The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1880-12-09
for the faruler.
HIyre FOR DECEMBER WORK.

honnred, are worth a great deal more for shaping
the future.
lire StocE-As the season advances, the live
stock require increased attention; not only are
they more directly dependent upon our care, but
ti-y are subject to diseomforts from exposure,
which seriously interfere with the profit of keep
ing them. OF all our domestic animals, the pig
is the most sensitive to exposure Ia rough wealth
err poultry next, in this order; fowls, ducks,
.tese. and turkeys, the last often doing better
when exposed, than if sheltered. Next 10 fowls,
cows then working-oxen and Young cattle next
horses which are used, unused horses, and
sheep. OF these last, the !ong-wooled breeds are
most sensitive to cold storms aud snow, but
close fieeced Breeds will stand almost any
amount of cold, if they have enough to eat,
sheds to go under. and shelter from driving
storms of rain and snow.
Horses if well fed, will usually feel bright and
lively in winter, and young horses are, for this
very reason, more easily trained than when the
weather and running at pasture makes them
dull. Whenever houses are used so rs to warm
them up at all, blanket them they
stand still, if only for two or three minutes,
those two three Minutes are sometimes enough
to give a chill which may end in pneumonia, or
other serious troubles. Grooming saves feed,
and also promotes health in horses, and shOuld
never he neglected. 1t will probably pay even
to groom boarding horses, and il will certainly
pay the owners TO stipulate that their horses
should be groomed daily. Blankets except mere
CLUSTERS are worse than useless in stables;
they make the horse tender, and more likely to
take cold when brought in hot. Litter very
freely if yOu have the material straw, leaves,
swamp hay, etc.
Mich Cous-Tbese ought to be well fed, and
cleaned by a card and brush, daily, if possible,
otherwise, twice week. They should be MIXED
up TO within four wetks of calving. 1t is great
temptation to dry of a COW, as to save the Ia
Dor of milking, and not alone will hired men do
this, but the farmers themselves, generally, do
it, and think that they save good deal in feed
and labor, while in reality, with young cows,
they impart habit Of going dry carly, which
will last them as long as they live. The better
mich cows fed, the better return they give,
but feed iudciously.
Sheep are peculiarly sensitive to good treat
ment. A good shepherd is always gentle among
his sheep. Ewes which TO lamb early ought
to he by themselves and have better care as
their time approaches. Feed few more tur-
nips, and give them a little more liberal sprink
ling of corn meal and bran, or oil cake.
Pigs-Nearly double the feed will he required
TO keep pigs from going back, after really cold
weather comes on-say, when the ground freezes.
1t is then best to kill at once. Every farmer
ought to he able to kill and cut up his own pigs
Butchers are often very rough and brutal. This
is not necessary. Many a farmer who kills his
own pigs does so because he wants the job kind
| ly and humanely done. He actually thrusts the
knife if he loved the victim. Feed soaked
corn, that is, corn which is covered with as much
This is better for either fattening store pigs
than coarse meal, unless the latter he thorough
| ly cooked.
| PoHlhy.-Hens will lay up to Christmas, If
| they have warm quarters. manure shed,
where mixed manure throws off considerable
| warmth, and which is closed in, but well venti-
lated, is excellent place for fowls They are
| kept warm and comfortable, their droppings are
| all saved, going 10 enrich the manure, and they
| keep on laying, often all winter. At noon feed,
| in open weather. soft food-that is, boiled pota-
| toes mixed with bran corn meal or something
of the kind; at night, give good feed of whole
| grain, throwing down enough 10 toll them of
the roosts for an early breakfast, unless thereby
yon will he feeding an army of rats all night.
| In snowy and frozen weather, feed three times a
day, and give only what they will run after at
| each meal.
becoming more and more important. The season
may be unfavorable for ice the last, but
that is hardly possible. Nevertheless, prudent
man will he prepared to lay in his ice as soon as
| it shall have attained half the usual thickness,
| OF even less The probabilities that an enor-
| nous quantity will be secured this season. 1t is
| being applied to new uses all the time, and its
| consumption in both town and country is great
| ly on the increase.
