Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-10-23
FACTS FOR FARMERs-

In giving accounts of the yield of
milk some give it in pounds, and others
in gallons. A gallon of milk weighs
about 81 pounds. Milk is usually BOUGHT
by the 100 pounds at factories, It takes
not quite II gallons to weigh 100 pounds.
The American Agriculturist saws the
Jersey red pigs grow rapidly to an enor-
nous size, but the flesh is nearly all fat.
where this is not an objection, this is per-
haps the best breed for one who desires
to procure heavy pigs at an early age.
In the year 1901, a year of scarcity,
apples, instead of being converted into
cider, were sold to the poor; and the
laborers asserted that they could stand
their work on aked apes, without
meat, whereas potato diet required
either meat or fish.
1T Is poor economy to keep sheep,
whether ewes or wethers, after their
teeth become poor, except it may in the
exceptional case of high-priced and ex-
ira breeders. From five to six years is
all that any sheep can be profitably
kept for wool or breeding.
A GOOD beginning is said to be half
the battle. fla young farmer begins to
save money by denying himself unneces-
sary luxuries, lives in plain style, and is
aided in his efforts by q prudent wife,
he can, under ordinary circumstances,
do more than merely obtain living.
HARVESTING machinery should be
cleaned and stored away. The bright
parts may be kept from rusting by coat
ing them with parafine OF tallow. One
OF the best preparations to protect iron
or steel from rust is made by melting a
pound of fresh (not salty lard with q
piece of rosin the size of a hens egg
the exact proportion not important.
DON'T wait until killing frosts before
saving your seed corn. Go into the
field and gather the ripest and finest ears.
Take nothing but the best; hang it up,
or put it on scafold in the loft of any
building; don't pile it up in big piles,
but spread or hang it out thin, and see
that there is good circulation of air
about it.
THOSE who have stock to fatten and
to dispose of in some way, should now
feed them we'll. In addition to good
pasture, give them a few ears of corn
each day. Very few people will buy
stock that are thin in flesh. Buyers
want fat cattle, fat sheep, fat hogs, and
even fat horses and mules. If they are
thin, many a sale will be spoiled.
Corn put into stock will bring much
higher price than if hauled to market
and sold by the bushel.
A WRITER in the Neao England Farmer
who tried numerous experiments in SET
ting fence posts by reversing, sailing and
char1ing, is satisfied that charring did
no good. Sailing dry posts was bene-
fetal, but upon green ones it was useless.
The best thing was reversing the ends.
OF the various kinds Of timber of which
posts are made, red and yellow cedar
rank the highest for durability, aside
from the effects of any preserving pro-
cess. Swamp oak, think, is conceded
to be next in order, with upland white
oak following.
GONG in debt was a very common
habit few years ago. 1t was altogether
too common among farmers. 1t is not
so common now. Farmers have seen the
evil of it. They have seen it is much
easier to get into debt then it is to get
out Of it: 1t is like getting into quick
sand. Every effort to get out only sinks
one deeper. The cash system is far bet
Ter. 1t makes one more economical. 1t
is better to deprive ourselves of luxuries.
than to pay too dearly for them after.
wards.
The stock kept upon farm affords
the owner a ready contingent market for
all the grains and grasses raised and
this market is never overstocked, but the
demand is always greater than the sup.
ply. Cultivated fields arc subject to
wear and tear, and, like man, requires
replenishing with food. The best
way to furnish it is to consume all that
is raised on the farm; in fact, this is the
only way to make the land respond lib.
orally to our behests; hence the farmer
has double inducement, and should act
upon the suggestions that point out the
right way.
This is the time of year to put fat on
to stock that is designed for market this
winter. Ike animal should never be
surfeited, but should come Is its food at
every meal with a keen appetite. When
an animal refuses to eat, from any cause,
for single day, it is set back several
days. Good feeding consists in giving
an animal all it will eat without destroy.
ing its appetite. After feeding for fat
tening has once begun, there should be
a steady increase Of food up to the point
of suffciency, and never q decrease.
Put the fat on during the fall months;
it can be done at much less cost than in
cold weather.