The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-02-15
N again the summer drouths destroy the

Economy Of the Farm.-This is a
hackneyed subject, and one which agri-
cultural papers are much given to writing
about, but SHORT ride through any part
of the country wild show that either the
good advice has not reached manv
farmers, or that 1t has not beer needed.
Sleds and carts are left standing appa.
rently just where they were last used.
By the side of fence lies rusted,
weather-beaten pillow. At the best,
money getting is slow work with the
farmer, but neglect of this kind makes
it much slower than it need be. The
first and one of the most important o
farm economies is that of keeping
accounts. Have some sort of system by
which you can tell when each implement
was purchased, the amount of seed sown
and sales made, as well as that reserved
for farm and bone consumption. Let
the buying and selling OF cattle and
poultry be registered, together with all
farm operations of any character. A
few minutes each night will do the work,
and you will find yourself greatly helped
and encouraged by knowing exactly how
matters stand. Do not begrudge the
money you may spend on it, Repair
your tools and buildings as far as possible
at the proper time. and so save subse-
quent threefold expenditure of time and
money. Avoid auction sales, unless you
are very sure of yourself. We have
known men whose farms were always
stocked with worthless and vicious cows
and broken-down or runaway horses,
while their barns were filed with worth
less trumpery, bought because sit was
cheap" Better save your time and
spend your money where you will get a
air return. Examine the fences around
your pasture from time to time and
strengthen the weak places. A little
care beforehand may save 8 field of corn
or wheat. Plant good fruit trees and
take care Of them. If you have no mar
ket for fruit, at least raise enough for
your own family. Take under shelter
al the scattered implements, buy q pot
of paint and let the boys amuse them
selves by trying their skill on the wood
work.
Remember that dozen hens can be
kept on what couple of worthless cats
and dogs will deyour.
The Value of Oats for FOwis.--Prob.
ably very few, If any, of our readers
have ever tried the experiment of feed
ing oats to breeding poultry in large pro
portions-say at least three-fourths to
one-fourth of any and all other grains.
A fancier who has done this (and, as he
says, "both economically and success
fuIly'') assures us that oats may be used
in this way to very good advantage as
q daily food for breeding fowls the year
round, and especially to the Asiatic va
rieties, that are SO predisposed to put on
an excess of internal fat when fed in the
ordinary way.
"But," adds our correspondent, "the
oats must be good, sound, and frst-clas'
in quality" His habit is to give hi'
breeding birds light meal in the morn
ing of scalded or cooked mash--meal and
vegetables. At noon full feed of oats
At night another feed of oats, two thirds
and crushed corn one.third. This fare.
with mess Of green food and ground
bones, twice week, forms the diet he
allows to his six pens of Asiatics.
In summer they have a good range in
an open lot back of their houses. In
winter he reduces their number sixty
per cent. by bis fall sales, and during the
coolest weather he increases the grain
iced (aside from oats) to about one-hall
Of oats and crushed con-, for say three
months. His cost for this style OF keep
ing is not over two-thirds what it for
merly was for the same number Of fowls
He has no sick birds, no br9ken,down old
hens, no weak jointed cockerels, no over
fat breeding stock Of any sort,
The oats digest well. His birds are
never cloged. Their appetites are coE'
stantly good, and their general condition
under this treatment ID highly satisfac-
tory. ssHens sud pullets thus fed lay
well their eggs hatch very well on the