The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-09-13
AGRICULTURE.

| A6hlCO 1LlU UhE.
SAVING FENcEs.-This Is an item thai
should be carefully estimated, as 1t is
one of the heaviest burdens Of agrlcul.
ture. Fences are needed only to re.
Strain stock; and II the stock is not
pastured no fence is needed, except for
yards, and perhaps lane to lead the
cattle to the wood lot for simple eXer-
else. Take the fact OF fcnciug ninety
acres into four fields, for pasturing
thirty cows or cattle. These fields
would be 22% acres, and would require
| 720 rods OF lence. Now, if this fence
cost only 81 per rod, and if We suppose
1t to last twenty years, then the decay
will amount to five per cent. q year,
and the labor Of annual repair is gener-
ally estimated at five per cent. The in
terest on the original cost ut seven per
cent. would be $50.40, and the ten per
cent. for decay and repair $72, making
1922 40 rs the annual expense for fenc-
ing pasture for thirty head Of cattle.
We shall see that this is more than the
cost Of labor for soiling the thirty head
ofstock, Mr.. David Williams carefully
prepared the fence statistics of Wal
worth county, Wisconsin, and, after
dcducting for waste lands In ponds and
lakes and onc-half of the division fences,
he makes the annual cost for the whole
county about 81 per acre. Mr.. Prince,
OF Maine, goes INTO an elaborate calcr-
latiOn OF the cost of fences in that State
in 17G0, and the result does not vary
much from an annual cost OF 81 per
acre. The late Ezra Cornell took a
great interest in studying this question,
and gave his views in an address before
the State Agricultural Society of New
York in 1862, and he arrived Mt the con-
clusion that the average cost of fencing
for every acre incloscd in that State is
81 per annum. If then we take this as
Il fair estimate In the older States, every
acre OF the farm must be charged at
this rate, or farm Of 300 acres, which
usually keeps about 60 head of cattle,
would pay fence tax of $500 in labor
and material. The smaller the farm
and the smaller the lots the greater the
cost Of fence per acre.
DRAINING IAND.-Draining plays q
very important part in successful and
profitable farming. No matter how
much fcrtllizing matter you may put
on Il field, and how well you NAV at
tend to the crops you may plant therein,
If tho place needs draining yor will get
but mcngrc and improbable crops; tor
the land will remain wet, soggy and
sour during the wet weather, and will
bake hard and solid or the surface dur
ing the hot summer months, both Of
which arc opposed to rapid plant
growth. The drain tile now so much
IN use is by far the best; for it lasts in
fnttcIy longer than wood, bru sh OF
stone drains commonly put in, though
IL may cost more to put such a dram
down properly, the tiles, though not
very expensive. making up quite sum
when II large piece is to be drained 1t
pays, however, which is what the far
mer really wishes to know. Some
years ago the "ri, cr set out in the spring
II large plantation Of choice pear trees.
Owing to Il dry season the trees made a
handsome growth. The season follow
ing being II wet one the trees did very
poorly, and the year after this 4 few Of
them uicd. In the fall Ofthc latter year,
suspccting the cause, several thousand
tiles were bought-thrce-inch ONES
and the piece thoroughly drained. The
spring after this Was done the trees
made an early and vigorous start, and
have since not only borne heavy crops
OF fine fruit, but have also made good.
healthy grOwlhs of wood and foliage.
so much Tor the result of drainage.
How TO SET a uLN.-Vcry few pco-
pie know how 10 set IL hen properly.
In the first place, remember that yOu
can't make her sit If she don't want to.
Cut a barrel in two In the middle, then
cut out one or two slaves, 80 that when
1t Is stood on its end there will be plen-
ty of room for the hen to pass in and
out, Place the barrel on the ground.
with the headed end up, and then SCOOP
out the earth to Concave shape and
putln very little fine hay, and the
nest Is ready for the eggs. If it is not
convcn cnt to put the barrel on tho
goonnd, grass sod placed underneath
,hc nest will answer. 1t ia best to place
the hen on aicw glass or worthless eggs,
at first, as she may not take kindly 10
the nest you have prepared for her.
Place her on the nest after dark and she
will get accustomed TO it through the
night. If she seems inclined to sit af-
ter this, she may be given the eggs
which are intended to be hatched. il
the hen IS allowed 10 leave her nest
every day, a small coop may be placed
In front of the barrel, and then she will
be sure TO return to her nest. She
should always have near her q cup of
water and plenty OF food. If the above
directions are followed and the eggs are
we'll fertilzcd, II good brood of cl. ckens
may be expected.
JIlE Brahma fowls are inclined to
obesity, and should not be ted wholly
upon corn. a Brahmn hen will grow
fat while sitting when another hen
would get poor. Wheat bran molstened
with Just enough milk to hold it Logcth-
er is excellent lood for sitting Brahma.
Use only tho best bran.
That Dollar.