, square heap onall sides, the horses
to move on from time to time, and the
load is spread in a iiffy. The boatpacks
down deep snow when sled would not
In winter time the boat needs to have q
tongue so attached as to take it off when
snow and ice disappear Three or four
such cheap boat receptacLss at theproper
points around the stables, to receive the
daily make of manure az thrown out,
would economic time in getting it to
the field AS to the general utility of
manuring land in winter, fully agree
with j. L. Van Wyck. The six points
of advantage which he names in the
communication published in the Weekly
Tribune of the 25th of December are
worthy of the careful attention of every
farmer.A Another correspondent in this
fertilizing department of the Tribune
well speaks of the great advantage of
seeding grain-land to grass after, or on
the mulch spread from the stables. This
point of advantage when once expert
enced will never be forgotten. Pass
over stubble in September sown to
clover brother grass thepreceding March,
after winter mulch of fresh manure
on parts of the field, and the glaring
contrast in the condition of the grass or
clover on the mulched and unmulched
places tells a significant tale. Desiring
to impart little information to Tribune
correspondents, as well as to receive so
much of them, [ send you these few
lines.-R. H. Clark, Springdale Farm,
Portage Co., Ohio. 'fs1 - st
rs To Build Smoke House. Ts-.i
A good smoke and ash house need
not cost much. Build of brick or stone.
Don't make vault below ground for
ashes unless you can do SO and have it
dry. Lay the foundation of stone,
with stone or cement bottom for the
ashes. Three or four feet above the
bottom of the ash-pit lay foor-with
trap-door through which to pour the
ashes and out of which to take them
when wanted for the fields. Build the
walls at least six feet from this floor to
the rafters. Cross pieces which will
also serve as stays may be spiked across
from the rafters, from which to sus-
pend the meat to be smoked. When
you wish to smoke meat build the fire
on the ashes in the vault below the
floor and leave the trap open. A ven
tilator on the apex of the roof which
may be closed tightly is convenient but
in nowise essential. Any man who
values his ashes as a fertilizer will de-
wise some means of saving them dry !;
and any man who values his farm build
ings will see to it that he has a good
stone or brick ash-house so located and
so constructed that "red-hot" wood
ashes will not set them on fire and any
one who likes nice smoked hams and
shoulders will have.a good, secure place
in which to smoke and keep them. A
farmer with a trowel, the stone or brick,
level and plumb-line, if he has any
practical skill, can erect his own smoke
house at small cost. 1t is better to
have it large and roomy, and buy, if
you can, ashes enough from your neigh
Dor to fill the vault, than to make it too
small, or not save your ashes for farm
use. ~ ..4.. I.IF... r.r.
Mulohing Winter Wheat
We have several inquiries as to wheth.
er mulching winter wheat will protect
it-that is, whether the crop runs less
risk if mulched than if not mulched.
If heavy body of snow falls, we doubt
if mulching is any advantage so far as
protection is concerned; in no case
should such mulch be heavy one-sc
heavy as to cover the plants. A light
mulch of straw for such winter as that
of 1871 and 70 in localities where little
snow fell, would doubtless benefit the
crop; but it is q question which car
only be settled by the experience o.
those who have tried it how far it is safe
and profitable to mulch winter wheat
A gentleman at independence, Mo.
writes the Western Planter that in thu
fall OF 1871 he covered portion of hi,
field OF fall wheat with straw about thu
same depth as he had covered his straw
berry plants, and the grain was wors,
killed where mulched than where ex
posed. He does not consider it an in
falllble trial, however, and we shoult
think not though it may prove so Il
he matches his wheat as heavily here
after. We should be glad to know i
any of our readers have had any expe
rience in mulching wheat.-Rmaz Ne,
A"f'9ftav7sE .HH4ss H-y.t-.
Feed for Colts, =
A correspondent Of the Maine Far
n1er, who is successful breeder O
horses for driving, &c., gives that pape
his method Of feeding colts, He feed
all colts as many oats as they will ca
up clean, feeding three times a day
He gives weanlings four pounds of oat
per day, with eight pounds of hay t
yearlings, five pounds oats ;: two-yea
olds, six pounds !; three-year Odds, eigh
pounds, with ten pounds of hay for eac