ORCHARD AND NURSERY.
| 1pples-This has been a great apple year. and
immense quantities have been shipped to vari
| established, that in planting, the American or
chardist should have the foreign demand in view
Apples for shipping should be those that bear
| transportation, and also those that are in favol
| abroad, such as the NewtOwn Pippin, SpitZen
berg Baldwin, etc.
Fruit in the Cellar.-when the fruit cellar i,
separate from the house, it should be kept just
above the freezing point such cellars do not re
qure ventilation. Cellars under living room'
must be ventilated, otherwise the gases given of
IL. ~. II.
decaying-will endanger the health of the in
mates. There is demand for special care il
| this matter, at the present time, because the
fruit has been so abundant that there is an ui
usually large amount stored i'll the cellars.
the house is constructed that an opening car
be made from the cellar into a chimney, ventla
ton may be very complete; an opening which
can be closed at pleasure should be made TO ad
init air from without when desirable.
MaRmes.-By many the orchard is expected T.
yield two crops-one from the trees, and anOthe
more directly from the SOIL as it may seem.
is useless TO expect the best fruit from trees tina
are robbed of their nutriment by quick-grOwin;
crops. Ordinarily, when the trees come int
bearing. they should have the land to themselves
If circumstances make il necessary TO grow som
crop between the trees, both the crop and tn
trees should be MANFRED. Well rotted manur
is best, and when spread, let il cover the who'll
ground, and not he heaped about the trunks o
the trees. where there are no small roots to max
| II.
the manure, as it can be drawn upon sleds, whicl
more readily pass under and among low tree
than a wagon. A dressing of lime will often b
of great benefit to an orchard.
FRUIT GARDEN.
Uintcr Protection.-Many plants are killed b
: too much protection. For example, strawberrie
| are hardy and the covering of straw, marsl
hay ETC.. that is recommended TO them is not =
much to shield from cold as To prevent frequen
freezing and thawins of the soil. The cover
ing should be mainly around and not upon tn
plants.
Shrubs that are not quite hardy do not requr
, ! bundling up, as was thought unnecessary no
, many years ago, when more plants were smoth
! cred than benefited by the covering. A littl
! brush or better, some evergreen boughs place
close to the shrub, will ward off the sever
winds, modify Sudden changes of temperature
! and be n sufficient protection. Tender raspbei
! ries must he bent down, and covered with cart
Z before freezing prevents it.
! KITCHEN AND MARKET GARDEN.
Q Celerp while in trenches for the winer, shoul
not be allowed to freeze hard-a moderate frce7
: ing does no harm. The hay or straw for coyei
r ing should be at hand when needed. As soon a
the winter fairly sets in, the covering, whic
until then, was slight, should he made abou
a one foot in thickness. Celery, in boxes in tn
cellar, is apt to suffer from heat than colo
I The boxes, about nine inches wide, are made {
old stuff, and as long as convenient; set the &c
: ery in them Us in trenches. The boxes shout
= be placed their own width apart, thus avoidin
{ a solid mass Of celery, which would heat and d'
r cay. The cellar should he near the freezin
point possible.
= Cold Frames will now need daily attention
The plants kept in them are not to grow, an
q should they start, they would be ruined. I'll
: sashes to he kept continually closed onl
during the coolest winter weather; ut all 9th,
. times, especially during the day, they must
4 lifted. When the temperature of the atmo
n phere is above freezing, the sashes should be O
altogether.
Cellars where roots are stored need to be kel
a cool, otherwise the roots will shriyel or sta
a into growth, and be injured. Roots for tab
= use. If kept in earth sand, fresher and be
o ter than others.--imerioaa IgrieHltnrisi, for
a ccmber.