Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-03-14
FARM NOTES.

BOOKS and papers form as much
part of farmers working tools as do
the pillow, the shovel and hoe The far
mer who attempts TO use the latter
without the assistance of the former
does an up hill business " which near
" always ends in failure and poverty.
1t is said that when the flowers OF
chickweed expand fully there need be
no fear of rain for several hours. Should
1t continue in that condition, no rain
will disturb the summer day. When it
half cOnceals its miniature flower, the
day Is sure to be showery, and if it en-
tlrely shuts up, or walls the white flower
with its green mantle, let the traveller
put on his great coat.
Bone meal and crushed shells may be
used generously in feeding fowls. That
! is, if the crushed oyster shells and gran
ulated bones are mixed and placed in a
box inside the hen house, where the
birds can have access to these articles
freely, they will eat of them no more
than they need. If these are mixed
with the food given. either with the dry
grains or in the soft mash, much of both
is wasted; to say nothing of the addi-
tiOnal trouble caused in preparing it
thus. Fowls devour no more of the
oyster shell particles than they natural
ly require to assist digestion and to help
forming the shells of eggs. Ofpounded
bones they will eat no more; but if both
are left where they can always get them
handy, they will not eat too much of
either for their good-PouHly World.
Calves or sleeps lights and Iivers
which can be obtained in the market
houses for few cents apiece, are valu-
able to feed poultry for two reasons.
They are devoid of bones and they close
iy resemble insect diet We advise the
cooking Of any SORT ofmeat food always.
These harslets Tor those of swine)
should be boiled, seasoned with salt and
pepper, and fed, say twice a week, to
fowls, where they can be had handily.
For laying hens, when confined in Win
ter, this change of food from constant
grain feeding is excellent. For young
stock, where the chickens are confined
to small runs or loose cages, this meat
chopped up and mixed three times a
week with their soft food, will help the
younglings wonderfully.-PouHly World.
LOOK TO THE LA1IB5.-When they first
make their appearance in the world
lambs are very feeble animals. but if
they once get we'll started they are
likely to live, and if properly cared for,
do well. The first day or two of its life
is q critical period with a lamb. There
fore it is quite important for ,heep
! owners to look after their fiocks when
it is time for the ewes to bring forth
their lambs Unless they are deformed,
or extremely feeble, (which is seldom
the case) nearly all lambs will live, if
they have little care and attention.
Probably q large proportion of them
would live if left alone, but many would
die. When the weather IS calm they
need special attention. A severe chill
will be likely to be fatal unless prompt
and proper remedial means are used.
The owner should visit the sheep yard
frequently during the time at when
lambs are expected. Every evening he
should attend to new corners, if there
are any which need help. To give
specific directions would require a great
deal of space.
Ice NECESSARY IN THE DAIRY.-A
paper was lately read before the French
Academy of Science which gave the re-
suits of many experiments. The milk
having been exposed at various temper
atures varying from 50 degrees to 212
degrees Fahrenheit, elected the follow
ing summary of facts:
The rise of cream IS more rapid at
the temperature to which the milk is
exposed approaches (32 degrees) the
freezing point.
The volume OF cream is greater when
the milk has been effectually cooled.
The yield of butter is also greater
when the milk has been exposed to Il
very low temperature.
Finally, the skinned milk, the butter
and the cheese aIe of better quality
when prepared under the above cir
cumstances
KEEP THE BOYS ON THE FARM The
question of keeping the boys on the
farm and the best possible methods for
accomplishing this very desirable re-
suit may always be considered as open
to all who have suggestions to make
thereon. It is q question in which New
England farmers are specially interest
ed, and which they ought to be doing
something to solve. And it seems
strange that in this center of the COM
mon school system the farmers have
not seen in the school one Of their prin-
cipal aids, and have not shown more in
terest in what their children have been
taught. Though these men are strong
friends of schools, and pay literally for
their support, yet they allow in these
+lo e L
will be Of little value 10 the children
whom they greatly desire shall become
farmers, and this to the utter exclusion
of branches which they ought to mas
ter. This, to say the least, is not at all
wise. As the author of an essay read
before the National Grange remarked,
more than half the farmers sons who
seek a livelihood in the cities, 90 to
baser calling and harder labor than they
would submit to on the farm" and they
are ready to do this because at school
they have been taught in the knowl-
edge and methods of statesmen, agents
and merchants, without even one text
book specially adapted to any part of
rural life" Thus the school which the
farmer Zealously supports, in the hope
that.it will fit his sons for an intelligent
prosecu ion Of the business in which he
is engaged, really becomes a potent
means of drawing them away from
home. The boy who has graduated at
a Massachusetts high school finds him
self much better qualified for the po-
sition of bookkeeper or agent, or occu-
patton of merchant, teacher or survey
or, than he is for that of farmer. So it