The Russellville Democrat., 1880-02-05
FACTS FOR FARMERS.
Sunshine -TrampIng Stock Ground Bonanza Farms-Notes.
 SUNSHINE


 SUNSHINE.
 There are volumes written on the subject of making and utilizing manure on the farm but how sell dom do we see word about the value of sunshine on the crops, and in the stables and sites. In fact, we be- lieve most of the houses. stables and pens for stock are built without a thought of the need of sunlight, or ot the means of it letting in. How to shut it out is more thought of than how to let it in. This comes of a want of apprecia- ton of the value of sunlight as tonic and health-giver, and preserver.
 To blanch celery we shut out the sun light. After time it is delicate and subdued. The firm texture is broken down, and the green color has changed to that which indicates delicacy and weakness.
 The potato sprout in the cellar in the springtime is an illustration of growth away from sunlight. To blanch and en- feeble celery and potato vines we keep them out of the sunshine.
 There is no tonic or invigorator equal to sunshine or fresh air. There is none so universal and cheap. Open the doors and the windows and it will come into you. There is a style bank-barn which IS admirably arranged to keep out every ray of sunlight. The superstructure ex- tends beyond the stone foundation ten or twelve feet on the south side, to make a wagon shed. It were better for the wagons to keep them out of the sun, and better for the animals to bring them to the front, where they can feel the quik- ening influence of sunshine. This could be done by making driveway in the back part of the basement, instead of in front It would make the basement dryer, give 1t better ventilation and more sunlight. Where sunshine enters every day no fungus can exist. Fungus IS the cause of thousands of the ills that aflict humanity and the animals about our iarms. If one has no realizing sense of the worth of sunlight as factor of health on the farm, let him try an ex- pertinent with pig or calf, shut away from the sunlight from the day of its birth in . close place, in comparison with one given all the comforts that come from bright, sunny, well sheltered place. In the spring and winter time the sunlight is especially grateful to our domestic animals. It Is not only essen. tial to their comfort, but to their health. Many are deceived as to the val"e of sunlight, because we can tor season hasten the process of tattening animals bv sheltering then in close quarters, where they will eat and sleep and have no disturbing influences. This process may do well for the time needed U fat ten an animal, but if continued from year to year the constitution must be weakened and feebleness ensue. Breed- ing animals, especially, should have abundance of sunlight and exercise. The pigs ies, cattle-pens and poultry-houses generally, are wanting in the amount of sunshine admitted.
 TRAMPING STOCK GROUND.
 Our fathers, with virgin soil and fewer extremes of weather, and fewer insect pests to contend with, did make good crops with system of farming by which we will starve ourselves and impoverish our farms. The observant farmer knows that he can not afford to allow his horses and cattle to tramp through his stalk ground in a wet time. It is shamefully wasteful and destructive to soil and fod- der. When the ground is frozen hard the stalk cannot injure the land, and stock will not trample the fodder into the mud. The reckless pasturing of stalk ground cannot be defended. It is wan ton waste. Tine landlord what rents his corn land and gives the tenant the privilege of stalk pasture has no control to prevent this greatest injury of his land. We have seen more farms injured by tramping in one open, wet season than the rental of the farm would pay. The owner of the land would have made money to have allowed the farm to remain Idle or in fallow that year. In stead of pasturlng the stalks the land- lord and tanant each would have made more money by having the stalks plow- ed under in the fall and during the winter. The owner o every farm would promote his interests by requiring all stock kept on his farm to be wintered about the barn, and then provide sheds and racks for shelter, and economical feeling of fodder in the barn-yard or barn.
 BONANZA FARMS,
 Capitalists are turning their attention to farming. and on the "bonanza farms" along the lines of the North Pacific rail- way, farms containing from 5000 to $500 acres, they are raising wheat at the cost of 2l cents per bush el on the farm, and only 48l cents per bushel in Chicago. Small farmers, in other portions of the country, will have to put more skill into farming if they complete successfully with these bonanza capitalists of the Northwest.
 FARMERs' daughters are charming, and when they become old maids they are Tnatchless.
 WITHIN the past five years the acreage of cereals in the United States has in- creased from 74,000,000 to 05,000,000.
 TIE rain annually pours into the soil a quantity of nitrate of amonia fully equivalent to three pounds per acre,
 TIE second annual exhibition of the Council Bluff District Poultry and Pet Stock Exhibitor will be held in that city January 20, 2l, 22 and 2S, 1880.
 GUINEA fowls will keep all bugs and insects of every description of garden vines. They will not scratch ike other. fowls or harn the most delicate of plants.
 COUNTRY people arc always good, The wife nay SOW tares, rib and darn n the house, while the husband goes down to the meadow and dams the brook.
 TnE average butter yield of the Ayr shire COW is one pound from twenty 10 twenty-five pounds of milk; from the Jersey 1t is one pound of butter from eighteen pounds of m.lk.