The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1875-09-23
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
Value Of Covered Manure.

given this advice from what we have
actually seen. When rough sheds have
been built to cover the manure heap, the |
crops fertilized by this pile have been
increased in productiveness sufficient to |
pay for the shed-covering the first year.
We have never seen any exact figures of |
the proportionate value of covered ma
nures that we remember, until the fol-
lowing, which we find by Lord Kincaid,
Scotch landowner and farmer. They |
present the best statement possible, we |
think, of the advantages of this plan:
-Four acres of goods soil were measured, |
two of them were manured with ordi-
nary barnyard manure and two with an
equal quantity of manure from the Gov
cred shed. The whole were planted
with potatoes. The products of each
acre were as follows
Potatoes treated with barnyard ma
nure:
One acre produced 272 bushels.
One acre produced 292 bushels.
Potatoes manured from the covered
sheds:
One acre produced 442 bushels.
One acre produced All bushels.
The next year the land was sown with
wheat, when the crop was as follows:
Nuthb Ou Htuu tfeulCu WIFI DdruydIu
manure:
One acre produced forty-one bushels,
eighteen pounds, (of sixty-one pounds
per busheD.
One acre produced forty-two bushels,
thirty-eight pounds, (of sixty-one pounds
per busheD.
Wheat ON land manured from covered
sheds:
One acre produced fifty-fve bushels,
five pounds, (of sixty-one pounds per
busheD.
One acre produced fifty sight bushels,
forty-seven pounds, (of sixty one pounds
per busheD.
The straw also yielded one third more
upon the land fertilized with the manure
from the covered stalls than upon that
to which the ordinary manure was ap-
plied.-RuraL NelU Yorker.
Poultry-Itch.
Our different varieties of domestic
poultry, says the New York Times, I'M
less allowed unlimited range, are often
subject to variety of diseases or disor-
ders, some of them proving fatal, while
others, not generally considered SO, give
the fowl very bad appearance, beside
ullC SClcIul utullu very uuduc-
rally. In the latter case the poultry
itch may be included, for it is one of the
most unpleasant and unsightly diseases
with which the poulterer has to contend
in the varied management of his focks.
The cause of this disease is, generally,
uncleanliness, although healthy fowls,
which have had the best and cleanest of
quarters, are liable to take the disease
from a fowl which has contracted it
being put in among them. The disease
itself is merely surface or skin disease,
caused by the constant workings or bur-
rowings of a minute insect, or lather a
host of them, who burrow under the
scales of the legs, just above the knee
joint all the way down to the toe nail.
They produce their young in these Sc
cure hlding-places and produce con-
slant irritation. Soon the scales are
raised from their proper places, and
underneath will be found mealy sub
stance, resembling caked yellow corn
meal. This soon covers the whole leg,
which becomes rough and repulsive il
appearance, making young chick loob
like an old bird. Well knowing the
remedial value of common coal oil, we
thought of it as being desirable. We
then gave the fowls, one and all, a gooG
dose of it. We held the legs upward
and applied the oil with a feather. Two
applications like this, few days apart
did the business for the insects, for thu
scales commenced to come off, and tn,
legs to assume bright and natural ap
pearance. We also gave the roostine
benches good smearing of the oil. l
two applications of coal oil do not suf
fee, three can be made without fear O
injury to the fowls. 1t should be applied
at intervals of two or three days. Thi
remedy is cheap and effectual.
Value of Straw.
The time is past for farmers to ignor
the value of straw. 1t may do on virgil
soils where manure is little priced an
where land is over cheap to be careles
about what becomes of the straw, but i
old agricultural districts, with hig
priced lands and expensive labor, W
must learn economy; we must put
stop to the needless farm wastes whic
are costing our farmers millions of do
lars annually. We must learn some
thing from the rigid economy practice
in the farming districts of Europe-th
old farming districts of the world.
grain is thrashed with the machine sto
the straw in the barn OF stack it wit
care. If grain is cut before it is owe
ripe and gathered without damage frol
storm, the straw is valuable as forag,
When hay is worth more than $40 pt
ton, and grain is reasonably cheap,
will pay to winter store stock on stra
or grain. We have done this with GOO
success, bringing stock through in fiji
condition.
The straw stack is often left to vast
and encumbers valuable land in the fell
there to foster weeds and to remain du
ing the process of decay an insight
nuisance. Better use it freely as be,
ding for stock or as an absorbent in IL
barnyard, wien it cannot be made prof
able to feed it.
Prices and Quality.
1 have an idea, says "Walks al
Talks on the Farm" that we shall s.
higher prices for wheat, and low'
prices for barley for the next few year
Last year barley paid better than whea
Next year it would not be surprising
wheat paid better than barley. 1 thir
the prospects for farmers are quite g
couraging. The present and prospe
tive good prices for pork will add large
to the aggregate profits of farmers, al
do much to enhance our general pre-
perity. Many fnanciers are looking
political action to set the wheels of ira,
and commerce in motion. 1 am lookil