The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-06-15

1t won't do any harm to repeat for the
| benefit OF our many new as we'll as old read
ers, that birds pay ten-told for all they eat on
| our farms in destroying insects. An old
writer OF fifty years ago says, in speaking
of the cut-worms, mice and insects, that
| he erected thirty boxes in different parts
| OF his garden, which were soon occupied
by birds, and he found they soon disposed
OF the enemies of his cabbage plants and
vines.
AT two periods of their lives turkeys
are very apt to die, viz, the third day after
they are Matched, or when they throw out
what is called the red head, which they
do at about six weeks old. 1t is very
critical period in the life of a turkey, much
more so than the period of moulting. The
food must, therefore, be increased at this
time, and rendered more nutritious by ad-
ding boiled eggs, wheaton flour, bruised
| hemp seed, or few bruised beans.
Advice is given by German profess
or to keep in orchards certain space
around the trees free from grass and weeds,
as these draw too much water away from
the trees. Indeed, it has been proved that
trees which were sickly and bore little
fruit have been restored to vigorous growth
by returning to them the necessary water
in this way. To prove how much water
fruit trees need, it may be stated here that
an acre planted with them will evaporate
in about ten days 100000 pounds of
water.
An exchange remarking on the chat
ing of the breasts of horses, says "The
common practice of using pads or sheep
skin under the collar is Objectionable, es.
pecially in warm weather, because it accu-
mulates heat and makes the breast tender.
better way is to take piece of thick,
smooth leather, cut it out Just the size of
the collar, or little wider, and let lie flat
on the neck and shoulders of the horse.
This will lie still and smooth on the horses
neck, while the collar itself moves about,
and SO it will prevent chatting. In addi
ton to this, let the breasts of working
horses be washed off every night with
clean water"
"A correspondent of the Country Gen.
tIeman says The pig, when young, needs
very heterogeneous and phosphate food to
expand his frame and muscular system.
This he gets, almost in perfection, in skim
med milk, but when that is lacking, the
nearest approach to it is scalded oilmeal.
This, like milk, holds its nutriment almost
In soluble condition, and is extremely
rich in phosphate of lime and in muscle
forming food. Small pigs need very little
fattening food. Corn meal is very objec-
tional, if fed alone, but if mixed with bran,
will do very well; yet nothing, except
milk, will equal the effect of u pint of oil
meal to pig. Oil-meal and bran-two
quarts of bran to pint of oil-meal-will
cause young pigs to expand with great
rapidity.
The best food for young turkeys is
eggs, boiled hard and chopped fine; thick,
sour milk boiled which makes q thick curd;
the whey is separated by putting it into a
colander or coarse sieve, and when cold
rubbed fine in the hands and fed to them
meal wet in the usual way is injurious to
them until they are several weeks old.
Chives cut fine and mixed in their food is
eaten with great avidity. In case Of the
chicks appearing sickly and the feathers
rufiled, indicating chill from the sever
ity or change of weather, ground malt with
a little barley meal is allowed, and by way
OF medicine powdered carraway or corian-
der seeds. Boiled meat pulled into strings
is valuable and nutritious food for them.
Water should be given them in very shall
low vessels, in which they cannot wet
themselves In order to prevent the moth
er turkey from robbing the chicks of their
food, they should be fed in a separate coop
out of h4 reach.