Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-12-12
AGRICULTURAL.

night and morning, If they do not, as is
usually the case. come of their own ac-
cord, when they take their places in
the stable, in their own particular
staRcheon with mathematical precl-
sion. No dog, no worry, is permitted,
and the milking is done quietly and
orderly with no loud talking, no sud
den and startling noises. There is no
pattlng Of COWS on the back with the
stool, no persuading with the toe of the
boot, no coaxing at the top of the voice.
They are made to give down by gen.
erous feeding and gentle treatment, and
the principle of kindness is illustrated
by the depth of cream on their milk.
HEAvEs AND HOG CHOLERA. -Heaves
or broken wind, is something like
asthma in people. They cannot make
much exertiop without putting and a
dry coughing. Prevention is easier
than cure; indeed, when the disease
mas progressed far, to cure is out of the
question. To alleviate, keep away
dusty hays Do not let the animal ex-
pand his belly with bulky food; water
frequently that he may not drink too
heartily. Cut hay moistened; all the
food moistened and rich. rather than
poor and bulky, will be found best.
Prof. Law says: The water as the ex-
elusive drink is often useful, and a
course Of carminatives ginger, cara
way, caramoms, fennel) may be added
with advantage. But nerve tonics and
above all arsenic in five-grain doses
daily be careful Of your doses, as ex-
cess will poison your horse, and con-
tinued for a month or two are especial
ly valuable" He says further that
no broken-Winded horse should have
food or water from one to two hours be-
fore going to work.
ECONOMY IN FEEDING STOCK.-To
raise and gather sufficient food to keep
a number of COWS, sheep or horses
through four OF six months in winter,
require no small amount Of labor and
money, and our farmers have to make
close calculations in this matter, or find
the balance on the wrong side of the
ledger. When the country was new
and the land rich enough to produce
bountifui crops without the application
of manures, the kinds of food costing
the least labor was preferred; conse-
quently good hay and grain answered
every purpose, and practising economy
by feeding anything else was seldom
thought of by the well-to-do farmer.
But of late years, hay, straw and oats
have become cash articles, even far
back into the country, and hundreds of
miles from our large cities, and this
change of circumstances naturally leads
the farmer to count more closely the
cost of keeping the stock. If COW
will consume two tons of hay during
the winter and this is worth $50 per
ton, it does not require much figuring
to arrive at definite conclusion in re-
gard to what may be expected in the
way of profits. OF course 1t would not
be economy for the farmer to sell all
his richest and best fodder and then en-
deavor to keep his stock through winter
on the poorest. Still, by the applica-
ton of an increased amount oflabor in
preparing a second rate article, its
value for food may frequently be
largely increased. tits here that econ
omy may be practiced and is to a GER
tain extent by our most thorough and
thriving of farmers. Hay at $40 to $50
per ton is very dear food, but it is so
convenient for handling or feeding out
that the owners of stock dislike to dis
pense with it, even if it does cost more
than they can afford to pay. The same
may be said of oats, but convenience
goes great way in creating
a demand, especially with those
who are not compelled to practice strict
economy. But farmers who reside near
good markets may turn many penny
on the profit side of their farm accounts,
by disposing of their most salable and
readily handled produce, and then using
those of an opposite character for their
own stock. The coarsest kinds of for
eign plants will answer as well as the
finer if artifcially prepared by cutting
up and steaming, adding meal, shorts,
or bran, and giving roots at the same
time. Hungarian grass, millet, corn
stalks and straw become tirst-rate food
for stock when properly prepared by
cooking or steaming. We know that
there is much prejudice existing among
farmers in regard to grinding, cutting
and steaming food for their stock, but
we believe it is mainly in consequence
Of the extra labor required, and not
from any reason to apprehend injury
to the animal. Coarse food made pal
atable and easy to digest by such pro-
cesses as we have named is not likely
to be injurious, even if it is in slight
ly unnatural condition. The expert
ments of our most scientific agricultu-
ralists show that it is economy to make
the food of domestic animals as
digestible as possible, without de-
stroying its nutrive properties, and
farming is carried to its greatest per-
lection, and is most profitable when
| these processes are most IN vogue. Our
farmers must learn to practice economy
by saving, not wasting, the coarser
kinds of farm produce which have to a
great extent been considered Of little or
no value. More root crops should be
grown, and the straw stack utilized in
stead Of being left to rot down for ma
nure, as is still done over large ex-
tent of country. Let the steam boiler
be set up and be more extensively used
for preparing food for stock, and better
results will follow, especially in the
older states, where all kinds of farm
produce command good prices. Few
farmers seem to know how little food
will keep an animal healthy and in good
| flesh, and If that little is put IN good
condition to be all appropriated to the
animals use, and not pass off undi-
gested
Down Among the Dead Men.
Atlanta Constitution.