The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-04-24
FARM AND GARDEN.

CLEARING SLOUGH LAND.--In clearing
up land that is covering with tussocks
OF coarse grass and tough sod, and
digging out bitches to drain such land
mGch useless labor may be given that
could be spared by skilful work. The
spade is commonly used for this pur-
pose, but In digging dry ground this
low tool may be replaced to very great
advantage by the plow and the horse
-hovel. In working in swamps these
more elective tools may be made avail
able in many cases. 10 cut off the tus.
socks with grub-hocs, while they are
tough in the summer time, Is very hard
and slow work; but If q common horse
scraper Is used they can be torn up, or
cut of, with the greatest ea>e. The
scrnper shoul.l be furnished with a
sharp stecl-cutting blade In the front,
which may be rivcted on, or fastened
with bolts, so that 1t may be taken off
and ground sharp. If there are wet
and soft places the scraper may be
drawn by Il chain OF sufficient length to
keep the horses upon dry ground.
This plan has been tried by the writer
with success, and with a great saving
Of time and expense; the digging of a
pond 20 feet wide along the edge of a
swamp, was performed with one man,
Il boy, a team, and a h0rse-shovel, as
quickly rs ten men could have done 1t
with spades. In cutting tough swamp
tho plow may be used to break up the
surface when the horsc-shovcl will re-
move the muck very fast. If the
swamp Is wet. and water flows In the
excavation, the digging may still be
done with the horse craper by adding
to the length OF the handles and using
planks upon each side for tho man to
stand upon, and planks upon the inner
side Of the digging for the scraper to
slide upon with It's load of muck. The
muck may be thrown In heaps on the
side Of the pond or bitches, and 1t will
be found convenient to leave it upon
one side instead Of in u continuous
heap, as this will greatly facilitate Its
final disposal in whatever way that may
be.
FEEpiNG lloRsEs.-A great diversity
or opinion prevails as to the best meth
ods Of feeding horses, and mistakes arc
frequently made, by neglccting to g've
suitable attention to the matter. We
Have known farmers who were accus-
tomcd to throw lock of hay to their
horses several times during the fore
'SS'i W "hNN' hNoiS "lll "1lCll IOG Ut
woi k the horses would be kept eating
ne arly tho whole day, consuming much
more hay onsuch days than they would
require when at work. This practice
can not fail 10 lnjur.ia horse scri-
nusly, II continued ANY length VI time
llor;e' ar, frequently injured by over
feeding. a horse should no more have
all the hay he can cat, than Il child
should have all the bread or fruit he
can Il at. Regularity and moderation
are as Important In tue one case rs in
the other. Driven horses arc some
times fed on cut straw and meal with
out any hay, or very little. This is a
good food Tor horses, rs has been proved
in many instances. Some believe that
six or eight quarts Of meal per day,
with fifteen or twenty pounds OF good
hay, Is enough for almost any horse,
anu better than more. or course a
htr.c that works all the time needs
moro ioHd than Que that does little.
some horses consume and seem to need
more FOOD than others doing the same
work. The hay should hc cut, or.
m ostly Y so, and fed with meal, wet.
Cracked corn to he fed with oats a part
OF the 'ime Is recommtn 'el by some.
Smoky hay Is specially liable to induce
" cough, and should be carefully avoid
cd. If horses are fed mostly on hay it
should be OF good quality, well cured
and fed In moderate quantities three
times day. But it Is the opinion of
those best acquainted with horses that
they can be kept in good condition
cheaper, by feeding somo grain than
by giving them hay alono, and If horses
are IN constant use grain in some form
Is Il necessity.