Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1874-02-27
Gbe farru.
Hints for the Farmer.

next, and are nearly as good. Next
come bran and clover hay. Then oats,
1ndian-corn, and barley; then timothy
hay and corn-stalks. Bean and pea
straw come next; then oat-straw, wheat
straw, and lastly barley-straw.
Bran or Shorts is favorite food. We
feed it largely to sheep, store pigs, cows
and horses. Wecan sell timothy hay for
$28 per ton and buy shorts for $1S per
ton. And the manure from ton Of
bran we estimate to be worth SIS,
while that from a ton of timothy hay
or corn is worth less than 81, and that
from ton Of clover hay about $40,
and from ton of straw So so to So 90.
Straw and Stalks We run through a
cutting box, both for food and litter.
When cut up, straw will absorb much
more liquid, and is consequently more
valuable for bedding than long straw.
No plan can be worse than leaving
the cow manure in scattered heap
just outside the COW stable, and the
horse manure in another heap, and the
pig manure, half mud and corn-cobs,
in another heap, where it freezes solid.
Mix the whole in a compact heap, and
1t will ferment all winter and be ready
for use in the spring.
Scratches.-Scratches is an infam-
matory suppurative action OF the skin
of horses heels and hind legs. 1t is
often very difficult of cure. At times
it readily submits to very simple treat
ment, such as washing the parts quite
clean with solution of one dram of
carbolic acid to a pint of water. At
ter washing, the legs are wiped quite
dry with a soft cloth, and anointed
with glycerine as often as is needed to
keep the skin from becoming dry. At
the same time the horse should have
half an ounce to an ounce of sulphte
of soda in the feed twice day. Care
should be taken to keep the legs clean
and dry and free from mud, which is
in many cases the direct cause Of the
trouble.
Sailing animals requires judgment.
To let them 60 without for several
weeks and then give them all they will
eat is bad practice, and sometimes
dangerous one. The better plan is to
have rock-salt where the animal can
lick it every day.
A good farmer can not enjoy his eve
nings or sleep well at night until he
knows that all his animals are COM
Portable and everything is in its proper
place.
n hours haY1- -, ~
winter season will often save two
hours work in the morning when eve
rything is frozen up solid or is covered
with snow.
Farm horses kept in the stable and
only worked occasionally should be
fed and managed with care. A COM
mon mistake is to let them do nothing
for several days, and then ''put them
through" A sharp trot for a mile or
two until the sweat starts will do no
harm, but rather good, provided they
are rubbed dry afterward. But to
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 little care when they get
home, is thoughtless and cruel.
Horses that are worked regularly
need extra feed in cold weather. There
is nothing better than chaffed hay and
corn-meal.
Horses that are driven fast should
have oats instead OF corn-meal.
Farm horses that are doing little or
nothing can be we'll wintered on chaf-
ed straw with a little corn-meal and
bran.
Cows are healthier in a deep open
shed than in a close ill-ventilated sta
BILE. But stable is much more eco
nomical of space, and it can be kept
warm and clean, and we'll ventilated;
and when this is the case the COWS will
require less food, or if they eat as much
food will either give more milk or store
up fat.
Liberal feeding is usually the most
economical feeding. tits great
of digestive powers to SO feed cow
that she neither gives milk nor in
creases in weight; it is a still greater
waste to SO feed her that she must con-
sumo more or less Of the fat and flesh
previously stored mp in the system
This is what happens when an animal
weighs less in the spring than in the
fall.
Cows that are well fed and kept in
a barn stable should be carded with
curry-comb two or three times a week.
1t will pay in health, in looks, and in
milk.
Any work that can be done now in
stead Of in the spring should not be
neglected.
Seed Corn, if not already selected,
should be attended to.
Clean Seed barley, oats, peas, beans, |
and spring wheat, and put in barrel,
bins, or bags ready for use. Blow out
all light grains and foul stuff.
Sort over Potatoes in thr cellar, and |
free the cellar from all decaying vege-
bles and fruit.
Ventilate the cellar every day by O.
pening the door and windows when |
the temperature is above freezing or
not more than degree or two below.
Whitewash the cellar walls and also
the wall and partitions Of pig-pens,
hen-houses, etc.
Clean and oil the Harness, and let
it be put in through repair.
PRENE article of French Brandy Port |