The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-07-03
AGRICULTURE.

AGRICULTURE.
WHEN TO HATCH BANTAMS. S.-Bantams
provided they are all they should be in
points and other. qualities, are more
desirable the smaller we can get them.
They have been obtained by a systema
tic course Of dwarflng for many years
In the hands Of experienced breeders.
10 secure heavy, large and growthy
fowls wo must hatch early and feed
literally to accomplish our object, but
with bantams the reverse is the case in
almost every particular. They must be
hatched late In the Matching season,
which Is usually in July Or August,
tend toward forcing, else you will sure
ly have oyeggrown specimens. Give
them good care, food and attention,
put DO not pamper them, and you will
have some nice birds, provided you are
breeding from good stock; and the best
with these, as with any other stock
whatever, is none too good. Never set
your Bantam eggs under q large hen or
you will have the sorrowful experience
Of having about nine-tenths of them
crushed, or perhaps the other tenth,
too. Let the Bantam hen sit on the eggs
and she will prove to be good sitter
and careful mother, especially if she is
a year or more old. Young ones Of
these, like young ones of other breeds,
are not as constant as are matured ones.
Bantams, especially any Of the different
varieties Of the Games, which are so
small, can be left to run with the Coch-
ins and Brahmas without any fear OF
mixing. Though they take up such
small space, they should have separate
houses and yards allotted to them,
where 1t Is convenient to do SO.
l HAVE driven and watered horses
ever since l was large enough, and /
never sponged one and never expect to,
and have always given all the water
they would drink: and never hurt a
horse by watering, as yet. Horses
til too hot to drink all they will, except
in cases of emergency, such as going
for the doctor, or getting out Of the way
Of the Sheriff. A horse suffers as much
from being thirsty as a man, and to de-
prive him of all the fresh water he will
drink Is simply cruel when it Is 80
cheap, and whom not abused by over
driving or overwork, he will not drink
enough to hurt him. Some people are
continually pottering with their horses,
giving medicine when not sick, and
watering when not dry, and keeping it
from them when they most need 1t. In
taking care of horses a little common
sense should be brought into play, the
same as in any other business.
HORSES THAT WILL SELL.-What
horses sell best2 That is the question
every breeder of horses should ask him
self. The farmer carries on his busi-
hess to make money. He wants to
make 1t honestly. He wants to raise
such crops and such stocks as will COM
mand ready sale at prices that will pay
him for the skill and labor and capital
that have been employed. 1t Is evident
that the horses Of good size, good style,
that show good breeding, that have good
action, will always command reatlier
sale than horses not possessing these
qualities as possible in the stallion.
See that the brood mares have these.
qualities and then you can raise colts
that in any market will command fair
prices. Size, style, action, soundness,
are the main points In sire and dam.
Give the offspring fair treatment, and
horse raising will prove as renumera-
tive as other branches of farming.
ASHES BENEFICIAL TO CATTLE.-One
OF our substantial subscribers, in re-
cent conversation, gave his experience
In treating meat stock affected with the
habit of eating wood, chewing bones,
etc. His cattle were one spring affect
ed in this way; they became thin in
flesh, refused to eat hay, and presented
a sickly appearance. He put four BUSH
els Of leached ashes In his barnyard
and threw out to them shovelful
every day. They all ate it with evil
den3 relish. After turning them out
to pasture he put peck OF ashes per
week upon the ground in the pasture.
They ate it all up and gnawed OFF where
it had been lying. The ,attle began to
improve, ga ming flesh and looking bet
ter than they had for several years. He
now gives one quart of ashes, mixed
with the same quantity of salt, to twelve
head Of cattle, about once week, and
finds 1t to agree with them wonderfully.
HOUSE plants that look dropping and
starved should have the surface soil re-
moved from the pots and replaced with
top dressing from the compost heap,
prepared by mixing 1t with sufficient
sandy loan to make it light and porous,