Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-01-31
FARM TOPICS.
From the New York Times.l
SPREADING MANURE.

Spreading manure Is seasonaoie
work. The effect of the manure may
be greatly increased by judicous spread
ing. Toput it up in heaps, as is very
commonly done, is wasteful. A field so
MANFRED, at harvest time shows the
spot where every heap lay by green
cone of vegetation above the regular
level. Grain on these spots is apt to be
laid and damaged. Manure has been
wasted there which would have done
good elsewhere. So, in making heaps in
the field, not only is manure wasted, but
the work is doubled by the second hand
ling. In spreading manure now, it will
be labor well spent to follow with fork
and break up the Jumps and scatter
them even.
USE OF FERTILIZER IN THE DRILL.
A very important consideration in ap-
plying artificial fertilizers in the hill or
the drill is tina: the early vigor of the
crop enables it to appropriate much
more nutriment from the soil than 1t
would otherwise be able to do. An early
and quick start often saves the crop,
pushing it beyond danger, and securing
it from harm from insect pests. Insects
doubtless hunt by scent. The cut-worm
discovers the tender cabbage or the spire
of corn by the aid of its Olfactory nerves.
If this is true, light dressing of strong
/ favored chemical fertilizer may mislead
| it and drive it away from the corn. Or
the acrid effect upon its susceptible To-
connective organs, whether We call them
feet or "prolegs," or whatever else
they may be, may be disagreeable, if
not injurious. But the main point is,
with every crop, to give it vigorous
start: to push it ahead from the first,
and to encourage the roots to spread
far and wide for food, which they will
find for themselves as soon rs they can
take care of themselves. And this is
precisely what is done by fertilizers.
POULTRY CHOLERA.
This destructive disease has begun its
annual ravages. 1t is peculiarly dis
ease of the winter, when constant corn
feeding, close confinement to unwhole-
some quarters, and general disagreed
bleness and unhealthfulness of treat
ment bring on intestinal disorders. The
bright yellow excavations and paleness
of the comb and wattles denote bilious
and intestinal arrangement. The dis
ease is a true typhoid and enteric fever.
The liver is diseased, and the bowels
are intlamed and gangrenOus. 1t is viz
ulent and contagious, and spreads from
farm to farm rapidly. In my case last
year, it affected every farm along road
10 miles from where it started, until il
reached mine, and, in spite of every
precautiOn that | then knew of, it af.
fected my flock to some extent. BY
cleaning down the house, digging up the
ground, covering every thing with ho'
lime-wash, killing every fowl that wa:
sick and burying the carcases. the dis
ease was arrested after some loss. Thi'
year it is again prevalent, but only ONT
of my flock has been affected so far
The hen was removed into separat,
shed and put in quarantine; full grair
dose of blue pill was given daily for foul
days, but no food. After four days /:
+ baked potato, hot from the oven, wa.
! mashed with plenty OF salt and pepper
and given TO the hen. She ate this witt
: eagerness, and l considered her safe
One hot potato, well peppered, was Civ
en- daily until, the door Of the shed be
. ing left ajar, she escaped and returned
! 10 the flock, weak, but otherwise well
l If any new case occurs, the blue pill ant
a course of starving will be tried again
. but, by giving plenty of hot baked pota
I toes, with pepper and salt, and the us
of disinfectants, l hope to avoid the dis
+ ease.
4 PRUNING ORCHARDS.
:. The present is good time for prun
ing orchards. This work is often done
apparently, for no other purpose tina
l. to do some sort of perfunctory work i
i hashing up the trees. Trees should b
# pruned and thinned out, and so, with a