The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1874-01-09
Farm, Garden and Orchard.
BY an old Agricultural Editor.


farmers we find in the american Agrtcu
hwist for January:
A plentiful supply Of water is quite
indispensable to the welfare Of farm
stock. Ice-cold water Is injurious and
wasteful. A bucket Of such water will
destroy the good effect Of several feeds.
The watcr.trough should he kept free
from ice, and it should be emitted a.
soon rs the stock have watercd.
Many people believe that sheep can live
without drinking, but this is great mis-
take. All animals fed upon dry feed
need water frequently. Snow is no sub
sti,ute for water.
Young stock need especial care, and
exposure to damp in mild or thawy
weather is more hurtful than dry though
comparatively severe cold.
Manure should be gathered and work
ell with care. If allowed to freeze il re.
mains unaltered until late in the spring.
That intended for root crops should be
worked over, and piled up neatly with
straight sides and fla: top, SO that il may
receive rs much moisture as possible.
Labor spent in working over manure is
well spent. Three turnings will bring it
into a condition for use in early spring.
Oil-cake meal will be found q very
valuable addition to the feed just now.
Dry feed tends to constipated condition
which soon shows in staring hide and
tight skin. A pound or even q few
ounces Of linsced cake meal, which costs
about cent and half pound, given
each day to horses OF cattle will loosen
their bowels and improve their health.
Calves and sheep should also not be neg
lec.ed in the distribution.
Vermin should be watched for A
weekly allowance of sulphur given in
some salt will tend to keep down vermin
Sulphur rubbed up with lard makes a
good application against lice il rubbed
along the spine Of an animal infested.
Whale-oil is also a good application.
Carbolic acid and kerosene should be
used with caution; they may do more
harm than good if too freely used.
Horse-shocing is very important as
well as an expensive item. A horse
should be kept sharp shod in winter or
not at all. Many good horse is ruined
for want Of attention to this matter.
Farm horses kept in the stable and
only worked occasionly should be man
aged with care. A common mistake j.
to let them do nothing for several day
and then put them through A sharT
trot for mile or two until the swea
starts will do them no harm, but rather
good, provided they are rubbed dry af-
forwards. But two drive them rapidly
eight or ten miles, let them stand in the
cold for an hour or two and then drive
them rapidly home, and give them care
when they get home, is thoughtless and
cruel.
Cows that are expected to calve in
March or April should, as a rule, be
dried off this month. New milch-cows,
or COWS that calved last fall, should. be
fed literally with food favorable to the
production of milk, such as roots, bran,
cornstalks, clover hay, and three or four
quarts of cornmeal per day. Warm
slOps or cooked food will increase the
flow of milk. Warm and well yentiat-
ed stables are also essential. If the COWS
are turned 10 water be careful not to let
them stay out long enough to get chilled.
Farrow cows that are giving milk should
have an abundant supply of rich food.
They may have as much as four or five
quarts of corn-meal day. If they get
fat instead of giving good milk you can
dispose Of them to the butcher. Beet is
likely to be higher.
Sheep should have dry quarters. Dry
cold is better for them than warm, wet
weather. Avoid close, damp, ill-venti-
lated easements; also be careful not to
use much straw for bedding in the sheds
and yards that the manure will ferment
under the sheep, Nothing can be worse.
Swine that are fat must either be sold
or put into the pork barrel on the farm.
The packers have matters in their own
hands this year. Next year we shall get
better prices. Last spring or summer
pigs that are in a thrifty condition will
pay to winter over. Their summer feed
when clover is abundant will cost but lit
tie, and they will make good and cheap
pork early next fall.
WORK IN TIE HORTICULTURAL DEPART
MENT.
We should be glad if every reader of
the Agrieulturia who has bit of land
to cultivate would resolve that during
the coming season he would make
strong effort to have a garden where
could be grown the necessary vegetables
and as many fruits as space and time
would allow. Too many farmers look
upon the garden as needless luxury,
and the consequence is that they, of all
other classes, have the least variety of
vegetables and fruits upon their tables. .
Ihey do not realize the benefit of proper
iltermixture OF vegetables with meat,
ind how necessary they are to health.
Il is fact that people living in cities
nave greater variety of vegetables in
me year than the farmer. The cost of