The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-12-16
Ghe 9arller.
winter Work.

Inc entry OF OecemOer was III au Otu-
fashioned wintry style, and left no doubt
that the season had commenced with the
beginning Of the first month which it is
allotted to. We have so frequently of late
called attention to the necessary prepare
tions for the advent Of the season that We
should not be expected to repeat our sug-
gestions again but human nature is the
same in all ages and all countries, and it
is found requisite to give line upon line,
and precept upon precept, to induce at
tention upon the minds of most people,
and we will avail Of the hints of our con.
temporary Of the Massachusetts, Ploaghman
upon duty we have ever near at heart
the comfort Of the faithful animals upon
the farm, from which we receive so many
of our own blessings.
Cattle need more than usual care and
attention at this season. They should
have clean, dry, well ventilated quarters
and be as little exposed to drafts ana cold
chilling winds as possible. Cows in milk
especially should be treated with special
tenderness, or they will fall off greatly in
milk and it win be very difficult to bring
them up again. If they must be scrimped
at all this winter, let it be later in the
season rather than now. The change from
the nutritious grasses and the pumpkins
that have constituted their fall feed ought
to be as gradual as possible, not too sud
den, so that they may get good start
into the winter, and with this object let
them have few roots every day, the
round turnips and the balance Of the pump
kins if there are any left. They viii do
them as much good now as ever. We
think little higher feeding as general
rule would be better economy. Il is al
ready better than it was few years ago,
but there is still room for improvement in
this direction. The milk dairymen have
found out how to do the thing better than
the average farmer of forty years ago,
when December always made hole into
the meadow hay NOW, and many stock
Of cattle was carried through the winter
on nothing but swale hay.
Stock pigs like few roots as well as the
cows, and they say they will live and thrive
through the winter on raw mangolds alone
We have no doubt this is so, but still we
believe in variety, and would not eonfne
them to this diet, but give them an occa-
sional feed Of roots as conducive to health
and growth. A variety Of food promotes
appetite in animals as well as in mankind,
and whatever stimulates the appetite is
very apt to promote thrift. We want to
secure rapid growth. Their money value
depends largely upon this, and it is not
good policy to keep them on short allow
ance.
The true secret Of success on the farm
is to save everything that is liable to run
to waste. One of the greatest of all the
leaks on most farms is that of manure.
It drains away or evaporates, or goes to
waste in some way from want Of careful
looking after, and then we have to go into
the market and buy artificial fertilizers and
pay forty or fifty dollars ton, because We
have not enough to use. But it is aston
ishing how much we can save Of all kinds
Of manure and especially of that from a
flock of hens if we will only take proper
care Of it.
One of the best ways we have ever tried
for economizing this strong and valuable
Substance under the hen roosts, almost
equal to guano in its fertilizing qualities,
was to take some old barrels, as tight as
may be, and if not perfectly tight coat
them inside with gas tar and gil them, all
but one, with fine dry road dust and set
them away in a dry place for winter use.
If the road dust is full Of clay so much the
better, as clay is one Of the best absorbents.
To use put thin layer Of dust into the
empty barrel, an inch or two at the bot
tom, and then layer Of hen manure, the
scrapings under the hen roost, and then
another thin layer Of dust and so on from
time TO time, till the empty barrel is filed
and one Of those filed with dust at the
outset is empty and ready for use. The
exact thickness Of the layers is not impor
tant, Of course, but the thinner they are
the more completely will the whole mas
become impregnated, but there must b.
dust enough to absorb all the volatile part
Of the manure and holding them without
giving off an offensive odor. For fifty
hens FIVE barrels Wilde. lift is not posi-
bic to collect sufficient finely pulyerizeG
road dust, some very fine soil or loan wouIt
do, or some charcoal dust mixed with dr.,
siffed coal ashes or fine muck, but thu
finely ground clay road dust is about tn,
cleanest and best material To- handle,
In the spring the whole mass may b,
mixed and shoyelcd over, and il is aston
ishing to see what valuable mass of tn,
richest fertilizer has been collected ant
saved. The dust and al thoroughly mixet
and Incorporated, enables you to apply i
evenly, and it is one Of the best things Il
use in the garden or upon melons, squashel
or any other plants that require ricf
stimulating manure. Try il and sea.