The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-02-09
FARM AND FIRESIDE.

The CORRECT WAY TO MAKE HOG
TRoUGH.-It is an egregious error to
assert, as many farmers have done, that
a hog is predisposed to plant his fore
feet in the trough while eating. Moth
ing is more absurd. A hog is no more
inclined to put his forward feet in the
trough than horse is went to put his
feet into his manger. The great fault is
in the construction of the hogs trough.
Almost always the trough is so deep and
the front side so high that the feed can
not be reached by either large hog or
pig until the fore feet are planted in the
middle of the trough. Small pigs are |
required to mount into the trough with
every foot before they can reach the feed. |
These are the reasons why hog puts
his fore feet in the trough. Let the front
part of the trough be made so low that
the animal can walk up to it and reach
the feed without resting his throat on
the edge of the trough, and he will stand
up to it as a horse does to his manger.
There is no necessity for making a
hogs trough SO broad and deep that it
will contain four times as much feed as
will ever be put into the trough at any
one time. If the front is three inches
deep and the bottom ten inches broad in
the clear, the trough will hold all the
swill and other feed that can be eaten at
one feeding by as many swine as can
stand in front of the trough. The cor
rect disposition of the trough is to place
it between the feeding apartment and
the space appropriated to the animals.
Then let the partition be made in the
form of flap or gate, and be hung by
hinges above the through, with the lower
end of the flap hanging in the trough,
so that it can play from one side of the
, trough to the other. By this arrange
ment the flap can be fastened by bolt
to the front side until the feed is put
; into the trough. Then, as soon as the
, feed is properly distributed, unbolt the
/ lower edge of the flap, draw it to the
} other side, and fasten it. By this plan
,, the swine will stand up to the trough like
: row of horses at their managers.
! A Coon FARM GATE.-A correspond
l ent of the american Farm journal says
2 A good farm gate, which will last in use
for twenty years, must be built in a
: frame on sills, and we'll painted, in the
following manner: The gate must be
e built, nearly like any other gate, OF
light wood, such as pine, and swing by
I the bottom, in frame. The frame must
be set on two plank sills, twelve feet
t long and eight inches wide, and at each
end must be let into cross sub-sills, three
inches deep and six inches apart, that
r, the width of the gate bottom may swing
{ easily through; then bore an inch and q
d quarter hole through both of the long
e sills, six inches from the front end and
T. three inches from the bottom side, ano
= two more the same way, five feet and six
inches back, or near the middle, for pins
e n on which the walking-legs must stand te
1t swing the gate.
a a Then take four upright walking-posts
le seven feet long, four inches wide. anc
y one inch thick, and four more for swing
+ i ing legs, only they must be seven inche
d shorter at the lower end. Bore them al
a for half inch bolts, two inches from eacl
- end, then bore them nine inches agail
from the top holes, for the braces, whicl
50 must be six feet and one-half inch il
e. length, and five feet eight inches and
half in between the bolt holes. Bor
:; Gl the bottom of the gate same as the sills
N five feet six inches apart, with haifincl
ID holes. and then bolt your frame togethe
81 with four halfinch carriage bolts, eigh
- inches long, at top; and swing your gat
of between, on the bottom pins, with fou
n n more bolts, five inches long, in the bot
e. tom and braces; then you will have
ne gate which will not wear out until j
Of rots down, and will be the handiest gat
rs in the world. 1t will run back and ope
ny from the center, and also when swun
vi vi past center forward will shut itself an
at remain securely shut without any NOR
ne fastening.
Je TREATMENT OF BEEs.-In winter Q
lie early spring, after bees have been COZ
so strained to remain within their house
n. for ten days or fortnight stocks may b
moved with comparative immunity fror
IN IN one part Of the apiary to any other PAL
he of it, but at later period of the yea
er when much activity prevails, they ca
ne not, unless certain precautions are usec
. be moved even few yards without eau
tic ing them to suffer great loss and injury
~ n, A newly housed swarm may be set dow
. anywhere, for every bee, when it frs
leaves its.hive, carefully observes the si
tt uation. As soon as it rises on the win
it turns round and inspects the entrance
ne and its examination is continued i
NJ, gradually enlarging circles, until it bt
,s- comes familiar with surroundings, whic
oe enable it to recognize the place selecte
W bWy for it's dwelling. Its first flights are a
re- ways short, and obviously undertake
10 for the purpose Of making itself az
I'M quainted with the locality of its abod
and all those landmarks which will guild
%, OF it Enthusiastically back to its home. Blu
n the path, a few times travelled, is aftel
IN. ward remembered, and those bees tina
in have learned it go straight off to th
on fields without taking notes, and may b
to seen returning with unerring aim to tn
he small aperture of the hive by which the
to made their exit. Indeed, bees accustome
er to particular spot, and more especiall
~ if they a-e in the habit of daily goin
IN from and returning to it, pay no after
" tion to the position of their hive whe
ne setting out on their labors. Unless th
distance to which their house is shifte
on Oh be considerable, they fail to notice tha
1s- it has been interfered with; they e,
Iii, pect it to be where they have alway
De be found it, and, consequently, when IT
turning home with their loads, go diree