The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-01-27
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.

LlUIlC utcl has, We SOhiNoo oAholo W.
something we failed to understand. All
Of them are beef raisers to some extent,
and at this season of the year the cattle
are generally in good condition, yet not
one in five kills one beef annually. A
yearling or a two-year-old heifer well fat
ted can be bought in the country at two
per pound gross, can be butchered
at little or no cost, makes a change OF
diet that is wholesome, and n that is
relished by every member of the family;
vet the fact is as stubborn as ever, that
farmers eat but little beef. We allude
to this subject now because we think all
can see the economy of it, since pork is
likely to be higher than for several years.
Another view: We save the wintering
of these young and, in many instances,
improbable cattle, all of which is an
argument in favor of killing them in the
fall or early winter. There is, besides,
the change of diet, and the economy Of
this system of living, the luxury OF good
dried beef, and mince pie that follows as
its corollary. Try more beef and less
pork.-St. Louis Journal of Agriculture.
How TO FEED PoULTRY.-Barn-yard
fowls thrive best on a variety of food,
and resemble swine in their %omniverous
propensity. They readily devour nearly
all kinds of grain and most kinds of fresh
meat. The grains best adapted and gen.
orally used in feeding poultry are corn,
wheat, oats and buckwheat. When these
are given separately they should be al
ternated daily in order to insure variety.
But the better way is to mix two or more
kinds before feeding. Mashed potatoes
are found to be a very nutritious and
healthy food, and, when mixed with soul
milk and bran, are we'll adapted to young
fowls. In cold weather this combination
may be fed warm once a day to all fowls,
young and old, with excellent effect.
Chopped onions are eagerly relished by
most fowls, and may be given several
times a week with great advantage. The
same is true of meat scraps and clover
hay. During winter either meat scraps
or other equivalent animal food should
be continually accessible. In addition
to these hints on feeding poultry 1T IS
pertinent to remind farmers of the i'm
portance of warm quarters, cleanliness,
ventilation and sunlight. When these
points are all duly attended to there is no
difficulty in having a good supply of eggs
through the winter, or in making poultry
profitable throughout the year.
How MUCH STOCK TO AN ACRE
Many interesting experiments have been
tried by our farmers at various times to
determine the highest feeding capacity
of an acre of ground, and some very re-
markable results have been reported but
precisely what the best attainable results
are is still an open question. Probably
some of our numerous readers can shed
some light on this subject from their own
experience.
Whether ten acres of ground of aver.
age fertility will keep more or less than
that number of cattle, carrying them
through the year in good condition, is 8
question of no little interest, for it il
closely related to the prosperity of hus
bandry.
One thing at least is certain. If We
take what has been considered the aver
age experience of farmers on this subjec
it will be found to fall very much below
the higher results actually reached b!
lllo ohlll anu perseverance vi cO"S VI W.
practical men. And here comes in thu
point we wish to get at. Why do tn,
average results of our husbandry invari
ably fall SO far below the achieve
ments of some of the leading men? o
course we cannot expect that all will ris
to the level of the highest. But why d,
so many fall behind, and so far behind
If one man by adding brain-power to hi
muscular force can make an acre supper
two or three COWS, is there any suficien
reason why another should require tw
or three acres to support one? We shoul,
like to receive from farmers some accoun
of what they have accomplished in thi
direction; and also from what particula
crop or kind of food an acre can be mad
to produce the greatest amount of actus
nutriment, or feeding value.
CROPS FOR Poor LANDs.-It ofte
happens that a farmer has portions {
land on his farm so poor that they hardl
pay for %cultivating. Often the soil
I chiefly sand or gravel, though it may b
I clay. Not unfrequently the exposure
favorable to rfpening fruit. These pc
lions of land are hardly more valuabl
: for grass than for cultivated crops. 1t
true they might be made productive b
: the application of sufficient manure; b.
sufficient would cost enough
purchase an equal number of acres
D fertile land.
The best way to utilize these portion
; of poor land is to put in them some Gro
I where the individual plants grow at SON
1 distance from each other. By doing tn
5 the ground may be highly MANFRED an
: deeply pulverized at the places whel
0 the plants are to stand, while no manu-
; and but little labor need be expended @
e the remainder of the ground. By tn
i course a little n may be made
=" go a great ways" and the comparatiN
I ly barren piece of land may be made
3 productive of crops as any portion of IL
farm, wen the most fertile. This wi
. be in consequence of the manure beir
placed where it will do the most good.
1t is the nature of quite a number
plants to "spread themselves" althoug
J their roots extend but a short distance
q any direction. Pumpkins, squashes al
! citrons send their vines long distanc
{ over the surface of the ground, althoug
> their roots are confined to a very limitt
i area. These plants require a large spa
: in order that the fruit may thorough
1 ripen. There is actually an advanta!
7 in having the soil over which the vim
4 extend poor, as the labor in keeping dow
the weeds is very small. The poor SC
,. will be improved by the shade and
u the plants that go to decay upon it.
Lands of this kind may also be a
vantageously planted with those varieti
y of grapes that have extensive branchc
: such as the Delaware () and Fox.
Il having wide and strong supports the
e vines do their best to produce the be
e fruit when they stand OF nearer tbs
y twelve or sixteen feet apart. Large hol
) may be dug at the places where the win
: are to be planted, and a full load of m
q nure be placed in each. If the earth
y mixed with this, there will be a supp
y of plant food sufficient to last the win
" fer years.
ie Tomatoes furnish another excelle
L crop for land of the kind mentione