Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-11-09
SEASONABLE FARM NOTES.

preserving their health.
PICS are able to consume far more
food In proportion to their weight than
either sheep or oxen.
COMBS and wattIes' of fowls may be
prevented from freezing by oiling them
so as to prevent their getting wet.
ARTICHoEEs for seed should not be
allowed Go become dry and wilted before
they are planted.
LINsEED is perhaps, of ordinary foods
the one most similar to milk in compost
ton, and hence desirable artificial food
for young animals.
YOUNG COWS do not give as rich milk
as those of mature age do. A lean cow
gives poor milk and fat COW gives rich
milk.
For family COWS, heifers with their
first calves should be MIXED within
few weeks of their coming in again. If
dried off early they will always dry up
their milk early.
ADD little glycerine to the grease ap-
piled to harness, and it will be kept in a
pliable state, in spite of the ammoniacal
exhalations of the stable, Which tend to
make it brittle.
SHEEP should be tagged regularly and
kept clean. They should be culled
every year, and those in any manner de-
fcient In form or age should be put In
a separate pasture and fattened for the
butcher.
IT can not be too strongly urged that
the best manure is made under cover.
The same system which gives the best
protection and care to the animals will
insure the most satisfactory returns in
the manure from them. Feeding for
manure is more and more to be lead
ing factor in the winter keeping of farm
animals.
IT seems nearly impossible to induce
some plant lovers to desist from trying to
grow all their plants In marsh. Few
plants can endure standing In a soil con-
stantly drenched or In saucers of water.
A good rule is to thoroughly drench
the soil once in two days, using water
but little warmer than the temperature
of the room. GeraI,iums especially re-
volt from superf1uous water.
A CELEBRATED French agriculturist,
who for many years held first rank in the
art of fattening sheep, when urged to
divulge his secret, replied: "My Sc
cret I? I have none; it is only a question
of fare. Induce the animals to eat
abundantly by large. choice variety
and a good preparation of food; that is
all there is to it"
Nix little sulphur with salt and feed
occasionally to sheep. 1t will efectually
destroy sheep ticks. The same remedy
applied to cattle troubled with lice will
soon rid them of vermin. The use of
sulphur with salt repays the trouble of
CHI
If a mixture of one part of sulphur with
trouble with vermin.
An inch of rain weighs over 100 tons
per acre of surface This fact will serve
to convey some idea of the immense
amount of water which is absorbed by
theland yearly. Usually there are about
thirty inches of rain and melted snow
per acre, which would give in the ag-
gregate, upwards of 5000 tons per acre.
All this water contains ammonia, which
is one of the most valuable fertilizers in
promoting the growth of crops. The
water also carries nitric acid, which con-
tains about 21 per cent. of nitrogen.
RED CLOVER has found more favor
than ever with farmers living where the
drouth was severe the past summer,
having demonstrated in a marked man
ner its drouth-enduring character. It
has intruded itself into meadows consid-
erably during the past few years, and we
learn that where hay was cut early this
year the red clover sprang up immediate
ly. grew rapidly. and soon blossomed.
Cows that were turned in kept up their
record in milk. Without the clover this
would have been impossible except by
extra feeding on green corn fodder and
other rations.
The following trees are named as the
best for planting artificial forests in the
western states: Yellow cottonwood,
making a saw-log or rail-cut sooner than
any other tree; Usage orange, giving
strong and lasting timber, and not
troubled by insects; the hardy catalpa,
of quick growth and lasting timber;
white elm and western plane tree; black
walnut, one of the most valuable of
trees; soft maple, furnishing in short
time great amount of firewood; and the
fast-growing willows, the silver poplar,
the cottonwood and the Lombardy pop
lar.
A MODERATE pruning or shortening
back of evergreens may be given late in
summer after the terminal buds have
formed, the pruned branches thickening
and becoming hardened by slight growth
If done much later the trees will be rem
dered somewhat more tender and do not
endure winter so well. Heavy pruning,
when required, is performed to best ad-
vantage in spring, just as growth is
commencing. Any time in the growing
season the shoots may be pitched back
for securing compact and symmetrical
form. These rules apply to hardy, free
growing eyergreens.
/ HAVE a little farm of 1853 acres.
mostly in grass and fruit. do not sell
hay but feed it and sell off fat cattle.
give herewith little transaction I made
in sheep last fall: I bought Septem-
Der l, 1880, 16 ewes, for which L paid
$40. I sold last spring, ram lamb al
SIS, ewes for $16, II lambs to the
butcher for GA0 10 old ewes for %s0 and