The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-12-11

HINTS ABOUT WORK.
From the american Agricustursst.

From the american AgrtcuIturist.
THE WINTERS STuDY.-Now that
the season for active labor is over for
1875, the farmer has leisure before him
that may be turned to good account
With the general spread of information.
the farmer can not afford to be behind
his fellow citizens in the knowledge of
common things. Every farmer should
club with his neighbors to form library
of at least one-hundred we'll selected,
standard, practical books relating, first
to his own profession, agriculture, and
the sciences connected with it there
are now many excellent, plainly written
manuals, upon all the collateral sciences,
then there should be work on Aneri.
can and general history, ON political
economy and lastly in general literature.
HoRsEs.-Care is required in groom
ing and cleaning horses, No gathering
of scurf, or waste of the skin, or of dried
perspiration, should be permitted to col
lect beneath the coat. But this should
not in every case be torn away with
sharp currycombs. A tender skin is
injured by rough currying A moder-
ately stiff brush, made with an uneven
surface, is sufficient in nearly ever case.
But labor must not be stinted in keep
ing horses clean.
Cows-Fresh cows need a large
quantity of water at this time, and this
is best given in the shape of warm Stops
of bran, or mixture of corn-meal and
middling Our milking cows have done
very well on finely cut, well cured corn
fodder, wetted and mixed with corn and
middlings ground together very fine.
One bushel of cut fodder, and 3 quarts
or II lbs of the meal, is the daily
allowance. A sheaf of oats, or small
feed of good clover hay, is given at noon.
In the case of some very large mixers
and butter-makers, this allowance of
meal may be sometimes doubled with
good effect. Cleanliness is of the great
est Importance in the winter time. The
cows and calves should be carded every
day, and their coats kept free from filth.
Lice will never be found upon stock
thus managed.
CALVES may be kept loose in shed
by themselves, with an open yard in
which they may run in the day time.
They should be kept well Uttered, and
the litter need not be removed until
Spring If the litter is short, the ma
nure will be fine and in excellent condi-
ton for use. If whole corn-stalks are
used for litter, this plan will not answer.
BEDDING in the stables is of great
Importance, both as regards the comfort
of the stock, and the condition of the
manure heap. 1t will pay to cut all
the litter with fodder-cutter, when it
can be done by horsepower. Where
leaves or sawdust can be procured for
bedding, every pound of straw should
be used for feed. Otherwise cut straw,
when procured for bedding, is more
absorbent than long straw, and more
quick V rots in the manure heap. The
stock can be kept very clean with short
bedding.
SHEEp-The sheep sheds and yards
should be kept well bedded with short
litter This may be shaken up every
day, to keep the surface clean, and if it
is not removed at all until Spring, the
sheep will do as well, or better than if
the manure is not disturbed. The litter
and dropings become firmly packed until
two feet thick, without any evil or dis
agreeable effects The feed rack should
be arranged SO that the sheep cannot
thrust their heads between the bars and
tear the wool from their necks, or scat
ter dust, etc, amongst the wool.
SwINE.-There is good prospect for
high prices for pork for some time yet.
Pork and corn generally bear relative
values, and whatever the price of corn,
it can be turned into pork with profit.
There has been vast change for the
better in the stock of pigs and hogs, but
there is room for further improvement.
The al m should be to reduce the offal,
and produce pig or hog as nearly as
possible all bacon and hams, and one
that will come to market without being
wintered over
PURE WATER is as necessary for stock
in the Winter time as in the Summer
There is much suffering and consequent
loss amongst stock for want of water
Ice cold water is injurious, and animals
will not drink enough of it to supply
their wants; unless sufficient is supplied
digestion cannot go on properly. Water
should be given in the yards three times
day. 1t should be drawn from wells
or cisterns. The trough should be
emptied into drain as soon as the
animals have drank, so that the ice does
not gather in it.
THE BARN YARD should be kept dry
and free from water. The water from
the roofs should be carried off by spouts
and drains. The cost of these will soon
be repaid by the saving in the value of
washed away, and the comfort of hav-
ing clean and dry yards.
PoULTRY.-A warm shed for the
fowls will help to supply the house with
fresh eggs. Warm food will also help.
Boiled potatoes mashed with corn meal
or wheat middlings and fed hot is excel
lent food for hens, and will greatly en-
courage them to lay. Comfortable dry
nests should be provided, and if these
are Supplied with pine sawdust, they
will be kept free from lice. Fowls
should be banished from the barn and
stables, or they will soon stock them
with fleas and lice, which may be
source of much trouble to horses and
cows.