The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-01-27
AGRICULTURE.

SALT1Nd HAY.-Is it any advantage
to put salt OH hay when it Is packed
down in the barn2 This is question
III which all farmers are interested,
| ana to which different men return diff
teront answers. Some assert that salt
which is thus applied is worse than use
less; others claim that it does neither
good nor harm to any marked degree,
while still another class believe that it's
use confcrs a positive benefit. Upon
general principles am not in favor OF
using salt for this purpose, as do not
believe it is best to get hay into the barn
until 1T is dry enough to keep Of itself
In good condition. Still, great many
farmers get in hay when it is quite
green and think that by the use of a
little salt they can, avoid the evil con-
sequences which would otherwise re-
suit. Whether, under these circum-
stances, salt will have very much effect
as prescrvatiye l cannot say. My
own experience with it has been quite
limited, and the results attained we're,
to say the least, rather unsatisfactory.
Judging from appearances | should not
suppose that salt, as 1t is usually ap.
piled, would be Of any great benefit to
The nay. On the contrary, l should
think that much tho larger part of it
n
NOW, and that while most OF the hay
received but a very little salt, Il little OF
1t, which was close to The floor, would
be saltcd altogether too much. If this
Is trtc, applying salt to Il hay NOW can
90 but very little good for in order to
be useful and to exert any prcserYative
influence the salt should be applied
and retained just where it is needed.
Ii 1t is wanted at the middle or top Of
the NOV, and nine-tenths of it settles
at once to the bottom, it is plain to see
that large part Of 1t remains useless,
am aware that some farmers claim
that, III some way, the salt is drawn uy
through the hay until it is all salted.
Although l doubt the correctness of
this theory should be more than ever
opposed to salCing hay if it were proved
to be true; for if this principle is cor
rect, the man who puts salt on one load
OF his hay really salts the whole NOV,
ana the cattle are Obliged to eat saltcu
hay or none at all. While believe in
giving cattle all the salt they want, |
40 not approve of requiring them TO
eat 1t whether they like it or not. 1t
Is not n good plan to compel cattle to
cat salt IN order to get hay. There is
no necessity for salting hay that is pro-
perly cured, as it well enough without,
anu ! would rather dry my hay in the
field than try to cure II under cover by
the addition Of salt.
CULTIVATION OF LOCUST TREEs.-It
will soon be great object with Amer
lean farmers to cultivate locust trees.
IN all locations where they arc adapted.
Even IN this new world, we shall soon
be dependent I'M cultivated trees for our
fences, railroad Ties and building Dur-
poses. Our native forests, which one
hundred years ago covered nearly the
entire part Of eastern North America,
are last disappearing, while the demand
ior timber, for all purposes, is az rapid
~ increasing. Probably no other tree
Is SO profitable for cultivation in this
country rs the locust. 1t Is of rapid
growth, hard and durable, and adapted
to many uses. The second growth To-
Gust is not 50 durable us the native for
est tree, as found in parts Of OHIO; but,
cut ut suitable ago and at the right
season of the year, it is as durable as
white cedar, and much more valuable.
The profits Of the culture would be i'm
mensc. An acre OF locust trees, fifteen
or twenty years old, would be worth
fifteen hundred TO two thousand dol
lars. The expense of growing them,
aside from the use OF the land, would
be irilling. The grove would afford a
good place Tor fowls, while the Bios
SONS would be nearly equal to white
clover for honey. The limbs would
make splendid wood, and the ground
would need no planting for second
growth.
How TO BUILD A SMoKEH0UsE.-A
good smokehouse for the farmers Dur-
pose can be built for 500, If the mater
lal used in its construction is stone, of
winch most farmers have plenty and to
spare; and there will be no fear of its
burning up and spoil the meat. a
building ten by twelve feet would be
sufficient for large farm, and if it is
thoroughly underdrai,led the ashes will
not 10 any harm. Not long since |
saw a smokchousc, the floor of which
was single large stone and there was
put little moisture therein. In this
house the meat was hung around the
siucs ana the fire made in the middle.
The great difficulty in smoking meat is
TO get sufficient amount Of smoke
without too much heat. In many cases
100 much fuel is used, making theuuan-
tity OF smoke too great, rs well as pro-
ducing too much heat for the perfect
curing OF the meat. No blaze should
ever be allowed, nor should the smoke
pc kepC up TOO iong-an hour at Il time,
twice a day, is sufficient. The advan-
tagc OF this plan will be fully realized
when once tried. | do not believe any
better material can be used for produc-
ing SIN oke than corn cobs, rs they inn
part good flavor to the meat,
REMEMBER that horses and cattle,
young and old, kept In stables and not
allowed full liberty during the day,
should be regularly cleaned. In this
the brush must be the principal clean
Ing instrument. The currycomb is OF
no value, except to loosen the scurr
and dust. In using, 1t should be laid
flat and worked lightly in circles, rath-
er than forward and back. The scurf
once looscned, brush with qulck
stroke, cleaning the bristles by passing
them Tx htly over the teeth of the cur
rycomb between strokes. TO clean an
animal quickly, perfectly, and without
giving 1t pain, is fine art that should
be studied more than it is.
The presence of too much water in
the soil keeps It constantly cold, The