Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-12-31
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FARM AND FIRESI DE.


FARM AND FIREsI DE.
KEEPING STOCK THROUGH THE WIN
TER.-The general belief-founded, prop
ably. more on the fact that the last winter
was unusually mild, than ON any more
solid foundation-that the present season
will be very severe one; but whether or
not is shall be the case, it is well to make
preparation for every emergency when in
our power. The continued drouth of last
summer caused fall pasture to fail much
earlier than common, so that we will all
| be obliged to look about us for the best
| possible mode Of getting our live stock
comfortably through what must, of course,
economy Of food to keep our stock on the
pasture after it is dried up from repeated
freezing, so that it is of little more use
than the same weight Of dried leaves and
experience teaches that stock entering in
/ to winter quarters in good condition can
be kept without difficulty, while an animal
beginning the winter in poor condition.
| careful housing and the best attention
will Invariably be in poor order in the fol-
lowing spring; particularly is this the case
with common stock. Fat stock consumes
less amount of food than poor stock be-
cause there is not SO much required to
keep up the animal heat. The american
Farmer for December gives some hints Of
practical character upon this subject. of
which it will be well to take heed IF you
have not stabling for all the stock that
you can feed, lose no time in making straw
sheds in some sheltered locality open to
the south. In such sheep can be as well
wintered, or perhaps better, as in a barn
IF the most expensive kind. If cattle are
10 be kept in open sheds, be sure to sepa-
rate them in lots Of about the same age
and size, as the large ones will be sure to
impose on the weak If kept together
Sheep should have racks, In which both
corn and long food can be given, as they
will not eat, no matter how good the hay,
II fed on the ground; half the amount, if
fed in good racks, will do them more good
than when fed on the ground with double
che quantity. One ear OF corn for each
sheep per day will be found enough for
breeding ewes until after they have LAMBS.
Brood sows should be kept in fair order
not fat-as they will be apt to raise more
Ind better pigs, and not so liable to Kill,
he pigs as when fat. If practicable, it is
slways best to keep sows in small wood
ut, orchard, or such place, where they get
,lenty Of exercise at all times. If several
re kept they must be watched, to see that
he old ones do not get cross and impose
pn the young and weaker ones. A
hog will be hog, even if she has
pedigree and cost long price
when bought from some of our breeders
thoroughbred stock. A boar should
lever be allowed to run with any other
Sind of stock, as they are always liable to
'jure something with their tusks. Many
valuable horses and cows have been killed
y them. December is the month that
most farmers kill their hogs. We would
suggest the propriety of feeding them lon
ger than usual this year, as corn is plenti-
Jul, and relatively much cheaper than the
# the best and most thrifty of the small
hogs should be separated, placed in dry,
warm pens. where they can be kept COM
Portable regardless Of storm and wind; feed
hem till spring; they can be sold, and re-
slize fair profit for grain and labor, and
rive an extra dividend in the shape Of
irst-class manure for next year g corn crop,
mic nfy Nf mr. md
sorbents have been used; perhaps the in
crease will equal the amount fed to the
hegs."
EWES AND LAMBs.-During lamb-bear-
ing time the ewes want to be kept quiet,
in good cOnditiOn-not too fat, nor too
poor. If too fat the lambs will not be so
large, and If too poor the lambs will not
be 80 healthy or as large as they should be-.
Turnips and other roots should not be fed
too close up to the lambing time, as they
tend to produce abortion. Good, sweet
hay, with about pint Of grain day, is
the best food; before lanbing the grain
may be changed for some green food, if
possible, such as young wheat or rye, as to
Induce the flow Of milk, and keep the
bowels open
After the eve has LANDED, the food
should be gradually increased and enrich,
ed, as the object then should be to increase
the flow Of rich milk as much as possible
particularly if there are twins or triplets,
n order to hasten the growth and enlarge
the size Of the lambs. In addition to pas
ture. roots, bran, oats, corn or meal, oil
cake, should be fed. If the eve disowns
iier lamb, she should be confined IN a hur-
die, so that the lamb may SUCK and the
eve cannot kick.-ftd,ter and Farmer. ,'y
CONCERNING HAIR CUTTINa.-She is
mother, but she does not know how to
cut the childr ems hair. This is a pity,
because it Is expensive to send to
the barber, and Papa neglects the job. Be-
sides, the children do not like their hair
haggled, and it is not nice to look at eth
or. The trouble often is, the scissors are
dull; now, this should not be. A woman
ought, above all things earthly. to have
sharp scissors, especially where whole
family is to sew for. Next in Importance
to having plenty Of dry kindling wood and
lively yeast, is having sharp scissors. Civ
en- sharp scissors, she cannot then cut the
childrens hair. She makes their heads
catsteppy; for the life Of her, she can't
help it. The trouble is she does not ma
nipulate the comb properly. Let her push
this instrument through the hair in di-
rection opposite to which it lies on the
head, and clip off the ends of those hairs
that project through the comb. Do this,