Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-02-28
FARM NOTES.

lowing sensible observations concerning
the selection of corn for seed: "Good
seed must go hand in hand with good
cultivation: but with good seed and
good cultivation our corn yield ought
certainly to be doubled. For instance,
| find it easy to select ears of corn
weighing pound each. Seventy of
these ears would make bushel. Corn
planted in hills four feet apart each way
gives 1922 hills to the acre. If each OF
these hills should produce three such
ears of corn, the acre would produce
10 bushels. Now fully believe that
at least nine farms out Of every ten in
our state are capable of yield very
nearly approaching this, but it is only
to be attained through that higher edu-
cation which shall induce more thor
ough work and closer attention to de
tails Of every description than is now
given by one farmer out of 10000"
THE MANURE HEAP.-In piling stable
dung for partial decay, it saves much
labor to drive and dump the cart loads
upon the top Of the pile. This can be
managed easily if the manure has fair
proportion Of straw, and more easily if
the cart-wheels have broad tires which
will not cut deep ruts as the pile increas-
es in height. Ok or horse teams unused
to this business soon become familiar
with it, because the first load of the heap
dumped and driven over is no great OBJ
stacle, and the pile rises so gradually
that its slowly increasing height excites
no alarm. The ends of the pile-or at
least the one toward the barn-should
be kept at gentle slope to drive on,
although good draft animals with q
cheerful driver will be encouraged to
push pfodigiously at the finish of Il task.
however difficult it may be. Every load
should be carefully spread and leveled
across the pile, looking sharp to fill
holes and keeping the manure road
always ] or two feet wider ut each side
than the cart track. Oar two small
boys, one on either side of the pile,
with potato hooks, managed that mat
ter nicely, working in a good slide down
hill between loads. In finishing the
heap-'ship-shape,' the ends may be
raised handsomely by backing and
dumping II few loads on them, trim
ming and dressing the scatterings at the
sides all around the pile. Horse-dung
piled and trampled in this way will
scarcely heat too much in winter. A
pail Of water or shovel of snow now
and then will quench the smoking
places. The danger ordinarily is that
winterpiled manure, if severely tram
pied, does not heat ut all, and some
complain that driving on it is apt to
compress the manure too much. This
depends good deal upon the quality
of the dung, however. That which is
light, strawy ana full of urine will bear
close packing while any mixture OF
earth or peat tends to keep the air out
and prevent or hinder combustion and
decay.
PLEuRo PNEUMONIA. Among the
stock-raisers, and the British govern
ment, pleuro-pneumonia seems to be
an absorbing topic for discussion. One
dav we hear an order has been issued
by her maiesty's government prohibit
ing the importation of American cattle,
only to have the rumor contradicted
on the following day. What ultimately
will come of it remains to be seen. Any
such stepi is to be regretted by both
stock-rasers in our country and those
standing in need of our beef in Eng
land. The traffic in cattle, owing to the
favor in which our beef has been re-
ceiyed on the other side, and the in
creased facilities for its transportation,
has grown 50 extensive III the last two
or three years that the contemplated
change must be severly felt by both
countries. It'll true, pieuro-pneumonia
being disease of the respiratory or
gans and pleura, is radically fatal, caus-
ing mortality Of not less than SO per
cent. Of the affected cases, under the
most favorable circumstances for treat
ment and care; and often, when allowed
to extend, affecting whole herds and
entailing an immense loss on certain
parts Of the country. Because the NAL
ady exists in few miserable, filthy
stables OH Long Island, reeking with
stencil and etlluvium that can not do
otherwise than produce disease, is no
proof that every animal offered for
shipping contains the germs that are
eventually to transmit and inoculate all
it is destined to come III contact with.
Indeed, we do not believe the disease
exists to any greater extent Mt the pres
ent time than it has for years past, and,
SO far rs we have been able to ascer-
tain, 1t is quite unknown except in four
or five of the Atlantic coast states, and
such stock is seldom used, except for
local purposes, while the cattle for trans
portation come almost exclusively from
the west, and are usually shipped with
out ever coming i'll contact with the
native stock. We should also bear in
mind that Long Island cattle
are used for dairy purposes,
and the most of them never
see daylight except when they are turn
ed over to the butcher to be slaug
Suppose the malady should be rs wide.
Is ditlused us seems to be enormously
believed, are there not means within
reach OF the authorities by which its
spread may be restricted? 1t seems to
us, since all cattle have to be concen,
trated 1T certain points in order to be
shipped, these thoughts should be con,
fined to few ports that should have
/ II 11..li.I