Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-03-07

SeasOnabl0 Hints.

FARMERS who winter more stock than
they are able to provide with album
dance of provender and comfortable
shelter, begin to feel the difficulties of
their position in February. At this
time, when stock of all kinds require
nutritious provender and generous
treatment in every way, the rations, in
stead of being increased, are curtailed,
and as a necessary consequence, the
animals lose condition, and the injury
done can probably never be fully rem
edied. When cattle or sheep are mad
equately fed in winter and then turned
out to forage for themselves on the
bare pastures in early spring, they will
not recover from the bad effects of
such treatment until q considerable
part OF the ensuing summer has passed
away, and the grass which should be
used for producing milk or beef, wool
or mutton, is consumed in repairing the
damage done by neglect in winter.
Soiling in early spring, with rye or
clover, and later in the year, with
sowed-corn, affords great relief to stock
and q valuable auxiliary to pasturing.
The farmer who has now good supply
of wellcured sowed-corn fodder, or
clover and timothy hay, and large
patches of clover and rye provided for
spring and early summer .soiling, may
congratulate himself, for he is master
of the situation as far as keeping up
the condition of his stock is concerned.
Breeding animals require close atten-
ton and exact care in February. Early
lambs are not unfrequently lost for the
want of comfortable shelter, and the
absence of the nourishment that we'll
fed and properly cared for ewes can
only afford. When ewes have been
we'll fed during the winter and COM
| fortably housed, they will be in good
condition for nourishing their young,
even though the Landing season COM
mences early.
Very few farmers have the best kind
of agricultural machines and nipple
ments for preparing the soil, deposit
ing the seed, afording suitable after
culture and harvesting the various
crops. A deficiency in crops is often
occasioned by shallow blowing, imper-
feet narrowing and perhaps the entire
neglect of rolling. When the grass is
not properly turned under in blowing
scotland for corn or oats, it springs up
between the furrow slices, and of
course damages the crop, for it can
scarcely be kept down in the cornfeld
by the cultiva.or or hoe. When land
is plowed year after year to the same
depth, hard pan is formed by the
sole plate of the pillow and the tram
ping of the horses or oven, and if this
is not broken up by deeper blowing q
good Drop of any kind cannot be
I raised, for the roots of the plants can
not strike deep in search of moisture
and food.
| Imperfect narrowing has very IN
furious effect upon all kinds of crops,
for the soil beneath the surface which
cannot be reached by the roller, if it is
naturally lumpy and tenacious, re-
mains in an unsuitable condition for
afording nourishment to the crop. By
| the use of good harrow in spring the
roots of weeds may be brought to the
| surface, exposed to the sun and killed.
By the use of light harrows, with nu-
merous short pins or teeth, the crust of
the soil may be broken In winter wheat
fields in spring, cracks and assures
filled up and the growth of the crop in
creased by the pulverization of the soil.
| In this way an excellent seed-bed may
be prepared for clover and grass.
When these seeds are sown the roller
should follow to compress the soil and
cover the seed.-Detroit Post.
Jersey Cattle
If the value Of Jersey stock is rested
on color, deterioration will surely fol-
low of those useful qualities that are
far more noticeable in the good old
fashioned parti-colored COW than that
which will be found among the general
ity of fine, hign-bred, whole-colored,
fawns, grays, or foxy, so-called Jerseys.
[ have owned hundreds of acclimated
Jersey stock, and have never, as a rule,
found the whole-colored such large
producers as parti-colored ones; in fact,
by far the most butter producing COW
[ ever possessed was not only parti-
colored, but the most ugly and ungain-
ly beast of the lot: yet her stock have
never failed to show their large butter
making qualities. The true type of
Jersey COW is, in fact, an animal that
will not make meat. do not say that
this is not improved upon by acclimat-
ization and slight introduction of
harder breed, of which those termed
Chichester Jersey are the best descrip-
ton, neither do say that Jersey breed
ers In the island itself have not in some
instances a breed that shows DISPOSE
ton to make some flesh, and very
probably may then be following up the
requirements of fashion, yet I main
tain that pure Jersey should throw
the bulk of her feeding properties into
butter, and with little to flesh. The
parti-colored good COW may have but
white spot, especially under the belly,
but throughout the body the rich vel
low skin, under any colored hair, will
be fonnd-black, white or fawn.
have seen the commencement of a
whole-colored herd, the property of
noble duke, to obtain which I have seen
healthy and large producing COWS, sold
off to prevent an animal remaining
with the slightest stain of other than
one color.-London Agriculture Gasettc.